BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. –
Thanksgiving is a huge event for Maj. Christopher Hetrick's family. But the annual gathering of four generations of relatives went on without the Air Force reservist this year.
Hetrick, a civilian product engineer in the San Francisco Bay area and an Air Force Reserve operations planner, was one of ten members from the 713th Combat Operations Squadron at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., who volunteered to spend the holiday augmenting the Pacific Air Forces' Crisis Action Team during Operation Damayan, the humanitarian aid and disaster relief operation that brought assistance to regions of the Philippines hardest hit by Typhoon Haiyan.
On Nov. 11, three days after the storm struck the central Philippines, the CAT was activated and began 24-hour operations at PACAF Headquarters, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. The elite team of staff elements and special staff agencies was tasked with coordinating support of assets involved in the contingency operation.
The Air Force Forces staff had been operating the CAT in 12-hour shifts for two consecutive weeks by the time the Reserve volunteers arrived, Nov. 23.
PACAF Chief of Current Operations, Lt. Col. JJ Murray, was deputy CAT director for the operation. The operations tempo had left little time for Murray to enjoy time with his newborn son. His relief, Lt. Col. Brett Gennarelli, commander of the 713 COS, Det 1, was the "light at the end of the tunnel," according to Murray.
Murray said Gennarelli stepped in to provide hands-on training in CAT operations for newer staff members.
"We have the luxury of having the 713th here (at PACAF) throughout the year. They provide continuity in a variety of positions on the staff, and their familiarity with our daily process means limited spin-up time is necessary," Murray said.
"Active duty staff members turn over every couple of years, so having reservists who bring experience and continuity to the operation is invaluable. They're the continuity."
Lt. Col. Michael Rousseau, an Air Reserve Technician A1 personnel director, said CAT operations were beginning to wrap up by the time the Beale volunteers arrived.
"The relief we brought was certainly welcomed. The staff here knows they can let go and the wheel is in good hands. I think they love it that they can rely on us like that," Rousseau said. "We just stepped in and handled the re-deployment phase; supplies had been delivered and the majority of responders and aircraft were heading back home."
By Thanksgiving, the CAT operations had been transferred into the hands of the Reserve volunteers, and the AFFOR staff was able to refocus their efforts on capturing lessons learned from the operation, according to Murray.
"The additional help allowed us to have time to reflect on our processes while everything was fresh on our minds. We redirected some of the reservists to help us compile data for future operations. They'll still be around the next time a contingency occurs, but some of the active duty here may not," he said.
For a few of the reserve volunteers, Operation Damayan was their first real-world contingency as augmentees for the AFFOR staff.
"Although I've been involved in numerous PACAF exercises, this humanitarian operation was my first real-world experience," Rousseau said, "This opportunity to affect people's lives was a worthwhile reason to miss Thanksgiving back home."
Lt. Col. Phil Luts is a commercial pilot who brings 10 years of active duty and 6 years Michigan Guard experience to his reserve position in A3 operations with the 713 COS. He was gained by the unit in September and had completed his initial training course just days before volunteering to participate in Operation Damayan.
"I volunteered for this operation before the call even came out. I knew it'd be a rewarding thing to do," Luts said.
Despite being new to the unit, Luts was confident he could be of help.
"I've done airlift as a crew member in the past, so I knew I could use my knowledge and expertise for this humanitarian assistance/disaster relief effort."
Luts said he's thankful for an understanding wife and daughter.
"I came back in as a reservist because I wanted to do things like this. I'm fortunate to have strong family support. I told my daughter I wouldn't be home for Thanksgiving, and she told me to 'go do good things, Dad.'"
Like Luts, Hetrick is new to the 713 COS, joining the unit in October. He, too, had finished his initial qualification course just days prior to volunteering for Operation Damayan.
But this was not the first time Hetrick had missed his family's big holiday gathering.
He recently joined the Reserve after spending ten years on active duty in the C-17 and RQ-4 missions. This was his fifth disaster response and third Thanksgiving away from home.
Upon arriving at PACAF, Hetrick was assigned to the A3 operations directorate in the CAT to monitor movement and compile updates for the Air Mobility Division. He said his recent training in contingency operations, along with his previous experience, paid off in his first role in the CAT.
"This was a great trial-by-fire learning opportunity for me. My active duty connections to the RQ-4 units at Beale were very useful in coordinating with the Global Hawk missions that participated in Operation Damayan," Hetrick said. "I can really see the opportunities the 713th has to provide continuity to AFFOR staff operations. I'm excited, as a reservist, to contribute to that long-term expertise."
"We work side-by-side with the reservists of the 713th in an integrated total force effort," said Col. David Gossett, PACAF Division Chief of Current Operations. "It's comforting to know they can roll in at a moment's notice and hit the ground running to support any endeavor. The 713th is a capability at hand that can supplement our staff in a time of need, such as Operation Damayan, when our operations tempo has been ramped up."
Gossett said he expects the 713 COS to become even more relevant in the future.
"The unit has face-to face connectivity through their detachment on the ground here, and their reachback capability (to the squadron at Beale) allows them to operate creatively and efficiently," Gossett said. "As the Air Force reshapes its force and we look toward more and more integration, the 713th is a bright spot."