JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – Thirty citizen-Airmen of the Alaska Air National Guard's 176th Wing arrived in Alaska Oct. 17 after deploying to Afghanistan this May.

All together more than 140 Alaska Air National Guardsmen are returning to Alaska, with 54 Guardsmen having arrived Oct. 11, after deploying in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. It was the wing’s single largest deployment of personnel since 2003.

The returning Airmen are primarily maintenance crews from the wing’s 176th Maintenance Group and rescue personnel from the wing’s three rescue units: HH-60 “Pave Hawk” helicopter pilots and crew from the 210th Rescue Squadron; HC-130 “King” pilots and crew from the 211th; and pararescuemen and combat rescue officers from the 212th. Together with a handful of Expeditionary Combat Support personnel from other 176th Wing units, the Guardsmen formed a highly capable and versatile rescue package.

In Afghanistan, the rescue personnel conducted combat search and rescue. This involved challenging casualty-evacuation missions, flying into “hot” combat zones, frequently under fire, to pull wounded coalition service members to safety and transport them to a treatment facility within one hour. The maintenance crews supported this vital work by keeping the rescuers’ planes and helicopters ready for flight at a moment’s notice.

“Our Alaska Air National Guard members accepted the challenge and because of their expertise and professionalism, they saved lives performing critical combat search and rescue missions in support of coalition forces,” said Col. Donald S. “Scott” Wenke, 176^th Wing commander. “We are proud to welcome these accomplished Airmen home and are grateful for their service to our state and nation.”

Since 1952, the 176th Wing has effectively served Alaskans at home and American interests abroad and has supported large-scale deployments each year since 2003.