EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska (08/20/08)- Detachment 1, 210th Rescue Squadron reached 10,000 mishap-free-flying hours Aug. 6. A milestone their squadron's commander said is a direct result of the hardworking Airmen within the unit.
"It's not just the aircrews that made this happen," said Maj. William Kupchin, 210th RQS commander. "It was everyone to include the maintainers and the operations Airmen."
The 210th RQS provides maintenance and operations support for up to two HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopters deployed to Eielson AFB, from Kulis Air National Guard Base in Anchorage.
These aircraft provide alert rescue coverage for Eielson aircraft and logistics support for interior Alaska military ranges. The detachment is also assigned by 11th Air Force to provide search-and-rescue for both military and civil aviators north of the Alaska Range. Senior Master Sgt. Charles Wright, 210 RQS maintenance superintendent, said he agrees with Major Kupchin that the unit's safety success is a combined effort and that pride in all their missions and in what they do is a big part of why they reached the milestone.
"Some of the things they [the aircrew] do is pretty incredible so to give them the best product possible is important to us," said Sergeant Wright.
Displayed in the squadron is a yellow and faded document that proudly boasts an earlier milestone--1,000 mishap-free-flying hours dated Jan 1 1994 to June 21 1995. The 210th RQS has never had a flying mishap in the more than 14 years since their inception.
"I have the 1,000 mishap-free-hours certificate framed in the squadron as a reminder that it's a responsibility to keep it going and also to put safety in the forefront of everyone's mind," said Major Kupchin.
The squadron will honor the landmark during their September drill weekend where they will have cake and a celebration for a job well done. Previous unit commanders and all the Airmen will be invited to the festivities that Major Kupchin said is possible because of the focused effort of everyone in the unit.
The 10,000 mishap-free milestone may be something the 210th RQS is celebrating but in their minds their job isn't done.
"Our goal is not to stop here; we want a million mishap free hours - even more," said Sergeant Wright. "This is just a marker along the path."