SIMÓN BOLÍVAR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Venezuela — After weeks of supporting a continuous, 24-hour airlift of global aid, the U.S. Air Force’s 621st Contingency Response Wing has concluded its disaster relief deployment in Venezuela. Operating at the direction of U.S. Southern Command to support a U.S. State Department-led mission, the "Devil Raiders" facilitated the transfer of nearly 3 million pounds of life-saving cargo intended for earthquake survivors.
When the earthquakes struck on June 24, critical supply lines were severely disrupted. In response, the 621st CRW deployed a Contingency Response Element of 110 Airmen with specialized airfield management expertise. This team quickly integrated with local aviation authorities to manage tower and ground operations, ensuring that vital supplies, heavy equipment, and relief personnel safely reached the front lines of the disaster zone as quickly as possible.
This direct logistical throughput enabled U.S. certified nongovernmental organizations to conduct hand-to-hand delivery to an estimated 930,000 impacted residents.
The relief effort was a truly global response. CRE aerial porters offloaded a steady stream of international aircraft, pushing pallets of aid from Germany, Mexico, Japan, Uruguay, and many other nations from across the globe — rapidly transferring the cargo to local transport networks for distribution.
The operational impact of the relief mission drew a July 6 visit from U.S. Southern Command Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan. Visiting the CRE's Joint Operations Center, Donovan met face-to-face with the contingency response Airmen to survey the ongoing disaster response.
During the walkthrough, Donovan highlighted the professionalism and operational effectiveness of the unit. He also recognized the coordinated command structure that enabled the rapid logistical throughput, specifically noting the leadership of Col. Joseph Michaels, Joint Task Force-Port Opening commander, and Lt. Col. Jessica Foster, CRE commander.
“I'm very proud of the effort of our Air Force element at Simón Bolívar Airport, the contingency response element, who were literally on the ground within the first 24 hours. They were able to get the airfield open and operate at max capacity right away, and that's important when you bring in relief supplies,” Donovan said.
Executing a disaster response of this scale required mobilizing the Air Force’s Total Force network. While the mission was led by the 321st Contingency Response Squadron, the deployment integrated active-duty augmentees from the 521st and 621st squadrons at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. Crucial logistical and airfield capabilities were also seamlessly integrated from the Air National Guard, incorporating the California Air National Guard’s 146th Contingency Response Flight and the Puerto Rico Air National Guard’s 156th Contingency Response Group.
The mission in Venezuela is just the latest chapter in the wing's extensive history of rapid global mobility. Whether supporting combat forces downrange or directing international humanitarian relief, the 621st CRW specializes in turning chaotic environments into fully functioning mobility hubs. When a contingency arises, the "Devil Raiders" stand ready to open the base and project airpower anytime, anywhere.