12 hours: disaster strikes, airfield operations needed where none exist, who can fly in 12-hours?

Crumbling buildings, broken sewer lines, downed power lines and people trapped by debris and needing medical assistance can happen anytime, anywhere. No matter what type of disaster, whether caused by acts of nature or humans, the situation can seem overwhelming and wreak havoc on an affected area's infrastructure.

The key to overcoming the effects of a crisis is communication--people talking to people about what they need and how they are going to get that need met as soon as possible. For Airmen at one Travis unit, responding to that need or crisis is their mission and they can do it in 12 hours.

In Air Mobility Command circles, Travis Air Force Base, Calif. is known as the "Gateway to the Pacific." On a daily basis, Airmen coordinate various humanitarian and combat missions, moving cargo and passengers from one location to another in support of H.S. military missions and contingencys around the world.

In AMC, there are two units setup to go anywhere in the world and provide communication support for anyone at a moment's notice. One of those units is the 615th Contingency Response Wing at Travis AFB. The other is the 621st CRW at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.

The 615th CRW is a specialized wing that provides a multifunctional and rapidly deployable capability to extend existing AMC infrastructure and respond to crises throughout the world. The wing's expertise includes setting up air bases, working command and control, running aerial ports, performing aircraft maintenance, and providing security and communications.

The 615th CRW employs cross-functional teams to quickly open forward air bases in an expeditionary environment to meet the needs of combatant commanders. The 615th CRW reports to the 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force, also located at Travis.

The unit provides support using a communications package communicate with anyone in the world. The unit can be ready to leave Travis AFB within 12 hours of notification and be fully operational within 12 hours upon arrival at the deployed location. The unit's Airmen provide communication any mission may require from secured and unsecured e-mail and Internet to air-to-ground communications.

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Currently, the 621st CRW, has equipment in southern Africa, but it is operated by Airmen from Travis. The equipment is called Deployable Air Mobility Division Communications Element or DACE.

"If they have a radio, we can talk to them," said Staff Sgt. John Hudson, 15th Air Mobility Squadron communications technician.

The unit has the whole radio communications spectrum covered.

"We provide so much for such a small footprint, and we provide a lot of service for our size," he said.

The unit is designed to support any type of situation needed. The Airmen have supported major operations such as operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, presidential movements, tsunami support, hurricane response, flood relief and wildfire support. Last year, the unit provided support for President Bush. They were also involved with evacuation and relief efforts for Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

"Last fall, when we were tasked to support Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike, our team and equipment were ready to go in four hours," said Lt. Col. Laura Lenderman, 15th Air Mobility Operations Squadron commander. "It's really a unique AMC and Air Force capability; we can provide this facility and communication package anytime, anywhere."

A DACE comprises of five people, each providing a unique Air Force specialty code or skill set--radios, voice, data, circuit control and satellite. Maintaining a scalable and interchangeable posture allows the unit the capability of working in any type of environment.

With five Airmen assigned, the unit spends a lot of time cross-utilizing those skills. Training allows the unit to maximize the talents of those assigned to reduce the initial Air Force footprint created, doing more with less.

"All of us train on the basics of each other's jobs, meaning we will do basic function checks on equipment or systems, but if I can't fix it, I get the subject matter expert maintainer whose job it is to fix it," said Senior Master Sgt. William Mason, flight chief, 15th AMOS integration flight.

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In the field, the unit usually operates out of a hard-walled deployable shelter system, providing 2,592 square feet of floor space, environmental control units and generators, along with a crew of seven civil engineers. However, living conditions are dependent on the mission and location.

"It all depends on where we are, who we are working for and what we are doing. We could be living like kings or we could be living like the lowest peasants," said Sergeant Hudson.

After arriving at the deployed location, everyone jumps in and sets up shelters and equipment. Shortly thereafter, the Airmen spend most of their time operating like a communications squadron at home station.

"At the front end of the deployment, we are up for hours, getting dirty, running wires, setting up shelters," said Sergeant Mason. "When we are all set up, it's all about maintaining the equipment. But if you see us running around after initial setup then something is wrong, lust like any base infrastructure, if it isn't broke, then you don't see us."

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