Supplies sought for deployed airmen

Jeff Stephens has served two tours in Iraq and knows all too well what it means to be deployed to a remote area with none of the comforts of home.

“I know how it is when you’re over there, especially if you’re not on a regular base,” he said. “It’s hard to get necessities.”

Stephens, a resident of Kinston and U.S. Air Force reservist stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, is participating in “Operation Feed the Stable,” an ongoing initiative to get comfort supplies such as snacks, male and female hygiene products, magazines and others to members of the Air Force’s RED HORSE and Prime BEEF units deployed to far-flung areas of Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Air Force created Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers (RED HORSE) and Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force (BEEF) units during the Vietnam War to build and maintain air bases in-country to free up the Army and Navy engineering units previously tasked with those jobs.

Airmen who are currently members of Prime BEEF and RED HORSE units are assigned to about 10 remote locations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“It gives them the sense that the folks back home actually care about them, which we do in a big way,” Greg MacDougal, president of the National RED HORSE Association, said of Operation Feed the Stable, which is sponsored by the 1st Expeditionary RED HORSE Group. “The logistical supply channels are not always in the areas that these folks are at.”

Stephens is assigned to the 567th RED HORSE squadron at Seymour Johnson and could be deployed at any time if needed.

“Since I’m part of a RED HORSE unit, I understand where they’re coming from and I just wanted to be part of (Operation Feed the Stable) and make it successful,” he said.

Stephens was assigned to Prime BEEF Units during his 2003 and 2007 tours of Iraq, responsible for the heating and air conditioning systems at his bases. He is currently classified as a heavy equipment operator in his RED HORSE unit.

He said he lost 35 pounds during his 2003 tour, subsisting solely on prepackaged meals and water.

“Operation Feed the Stable will help provide these essential items that will improve morale, health care and overall well-being,” MacDougal said.

David Anderson can be reached at 252-559-1077 or danderson@freedomenc.com.