Rescue Reservists embrace heavy deployment schedule

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Cathleen Snow
  • 920th Rescue Wing
PATRICK AFB, Fla. --  Another month in 2007, another round of deployments for Air Force Reservists of the 920th Rescue Wing.

Since the beginning of 2007 Rescue Airmen have deployed monthly.

On April 1 approximately 45 Airmen deployed to Afghanistan to join rescue forces with the nearly 70 Airmen who deployed there from the 920th last month. The contingent consists of pararescuemen, pilots, maintainers and support personnel.

They will continue providing combat search and rescue for the region.

On April 4 an additional 7 Airmen deployed to the Horn of African to replace 13 Airmen who deployed from the 920th in February. Those 13 will be returning this week.

In January a dozen medical professionals from the 920th Aeromedical Staging Squadron deployed to Iraq and other locations in the AOR. Shortly another group of approximately the same amount will be going.

The deploying Airmen are scheduled to be gone for various durations of time in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa. Some Airmen will be gone as long as four months.

The wing's primary mission is combat rescue, but also supports NASA in launches and humanitarian calls for help.