FORT KNOX, Ky. — Happy birthdays are in order for the Army Reserves – 117 years old today.
While members of the Army Reserve Aviation Command are well aware of the importance of the day, they’re busy fulfilling missions across the United States, in Northern Europe, Central Asia, and beyond.
“The Army Reserve owns about 65% of all of the logistics in the United States Army, particularly when we look at the theater-level,” said Maj. Jeff Windmueller, public affairs officer for ARAC. “As a part of that, the Army Reserve Aviation Command has a long-standing fixed-wing operation that includes rotations out to [U.S. Central Command]. When you talk about distinguished visitors and the movement that’s going on around the world, the Army Reserve Aviation Command has a lot of that mission.”
The ARAC umbrella includes three major commands: 11th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, headquartered Fort Carson, Colorado; 244th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, headquartered at Fort Knox; and ARAC – Aviation Support Facilities, which are spread across 13 locations in the United States.
He said 11th has four operational battalions in various locations, and 244th has three battalions – all performing different missions at any given time. For instance, Company G, 7th Battalion, 158th General Support Aviation Battalion – normally out of Los Alamitos, California, is currently stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas in support of 1st Armored Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade. The brigade is deployed to Eastern Europe as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve.
“[Golf Company] performed their first medevac operation on Easter Sunday,” said Windmueller. “A 36-year-old male had fallen down a canyon at Dog Canyon trailhead outside of Alamogordo, New Mexico, and they were able to fly out there about 1 in the morning and pick him up, provide care enroute and return to Biggs Army Airfield and drop him off. The individual is in critical condition in the ICU at the university hospital but is stable.”
Recent missions supported by both fixed and rotary wing ARAC units include African Lion 25 and Exercise Keris Strike in Malaysia. Currently, there are ARAC aircraft supporting missions in Norway as part of Defender Europe
Windmueller said each of these units is prepared to adjust the mission requirements on a moment’s notice when necessary.
“We’ll empty out the seats [in a C-12 airplane] and use the cargo doors to perform [casualty evacuation] and medevac missions,” he said. “We’ll also provide cargo operations, landing in austere environments with a smaller airplane to provide medical equipment.”
As a FORSCOM element, the Army Reserve is closely aligned and uniquely suited for many of these types of operations involving support to active duty units. This allows a smoother and often less-expensive process than when a National Guard unit provides support, Windmueller said.
“We fall under FORSCOM, so when FORSCOM requests us and we’re able to do it, it doesn’t cost any extra money,” Windmueller said. “When big Army needs someone to back them up, we are more readily available, and we’re always willing and very ready to assist.”
And they have been successful at it, according to Windmueller, for the last 117 years.
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