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910th Aerial Spray team celebrates Air Force B-Day with help from USO San Antonio

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Bob Barko Jr.
  • 910th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

A group of Buckeye state Air Force Reservists were treated to some Lone Star state hospitality, courtesy of the USO San Antonio, at an impromptu cake cutting to celebrate the U.S. Air Force’s 70th birthday here, Sept. 18, 2017.

A team of more than 90 Reserve Citizen Airmen, assigned to the 910th Airlift Wing based at Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio, have been working from a base of operations at the Kelly Field Annex here since Sept. 8, 2017, to support mosquito control aerial spray applications over areas of eastern Texas affected by Hurricane Harvey. The personnel included members of the 757th Airlift Squadron, 910th Aerial Spray Maintenance Flight, 910th Operations Support Squadron, 910th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 910th Maintenance Squadron, 910th Communications Squadron, 910th Force Support Squadron, 910th Logistics Readiness Squadron and the 910th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Office.

The USO San Antonio has provided bottled water, snacks and even a birthday cake for the group supporting the Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) only large-area, fixed wing aerial spray capability during this extended emergency operation in Texas.

The team paused for a moment from their preparations for the daily aerial spray missions that have been lasting long after dark each night to celebrate their service’s milestone by cutting and sharing the cake that read ‘Happy Birthday Air Force from USO’ in blue frosting.

Devin Wright, Center Operations Supervisor, USO San Antonio, said the USO San Antonio team was pleased to bring some comfort and a moment of light heartedness to the YARS Air Force Reservists carrying out this important mission far from home.

“The USO is dedicated to strengthen America’s military service members by keeping them connected to family, home, and country, throughout their service to the nation,” said Wright.

Air Force Reserve Master Sgt. Jessica Syverson, 910th Operations Support Squadron and Hurricane Harvey Mosquito Control Aerial Spray Operations First Sergeant said the support from the USO makes the high intensity mission at little easier to handle.

“Because of the long hours, the high ops tempo and our limited transportation, our team members don’t have the ability to run around to get snacks and comfort foods,” Syverson said. “The (San Antonio) USO really stepped up to fill that void and we all appreciate it so much.”

Since beginning aerial spray operations on Sept. 9, 2017, the 910th Airlift Wing has treated about 100,000 acres per aircraft per night for a total of more than two million acres of area affected by Hurricane Harvey. Due to large amounts of standing, potentially polluted water, the numbers of pest insects have increased significantly. This situation is impacting first responders and recovery workers as clean-up and repair efforts continue. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) requested DoD aerial spray support because the scope of the disaster is beyond the capacity of available civilian mosquito control resources.

 “The 910th is here to assist in recovery efforts and help the residents of east Texas. We’ll be here as long as we’re needed,” said 910th Operations Group Deputy Commander and Hurricane Harvey Mosquito Control Aerial Spray Operations mission commander Lt. Col. Bart Elsea. “Since the day we arrived here, the treatment we have received has been second to none. Each of us now truly understands what they mean by San Antonio hospitality."