MISAWA AIR BASE, AOMORI, Japan –
As Cope North 25 approaches, members of the 35th Logistics Readiness Squadron (LRS) and Traffic Management Office (TMO) are ensuring the seamless shipment of essential cargo to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The annual multinational exercise strengthens ties between the U.S., Australia and Japan, enhancing interoperability and regional security in the Indo-Pacific.
"Right now, the squadrons are getting ready to ship their cargo off to go and support the mission for Cope North over in Guam," said Senior Airman Rhett Hammon, 35th LRS inbound cargo technician. "What we’re doing here is ensuring that everything that is being shipped is strapped, packaged and weighed properly, and we’re working with the loadmasters to get them ready to go."
Cope North 25 serves as a platform for combined air tactics, techniques and procedures, ensuring participating nations can operate effectively in real-world scenarios. To facilitate this, LRS and TMO personnel are responsible for coordinating logistics, verifying load safety, and processing necessary documentation.
“Our responsibility here is to train the base on how to prepare their cargo and get all the paperwork together in order to ship it out when the time comes, be it exercise or deployment,” said Staff Sgt. Shanks, 35th LRS air transportation technician.
Much of the cargo consists of maintenance tools and equipment crucial to the 13th Fighter Generation Squadron’s ability to sustain operations during the exercise.
"Without sending this cargo there, they would not even be able to participate, or it would severely limit their capabilities to meet their objectives in the exercise," Shanks said.
Beyond logistical coordination, Cope North 25 also provides a valuable experience for participating Airmen.
“This will actually be my first time going to Cope North, but I’m excited to go and support everyone up there and learn new things outside of my comfort zone,” Hammon said.
As preparations continue, Misawa Air Base remains committed to ensuring mission success, strengthening alliances, and contributing to a free and open Indo-Pacific.