Safety First

The Alaska Air National Guard 210th Rescue Squadron’s Det. 1, which is based at Eielson Air Force Base, on Aug. 6 reached the milestone of 10,000 mishap-free flying hours with its two HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopters. In fact, the detachment has not had a flying mishap in the more than 14 years since its inception. Lt. Col. William Kupchin, detachment commander, said this stellar achievement is a direct result of all the unit’s hardworking Guardsmen. “It’s not just the aircrews that made this happen,” he said. “It was everyone to include the maintainers and the operations airmen.” SMSgt Charles Wright, the detachment’s maintenance superintendent, said the unit isn’t resting on its laurels. “We want a million mishap free hours … even more. This is just a marker along the path,” he said. The 210th RQS is based at Kulis ANGB in Anchorage. Operating the detachment out of Eielson makes it easier to support military and civil rescue missions across the expansive state. (Eielson report by TSgt. Gloria Wilson)