Employee loves unique job coordinating passenger airlift.

Tina Smith loves her job, and she's the only one in the command who has one like it. In fact, she's the only one in the U.S. Army who does what she does.

As the U.S. Army Special Assignment Airlift Mission (SAAM) validator, her job is to validate and provide transportation coordination for a variety of Army passenger airlift missions, a part of the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command Passenger Programs Division's responsibilities. These missions include requests for military organic and commercial charter aircrafts.

Smith validates the Army-wide requests and provides guidance to Installation Transportation Offices on the process and requirements such as weight, size requirements, hazardous materiels, etc. to be sure each request is accurate before sending it forward to U.S. Transportation Command. She works daily with Air Mobility Command/Tanker Airlift Control Center.

The traffic management specialist says she thoroughly enjoys the job's challenges, but her favorite responsibility has been the weekly CONUS [Continental United States] Replacement Center (CRC) charter aircraft missions out of Fort Bliss, Texas, which were formerly validated through FORSCOM up until early this year when FORSCOM determined that these missions are better served by SAAMs.

According to Smith, Fort Bliss serves as the CRC for military replacement personnel enroute to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. Among these "personnel" are Military Working Dog (MWD) teams.

"I am an animal lover, so moving passengers is one thing, but moving animals makes my job much more interesting to me," said Smith. "In the past nine months, the CRC has moved 50 MWD teams, so I've had quite a lot of interface with these movements."

Smith says she's also been involved in so many other unusual "special" Army missions, that her job is always interesting.

"There is never a dull moment," said Smith. "I've been involved in everything from the Military World Games, to helping move helicopters to international air shows."

Smith also supported the movie Blackhawk Down, humanitarian missions and USO Shows with a show scheduled this winter in the area of responsibility with lots of big name stars going over on military aircraft. She also works de-mining and, of course, Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom missions.

One of the most recent moves involved an Omni Air DC-20 which departed Nov. 19, 2005 with 235 passengers, four military working dogs and baggage from Biggs Army Air Field to the AOR in support of OIF.

"I'm the only one in SDDC that has this title," said Smith, who has served as the SAAM validator for almost 10 years. "It's been a big part of my life. I perform 24-hour-on-call service for any problems that may crop up with any of these moves.

June Pagan, Command Affairs Specialist SDDC Headquarters Fort Eustis