Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      176th Wing Airmen respond to Hurricane Florence.180912-Z-ZY202-1009
                        
                        
                        A 211th Rescue Squadron HC-130J Combat King II taxis Sept. 12, 2018 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Thirty-six Alaska Air National Guardsmen departed in support of the Hurricane Florence humanitarian assistance effort. The governors of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Maryland declared a state of emergency Sept. 10 as Hurricane Florence approaches the East Coast. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by David Bedard/Released)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        176th Wing Airmen respond to Hurricane Florence.180912-Z-ZY202-1004
                        
                        
                        Alaska Air National Guard Airmen of 176th Wing load a Guardian Angel Air-Deployable Rescue Vehicle and an inflatable raft onto a 144th Airlift Squadron C-17 Globemaster III Sept. 12, 2018 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Thirty-six Alaska Air National Guardsmen departed in support of the Hurricane Florence humanitarian assistance effort. The governors of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Maryland declared a state of emergency Sept. 10 as Hurricane Florence approaches the East Coast. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by David Bedard/Released)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        176th Wing Airmen respond to Hurricane Florence.180912-Z-ZY202-1003
                        
                        
                        Alaska Air National Guard Tech Sgt. Jennifer Fitzpatrick, a loadmaster with the 144th Airlift Squadron, prepares a Guardian Angel Air-Deployable Rescue Vehicle for load onto a 144th AS C-17 Globemaster III Sept. 12, 2018 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Thirty-six Alaska Air National Guardsmen departed in support of the Hurricane Florence humanitarian assistance effort. The governors of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Maryland declared a state of emergency Sept. 10 as Hurricane Florence approaches the East Coast. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by David Bedard/Released)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        176th Wing Airmen respond to Hurricane Florence.Staff Sgt. Troy Kennedy, 703rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, conducts preflight checks on a 144th Airlift Squadron C-17 Globemaster III Sept. 12, 2018, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Thirty-six Alaska Air National Guardsmen departed in support of the Hurricane Florence humanitarian assistance effort. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by David Bedard)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Alaska ANG mobilizes in advance of Hurricane FlorencePublished Sept. 13, 2018
                    
                    By Tech. Sgt. N. Alicia Halla
                    
                    
                    176th Wing Public Affairs
            **JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AFNS) --**JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AFNS)-- Thirty-six Alaska Air National Guardsmen from the 176th Wing, and approximately three short tons of Alaska Air Guard equipment, departed Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Sept. 12 to assist with emergency response efforts for Hurricane Florence.
With less than a day’s notice, members of the 176th Operations, Maintenance and Mission Support Groups, along with supporting personnel, moved into action to get the team relocated and ready to assist fellow Americans.
"Our Airmen are always ready to support disaster relief in and out of state," said Brig. Gen. Darrin Slaten, 176th Wing commander. "The challenging environment we train in here in Alaska, and our unique set of capabilities, makes us a great fit for responses across the United States and in the Pacific. While specific states have not yet asked for assistance, we can shift our training area to a spot that we can respond from more quickly.”
The team from the wing will join members of the New York and California ANG.
The Alaskans flew a C-17 Globemaster III from the 144th Airlift Squadron, with Guardian Angel personnel, a rescue vehicle, raft and alert equipment, to Moffett AFB, California. There, California Air Guardsmen will board before meeting the rest of the team at Dover AFB, Delaware.
The remaining Airmen, to include HH-60 Pave Hawk aircrew, maintenance and other support personnel, traveled on a 211th Rescue Squadron HC-130J Combat King II headed to Dover AFB to await specific relief effort tasks.
“Everything is going to depend on what that storm does,” said Lt. Col. Matthew Komatsu, a combat rescue officer with the Alaska National Guard and Guardian Angel mission commander. “That’s why we’re leaning forward and getting there early so that as the storm figures things out, we can dial in right behind it — to get in there and rescue people.”
Guardian Angel teams are comprised of a combat rescue officer and a pararescueman who have specialized medical training, which can be especially beneficial during a natural disaster and its aftermath.
“The National Guard is always ready to serve the nation,” Komatsu said. “I think what makes this wing special is we have a really aggressive team that just wants to get the mission done. We don’t care if it’s 4,000 miles away or four miles away, we are here to help people wherever they’re at.”
Alaska Governor Bill Walker expressed solidarity with fellow state governors.
“Alaskans stand in support for those who are bracing themselves for Hurricane Florence,” Walker said. “I extend to the East Coast the Alaskan spirit of pulling together and offering help in a time of need.”hurricane florence 



environmental 



Humanitarian 



JB Elmendorf-Richardson 



JBER 



Alaska Air National Guard 



HC-130 



Combat King II 



211th Rescue Squadron 



144th Airlift Squadron 



210th Rescue Squadron 



212th Rescue Squadron 



Guardian Angel 



pararescue Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil