JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Approximately 60 members of the Alaska Air National Guard’s 176th Wing returned here Wednesday after a four-month deployment to Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, Africa.
The Guardsmen from the 210th Rescue Squadron, 176th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 176th Maintenance Squadron, 176th Operations Support Squadron and the 176th Logistics Readiness Squadron deployed in January in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as part of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa mission.
As part of the 81st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron while there, their primary mission was to provide a personnel-recover force. They also used their time while deployed to sharpen their skills and train with partner nations.
Along with personnel from the 176th Wing, the deployed unit also took several HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters that belong to the 210th Rescue Squadron. The primary mission of the Pave Hawk is to conduct day or night personnel recovery operations in hostile environments to recover isolated personnel during war. The HH-60 is also tasked to perform military operations other than war, including civil search and rescue, medical evacuation, disaster response, and humanitarian assistance.
Also deployed with the rescue personnel and aircraft were a host of maintenance and support personnel to provide support for the mission.
Another 18 Guardsmen from the 176th Wing are scheduled to return from this deployment next week.
