About 1,000 Florida National Guard troops with boats, generators, and high water vehicles have been activated in preparation for Tropical Storm Hermine, which is expected to make landfall south of Tallahassee late Thursday or early Friday, said Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis. Speaking at a press Pentagon briefing Thursday, Davis said an additional 6,000 Reservists will be on alert if needed as well as 3,400 from other states under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. Maxwell AFB, Ala., will be a staging ground for storm response, said Davis, who noted that trucks and trailers already are stationed there. Eglin AFB, Fla., home of the 33rd Fighter Wing and 59 F-35s, declared Hurricane Condition 3 Thursday but announced that no aircraft had been moved in preparation for the storm.
The six-week government shutdown did not affect the hours flown by Air Force pilots, a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine—avoiding what could have been a major blow at a time when flying hours are already lower than they have been in decades.
