Airmen support operations in Liberia

  • Published
  • By Capt. Kristi Beckman
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
LUNGI, Sierra Leone (AFPN) --  It is a hot, humid, rainy day here, and airmen from the 56th Rescue Squadron out of Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland, are feeling the heat.

The airmen, along with others from the 786th Security Forces Squadron at Sembach Air Base, Germany, deployed here July 13 to support operations in Liberia. They will provide recovery and emergency evacuation capability for the humanitarian assistance survey team already in Liberia.

The 56th RQS airmen arrived on a C-5 Galaxy carrying three of their HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters. Immediately after they landed, the airmen began to build up their helicopters and had them flying the first mission within eight hours.

“Being the only combat search and rescue team in United States Air Forces in Europe, we were called upon,” said Col. Steven Dreyer, 398th Air Expeditionary Group commander. “We can rapidly load onto strategic airlift and fly anywhere in the world.”

“This is the second time I personally have been on this type of mission,” said Capt. Matt Schexnyder, an HH-60G pilot. “I was in Mozambique … a few years ago helping with the humanitarian mission there, but this is different because it’s personnel recovery.”

Schexnyder said the nice thing about helicopters is that they can land anywhere, and they are very versatile. They can change their mission very easily.

“Basically what happens on this type of mission is that we receive the notification to recover the personnel, and we then develop our mission plan,” he said. “The crew goes to the aircraft to prepare it for takeoff, and once the pilot completes the mission plan, we rush out for takeoff. Once in the air, we talk to the tanker to set up an air refueling track. We then rescue the personnel and head back to base.”

Pararescueman Senior Airman Michael Herrera said he is here to recover any Americans if needed.

“This is what we signed up for,” he said. “I was gone 200 days last year. We just bring all the creature comforts of home with us.”

Herrera said it is interesting coming where there have been no American rescue units before.

“It’s a big deal for us,” he said. “This is the one thing that gets the blood pumping -- the unknown.”

“We’re ready if anything were to happen,” said Herrera. “Once we get into the area, we run off to make sure the scene is secure for the crew and the aircraft. Then we get everyone aboard the aircraft and treat any injured personnel.”

“This is what we train every day to do, and this is why we sign on the dotted line,” said Tech. Sgt. Scotty Bobbitt, 56th RQS flight engineer. “This is a fantastic unit with a very experienced crew base to fall back on.”

When the squadron leaders got the call for this operation, the maintainers had the helicopters broken down within three hours and were ready to go in six hours, according to Maj. Brett Hartnett, assistant director of operations.

The rescue squadron airmen deployed with others from Keflavik’s 932nd Air Control Squadron, 85th SFS, 85th Maintenance Squadron and a flight doctor from the 85th Group, he said.

“For the amount of ‘punch’ we provide, we have a very small footprint,” Hartnett said. “Just being small, everyone knows everyone and we’re forced to get along with each other.

“This unit is very cohesive and experienced, especially on the enlisted side of the house,” he said. “We probably have some of the most experienced enlisted personnel in the Air Force, and we also have a very high percentage of combat veterans.”

Not all the airmen have deployment experience.

“This is my first deployment. I’ve only been in the Air Force nine months,” said Airman Sarah Dennis, a member of the 85th SFS. She provides security for the helicopters and works along with airmen from the 786th SFS.

“They called us up to see who wanted to go,” Dennis said. “We didn’t know where we were going or how long it would be, but I was very excited to do this.”

“I maintain the aircraft and debrief the crews after they fly,” said Staff Sgt. Steve Nagel, a navigation technician with the 85th MXS. “This is one of the better units I’ve been assigned to. I’ve never been a part of something like this before; it seemed like a good mission to come on."

“We are starting to do these types of missions more and more often,” said Staff Sgt. Adrian Bergman, a 56th RQS helicopter crew chief. “I’ve been all over Asia, but never here in Africa. I was picturing something out of ‘The Lion King.’”

“I love the unit I’m with and really like that we’re becoming more deployable,” said Bergman.

This assignment was not unusual for most of the Keflavik team since they have done numerous deployments in the air expeditionary force cycle, according to Dreyer.

"I believe we are, by initiative and hard work, becoming one of the most important units in the Air Force," Hartnett said. (Courtesy of U.S. Air Forces in Europe News Service)