One of the VIP's is Specialist Four Eli Doerr, who handles part of the voluminous paperwork in the 1st Brigade supply office.

"This morning we had to add four sorties of ammunition for Fire Support Base Carolyn," said the specialist. "We have to call the 1st Forward Service Support Element (FSSE) and thell them to add four sorties, then call Division Operations for approval, then call FSSE back and tell them who approved it, so that the Chinook pad operator can be informed."

High in the tower overlooking the brigade aerial resupply pad, Specialist Four Stephen G. Bare directs the traffic of Chinooks and flying cranes over his radio.

"I tell the hook pilots where to land and what to pick up," explained Specialist Bare. "The object is to sling out all the sorties safely in the least possible flying time. There are many factors involved - fuel status of the birds, priorities on sorties (perishables and combat essentials first), and readiness of the sorties, to mention just a few."

Since most of the sorties to firebases are slung out underneath the birds, a key job is that of the rigger, the man with the red hat.

Specialist Four Robert W. Rakefsky, a rigger from the 15th Supply and  Service Battalion, commented: "We don't have much problem with distribution of the load. Sixty to 70 per cent of what we sling is ammunition which must be distributed evenly. Mostly we check the weight of the load and make sure that the nets are serviceable and that the proper slings are used.

Chief Warrant Officer Marwell B. Garnett of Company B, 228th Assault Support Helicopter Battalion, flies Chinooks for the  Cav's 1st Brigade.

"In about nine hours of flying," he calculated, "our three or four hooks carry an average of about 40 sorties per day to the firebases. Some loads, especially light and bulky ones such as empty conexes, are much harder to take then others. They blow around in the wind and make us slow down our air speed, and that can upset schedules."

Transporting supplies from the firebase to the troops in the field is the most hazardous job of the 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion.

"The Huey pilot has to calculate how much weight his bird should carry, based on atmospheric temperature, power of the aircraft and the type of landing zone," observed 2nd Lieutenant Wilmer T. Peterson.

(U.S. Army Photo by SP4 James McCabe) An eager 1st Cavalryman from Company D, 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry wastes no time when the resupply helicopter drops off its log load. This is the final result of work by hundreds of men arranging for supplies, transporting, rigging and helping in the vast and complex supply system.