Military C-17 Transport Aircraft, dubbed "BEE Liners," Test Extensive Capabilities in Encompassing Pacific Military Drill

21st Airlift Squadron Faces Challenging Exercise Amid High Demand

The 21st Airlift Squadron, currently stationed at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, is participating in the Department-Level Exercise (DLE) from July 8 to mid-August. This exercise, aimed at testing the limits of thousands of Airmen and Space Force Guardians, comes at a time when the squadron is facing a 2,000-person shortage among the Air Force pilot corps.

Under the supervision of Lt. Col. Edward Silva, the commander of the 21st Airlift Squadron, Master Sgt. Brooke Held is taking on the task of teaching two new loadmasters the fine art of getting cargo and passengers on and off an aircraft. The squadron, which was first activated near Brisbane, Australia amid the U.S. military's retreat from the Philippines in April 1942, has a tradition of dropping paratroopers into battle, flying supplies to besieged Marines, and delivering medical supplies for humanitarian missions.

The DLE series is just the latest requirement for a mobility fleet straining to meet worldwide demand. The exercise, which involves operating more independently than usual to prepare for potential communications blackouts in a future conflict, had the 21st Airlift Squadron pivot nearly the entire squadron to the DLE amid rising tensions in the Middle East.

The exercise involves practicing air combat, airlift, airdrop, aerial refueling, aeromedical evacuation, and other missions. The 10 C-17s on station at Andersen Air Force Base have been flying at a "very busy" pace, with 23 C-17s having directly supported the DLE as of July 29, flying approximately 186 sorties so far. C-17 transport jets are being used in the exercise, which flew from South Carolina, Hawaii, and elsewhere across the country.

Aircraft commanders may have to decide on their own whether their jet can fly with a broken subsystem or extend the flight duty period beyond 24 hours to get a job done. The DLE provides a rare chance for the squadron members to bond as a unit, as most squadron members are often off on a mission somewhere around the world.

Air Mobility Command boss Gen. John Lamontagne stated that pulling together enough tails for the DLE amid recent deployments meant the command "basically flushed the wings of just about every training tail they have." The complex missions included dropping about 330 paratroopers over Australia for exercise Talisman Sabre, or practicing aeromedical evacuation missions with foreign partners.

The grind continues after the DLE, as the 21st Airlift Squadron enters another stretch of high-tempo operations. The Air & Space Forces Association, the audio sponsor of this article, honours and supports Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org.

Military C-17 Transport Aircraft, dubbed "BEE Liners," Test Extensive Capabilities in Encompassing Pacific Military Drill