Global Reach, Ready Now: 433rd Airlift Wing Powers South American Exercise SALITRE, Ushers In New Era of C-5 Crews

Projecting rapid global mobility at a moment’s notice, Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 433rd Airlift Wing recently transported essential equipment and personnel to South America in support of exercises SALITRE and RESOLUTE SENTINEL.

Operating over the course of multiple weeks, three C-5M Super Galaxy aircrews from the Alamo Wing delivered F-16 Fighting Falcon parts, support equipment, and more than 120 active-duty passengers from various locations to Santiago, Chile. The mission demonstrated a seamless Total Force integration between Air Force Reserve Command, active-duty units, and the Chilean Air Force.

For the 433rd AW, which serves as the formal training unit and schoolhouse for the U.S. Air Force’s C-5 fleet, the high-stakes multinational exercise provided the perfect proving ground for the next generation of aviators and loadmasters.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Jay Solo, 68th Airlift Squadron C-5 pilot, served as the acting aircraft commander for the mission, undergoing an intensive evaluation to upgrade to a fully qualified pilot in command. Under the supervision of evaluator pilot Lt. Col. Jeremy Begeman, 433rd Operations Support Squadron commander, Solo managed the complex logistics of international flight.

“In terms of mission execution, we completed 100% of what we set out to do,” Solo said. “The C-5 operated almost nonstop, completing 43.6 hours of flight time and delivered 61,000 pounds of cargo along with 122 passengers. The classroom environment can only go so far as to represent the stress and pressure of the real deal. When you’re actually in the thick of the situation, you have to be quick on your feet and incredibly dynamic.”

Begeman, who oversaw the evaluation, noted how the exercise highlighted the readiness of Reserve aircrews. “I think this is great exposure, showing what the Reserve is actually capable of doing and being able to plug and play as active duty would for any of these things,” Begeman said. “Anytime, all the time, we are ready to go at a moment’s notice.”

The mission’s emphasis on training extended to the co-pilot seat, where 2nd Lt. Annie Wise, a recent graduate of the formal training unit, experienced her first mission flying outside of the United States. Unbeknownst to her at the start of the day, the rigorous flight would also serve as a no-notice evaluation.

“As a new lieutenant, I am very humbled to be able to get this opportunity, 'cause you really can't test yourself unless you're in those moments,” Wise said. “It’s really neat being able to fall back on my training that I know... I can test my capabilities here in the real world, and you have to either sink or swim and figure it out.”

In the cargo compartment, seasoned veterans passed their legacy down to a new generation of loadmasters. The enlisted loadmaster team from the 68th AS was anchored by Chief Master Sgt. Roldan Piga, Senior Master Sgt. Marcus Wasden, and Senior Master Sgt. Alfonso Cervantes, who celebrated exactly 40 years of service in the Air Force during the mission.

“It feels great to be able to pass it on because I know that my time here is short now, and the experience level has evaporated because everybody's retiring or moving on,” Cervantes said. “So, I and the other seniors that are on board, we're trying to fill them up with as much knowledge as possible. I really do appreciate the cooperation that we get, and even the Chilean forces here, they're working with us hand-in-hand.”

The seasoned loadmasters mentored 68th AS students Senior Airmen Francisco Nieto and Jeramy Romero, who gained invaluable hands-on experience securing diverse cargo payloads in a joint environment.

“It's definitely more fast-paced,” Nieto said, who utilized his Spanish-speaking skills to act as a translator with the Chilean ground crews. “Through the schoolhouse they show you techniques, everything's really slow, by the book. When you get here... you just fall back on the training that they instill in us. It's cool to see how I can fly with somebody that enlisted in the '80s and I enlisted in 2020. It's a pretty big age gap, but we get the job done.”

The mission's success relied heavily on a robust Total Force effort. The 68th AS flight engineering team, comprised of Chief Master Sgt. Scot Corkey, Master Sgt. Duane Bryant, and Senior Airman Skye Douglas, maintained the heavy airlifter's complex systems across multiple continents.

Meanwhile, maintenance support was provided by a mixed crew of crew chiefs, integrating Tech. Sgt. Lucas Burwitz, 433rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, alongside Master Sgt. William Crouse and Senior Master Sgt. Conger from the 512th Airlift Wing out of Dover Air Force Base, Delaware.

Whether navigating international airspace, overcoming maintenance hurdles, or loading critical F-16 components with active-duty and allied partners, this mission highlighted the 433rd AW’s ability to project power while passing decades of operational knowledge to the newest Airmen, ensuring the Alamo Wing remains "Ready Now" to support the joint force anywhere.