MAY 9, 2022 – Air advisors with the 571st Mobility Support Advisory Squadron engaged with Peruvian Air Force members to train their fixed-wing unit called Air Group Eight, or Grupo 8, in tactical air mobility operations Feb. 22 through March 10 at Callao Air Base, Lima, Peru.
The mission, the first with PERAF since the pandemic, demonstrates PERAF’s interoperability with the U.S. Air Force in future exercises and real-world operations.
Although it was the first mission in over two years with Peru, the partnerships and friendships established in previous years enabled a quick re-integration between international Airmen.
“Returning to Peru after the pandemic has been a great experience,” said Tech. Sgt. Bruno Carreiro, 571st MSAS air advisor. “For several years, we have been training Grupo 8 on improving aerial port efficiency, the handling and inspection of hazardous cargo, and on developing better techniques to calculate a vehicle’s center of balance.”
During the three-week engagement, air advisors trained 32 Peruvian officers and technicians in loadmaster and aerial port logistics, logistics management, material management, aircraft maintenance, quality assurance, and program management through classroom instruction, hands-on training, and several capstone exercises.
Técnico Inspector Willy Enrique Pinedo Ruiz-Caro, Grupo 8 maintainer, one of the KC-130H Hercules technicians who participated in the last two MSAS engagements, said he was excited about putting his new skills to use.
“I am very grateful for the teachings and experience that the air advisors have provided us in regards to loadmaster/maintenance expertise in the KC-130H,” Ruiz-Caro said. “I know that we are going to apply the lessons learned to future operations.”
Maj. Jose Isaudro Loayza, PERAF class leader and Grupo 8 Finance Squadron commander, said that the engagement complemented PERAF’s mission objectives of evolving their interoperability capabilities.
“The course enriched and strengthened the aeronautical knowledge for all crafts involved in aeronautical operations; from preflight and fueling, through landing and passenger unloading,” Isaudro Loayza said.
The Airmen of the 571st MSAS’s impact to U.S. Southern Command’s mission is evident as it strives to continuously achieve USSOUTHCOM regional objectives of building capacity by working with partner nations to enhance regional security that safeguards the U.S. and its national interests.
By Maj. Jonathan Bonilla
571st Mobility Support Advisory Squadron