DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Readiness is the first step to executing any mission. The 7th Logistics Readiness Squadron ensures the Airmen, aircraft and supplies needed for a deployment are always ready to fly, fight and win.
From distribution and materiel management to contingency and dissemination, the 7th LRS has a wide range of operations under their watch, guaranteeing that every person and piece of equipment gets where it needs to go, exactly when it needs to get there.
“We are essentially the backbone of any deployment,” said 2nd Lt. Alexis Peterson, 7th LRS installation deployment officer. “Part of our job is listing out cargo, loading various supplies onto aircraft and most importantly, making sure Dyess Airmen and their units have everything they need to be deployment ready.”
This unit provides supplies, equipment and fuel to all base units, receiving and storing more than 388,000 pieces of property valued at more than $211 million. They fulfill the base's transportation requirements, aircrew transportation, personal property shipments and recalling and training ready-augmentation-duty force personnel to support deployment exercises, inspections and contingencies.
“One of the most important parts of any deployment is the personnel deployment function line,” said Peterson. “This is where we check that every deploying Airman has the correct identification, ensure they’re in good health, make sure they have all of their emergency contacts listed and multiple other important deployment checklist items. Ultimately, this is where our unit ensures everyone that is supposed to deploy is actually going to deploy.”
Recently, the 7th LRS worked tediously to make sure a deployment for the 7th Bomb Wing ran smoothly. For this particular deployment, members of the 7th LRS loaded cargo along with multiple vehicles into a C-5 Galaxy so that the deploying unit has everything they need to perform a variety of tasks to ensure peace and stability in their deployed region while working under U.S. Air Forces Central Command.
“There are a lot of new Airmen going out the door with the rest of us,” said Tech. Sgt. Zachary Barnes, 7th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief. “It’s going to be nice to see them using their skills and learning how to get the mission done while deployed.”