Raising the BEAR

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Chase Cannon
  • 49th Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE N.M., --  Airmen hold our Air Force up, but two Airmen at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, lift it higher.

Staff Sgt. Gilberto Padilla and Senior Airman Cristopher Williams, 49th Materiel Maintenance Group vehicle operators, are currently the only two certified active duty Air Force members who operate the only Hyster 100k Reach Stackers within the Continental United States Air Force.

"What's cool about it is we only have three in the CONUS Air Force," Williams said. "All three belong to [Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources] base. This is a very, very rare piece of equipment, and there are few people who are qualified to operate this in the Air Force."

BEAR Base is trusted with supporting deployment capabilities around the world for all branches of the U.S. Military. The group responds worldwide for the deployment, setup, operation, maintenance, teardown and other higher headquarters-directed requirements.

Supporting each capability of BEAR Base requires the ability to move thousands of pounds worth of equipment. The Hyster 100K has the capability to move up to 100,000 pounds, and can extend up to 29 feet.

"It can lift up to 100,000 pounds, but the more you boom up and out it diminishes how much you can lift," Williams said.

The technical expertise for operating the Hyster 100K is cultivated through countless hours of on-the-job training, and practice with lifting and placing the containers filled with supplies used for BEAR Base support.

"There's nothing in there that can tell you what you're doing or how to do it," said Williams. "It's all about feel. It's almost like the machine is your arm, and you're reaching out to grab an apple. But, in this case, it's a container. It's not a science; it's more of a rhythm and a flow."

Padilla and Williams are able to load a 40-foot truck with containers every five minutes, if needed. The Hyster 100K also has the ability to run for 36 hours straight without a need to refuel. As long as personnel are available, the machines can run nonstop. 

"As a vehicle operator, it is a privilege to get to operate something like this," Padilla said. "Being out here at BEAR Base and getting to operate this is not something that many other vehicle operators get to do."

The assets moved and stored using the Hyster 100K are part of what make BEAR Base so valuable to the military.

"We manage WRM assets, which is War Reserve Materiel," Williams said. "What's in these containers are [Unit Type Codes]. UTCs are used to pack up light aircraft maintenance shelters, Alaskan shelters, kitchens and all kinds of other stuff. So, when something hits the fan and we need to deploy a lot of assets, we can use the UTCs to build a sustainable base for personnel."

Padilla and Williams are proud to be serving the Air Force with their contribution to the BEAR Base mission. The work they do directly allows the quick set up of temporary bases down range in support of national security operations as well as humanitarian support efforts.