United States Air Force (USAF) officials dedicated a C-130 Hercules to the Soldiers of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division stationed in Afghanistan last October 5 at Bagram Airfield.

The transport was originally dedicated at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., Oct. 25, 2008, to Fort Bragg’s entire 82nd Airborne Division based in North Carolina.

Tail number 79282 from the Air Force Reserve 440th Airlift Wing from Pope AFB has official nose art prominently displaying an American eagle in flight surrounding the iconic 82nd Airborne’s insignia wings on the aircraft’s fuselage. The plane also sports “Bragg-Pope” on its tail flash representing the close relationship between the Fort Bragg and Pope AFB.

Using the total force, an active duty crew deployed from the 2nd Airlift Squadron, an associate unit of the 440th AW, to fly the Reserve C-130 to Bagram Afghanistan. The crew included Capt. Alan Rathjen and Capt. Laura Easton, both C-130 pilots, and Staff Sgt. Matt Metz, C-130 loadmaster.

“The aircraft is being dedicated to the 82nd in honor of the cohesion of the Air Force and the Army in the fight in Afghanistan,” said Captain Rathjen, a native of St. Louis who is assigned to the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron.

While the dedication was symbolic in nature, the tangible effects of the C-130 are felt every day by Airmen and Soldiers alike.

Bringing critical supplies via airdrop to Soldiers on the ground is what the C-130 Hercules is suited to and is excelling at in Afghanistan. C-130s at Bagram Airfield average between five and eight tons of cargo per airdrop mission. In total, 4.1 million pounds of goods were dropped to forward operating bases, combat outposts and other austere locations in support of ground forces. Airdrops have proven to be a safe and reliable method for delivering vital supplies into locations where roads don’t exist, the terrain is too mountainous, the cargo is too heavy for helicopters or where the insurgent threat is too great.

British Airways is cutting 1,700 full-time cabin crew positions at Heathrow, which will reduce the number of attendants on long haul flight.

British Airways, insisted the changes would not damage customer service for passengers, blamed growing less for the cuts. Unite the union hit back, claiming the airline was suffering an “identity crisis”, and trying to ape low cost carriers like easyJet.

In the future, British Airways will recruit cabin crew on lower wages, which the union said were tantamount to “easyJet levels of pay”. The airline confirmed that the current pay freeze would be extended into next year.

British Airways wrote its 14,000 cabin crew staff today to inform them who had been accepted for voluntary redundancy. The airline said it was making 1,000 full-time cabin crew staff at Heathrow redundant, and had agreed to reduce the 3,000 more workers, equivalent to cutting 1,700 full-time positions in total.

As a result of the voluntary redundancies, long haul flights from Heathrow will be staffed by 14 cabin crew rather than 15, as now. A British Airways spokesman said passengers would not notice any change in in-flight service because the cabin crew manager, responsible for liaising with the flight deck and other duties, would also serve passengers from now on. He said the airline had decided against cutting the number of nights cabin crew could spend at their destination before the return flight to Heathrow, and claimed that there were no changes to their terms and conditions.

British airways said in a statement:

“British Airways is currently not profitable and we expect to record a significant loss for the second consecutive year – the first time that has happened in our history. revenues are down, so we must reduce costs to restore profitability. Without changes, we will lose more money with every month it passes. It is essential that we make ourselves more efficient if we are to ensure our long-term survival.”

McChord Air Force Airmen deployed a U.S.-based Federal Emergency Management Agency team to American Samoa aboard a C-17 Globemaster III in the wake of a 7.6 magnitude undersea earthquake that caused a devastating tsunami to strike the region.

Airmen transported a nine-person FEMA team and their telecommunications and logistics equipment to the region.

The FEMA personnel are part of the Seattle-based FEMA Global Emergency Response Support team.

“We could not do this without the U.S. Air Force at McChord providing the air frame to the get this emergency response equipment and team to the people in Samoa in need of aid,” said Lee Champange, the Global Emergency Response Support director. “We are re-establishing communications that had been wiped out. The Air Force is transporting our computers, video equipment, telecommunications equipment and logistical equipment so we can set up to conduct a response and recover.”

“Easing suffering is an extremely gratifying mission,” said Col. Kevin Kilb, the 62nd Airlift Wing commander. “This is the most capable airlifter in the world for this and many other missions, and humanitarian relief is one of the most satisfying missions we fly.”

Multiple McChord AFB Airmen and C-17s remain postured for additional relief taskings.

Members of Joint Special Operations Task Force- Philippines (LSOTF-P) helped out the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) with the rescue of 52 people affected by massive flooding during Tropical Storm Ondoy, (known as internationally as Ketsana) in Cainta, Metro Manila.

Members of Navy SEAL teams and Naval Special Boat Teams 12 and 20, and U.S. medical personnel attached to JSOTF-P took part. They worked directly with AFP and the Philippines National Disaster Coordinating Council, rescuing people from rooftops, delivering food, and giving out medical supplies.

Rescue teams from JSOTF-P launched two F470 Zodiac boats in the flood waters of Cainta and worked through the night transporting people to schools, churches, and evacuation shelters. Teams also assisted with the rescue of a pregnant Filipino woman in labor, stranded in a flooded-out house.

“These people lost their houses, cars and might still be looking for family members. I wanted to do anything and everything I could do to help the Filipino people. I was glad I could be a part of the rescue efforts,” said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (FMF) Jonathan Porter. Porter was a JSOTF-P medic on scene to provide direct medical care.

On Sept. 26, JSOTF-P teams delivered 500 pounds of food to Santa Lucia high school. Additionally the following day, a civilian helicopter contracted by JSOTF-P unloaded and distributed an additional 4,200 pounds of food and water in Cainta, northeast of Pasig city.