KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. (AFPN) -- Thanks to Airmen here, cargo earmarked for needy families is on its way to Afghanistan aboard an Air Force Reserve C-130 Hercules.

The 403rd Wing here flew five pallets to Dover Air Force Base, Del., on July 21. Three more pallets are scheduled to leave July 29.

"I don't think we've done this type of operation since the Vietnam era," said Tech. Sgt. Wayne Rowell, the 81st Transportation Squadron deployment manager. "Last week, we received 47,000 pounds of humanitarian supplies from the United Methodist Committee on Relief to prepare for transport to Southwest Asia."

The supplies were moved here New Orleans on two 53-foot tractor-trailers. The cargo included soap, deodorant, blankets, health supplies and sewing kits.

The operation began when 1st Lt. James Lovell, the 81st Training Wing's installation deployment officer, received a call earlier this month from Mike McAvoy at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., asking for assistance in palletizing the cargo.

People from 81st TRANS, with help from those at the base’s mission support, training and medical groups, unloaded the trucks, weighed the supplies, stored them in a hangar and prepared them for shipment.

"The final destination is Kabul, Afghanistan," Lieutenant Lovell said. (Courtesy of Air Education and Training Command News Service)