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PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- A small group of reservists from the 920th Rescue Wing here departed today on the first-leg of a 14-month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Before they left, the deploying reservists were visited on the flightline by John Patterson, a pitcher for the Washington Nationals baseball team, which plays its spring-training games at nearby Space Coast Stadium. Mr. Patterson gave out hats and baseballs, signed autographs, visited with family members and personally thanked each Airman for their service. After saying their goodbyes, the reservists boarded one of the unit’s HC-130 Hercules aircraft en route to Arizona, where they will join helicopter pilots, aircrew and support personnel from the wing’s subordinate unit at Davis-Monthan AFB. The group of approximately 80 wing personnel will then head for Afghanistan for the first half of a mobilization to support the U.S. Army medical evacuation operation. Later this year, the 920th will send another group of reservists from here to pick up the second half of the mission. The wing’s primary wartime job is combat search and rescue, which involves locating and rescuing servicemembers isolated in combat—such as pilots shot down behind enemy lines. The medevac deployment, called an “in-lieu-of” mission, marks the first time the 920th will undertake the role for the Army. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Paul Flipse)
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