Pacific Air Forces personnel deploy to Japan to aid relief efforts

  • Published
  • By PACAF Public Affairs
  • PACAF Public Affairs
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii --  A C-17 Globemaster III carrying a team of Pacific Air Force Airmen departed here at noon today to support ongoing disaster relief efforts in Japan.

The team of approximately 25 Airmen from a variety of Air Force specialties, are travelling to Yokota Air Base, Japan, where they will provide support to efforts underway to support the government of Japan.

The aircraft was also loaded with several generators, which will be used in the support efforts.

"First and foremost our prayers are with Japan," said Brig. Gen. Scott West, the 13th Air Force vice commander, who departed with the team. "They are resilient and capable. (But) we'll be there so long as our allies ask us to."

Lt. Col. Rocky Favorito, the commander of the 374th Communications Squadron at Yokota, was on temporary duty at Hickam when the magnitude-8.9 earthquake and resulting tsunami struck. He returned to Yokota with the C-17 team, excited to get home and help.

"Today I'm proud to be in the U.S. Air Force," he said Colonel Favorito.

The colonel said that his squadron had just completed an exercise, so they were ready for a real-world response.

Such enthusiasm to help the Japanese people was shared by all the Airmen onboard the aircraft.

"We'll do whatever we're needed to do - whatever we can," said Capt Jacob Debevec, 613th Air and Space Operations Center chief of personnel recovery operations.