(446th AW PA) - Over the course of the next couple of weeks, more than 60 reservists from the 446th Airlift Wing will depart for various locations across Southwest Asia. And about 95 more within the next few months.

Airmen from the 36th and 86th Aerial Port Squadrons, and the 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron will deploy to areas in Iraq and Afghanistan in support of Operation New Dawn. They will join about 100 wing reservists already deployed across the globe.

Aerial porters will be working cargo loading, passenger movement and transportation management of people, equipment and supplies. Airmen from the 446th AES will take to the skies in a variety of cargo aircraft to care for patients as they're transported for further medical care.

Tech. Sgt. Josh Warbiany, 86th APS, is deploying just weeks after his wedding. And he'll return just a few months before his child is born.

"We have my wife enrolled in DEERS (Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System), but we still have some other things to take care of before I leave," said the NCO.

Not only is Warbiany getting all this paperwork for himself and his family together, as the 86th APS unit deployment manager, he's charged with ensuring his fellow deploying aerial porters are all set to go.

"It's been nuts for me, trying to ensure all my people have what they need for this deployment and preparing myself as well, " he said.

In preparing for this deployment, the folks from the aerial ports have been keeping an eye on the air traffic in the area of responsibility.

"We pretty much know what to expect, what the activity level is and what kinds of loads we'll be handling," said Warbiany, who anticipates working in the Air Transportation Operations Center.

One reservist with a unique understanding of both loading of cargo and patients on a C-17 is Master Sgt. Sarah Bobnick, 446th AES. Sergeant Bobnick is deploying as a medical technician, but has also served as a C-17 loadmaster.

"I've deployed before as a loadmaster on stage missions, but this will be my first time staying for any length of time in the AOR," said the recent graduate of Portland State University, Portland, Ore.

"But I think I'm well prepared. I came into the medical technician career field with a good background in the aircraft, which allowed me to focus on the medical training."