CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Maj. Erin Meinders is a member of the 437th Operations Group and has been stationed at Charleston AFB for four years.
He is currently deployed with the 429th Transport Squadron in Canada as a C-17A military training team officer for the Royal Canadian Air Force. As a deployed C-17A MTTO, his duties include training the RCAF pilots in basic, tactical and combat operations procedures and techniques in the C-17A. While standing up training and evaluation, mission planning, information systems and tactical consideration processes, he also provides squadron leadership with inputs on current operations.
Major Meinders contributes to Team Charleston's mobility mission by working in the operation group's standards and evaluations office where he makes the regulations meet the needs of the aircrews.
"I enjoy working with the Canadian pilots; they are great at what they do and they are extremely professional," said Major Meinders. "The RCAF has a different promotion process than the U.S. Air Force. It is common to fly with 12- to 18-year captains and 18- to 25-year majors. In addition, these pilots will have been in the cockpit that whole time. Therefore, the level of experience I've been flying with up here is amazing. They pick stuff up right away. I've gone from basic instruction to advanced-level instruction with some of the pilots in about four flights."
"The most interesting experience I've had here in Canada has been working as the acting squadron commander," said Major Meinders. "I had to handle a disciplinary problem with two maintenance members. It was odd to have to tell them, don't forget that you are representing the Canadian Forces as a USAF guy."
This "warrior of the week" hails from Tulsa, Okla., and enlisted in the Air Force 11 years ago because of a personal desire to make the United States a safer, more secure nation. He said he thought the Air Force would be the best branch of service to make that kind of impact and remained in the Air Force because he believed in the impact that has been made already.
He will be making a permanent change of station to Scott AFB, Ill., as soon as he returns from his deployment. He will be working in the international affairs office as a staff member for the next three to four years.
During off-duty time, he and his wife have worked several days with the Mission House, a non-profit organization similar to Habitat for Humanity. They are both expecting their first child any day now.
"One of the finest aviators I have known, Major Meinders led a squadron team to earn the 437th Airlift Wing's nomination for the 2007 General Doolittle Trophy and Air Mobility Command's nomination for the Robert J. Collier Trophy -- aviation's highest honor -- for combat airdrop achievements during our last squadron deployment," said Lt. Col. William Anderson, 15th Airlift Squadron commander. "He volunteered for another deployment where he is currently training Canadian Air Force pilots to fly their newly purchased C-17s. His outstanding work for this wing and the USAF exemplifies every characteristic that make him our choice for warrior of the week."