TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The movement of personnel, cargo and aircraft equipment across the globe is paramount to mission success at any base. At Tyndall, the 325th Logistics Readiness Squadron traffic management office is responsible for the transportation of these assets.
TMO is comprised of four different sections, two of which consist of cargo transportation. Legacy cargo Airmen serve as the focal point for all the installation’s originating and transient cargo which can range from an engine to small bolts. The newest cargo section is the F-35A Lightning II cargo unit: a unit with Airmen specifically handling F-35 equipment.
“We’re a separate section of TMO because of the precise trainings we’ve attained,” said Airman 1st Class Easton Seger, 325th LRS TMO F-35 cargo technician. “With the F-35 having classified parts, we had to adapt to a brand-new system tailor-made for the aircraft called the Automatic Logistics Information System. Within ALIS we can work inbound and outbound operations and find specific information on parts, so we can handle each part separately.”
According to Seger, most TMO Airmen require a Hazardous Materials Endorsement Threat Assessment Program certification due to the potential of working with chemicals and explosives.
Cargo isn’t the only resource TMO transports. Household goods and passenger travel are two of the other sections within TMO. These sections assist service members with the movement of household goods from one location to another by distributing personal belongings and overseeing the booking of travel tickets for permanent changes of station, temporary duty assignments and deployments.
“I’d say we affect mission operations greatly,” said Senior Airman Jesse Metsger-Abbott, 325th LRS TMO personal property specialist. “Passenger travel and the household goods sections are vital in helping service members [complete] their move [with minimal stress] so they can focus on the mission and their duties.”
The efficient functioning of TMO assists in the overall readiness of the 325th LRS. Without timely and reliable transportation support, missions could be delayed or compromised, potentially putting operations and personnel at risk.
“We have a saying within TMO, ‘It won’t go without TMO,’” said Tech. Sgt. Brodrick Oliver, 325th LRS TMO noncommissioned officer in charge of outbound cargo. “Without us, anything logistical wouldn’t be able to funnel through smoothly. We carefully plan routes and shipments to help maximize efficiency and minimize costs.”
Whether it’s deploying troops to a forward operating base, transporting supplies to a remote location or coordinating the shipment of equipment across the globe, TMO Airmen are at the forefront of it all, operating in a timely manner to ensure the base remains mission ready.