931st Deputy Commander: Odyssey Dawn response demonstrates Reserve readiness

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Brannen Parrish
  • 931st ARG Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  The 931st Air Refueling Group Deputy Commander applauded the organization's quick response to an Air Mobility Command request to fill a short-term deployment in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn in Libya.

"The response by our Airmen is a testament to the training and preparedness of the 931st, and the increased responsibility of the Air Force Reserve in providing combatant commanders the necessary resources to execute the missions assigned by our leaders," said Col. Daniel "Rock" Heires. "The response by our people demonstrates a level of readiness among reserve forces that is on par with any active duty unit."

Air Mobility Command requested aircrews from AFRC, to provide aerial refueling to NATO aircraft executing a no-fly zone over Libya, March 20. The 18th Air Refueling Squadron of the 931st ARG completely filled the tasking and deployed five crews.

"We were the first AFRC refueling unit to respond," said Lt. Colonel Michael Schlotterback, Assistant Director of Operations, 18th ARS, who flew some of the refueling sorties during the deployment. "The call came on Sunday evening, and within 24 hours we were out the door."

During the deployment, the unit refueled aircraft from multiple NATO member countries.

"It was a grueling but rewarding experience," said Colonel Schlotterback. "It was very busy from start to finish, but it was rewarding to see what we were doing in the news."