Reservists leave for 14 months in Afghanistan

[unhappycamper]

Reservists leave for 14 months in Afghanistan
Staff report
Posted : Tuesday Feb 26, 2008 17:21:25 EST

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — Reservists from the 920th Rescue Wing departed here Feb. 20 on the first-leg of a 14-month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

According to an Air Force press release, John Patterson, a pitcher for the Washington Nationals baseball team, stopped by to see them off. The Nationals play their spring-training games at nearby Space Coast Stadium.

After saying their goodbyes, the release said 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 people from the wing’s 943rd Rescue Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

According to the release, the combined group of reservists will then head for Afghanistan for the first half of a mobilization to support the Army’s 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. CSAR involves locating and rescuing service members isolated in combat, such as pilots shot down behind enemy lines.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/02/airforce_reservists_deploy_022608/