Port Dawg

Hello to everyone in Parsippany and surrounding areas.

My name is Master Sgt. Jim Vigilante; I served on the Parsippany Troy-Hills Township Council for over 12 years.

Being born and raised in Parsippany gave me the opportunity to attend our wonderful school system (Northvail, Central, PHS). My full-time job is the owner of a construction company. I also am in the U.S. Air Force Reserves stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, currently deployed in Afghanistan in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

Natalie Davis from the Parsippany Patch spoke with me about doing a weekly blog about my deployment. All my blogs will be approved by the Public Affairs Office where I am stationed in Afghanistan.

The title “Port Dawgs” is a nickname for the job I do; my folks and I are Aerial Porters (2T2’s). Basically, what we do is load those big cargo planes you see, whether it is people, equipment or vehicles. We work in a place called “The Port” similar to any commercial airport you have traveled through. In the coming weeks I am going to include interviews with some of the folks I work with and the sacrifices they and their families are making while they are here.

Well, I wish I could tell you this place is pretty, but it's not. There is nothing green, everything is burnt and dusty. I was stationed in Kansas for three years and I have never seen this much dust. This is by far the worst place I have ever been in my entire life, but I work with the best people in the world and I wouldn’t change a thing. I would do it all over again.

This is a NATO base, so I get to work and interact with all kinds of different folks and their cultures. The Canadians are still upset they lost the Stanley Cup, LOL. My body, mind and stomach are still adjusting. Can’t eat much because everything they cook has onions in it (I’m allergic). I have been eating a lot of Raman noodles, Cup-of-Soup and crackers. Feels like I am in college again. I have lost 13 pounds already.

Every night when I wake up I look out my door and check the flags; if they are at half-mast then I know that my night (I work night shift) is not off to a good start. Then I take another shower and shave. Go back to my room put on my uniform and take my weapon and walk 3/4 mile to work. Then we do shift change, my daytime counterpart will brief me on the day’s events. When work is finished, I go back to my 8-foot wide by 8-foot high by 20-foot long metal box with three people and two bunkbeds. Please measure that out and tell me what you think.

So what does half-mast mean? It means when I get to work that we will have the honor of loading an airplane with the body of an airman, soldier or Marine that made the ultimate sacrifice. That is hard and I am trying to learn to adjust to that, not easy. There is always a Transfer Ceremony unless there are only body parts then it is what we call a DE (Dignified Effects).

They will send all the Transfer Cases off to Dover, Del. That is where they will prep the HR (Human Remains) to be delivered to their respective funeral parlors throughout the country. I highly suggest you watch the movie “Taking Chance” starring Kevin Bacon. The DE will be identified by DNA. The cases are treated with the utmost respect and there is protocol to be followed and it is our job to make sure of it. IT IS ALWAYS OUR HONOR.

When people send me emails from back home, I never read them on the computer. I print them up when I am at my workcenter and then I put them in my pocket. When there is a break in the work center is when I read my emails. I will find some quiet place on the flight line and watch the sun rise and read them. It is the only part of my day that has any sanity and peace. It feels like I experienced your day up close and personal. It gives me some peace of mind in this place.

Basically, my job consists of getting people on airplanes that are returning from their deployment and heading home to be with their families and friends (that is a good part) or sending people down range. Our job, like everyone else’s, is very important. The rest of the time I am basically a customer service rep, putting out fires and solving people’s problems. Everything over here is a negotiation. I work with the TCN’s (Third Country Nationals), they are the locals that do all our laundry, cleaning and labor work. Then I have deals going with the flight crews that fly in and out of here to bring me regular milk. It is hard to have your Captain Crunch without milk or dip your Oreos in water.

If you want you can always send snacks, they will never go to waste. Current release DVDs, microwave popcorn or food, miniature tootsie rolls.

Anyway gotta go, 8 1/2 hours ahead of you.

MSgt. Jim Vigilante

e-mail: jvigilante@nac.net