Evacuate!

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org

For the first time in 15 years, the entire fleet of Air Force Reserve Command’s 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick AFB, Fla., took to the sky during a recent drill weekend. The wing’s three HC-130 refueling tankers cleared Patrick’s runway first, joined minutes later by its six HH-60G Pave Hawks, during the mass hurricane evacuation exercise. After flying several miles out to sea, the tankers refueled the helicopters and the ensemble returned to Patrick after some maneuvers along the Atlantic coastline. “These are old planes; to put 100 percent of them in the air together is a major feat that required a lot of time, effort and coordination,” said Col. Robert Dunn, 920th RQW commander. The wing must be able to evacuate quickly, sparing its assets to provide aid in a storm’s wake. These Reservists and their machines also frequently deploy overseas to support military operations. (Patrick report by SSgt. Annamarie Wyant)

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org