920th Rescue Wing deploys for Texas

Photo By Maj. Cathleen Snow | Local central Florida media interviewed Col. Kurt A. Matthews as a contingent of 91 Citizen Airmen from the 920th Rescue Wing deployed to Texas to exercise their hurricane relief capabilities. Wing Airmen launched three HH-60G Pave Hawk combat-search-and-rescue helicopters and two combat king HC-130P/N aerial refueling aircraft to Naval Air Station Ft. Worth Joint Reserve Base where Tenth Air Force Headquarters is located. If the Federal Emergency Management Agency or Air Combat Command gives the order to provide disaster relief following Hurricane Harvey’s devastating effects to the state, the 920th will be ready to help.  

COCOA BEACH, FL, UNITED STATES

08.28.2017

Story by Maj. Cathleen Snow 

920th Rescue Wing

A group of approximately 90 Citizen Airmen from the 920th Rescue Wing deployed to Texas to exercise their hurricane relief capabilities. If the Federal Emergency Management Agency or Air Combat Command gives the order to provide disaster relief following Hurricane Harvey’s devastating effects to the state, the 920th will be ready to help.

“We train constantly for situations like this. Our Airmen our highly specialized and have the ability to utilize their expert combat life-saving skills and aircraft to provide relief and rescue,’ said Col. Kurt Matthews, 920 RQW commander, who flew disaster relief missions during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 which led to 1,043 lives saved.

Wing Airmen launched three HH-60G Pave Hawk combat-search-and-rescue helicopters and two combat king HC-130P/N aerial refueling aircraft to Naval Air Station Ft. Worth Joint Reserve Base where Tenth Air Force Headquarters is located.

They’ll begin to arrive at approximately 7:30 p.m. to work with the Navy commander there and utilize the 301st Fighter Wing’s facilities to set up base operations.

“Having the 920th Rescue Wing arrive at NAS Fort Worth JRB shows the diverse mission set of Tenth Air Force,” said Maj. Gen. Ronald B. “Bruce” Miller, Tenth Air Force Commander. “I’m thankful we have Reserve Citizen Airmen ready to aid in the search and rescue efforts helping those in need. We appreciate the support of our Reserve Citizen Airmen, but also the civilian employers who gave them the time off to render aid and assistance to fellow Americans during this natural disaster. The men and women of the 920th are always there for our nation, which is evident by their arrival.”

The rescue team includes pararescuemen, combat rescue officers and a survival evasion resistance escape specialist, or SERE specialist. Among their proficiencies include trauma medicine, swiftwater rescue and nighttime hoist operations which will allow the team to operate a 24-hour operation

“We have been going through our readiness checklists and putting out the word to our Citizen Airmen to pre-plan with their civilian employers to give them time off to serve. Its times like these we can't thank those civilian employers enough for the sacrifices they make to allow us to support crisis situations. Air Force Reservists and their civilian employers are integral part of our national defense,” said Matthews.

The Wing has a 50-year history of saving lives, and its Airmen have rescued more than 3,000 personnel in peacetime and in combat. They live by the motto, “these things we do that others may live.”

• Date Taken: 08.28.2017
• Date Posted: 08.28.2017 19:30
• Story ID: 246361
• Location: COCOA BEACH, FL, US