W. TRENTON, NJ - Aruba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Grand Caymans, St. Croix, St. Thomas, Bahamas, South America – it sounds like a list of places someone could be looking at for their next vacation.  But the members of Detachment 19, Operational Support Airlift Command (OSACOM), based at Trenton Mercer Airport travel to these locations to support military operations. 

The unit has spent most of the last three years flying their fixed wing aircraft to these places and more. Prior to September 11 the flights were mainly VIP support and humanitarian missions but since 9/11, they have been working military support missions. 

Working with multiple government agencies, these New Jersey National Guardsmen have flown their C-12, “King Air 200,” airplane on regular trips to Central and South America including Camp X-Ray in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. 

While some of the pilots are fulltime Guardsmen, several others work as pilots in their civilian jobs, one of the pilots is an ear, nose and throat surgeon and another is a substitute teacher when they aren’t flying. 
OSACOM’s mission is to provide high-priority, short-notice air transportation to passengers and cargo for all Army components and members of the Department of Defense.

Det 19 is a Joint Operational Support Airlift Command (JOSAC) Unit which works with many government agencies and all branches of the military in the missions they perform.