Shortly after Hurricane Wilma tore through south Florida last Monday, the 482nd Fighter Wing opened Homestead ARB, Fla. for relief efforts. The Florida Air National Guard, working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and local officials, used the airfield as a staging area for supplies flowing south. Though the base itself was hard hit by the storm, operations soon were running at full tilt. Helicopters flew damage assessment missions. Aircraft delivered medical supplies to towns on the Florida Keys.
As the Air Force readied for its June 21-22 strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the service was also putting its Agile Combat Employment strategy into action, dispersing combat aircraft and Airmen from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in preparation for a possible Iranian retaliatory attack. Some defense experts say…