JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- As the sun begins to peak through the Chugach mountain range, the once-quiet bay of the Joint Mobility Complex at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson stirs to life. Pallets are stacked outside, and the once-empty hangar hums with the anticipation of Airmen arriving to begin the first step toward their out-processing through the personnel deployment function line, better known as the PDF line – where readiness meets reality.
Inside, teams man their stations. Finance is ready to review military pay, medical teams to give last-minute shots, legal personnel are available to provide last-minute power of attorney or will. Chaplains are ready to provide spiritual, emotional and moral support. These personnel, who may have been there since before dawn, stand ready to receive different waves of deployers throughout the day.
“The PDF streamlines the warfighter’s ability to rapidly deploy,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Nicholas Cavanaugh, 673d Force Support Squadron PDF superintendent. “It does this by aggregating the agencies required to provide clearance or support, so personnel can deploy to any area of responsibility. It effectively ensures all readiness requirements are met prior to a member’s departure, preventing any delays in their ability to execute their deployed duties upon arrival in theater.”
When large-scale operations, such as Exercise Resolute Force Pacific, Talisman Sabre, or Bamboo Eagle require rapid deployment, the PDF line kicks into gear. But this isn’t just a row of tables with a checklist; it’s a fully coordinated initiative involving multiple agencies, detailed planning, and high-tempo teamwork.
The PDF line is activated when a deployment order is issued. The Installation Deployment Readiness Center then notifies the unit deployment managers and begins notifying the units that are tasked to deploy.
Whether it’s scheduled operations like REFORPAC or a short-notice contingency, the PDF is ready 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to support rapid force movement.
“Upon order, we activated the PDF and support tasked units with getting members prepared to depart,” the superintendent said. “As seen in the real-world event last August, we were able to deploy several hundred personnel to U.S. Central Command, while meeting all CENTCOM readiness requirements within a 96-hour window. That is from military task order to on a plane headed to CENTCOM. This proved the PDF and JBER’s ability to serve as Pacific Air Forces premier rapid power-projection platform into the second island chain.”
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Chance Lawson, 673d FSS PDF noncommissioned officer in charge, explained that the activation usually begins based on the aircraft’s departure timeline. “That gives us roughly five to six hours to process hundreds of members. From eligibility checks to final briefings, every agency has a role.”
Each station consists of medical group that reviews their health records; a legal office that assists members with their power of attorney or will; a finance office to ensure their pay entitlements and travel pay are in order; a chaplain’s office providing spiritual and family support; and the FSS verifying necessary documents.
Once out-processing is complete, the Airmen wait for their departure. They are kept in the JMC within their chalk to prevent errors and ensure that each aircraft manifest accurately reflects personnel assigned to each flight.
“We always need to have 100 percent accountability,” Lawson said. “Separating them into those chalks until they get to the aircraft and are turned over to the troop commander.”
During high-demand operations like REFORPAC, support expands further.
“Here at JBER, we worked with the 176th FSS team to create a total force approach in supporting deploying forces,” Cavanaugh said. “The [team] provided personnel to support the line and to backfill some day-to-day military personnel flight responsibilities.”
The PDF line may be temporary, but behind every successful deployment is a team meticulously going through the checklist to ensure the members are out the door and on their way to their next destination, projecting power.
The once-empty JMC hangar is a hub for projecting combat-ready forces anywhere in the world and JBER will remain America’s premier strategic power-projection platform.