An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | May 27, 2010

Illinois Guardsmen leave for oil spill duty

By Staff Sgt. Kassidy Snyder Illinois National Guard

DECATUR, Ill., - Five Illinois National Guard Soldiers with the 106th Aviation based here packed their gear and headed for oil relief efforts in Hammond, La. May 26.

The UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and aircrew set off on a three-week mission in support of Operation Deep Horizon, the relief effort for the oil spill that has spread throughout the Gulf of Mexico since late April.

“This will be our third trip down south for relief efforts,” said Sgt. 1st Class Michael Simard, a crew chief with the 106th Aviation. “We went down for Hurricane Katrina and Gustav and now for the oil spill.”

A main reason the Illinois National Guard aircrew was selected for this mission was because of their experience from flying during Hurricane Katrina, said Maj. Christopher McIntyre, the Decatur flight facility commander. In addition, the crew is “dunker” qualified, which is over water survival training.

For three weeks the aircrew will transport equipment and personnel, in addition to carrying large quantities of sand, by airlift along the coast. The main goal is to create and sustain a levee system that will block oil from reaching the coast. The crew will also transport federal officials, Army Corps of Engineers and Coast Guard personnel for observation purposes.

“It’s a tragedy, but we’re glad we are able to offer assistance,” said Chief Warrant Officer (2) Nathaniel McKean of Decatur, a pilot on the mission.

 

 

Related Articles
Senior Airman Alexa Reeves, 105th Security Support Squadron Phoenix Raven, poses for a photo in front of a Raven painting, at Stewart Air National Guard Base, New York, Mar. 3, 2025. As a Raven, Reeves provides protection for the 105th Airlift Wing’s C-17 Globemaster III aircraft and crews transiting through austere locations where security is unknown or additional security is needed to counter higher threat levels. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Sarah Post)
New York Air Guard’s Journey to Becoming a Phoenix Raven
By Senior Airman Sarah Post, | April 30, 2025
STEWART AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.Y. – Alexa Reeves never expected that her decision to join the New York Air National Guard after high school would lead to becoming a member of Air Mobility Command’s specially trained...

Lt. Gen. Jon Stubbs, director of the Army National Guard, speaks with Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airmen during the 2025 annual Virginia National Guard Military Ball on April 26 in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Lt. Gen. Jon Stubbs Highlights Virginia National Guard Excellence at Military Ball
By Maj. Cibeles Ramirez-Rodriguez, | April 30, 2025
Virginia Beach, Va. — Lt. Gen. Jonathan "Jon" Stubbs, director of the Army National Guard, joined Virginia National Guard leaders, Soldiers, Airmen and families at the 2025 annual Virginia National Guard Military Ball on...

President Santiago Peña, the President of the Republic of Paraguay, left, presents the Order of Merit
Paraguayan President Awards Top Honor to Massachusetts National Guard General
By Senior Airman Julia Ahaesy, | April 29, 2025
ASUNCION, Paraguay – U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Gary W. Keefe, adjutant general of the Massachusetts National Guard, has been awarded the distinguished Order of Merit “Gral Div Bernardino Caballero” in the grade of “Gran Cross”...