Kentucky Air Guardsmen evacuate personnel following Hurricane Irma

  • Published
  • 123rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
For the second time in two weeks, special operators and aircrews from the Kentucky Air National Guard deployed to support hurricane rescue operations, evacuating more than 170 U.S. citizens from the Dutch Caribbean island of St. Maarten today.

Twelve of the unit’s special operators departed from the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville Sept. 9, 2017, en route to St. Maarten aboard two Kentucky ANG C-130 Hercules aircraft. The Airmen, who comprise two Global Access and Personnel Recovery Teams, are facilitating the evacuation of up to 6,000 U.S. citizens to Puerto Rico, said Maj. Aaron Zamora, the unit’s operations officer.

Specifically, the Airmen are directing air traffic and personnel movement on St. Maarten's airfield so evacuation flights can be executed safely, Zamora said.

Meanwhile, the two Kentucky ANG aircraft and 12 aircrew members that flew the special tactics troops to St. Maarten remained on station to begin evacuating U.S. citizens, according to Capt. Nick Dobson, 165th Airlift Squadron mission planner. The team has airlifted more than 172 people to Puerto Rico.

“I could not be more proud of the Kentucky Air National Guardsmen who volunteered to stand up for these critical missions,” said Col. David Mounkes, 123rd Airlift Wing commander, the parent unit of the 123rd Special Tactics Squadron and 165th Airlift Squadron. “These are the types of missions we train for constantly, and our Airmen are always ready to help out at a moment’s notice anywhere in the world.”

The Kentucky ANG previously deployed more than 80 Airmen to Texas for rescue and recovery operations following Hurricane Harvey.