To provide the intel community with the best transportation possible, our goal was to become the best in the Air Force and we did it," said Tech. Sgt. Shaun Stoker, vehicle operation superintendent of the 67th Support Squadron Vehicle Operations Flight, after the unit won the 1996 Transportation Special Activity of the Year award.

The 13 members of the 67th SPTS/LGV support more than 10,000 people working at Headquarters Air Intelligence Agency, 67th Intelligence Wing, Joint Command and Control Warfare Center, Kelly Air Force Base, Texas, and the 93rd Intelligence Squadron, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, with their fleet of 35 vehicles while managing 75 vehicles owned by other offices. Unit members carry beepers to ensure they can be reached around the clock, seven days a week.

"To support AIA and essentially all of Security Hill and Medina is not bad for a bunch of airmen and three NCOs," said Senior Airman Valentine Lara, vehicle operator/dispatcher. "We do a lot with a few people and work crazy hours."

"We have days where sometimes we don't get back to the shop in an eight-hour period and go the whole day without breaking for lunch," said Senior Airman Aimee Vaupel, vehicle operator/dispatcher.

"When drivers have been out on the road eight to 10 hours or have four runs within the hour, we just have to remember it's part of the job and not done to us on purpose. Things change in a moment's notice. If we have to stay past our shift we will," said Vaupel.

"It's not a glorified job. We drive so much, my job is to keep them going. I push them, but I also give them compensation time. I want to make sure I get them pumped up like you would for the football team before the big game. When they're pumped up and feeling good, it reflects the way they drive. The first impression is the lasting one. Visitors see us before they see the general," said Staff Sgt. Marvin Deuser, chief dispatcher.

"I have had some really good supervisors and I try to remember the things I learned from them. I know they don't think what they are doing is a lot, but the ultimate job is to fight a war for our country. During peacetime you may have to work long hours and they might not see the sense in that. I try to give these guys a better perspective on things," said Senior Airman Shane Marchand, vehicle operations trainer/distinguished visitor driver.

Marchand and Senior Airman Daniel Bland, NCOIC of equipment support, had the opportunity of a TDY in Washington, D.C., to support the United States Presidential Inauguration. The 67th SPTS/LGV has supported numerous other high-ranking individuals, including Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ronald Fogleman and most recently, the NATO Air Chiefs that visited AIA.

The unit also provides support for AIA and 67th IW Commanders' Conferences. One was held over 40 miles from Kelly Air Force Base and they provided vehicles and ground transportation for over 200 attendees, for three days.

"At first, things are stressful, especially coming out of technical school and having an O-6 and an O-8 in the back of the car. You're the one responsible for their lives and well being and for getting them where they're going," said Vaupel.

Monday through Friday, the 67th SPTS/LGV provides shuttle bus transportation to and from the Lackland Medina Annex and Security Hill. Sometimes weekly, the unit provides tractor trailer support to deliver equipment to the Defense Reutili-zation and Marketing Office at East Kelly. They have transported over one million tons of equipment for Air Force resale or salvage, saving over $750,000.

Currently, two members of the 67th SPTS/LGV are TDY to Saudi Arabia. The unit often goes TDY across the United States to transport equipment. It was on one of these TDYs that Deuser and Marchand had something unexpected happen on their way home from Langley Air Force Base, Va.

On Interstate 10 in a 15-ton tractor trailer they witnessed a pickup truck in front of them hit a 40-pound piece of concrete on the highway, flip 180 degrees in the air and land upside-down on the side of the embankment. Deuser treated the driver for shock, prevented him from walking into the highway and kept other drivers who pulled over away from the truck in case of a fuel tank leak. Marchand used his CB radio to contact state troopers and warn other tractor trailers on the road about the accident.

"After seeing four or five other cars swerving to avoid the slab and hearing it hit the bottom of the cars, I ran out there and grabbed it," said Marchand.

"The first thing I teach them is to work as a team. You can do anything as a team but if you're not, it's like a missing link in a chain," said Carlos Murphy, motor vehicle operator/training leader.

"We're more like an extended family. You may disagree sometimes, but everything works out in the end," said Vaupel.

"I worry about them and try to work around their family life. Everyone is understanding when there is a family emergency," said Deuser.

"The single airmen take the bulk of the load during an emergency. Most of the senior airmen have families, so they take runs on the weekends and nights to let us go back home to our families," said Lara.

"We're a small unit but we do a big job. We put more emphasis on professionalism and keep the military image at high level tact. We appreciate people asking us for services that we can provide for them," said Murphy, who trains newly assigned personnel on driving and safety techniques for small vehicles and tractor trailers.

"A large volume of visitors travel to AIA from all over the world for training, briefing and conferences. All the feedback we have recieved has been positive," said Stoker.

"Success breeds success. They know they're good. They are goal setters and always want to go to the next step. They are very creative and have a healthy competition between the drivers. Survival has a lot to do with it, they are isolated and want to be known," said Lt. Col. Sandi Hachida, commander of the 67th SPTS, who is looking forward to the Department of Defense competition with the rest of her troops.

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