Name and rank: Tech. Sgt. James Malik Stembridge
Duty title: NCO in charge of Traffic Management Office
Unit of assignment: 88th Logistics Readiness Squadron
What do you do at Wright-Patt? I am the sole active-duty member assigned to the 88th Logistics Readiness Squadron. I am responsible for monitoring and ensuring the adherence of Wright Patterson AFB’s $40 million Deployments/Distribution and Vehicle Management contract. Specifically, I am responsible for inspecting the operations of the Traffic Management Office, which consist of passenger travel, personal property and cargo movement.
A few of my duties are to scrutinize and review the monthly billing of the 88th Air Base Wing’s centrally billed account, which funds travel for Airmen who possess government travel cards. My role is to ensure funds are only used for authorized travel, which is essential to mission readiness.
Furthermore, personal property is essential to Airmen when they have a permanent change of station. This office gives briefings on household-goods entitlements and performs quality-assurance inspections on the transportation-service providers.
The cargo-movement element of TMO uses material-handling equipment and packaging material to ship cargo via public highway, rail, air and vessel. My role is to conduct performance inspections to ensure the correct mode of transportation was utilized and verify that the appropriate security measures were taken when handling classified and protected cargo.
Why are you and your job important to the Air Force, AFMC and WPAFB?
My job is extremely important because “nothing goes without TMO.” In a myriad of ways, we support every entity in the Air Force. Whether it be shipping or receiving cargo, assisting our heroes with the movement of their household goods, or arranging and securing their travels — TMO has an impact and footprint.
To date, Wright-Patterson AFB has supported 10 aerial-port-of-embarkation events. My team and I have provided transportation to and from restriction-of-movement locations for over 1,300 deployers and loaded 10 aircraft with 1,800 passengers, 187 tons of baggage and weapons manifested. This has been vital to the Air Force’s success with providing COVID-19-free warfighters to multiple areas of operations during the pandemic.
If anything goes from this wing — whether it be personnel, cargo or property — I have taken personal interest in ensuring the mission and our people’s transportation needs are met.