Ill Winds: Air Force Reserve's Response to Hurricanes

1 Oct 05 US NORTHCOM tasking initiated the 35 th Combat Communications
Squadron (CCS)(AFRC), Tinker AFB, OK, into relief and sustainment
actions by sending 6 mobile communications vehicles, 4 trailers loaded
with generators, and 12 unit technicians to the Naval Air Station Joint
Reserve Base, New Orleans, LA. The vehicles convoyed for 3 days
arriving on 3 Oct 05. For the next 41 days, 3 rotating, 12-person crews
assisted in providing ground communications for home station and
deployed rescue/relief forces at the Joint Reserve Base. This was the
newly formed 35 th CCS first-ever “real world” deployment. 220
3 Oct 05 Seventeen Services members were still in place at Keesler AFB for
Hurricane Katrina, eight from the 914 th AW (Niagara Falls IAPARS, NY)
and nine from the 927 th ARW (Selfridge ANGB, MI.) 221
3 Oct 05 The 433 rd AW (Lackland AFB, TX) had flown 20 missions and 62.1
hours, carrying 532 passengers and 614.5 tons or cargo for Hurricane
Katrina relief and 6 missions for 33.7 hours, carrying 596 passengers and
14.5 tons of cargo for Hurricane Rita relief. The 446 th AW (McChord
AFB, WA) had flown 4 missions for 81.2 hours since the beginning of
relief efforts moving 556 passengers and 741.9 tons of cargo. The 452 nd
AMW (March ARB, CA) had carried a total of 244,820 pounds in cargo
and 196 passengers for Hurricane Katrina relief. The 931 st ARG
(McConnell AFB, KS) had three crews and 1 KC 135R on alert. It had
flown 3 missions for 17.0 hours flown. The 940 th ARW (Beale AFB, CA)
had one crew and one KC-135 on alert for Katrina relief efforts. The 919 th
SOW (Duke Field, FL) had deployed two C-130H aircraft with
maintenance and operations staff to Duke Field in support of Katrina
relief. 222
19 Oct 05 In the Caribbean, Hurricane Wilma became a Category 5 hurricane with a
minimum central pressure estimated at 882 mb, the lowest pressure on
record for a hurricane in the Atlantic basin. At its maximum intensity,
Wilma contained winds estimated at 175 miles per hour. 223
19 Oct 05 Hurricane condition 3 was declared at Homestead ARB, FL, due to the
approach of Hurricane Wilma. Aircraft evacuation began. Four jets
remained at Dobbins ARB, GA, and two jets at Carswell JRB, TX. The
220 Report (U), 35 th Combat Communications Squadron, “Joint Task Force-Katrina, After Action Report,”
28 Nov 05.
221 SITREP (S/Reason: 1.5(a), DECL 4 Oct 2011) , “AFRC SITREP,” 3 Oct 05, material used is
UNCLASSIFIED.
222 SITREP (S/Reason: 1.5(a), DECL 4 Oct 2011) , “AFRC SITREP,” 3 Oct 05, material used is
UNCLASSIFIED.
223 Report (U), National Hurricane Center, “Monthly Tropical Weather Summary,” 1 Nov 05, available at
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/tws/MIATWSAT_oct.shtml? on 8 Nov 05.
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