The document summarizes the efforts of Air Forces Northern (AFNORTH) in supporting relief operations in North Dakota and Minnesota due to flooding. AFNORTH has deployed two UH-1 helicopters to Grand Forks Air Force Base to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency and local authorities. AFNORTH has also activated the Joint Personnel Recovery Center to coordinate search and rescue efforts. The article also profiles an Air Force master sergeant who recently volunteered for a 36-day recovery mission in Laos to search for the remains of a downed American pilot from the Vietnam War.

1. UNIT COVERAGE
C a r o l i n a F l y e r
B
www.Pope.AF.mil/flyer November 24, 2009
18th ASOG
heading home
U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Erik Gudmundson
The sun sets behind a C-17 Globemaster III Nov. 17 at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, as Soldiers begin boarding. C-17s can carry payloads up to 169,000 pounds and can land on small airfields. The C-17 is deployed from the
18th Air Support Operations Group, U.S. Air Force Detachment, Pope Army Air Field, Fort Bragg, N.C. The rest of these words are just filler. Once a llama bit my sister. Really it did, I am totally not joking.
69th PS Sdqn
of FEMA, including search and rescue and AFNORTH will also provide two search Proin vitae arcu at leo consequat molestie.
movement of evacuees or other response and rescue planners to the Joint Personnel Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus
personnel. Recovery Center, deploy a five-person orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae;
supports ND
Under the direction of NORAD and U.S. Combat Camera team from Charleston Integer a dui in felis bibendum ultricies sit
Northern Command, AFNORTH is AFB, S.C., and send one aviation planner to amet ac urna. Vivamus sollicitudin, tellus
partnering with numerous federal, state the North Dakota Emergency Operations ac rhoncus aliquet, nibh nunc interdum
flash flood
and local agencies to provide support to the Center to prepare for potential SAR missions turpis, tincidunt ultricies tortor purus sit
State of North Dakota and surrounding in the affected areas. amet ipsum. Pellentesque magna justo,
communities. “We stand ready to assist USNORTHCOM is responsible for pellentesque vel tincidunt a, tempor vel
relief efforts
when called upon,” said Maj. Gen. Hank defense of the homeland and, when ordered eros. Nullam in arcu elit.
Morrow, AFNORTH commander. “Our by the President. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur
Defense Support for Civil Authorities Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Curabitur non mi diam. In
Airmen volunteer a charter is one my organization takes very adipiscing elit. Curabitur non mi diam. In et ante sed orci aliquam ultricies. Phasellus
seriously, and the men and women of et ante sed orci aliquam ultricies. Phasellus euismod, enim ac cursus vestibulum, metus
bunch of time, money AFNORTH are trained and equipped to euismod, enim ac cursus vestibulum, metus nisi tristique dui, a adipiscing elit augue
lend a hand if and when we receive the call nisi tristique dui, a adipiscing elit augue quis nunc. Curabitur vel elit lorem. In
by Airman Al Dente for help.” quis nunc. Curabitur vel elit lorem. In
18th ASOG Public Affairs vehicula tellus ut diam luctus et pulvinar
AFNORTH has also activated the Joint vehicula tellus ut diam luctus et pulvinar velit eleifend. Donec vehicula sapien a diam
Air Forces Northern is supporting the Personnel Recovery Center. Located at velit eleifend. Donec vehicula sapien a diam feugiat egestas. In quis accumsan orci.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., the JPRC feugiat egestas. In quis accumsan orci. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus
and state and local authorities in North focuses specifically on large-scale search Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia
Dakota and Minnesota in response to the and rescue operations in the event of a orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Curae; Duis dignissim Integer a dui in felis
flood relief operations. hurricane or natural disaster. When a Duis dignissim consectetur nulla fringilla bibendum ultricies sit amet ac urna. Vivamus
AFNORTH has deployed two UH-1 disaster occurs, the JPRC activates and rutrum. Nullam eget quam justo, eu sagittis sollicitudin, tellus ac rhoncus aliquet, nibh
helicopters to Grand Forks Air Force coordinates the SAR actions of all rescue dui. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur nunc interdum turpis, tincidunt ultricies
Base, N.D., under the authority of the Air aircraft in the disaster area to improve the adipiscing elit. Mauris porttitor, dolor et tortor purus sit amet ipsum. Where the
Force Rescue Coordination Center here at efficiency of rescue operations and reduce ultrices porttitor, massa ante tempus massa, llama came from and how it got to England,
Tyndall for a variety of missions in support the potential for mishaps. sit ampet faucibus diam tellus in dolor. “I have no idea”, I said.
Face of defense: sergeant volunteers for recovery effort
by Airman Ian Hoachlander JPAC members think they’ve found human remains or
Special to the Carolina Flyer life-support equipment, the findings are sent back to the
A senior noncommissioned officer assigned here recently Central Identification Laboratory at Hickam Air Force
returned from a recovery mission to find the remains of an Base, Hawaii, for confirmation.
American pilot in Laos. The Laotian climate made the team’s work especially
Air Force Master Sgt. Wesley Housel of the 437th hard, Housel said. “After the rain rolled through, the
Operations Support Squadron spent a 36-day deployment humidity would kick in, and South Carolina would feel
as a digger assigned to a 10-member Joint POW/MIA like a cold place compared to Laos,” he said. But the rainy
Accounting Command recovery team. season was not the only hurdle the team had to overcome.
JPAC’s mission is to achieve the fullest possible The crash site was on steep terrain with thick vegetation.
accounting of all Americans missing as a result of the Safety is paramount on the recovery missions, Housel
nation’s past conflicts. Housel volunteered for his team’s said, and focusing on the mission’s importance helps
mission to find and recover the remains of a lieutenant who in dealing with the difficult conditions. “You have to
was shot down in Laos during the Vietnam War. DOD photo by Krystal Ball remember that you are there for a fallen comrade, because
JPAC teams include a forensic anthropologist, a field Air Force Master Sgt. Wesley Housel sifts through dirt while the conditions you operate in will destroy your morale very
medic, an explosive ordnance disposal technician, a life- conducting a recovery mission in Houaphan province, Laos. quickly if you do not maintain focus,” he said. “The average
support investigator and a forensic photographer. A handful Housel was part of a 10-member recovery team on a deployment
to recover the remains of Americans lost during the Vietnam War.
incline at our crash site was probably about 30 [degrees].”
of Laotians helped the team members carry their equipment To get to the crash site, the team took a 25-minute
and built anything they needed, Housel said. the recovery, Housel explained. Crash sites are blocked helicopter ride every morning from their hotel the jungle.
Recovery missions can last anywhere from 35 to 60 off into 4-meter squares, and the soil is then sifted with
days, depending on location, terrain and the nature of a high-pressure hose and a quarter-inch screen. When See RECOVERY, Page B4