Aviation plays significant role during emergency duty

The Missouri National Guard's 35th Combat Aviation Brigade has been conducting air missions for local communities during state emergency duty in response to historic flooding in southeast Missouri.
(Photo by Spc. Antony S. Lee/Missouri National Guard)

By Spc. Antony S. Lee
Ngmo.pao@US.ARMY.MIL

SIKESTON, Mo. - The Missouri National Guard's 35th Combat Aviation Brigade has been conducting air missions for local communities during state emergency duty in response to historic flooding in southeast Missouri.

There are currently approximately 760 Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen are on duty in response to the flood situation in the boot heel of Missouri. These service members need a better idea of what is in their areas of operation in order to successfully complete their missions.

Capt. Paul Howerton, the commander of Company D of the 1st Battalion, 135th Aviation, based at Whiteman Air Force Base, has been using air assets to help paint the overall picture for the rest of the Guardsmen who are on duty.

"It has been rewarding to help the residents of Missouri," he added.

Howerton specifically coordinated aerial surveillance of the area surrounding Birds Point ahead of the breaching of the levee. The 35th CAB supported the task force commander, Col. Glenn Hagler, in ensuring all residents were safely out of the area and that nobody would be hurt by the demolition, he said.

In addition, the 35th rescued 33 Missouri Guardsmen who were stuck in flood waters for roughly 24 hours. They conducted two separate missions to rescue the Citizen-Soldiers.

1st Lt. Brandon Heimericks of the 35th, the pilot of the Black Hawk that ran the first mission, said the rescue went well. He helped rescue 15 soldiers on the night of May 5, and his team also dropped off sleeping bags, food, water and tarps to Soldiers remaining in the stranded boats.

The next morning, another team from the 35th rescued the remaining 18 Missouri Guardsmen. All are currently safe and in good health.

The 35th has also worked with Soldiers from other units to be as productive as possible.

Second Lt. Raj Cherian, of the 1175th Military Police Company, accompanied pilots from the 35th on a recent flight. He was specifically chosen for the mission because he is a military policeman who knows the area well. He mapped out specific points of interest and also made sure nothing that wasn't supposed to be in the flooded area was present.

"Being in the air gives a better perspective of what's going on," he said.

The mission demonstrated the versatility of the Missouri National Guardsmen who are currently on duty in support of flood emergency response in southeast Missouri. They will remain on duty until released by Gov. Jay Nixon.

Units supporting the flood response include: 70th Troop Command, Jefferson Barracks; Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 35th Engineer Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood; 175th Military Police Battalion, of Columbia; the 1140th Engineer Battalion, Cape Girardeau; the 1221st Transportation Company, of Dexter, Portageville and Sikeston; 1140th Forward Support Company, Cape Girardeau; the 1138th Military Police Company, of West Plains and Springfield; the 1138th Engineer Company, of Farmington and Fredericktown; the 1175th Military Police Company, of St. Clair and St. Louis; the 880th Engineer Detachment, Perryville; the 220th Engineer Company, Festus; the 1438th Engineer Company, of Macon and Kirksville; 70th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment of Jefferson City; 7th Civil Support Team, Jefferson City; Missouri Wing Civil Air Patrol and the Joint Operations Center at Joint Force Headquarters in Jefferson City.

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