Clinton Hitches Ride with McChord Team to Libya

It was originally planned as a “routine” airlift mission. But a Reserve aircrew, with an active duty crew member, ended up carrying precious cargo on a C-17 Globemaster III to Tripoli, Libya earlier this week.

A seven-person aircrew, six Reservists and one active duty pilot at Joint Base Lewis-McChord had the task of giving U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton her second ride ever on a C-17.

This comes amid reports of Libya's Moammar Gadhafi shot dead in battle, according to major media outlets across the country today.

“It’s an honor to transport someone like that,” said Lt. Col. Scott Ryan, 97th Airlift Squadron instructor pilot and aircraft commander for the mission. “What makes it better is when you’re doing it to help foster a relationship with the new transitional government in Libya.”

According to an article by the Everett Herald, Clinton visited Libya to pledge millions of dollars in new aid, to include medical care for wounded fighters and additional assistance to secure weaponry to make sure it wouldn’t fall into terrorist hands.

“Originally, we were tasked with a different mission,” said Ryan, who is a Seattle resident. “The mission changed Friday and we found out we would be transporting (Hillary Clinton) until we got our briefing Sunday.”

The crew stopped briefly at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., to pick up supplies before the C-17 embarked to pick up the secretary and are en route to come home tonight.

According to Ryan, who is also a first officer with Delta Airlines, this is the first time a C-17 has landed in Libya since Operation Unified Protector began.