First Deployment to Paradise

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Julia Pyun
  • 108th Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  At the end of April, about 100 Airmen from the 108th Wing deployed to Guam to support the Pacific Theater missions. The KC-135 Stratotankers will keep a continuous presence to assist and refuel deployed fighter jets and bombers in the Pacific region.

This deployment will be the first for a lot of the Airmen, like Senior Airman Molly Bodrato, a logistics planner from the 108th Logistics Readiness Squadron. It will be a short deployment of about three to four weeks.

"It's the first time I get to put all of my training and skills into motion," said Bodrato. "It feels like a rite of passage to finally get out there and perform my job with the 'real world mission.'"

Deployments are a possibility for all service members. It's just a matter of when it's their turn to go overseas.

"I'm nervous and excited to deploy," said Bodrato. "I'm nervous because of the traveling. I heard about the long, bumpy flights to get there, and I know I'll bring an air sickness bag."

"I'm currently engaged," said Bodrato. "I have a daughter in high school, but I think she looks forward to the time apart more than I do."

As a logistics planner, Bodrato plays an important role to accomplishing the mission of the deployment.

"I selected Senior Airman Bodrato because of her can-do attitude and her ability to step up and take on any task," said Tech. Sgt. Jeffery Pitcher, the Logistics Plans Superintendent. "I believe she will be a true asset. The mission is definitely in need of someone with the ability to multi-task and be detail oriented. She is an outstanding Airman that I believe has earned her title of Logistics Planner."

"Logistics planners are just that, they plan and coordinate," said Pitcher. "They are the master of the deployment process for the entire wing. The logistics planner can easily be described as the jack of all trades in deployments. I have been on this mission before and felt that it is a genuine learning scenario for my traditional airmen to get real world 'Loggie' experience as well as enjoy the rewards of deploying to a beautiful location all while actively working in a fast-paced environment."

"I really hope SrA Bodrato gets some experience in thinking on her feet and making command decisions for the deployment process with confidence and tact," said Pitcher. "I know she can get the job done and I know that she is as knowledgeable as she needs to be to complete the mission, but there is always room for self-improvement. This will be her chance to get some real world time in some of the systems we use to do our job, outside of exercises and in-office training."

"I'm curious to see how my job translates from working here at McGuire to a deployed environment," said Bodrato. "I know it will be intense and I can't wait to prove that I was the right pick for this position."