“Just a nice Deep Freeze Picture...!”

A US Air Force C-17A Globemaster III, of the 62nd Airlift Wing and based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (WA) just completed three winter fly-in, or WinFly, missions of the 2020-2021 Operation Deep Freeze season.

The Globemaster, serial 03-3127 (construction number 50135/F134/P127) delivered 151 personnel and 165,000 pounds of cargo to McMurdo Station (Antarctica).

Operation Deep Freeze is a joint service, inter-agency support for the National Science Foundation (NSF), which manages the United States Antarctic Program (USAP). Joint Task Force-Support Forces Antarctica (JTF-SFA) provides Department of Defense support to the NSF and the USAP through ODF.

"The 2020-2021 ODF season marks the 61st Anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty and the 65th year of military dedication, ingenuity and labor in support of the Antarctic mission,” said Col. Jamielyn Thompson, JTF-SFA deputy commander. “Each season presents new challenges and this year was no different as we took special precaution to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while also providing transportation and logistics to the US Antarctic Program and the National Science Foundation.”

JTF-SFA coordinates strategic inter-theater airlift, tactical deep field support, aeromedical evacuation support, search and rescue response, sealift, seaport access, bulk fuel supply logistics, port cargo handling and transportation requirements.

The Operation Deep Freeze season runs annually, 1 August through 31 July. This timeframe allows the NSF’s research teams and partnered entities the safest and most efficient method of accomplishing their joint goals.