Military medical professionals arrive in Alaska for Arctic Care 2012

By Air Force National Guard Maj. Guy Hayes

Alaska National Guard

CAMP DENALI, Alaska (4/10/12) — Military aircraft carrying participants for Arctic Care 2012 arrived in Alaska today for the largest recurring joint military medical readiness and logistics training exercise.

Medical professionals from the Arizona and Colorado National Guard, Army Reserves and Navy Reserves began arriving from the lower 48 states as early as April 2, with the majority arriving Monday.

They are joined by active duty military, Alaska National Guard members and host support from the Norton Sound Health Corporation.

With more than 250 military medical professionals travelling to Nome to provide care in 16 remote locations to underserved populations, accountability of personnel is crucial to ensuring safety during the two-week mission and is accomplished through the Joint Reception Staging Onward Movement Integration or JRSOI.

"The objective is to in-process the personnel for accountability before they travel to the various villages in support of Arctic Care 2012," said Army Lt. Col. Don Mercer, JRSOI commander, Alaska National Guard.

"We accomplish this by conducting briefings, answering questions and providing support to all the participants involved in this operation," he said.

The JRSOI centralizes and controls the movement of all service members arriving in Alaska and provides accountability to the joint task force commander.

As the service members arrive in Nome, they receive a welcome message from Gov. Sean Parnell and an overview briefing that covers the exercise along with safety, legal, public relations and community information.

"It's very important that we have visibility of all service members flowing in to Alaska in support of Operation Arctic Care 2012," said Air Force Brig. Gen. Deborah McManus, chief of joint staff for the Alaska National Guard.

"They are performing a vital mission in support of rural Alaska residents, and it's our job to ensure that we account and take care of every service member coming to Alaska for Arctic Care," she said.

Operation Arctic Care, led this year by the Alaska National Guard, will bring health care and veterinary support to residents in the Bering Strait and Norton Sound regions of western Alaska.

Sponsored by the Innovative Readiness Training program under the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, Arctic Care is scheduled from April 9 to 23.

Alaska Air Guard members help family 3,000 miles away

By Air National Guard 2nd Lt. Bernie Kale
Alaska National Guard

CAMP DENALI, Alaska (2/23/12) – In an instant, everything was gone. A lifetime of laughter, tears and memories lay smoldering in a heap of twisted metal and charred lumber. Annette Cook was now without a home.

On Aug. 23, 2011, a propane facility in Butler County, Kan., encountered a gas-release, subsequently causing an enormous fire with as many as 40 separate explosions at the propane-fill station. Harmless tanks of propane turned into 100-pound rockets, shooting in every direction, intent on destruction, according to eye-witnesses.

When the fire subsided and the dust settled, one person was killed, a building and three houses were destroyed, including Cook's home.

"It looked like a bomb went off, rubble and ash were everywhere," Cook said.

More than 3,000 miles away in interior Alaska, Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ricky Ramos, a security forces fire-team leader for the Alaska Air National Guard's 213th Space Warning Squadron at Clear Air Force Station, checked Facebook and noticed some unsettling photos posted by his childhood classmate Annette.

"I was looking at the aftermath and the destruction, and there was just nothing left," Ramos said.

He scrolled one by one through photos of Annette's house decimated by one of the propane tanks. Looking at warped metal where appliances once were, he saw something that spurred him into action.

"I saw a partly-burnt flag that was her father's, who was a major in the Air Force," he said. "And I saw a Purple Heart Medal belonging to her grandfather, Fireman 1st Class Russell Shaw, that was melted and blackened from the explosion."

Annette's grandfather was on board the USS Drexler when it was sunk by a Japanese Kamikaze attack on May 28, 1945, and he was one of the 158 casualties on the destroyer.

Wanting to help out, Ramos decided to talk to his unit and figure out a way to comfort and take care of the Cook family, half-a-continent away.

"I called up their family as soon as I could, and the first questions they asked were: Who is this? You're calling from where?" Ramos recalled with a chuckle.

Once the confusion abated, Annette's sister, Angie Shaw, explained to him that they had no idea how to replace the tarnished military decorum.

"I looked at my guys, and they simply looked back at me," he said. "I got back on the phone and told her, don't worry about it. We'll take care of it."

From there, Ramos and his fellow Airmen dedicated hours of their free time, money from their pockets, and a sense of duty and honor for someone who they have never met.

The goal was to have the newly titled "Purple Heart Project" finished by the end of the holiday season.

"We just took it upon ourselves to fix it,'" Ramos said. "Granted, it's not going to replace the house or give all of their belongings back. But for us, it's a start."

After months of research and raising money, Ramos and his unit were able to replace the Purple Heart and burnt flag, and put it into a new shadow box to be displayed at the Cook family's new home.

"I was shocked they took the time to do this for me, I was blown away," Cook said.

While Ramos is happy to help an old friend in her time of need, he also says he did it out of honor and respect for a family that has a legacy of service to our nation.

"These guys opened the doors of freedom that we walk through every day," Ramos said. "They have given so much, and we were more than willing to do it for their family."

Alaska Air Guard members rescue head-on collision victims

Alaska National Guard Courtesy report

CAMP DENALI, Alaska — In a joint effort with the Coast Guard, the Alaska Air National Guard successfully rescued two injured men after their vehicles collided head-on Wednesday.

At 2:45 p.m. Alaska Standard Time Wednesday, the 11th Air Force Rescue Coordination Center received a request for assistance from the Coast Guard in rescuing two 61-year-old men who had multiple life-threatening injuries, to include one with a fractured pelvis, said Air force Maj. Alex Lang.

At 3:42 p.m. Alaska Standard Time, an Alaska Air National Guard HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter from the 210th Rescue Squadron and an HC-130 “King” aircraft from the 211th Rescue Squadron, both with “Guardian Angels” from the 212th Rescue Squadron on board, launched from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, tasked with transporting the victims from the Providence Seward Medical & Care Center to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.

“We spoke with the doctors at the hospital in Seward, validating the need for immediate transport to Anchorage,” Lang said. “We were the only ones who had the capabilities to fly in the adverse weather at the time.”

According to the RCC, LifeMed Alaska launched its helicopter in an attempt to pick up the second patient but returned to base within the hour because of the white-out conditions.

“Our helicopters have more capabilities, to include two engines and air-refueling, that gives us the ability to fly confidently in more severe weather,” Lang said. “And because of that, we were able to successfully complete the mission.”

The Alaska Air National Guard was awarded two saves for the mission.

National Guard assists Alaska community buried in snow

By Air National Guard Maj. Guy Hayes
Alaska National Guard

CAMP DENALI, Alaska - Alaska National Guard members arrived in Cordova Sunday afternoon to help the citizens in this small Alaska town dig out from a series of winter storms.

Termed Operation Deep Dig, 57 Alaska National Guardsmen arrived on the state's ferry system with shovels in hand ready to assist but keeping safety the number one priority according to Alaska Army National Guard Capt. Chad Ausel, commander, 761st Military Police Company.

"As soon as we got here, we identified a priority list for safety and familiarization training with Cordova. We asked for a subject matter expert on how they've cleared snow here safely and then completed training on harnesses, ropes and knots to make sure the Guardsmen are trained to do the mission safely," Ausel said.

With training complete, Ausel is now focused on getting his Soldiers out in the community today to assist wherever they're needed.

"We have everything staged, equipment ready and the Soldiers are ready to go," Ausel said. "The city officials identified three locations this morning, and we're going to stay in squads to clear those areas."

With more snow and rain on the way, the Alaska National Guard has arrived at a crucial time to assist before things potentially get worse.

"We are concerned about heavy and wet snow on roofs," said Allen Marquette, public information officer with the city of Cordova. "Some structures have already collapsed. We are trying to get those prioritized and shoveled off and assist residents in anticipation of the new snow and rain that's coming."

Mayor Jim Kallander of Cordova also commented on the response to his community and how pleased he is with the assistance the City of Cordova has received from the state.

"I can't say how impressed I am with the homeland security response, the governor's office response and now the National Guard is stepping up to the plate," Kallander said. "It's exactly what we needed."

As the first military responder in all domestic emergencies, the Guard is focused on doing everything it can to help the community, and according to Ausel, Guard members will stay as long as they're needed.

"We hope to leave Cordova in a better situation," Ausel said. "If that means staying here until the next snow storm goes through, then we will. I'm very proud of my Soldiers and the job they've done so far. They are working with a sense of urgency and are very proud to serve the community down here. This is why they signed up to serve in the National Guard."