C-130 News: Kentucky Air Guard Deploys Aircraft, Airmen for Hurricane Relief Operations

[casey]

Two C-130 Hercules aircraft and 14 more airmen deployed from the Kentucky Air National Guard base here last night to fly humanitarian aid and airlift evacuation missions in Texas following unprecedented flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey.

The Kentucky Air Guardsmen will operate out of Carswell Field, located on Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, said Air Force Capt. Nick Dobson, mission planner for the Kentucky Air Guard's 165th Airlift Squadron.

From Carswell, the airmen expect to fly missions into Beaumont Municipal Airport in Beaumont, Texas -- the site of some of the worst flooding -- to pick up dislocated residents and transport them to Dallas Love Field, Dobson said. Residents will then be moved to safe shelter by emergency responders on the ground.

Two C-130 Hercules aircraft and 14 more airmen deployed from the Kentucky Air National Guard base here last night to fly humanitarian aid and airlift evacuation missions in Texas following unprecedented flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey.

 

Two C-130 Hercules aircraft and 14 airmen from the 123rd Airlift Wing deploy from the Kentucky Air National Guard base in Louisville, Ky., Sept. 1, 2017, for Texas, where they will fly humanitarian aid and airlift evacuation missions in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. The airmen are expected to airlift displaced residents from Beaumont, Texas, to Dallas, where they will be provided with safe shelter. Air National Guard photo by Lt. Col. Dale Greer

Kentucky Air Guard deploys aircraft, Airmen for evacuation missions in Texas following Hurricane Harvey

Two C-130 Hercules aircraft and 14 airmen from the 123rd Airlift Wing deploy from the Kentucky Air National Guard base in Louisville, Ky., Sept. 1, 2017, for Texas, where they will fly humanitarian aid and airlift evacuation missions in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. The airmen are expected to airlift displaced residents from Beaumont, Texas, to Dallas, where they will be provided with safe shelter. Air National Guard photo by Lt. Col. Dale Greer

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The Kentucky Air Guardsmen will operate out of Carswell Field, located on Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, said Air Force Capt. Nick Dobson, mission planner for the Kentucky Air Guard's 165th Airlift Squadron.

From Carswell, the airmen expect to fly missions into Beaumont Municipal Airport in Beaumont, Texas -- the site of some of the worst flooding -- to pick up dislocated residents and transport them to Dallas Love Field, Dobson said. Residents will then be moved to safe shelter by emergency responders on the ground.

Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Jeff Brown, a loadmaster in the 165th Airlift Squadron, has supported hurricane relief operations in the past, including Katrina in 2005.

"This is the kind of thing we train to do," Brown said. "We train for combat and we train for humanitarian missions like this. We've done it before, and we're glad to be called upon again."

Extra Sensitivity

Brown noted that evacuation missions require extra sensitivity on the part of airmen because they never know what to expect.

"You don't always know if the passengers are sick or injured, you don't know what their mental state is, so that means we have to exercise a little more care with them." 

 

Aerial porters from the 123rd Airlift Wing load a pallet of cargo nets onto a C-130 Hercules aircraft at the Kentucky Air National Guard base in Louisville, Ky., Sept. 1, 2017. The aircraft is one of two that will carry 14 Kentucky Air Guardsmen to Texas, where they will fly humanitarian aid and airlift evacuation missions in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Air National Guard photo by Lt. Col. Dale Greer

Kentucky Air Guard deploys aircraft, airmen for evacuation missions in Texas following Hurricane Harvey

Aerial porters from the 123rd Airlift Wing load a pallet of cargo nets onto a C-130 Hercules aircraft at the Kentucky Air National Guard base in Louisville, Ky., Sept. 1, 2017. The aircraft is one of two that will carry 14 Kentucky Air Guardsmen to Texas, where they will fly humanitarian aid and airlift evacuation missions in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Air National Guard photo by Lt. Col. Dale Greer

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The deployment is the third this week for members of the Kentucky Air Guard. The unit sent 18 members of its 123rd Special Tactics Squadron to the Houston area Aug. 27, where they have been conducting water patrol missions with inflatable motorboats. To date, those airmen have rescued more than 330 residents stranded by high water, and controlled air traffic for multiple helicopter landing zones. With the need for rooftop rescues now largely abated, those airmen are expected to return to Louisville early today.

On Aug. 30, the Kentucky Air Guard's 123rd Contingency Response deployed 43 airmen, augmented by six troops from the Mississippi Air Guard, to establish an air hub in Houston for air cargo and aeromedical evacuation operations.

"We have a lot of unique capabilities in our wing which allow us to respond effectively during events like this, including pararescuemen, combat controllers and a contingency response group -- a unit whose sole reason for existence is to rapidly establish airlift hubs in areas affected by natural disasters or other contingencies," said Air Force Col. David Mounkes, commander of the 123rd Airlift Wing, the parent unit of the 165th Airlift Squadron, the 123rd Special Tactics Flight and the 123rd Contingency Response Group.

"Nothing is more rewarding than being able to put all those capabilities to use in our own homeland, helping people in need."

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[casey]

Kentucky Air Guard deploys two aircraft and 14 more Airmen for Hurricane Harvey relief operations

Two C-130 Hercules aircraft and 14 more Airmen deployed from the Kentucky Air National Guard Base here tonight to fly humanitarian aid and airlift evacuation missions in Texas following unprecedented flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey.

The Kentucky Air Guardsmen will operate out of Carswell Field, which is located on Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, said Capt. Nick Dobson, mission planner for the Kentucky Air Guard’s 165th Airlift Squadron.

From Carswell, the Airmen expect to fly missions into Beaumont Municipal Airport, in Beaumont, Texas — the site of some of the worst flooding — to pick up dislocated residents and transport them to Dallas Love Field, Dobson said. Residents will then be moved to safe shelter by emergency responders on the ground.

Chief Master Sgt. Jeff Brown, a loadmaster in the 165th Airlift Squadron, has supported hurricane relief operations in the past, including Katrina in 2005.

“This is the kind of thing we train to do,” Brown said. “We train for combat and we train for humanitarian missions like this. We’ve done it before, and we’re glad to be called upon again.”

Brown noted that evacuation missions require extra sensitivity on the part of Airmen because they never know what to expect.

“You don’t always know if the passengers are sick or injured, you don’t know what their mental state is, so that means we have to exercise a little more care with them.”

Tonight’s deployment is the third this week for members of the Kentucky Air Guard. The unit sent 18 members of its 123rd Special Tactics Squadron to the Houston area on Sunday, where they have been conducting water patrol missions with inflatable motorboats. To date, those Airmen have rescued more than 330 residents stranded by high water, and controlled air traffic for multiple helicopter landing zones. With the need for roof-top rescues now largely abated, those Airmen are expected to return to Louisville early Saturday.

On Wednesday, the Kentucky Air Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response deployed 43 Airmen, augmented by six troops from the Mississippi Air Guard, to establish an air hub in Houston for air cargo and aeromedical evacuation operations.

“We have a lot of unique capabilities in our wing which allow us to respond effectively during events like this, including pararescuemen, combat controllers and a Contingency Response Group — a unit whose sole reason for existence is to rapidly establish airlift hubs in areas affected by natural disasters or other contingencies,” said Col. David Mounkes, commander of the 123rd Airlift Wing, the parent unit of the 165th Airlift Squadron, the 123rd Special Tactics Flight and the 123rd Contingency Response Group.

“Nothing is more rewarding than being able to put all those capabilities to use in our own homeland, helping people in need.”

 

Source: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/247001/kentucky-air-guard-deploys-two-aircraft-and-14-more-airmenfor-hurricane-harvey-relief-operations

Story bu Lt Col Dale Greer, 123 Airlift Wing Public Affairs

 

[BRlang]

You talk about a flashback....I was stationed at Sewart AFB in 1969. I was a loadmaster in the 2nd APS..I was fresh back from Pope for my C-130 Loadmaster school....IN Aerial Port you do more rigging airdrop, duty LM than and drop zone than flying...unless of course they needed a LM for 5 hours of touch and goes or a 10 hour over water then they would dish it to the Aerial Port folks....Hurricane Camile hit the Mississippi Coast in Late summer. We went into full mobility and two days after land fall we had a fully operational terminal set up at the Gulf Port Airport. We were pretty damn good at mobilizing...I learned more in the next 10 days about the Loadmaster job than any training. We set up a massive staging area, and worked around 100 flights a day. Every military aircraft you could imagine was bringing in water, food and countless loads of electrical crews and trucks. There was no electrical or water anywhere along the coast. We were the only way in as every bridge on Highway 90 was down. We worked out of a civilian Hangar at the Gulfport Airport. We ate Spam sandwiches for days. The Salvation Army had a food truck set up down the ramp from us. They day before we left we had to burn fuel out of the Jeep for outage. We took off west on 90. We were waived through every checkpoint on beach road. We had to drive inland through yards to get around a ship that had grounded on Why 90. We got to the bridge at Bay St Louis or should I say where the bridge used to be. That is where the eye came ashore. They city council was throwing a beer party at the city park on Beach Drive. They took us in with open arms and hugs. We loaded up the next day and flew back to Sewart. I was ready to get home. They had three morgue refer trailers set up just down the ramp from us. They had a constant arrival of ambulances bringing bodies. What a mess. God Bless Texas and Louisiana....