DOVER — As the United States continues to lend support to NATO allies in eastern Europe, President Joe Biden’s call for assistance is being answered by his home state.

Airmen and Aerial Port Squadron members — also known as “Port Dawgs” — gathered at Dover Air Force Base on Friday to load equipment and prepare cargo for takeoff to Poland. Officials report the base has shipped over 7 million pounds of support to the area over the last two months.

Among the equipment moved Friday were lethal materials, such as javelins and low-yield explosives, as well as body armor, helmets and sleeping bags. The shipment will eventually make its way to Ukrainians fighting off the Russian invasion.

The mission came just over a week after President Biden announced another $800 million in aid to the area.

In a statement released by the Department of Defense, the president said Russian forces have refocused their military emphasis in Ukraine, turning attention to the eastern region. He added that part of the $800 million will include heavy artillery weapons, dozens of howitzers, 144,000 rounds of howitzer ammunition and tactical drones.

The latest initiative is one the 436th Maintenance Group commander, Col. Bary Flack, called a group effort, not only for airmen at DAFB but nationwide.

There are multiple distribution points in the continental U.S. the Air Force uses for missions. Col. Flack said these points will ship materials to DAFB. From there, leadership can match shipments to the airlift schedule, minimizing the chance that cargo will sit for extended periods without a destination.

In the planning process, specific Aerial Port Squadron members will communicate with distribution centers to synchronize plans. Such a large effort requires touching base with the Joint Munitions Command, the Air Mobility Command, the U.S. Transportation Command and the Surface Deployment & Distribution Command about their respective roles.

Col. Flack said there are five airport squadrons that deal with a myriad of responsibilities, like the assistance to Ukraine, but there needs to be a synchronized effort to assure the mission is carried out efficiently.

“Our goal is to be agile. Our goal is to be persistent in how we move the material because we know there’s folks on the other end who need it. It’s a very choreographed and a very synchronized way of doing business across multiple agencies,” he said.

Nearly all DAFB aircraft are certified to carry explosives, Col. Flack added. The machines typically used in cargo missions include the smaller Boeing 747 and the much larger C-17 Globemaster III and Lockheed C-5 Galaxy. These bigger planes are helpful for the security mission to Ukraine, as they can carry oversized cargo.

For such missions, between three and five aircraft can be loaded to leave DAFB per day, Col. Flack said.

Providing assistance to Ukraine has been a great experience for the commander of the 436th Airlift Wing, Col. Matthew Husemann, who said seeing young airmen taking initiative has been especially gratifying.

“We deliver the right thing to the right place at the right time. Its awe-inspiring to be an airman that’s able to do that,” he said. “Whether it’s delivering bullets or it’s delivering bags of food or vehicles, whatever it is, it comes in the form of hope for someone. So to be a part of that whole government approach that’s delivering hope across the globe and to be able to work with NATO and our partners all across Europe, it’s awesome.”

Since arriving at DAFB in 2002, Col. Husemann said the facility has collectively made the impossible possible. He applauded the integrity of airmen for bearing the responsibility of distributing this assistance to Ukraine.

Col. Flack agreed.

“Our airmen, they have pride in what they do. I’m getting teared up talking about it. They have a purpose. They have a steely-eyed look because they know what they do matters. They know there’s somebody on the other end that needs this material, and they will move as fast as they need to safely get this material to the folks.

“We are prepared to meet the presidential directives as they come. We are prepared. We are ready. And we will move and get the stuff to the fight as long as we need to.”