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ALONG THE BUSY RUNWAY ABOARD NAVAL STATION NORTH ISLAND IS THE HOME OF THE CONQUISTADORS
OF FLEET LOGISTICS SUPPORT SQUADRON 57.
THIS JET LOGISTICS SQUADRON HOSTS A CADRE OF C-40A CLIPPERS.
THESE C-40'S HAVE A CARGO CAPACITY OF 40,000 POUNDS AND ARE ENTIRELY OPERATED AND MAINTAINED
BY SAILORS FROM THE RESERVE COMMUNITY.
SAILORS LIKE CHIEF PETTY OFFICER DAVID KHAN. KHAN IS A SELECTED RESERVIST OR SELRES WHO
WOULD COMMUTE HERE FROM HIS HOME IN OLATHE, KANSAS STRICTLY TO SERVE WITH VR-57.
"SQUADRONS LIKE THESE THAT FLY C-40'S OR WHAT NOT THEY'RE LOCATED, YOU KNOW, IN THE FLEET
CONCENTRATED AREAS. SO FORT WORTH OR SAN DIEGO, NORFOLK, SO OBVIOUSLY SINCE I LIVE IN THE
HEARTLAND I HAVE TO COMMUTE. IT'S A CHOICE I MAKE."
WHEN HE'S NOT WORKING IN MAINTENANCE CONTROL, KHAN IS IN THE COCKPIT AS A CREW CHIEF HELPING
PILOTS COMPLETE THE CONQUISTADORS MISSION: THE RAPID AND SAFE RESPONSIVE DEPLOYMENT OF
THE C-40 CLIPPER.
"WHAT WE DO IS DEFINITELY IMPORTANT TO THE ACTIVE DUTY FLEET BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE,
THERE'S NO AIRLIFT CAPABILITY FOR THE ACTIVE DUTY SIDE. IT'S ALL DONE BY RESERVISTS: FULL-TIME
SUPPORT AND SELRES.
THE COUNTRY'S NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY RELIES HEAVILY ON THE C-40 AND SELECTED RESERVE PERSONNEL
BY PROXY.
"OUR SELECTED RESERVISTS HERE AT VR-57 ARE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO OUR MISSION. EVERY
FACET OF WHAT WE DO WE HAVE SELRES INVOLVED. WE HAVE COUNTERPARTS, SO WE SIMPLY COULDN'T
DO IT WITHOUT OUR SELRES"
SELRES SAILORS LIKE KHAN ARE THE HUMAN ELEMENT FUELING MILITARY LOGISTICS, AN ELEMENT OF
GROWING IMPORTANCE.
FOR THE U.S. NAVY I'M PETTY OFFICER CHRISTOPHER OKULA.