MRAP loading

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has inactivated the 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron (455th EAPS) during a ceremony at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan.

Activated in 2008, the squadron was responsible for coordinating the bi-directional movement of assets from the US to Bagram and back to nearby forward operating bases, and also facilitated successful retrograde operations as the US prepared to transition to Resolute Support Mission.

In total, the squadron is said to have moved more than 1.1 million tonnes of cargo and 2.4 million passengers in more than 204,000 missions in its previous rotations during the past six years.

"The squadron is said to have moved more than 1.1 million tonnes of cargo and 2.4 million passengers in more than 204,000 missions."

455th EAPS commander lieutenant colonel Christopher Carmichael said: "The mission of the 455th EAPS included safe upload and download of passengers and cargo, including the careful movement of fallen heroes who passed through Bagram Airfield.

"It included the loading of airdrop missions supporting the warfighter, ensuring they had bullets and rations needed to take the fight to the enemy.

"It included the loading of ballot boxes for the recent Afghan Presidential Election recount, without which the first-ever successful transition of presidential power would never have happened."

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Additionally, 455th EAPS is credited to have collected and distributed more than 1,100lb of humanitarian aid donated to Afghan civilians and trained 27 Afghan National Air Force port dawgs, enabling the country to perform aerial port operations.

The US formally ended its 13-year war in Afghanistan last month and is now focusing on training and advising the Afghan National Security Forces as part of the Nato’s Resolute Support Mission.


Image: A 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron aerial porter coordinates the loading of a MRAP vehicle onto an USAF C-17 Globemaster III aircraft in Afghanistan. Photo: courtesy of MSgt Benjamin Bloker.