Air Force Reserve Harvey Relief

Approximately 90 Citizen Airmen from the 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick Air Force Base prepared to deploy to Texas to exercise their hurricane relief capabilities August 28, 2017. 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. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Cathleen Snow)

Harvey Relief Efforts

Col. Kurt Matthews, 920th Rescue Wing commander, interviews with media while a group of approximately 90 Citizen Airmen from the 920th RQW, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, prepared take off for Texas to exercise their hurricane relief capabilities.The contingent included two HC-130P/N aerial refueling aircraft and three HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters 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. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Cathleen Snow)

Air Force Reserve Harvey Relief

The local media interviewed Col Kurt Matthews, 920th Rescue Wing commander about 90 Citizen Airmen from his wing who prepared to deploy to Texas to exercise their hurricane relief capabilities August 28, 2017. 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. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Cathleen Snow)

Air Force Reserve Harvey Relief

The local media covered approximately 90 Citizen Airmen from the 920th Rescue Wing as they deployed to Texas to exercise their hurricane relief capabilities August 28, 2017. 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. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Cathleen Snow)

Hurricane Harvey Relief

A group of approximately 90 Citizen Airmen from the 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, deployed to Texas to exercise their hurricane relief capabilities.The contingent included two HC-130P/N aerial refueling aircraft including this one and three HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters 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. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Cathleen Snow)

Air Force Reserve Harvey Relief

920th Rescue Wing deploys for Texas

Published Aug. 28, 2017
By Maj. Cathleen Snow
920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- A group of 91 Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, deployed to Texas to exercise their hurricane relief capabilities.

“We train constantly for situations like this. Our Airmen are 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, 920th 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 helicopters and two HC-130P/N aerial refueling aircraft to Naval Air Station Ft. Worth Joint Reserve Base where Tenth Air Force Headquarters is located.

Upon arrival they'll work with the Navy commander there and utilize the 301st Fighter Wing’s facilities to set up base operations.

“Having the 920th RQW 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.”

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

“We went through our readiness checklists and put out the word to our Reserve 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.”