Through the Night

As the night closes in, and the darkness settles over the land with a blanket of stars; there are those who stand ready to respond to your call for help.  They don’t seek fortune, they don’t look to see their names in the paper, or brag to others about their jobs, but without them we as a nation would be a poorer place.

When a hiker is lost, a ship is in distress, a city submerged, or town destroyed by the tornado who is always there?  If you guessed the news then you are a jaded person, and need read no further.

In the Air Force there is a small group.  Most of these forces are “weekend warriors” in the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command, but there are some in the active Air Force who commit their lives to the motto “That Others May Live.”  When others won’t fly, they will leave the safety of their base to search for those who need help.  I can think of no greater job in the Air Force.  It is not glamorous like flying an F-22 Raptor, but it is every bit as challenging.  They don’t go as far, or carry as much as a C-5, but without them hundreds more would have been lost in New Orleans, and in Northern Japan.

When we are forced to engage in combat they are there!  They have saved US flyers since their early days in Korea.  In Vietnam their actions were legendary and the number of Air Force Crosses awarded to these men far out number any other group.

With a little over a hundred and twenty helicopters and thirty-six HC‑130’s they can be found wherever there is conflict, or disaster.  Often underfunded they make do with what they have, so others may live.  When they tried to replace their helicopters Senator’s Clinton and McCain, and the Representatives from Connecticut stopped it, because they didn’t like who won.  So they make do with helicopters that can barely meet the minimum requirements.

As they begin to recapitalize their 45 year old HC-130’s there seems always to be a higher priority for the funding and they are getting far fewer than they want and need.  But still they press on, so others may live.

As you go to bed this evening please say a prayer for the brave men and woman of Air Force Combat Search and Rescue who stand alert tonight that others may live.


Authors comment:  I don't intend this as a slight to the heroic work of the US Coast Guard.