Special Tactics augments hurricane relief effort in Honduras

By Tech. Sgt. Rose Gudex, 24th Special Operations Wing / Published December 17, 2020

Honduran children in shorts and tee-shirts huddle around two Special Tactics Operators, one sitting on the ground, the other squatting and tapping into a tablet.

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U.S. Air Force Special Tactics operators collect data from an airfield survey while Honduran children gather around at Puerto Lempira, Honduras, Nov. 27, 2020. The airfield survey ensures it is safe to land C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft with hurricane relief supplies in support of the U.S. government’s relief efforts following the devastation of Hurricane Iota. Special Tactics supported Joint Task Force-Bravo, who train to rapidly respond to natural disasters and humanitarian aid efforts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Rose Gudex)

An Air Force combat photographer is show with camera held to her eye photographing a scene off-frame to the right. A Special Tactics operator stands facing us pointing off to his left at the scene being photographed.

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A U.S. Air Force combat photojournalist, 1st Combat Camera Squadron Operating Location - Alpha, documents Special Tactics operators conducting an airfield survey at Puerto Lempira, Honduras, Nov. 27, 2020. The airfield survey ensures it is safe to land C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft with hurricane relief supplies in support of the U.S. government’s relief efforts following the devastation of Hurricane Iota. Special Tactics supported Joint Task Force-Bravo, who train to rapidly respond to natural disasters and humanitarian aid efforts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bienvenido Armado)

A puddle on a brown gravel runway is shown with the hands of two Special Tactics operators shown on the right measuring the water's depth.

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U.S. Air Force Special Tactics operators measure the depth of the water in ruts on the airfield at Puerto Lempira, Honduras, Nov. 27, 2020. The airfield survey ensures it is safe to land C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft with hurricane relief supplies in support of the U.S. government’s relief efforts following the devastation of Hurricane Iota. Special Tactics supported Joint Task Force-Bravo, who train to rapidly respond to natural disasters and humanitarian aid efforts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Rose Gudex)

A group of Honduran children have gathered around a pair of Special Tactics operators driving a pole into the ground to measure its hardness.

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U.S. Air Force Special Tactics operators use a dynamic cone penetrometer to test the soil density of the airfield while a crowd of Honduran local children gather at Puerto Lempira, Honduras, Nov. 27, 2020. The airfield survey ensures it is safe to land C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft with hurricane relief supplies in support of the U.S. government’s relief efforts following the devastation of Hurricane Iota. Special Tactics supported Joint Task Force-Bravo, who train to rapidly respond to natural disasters and humanitarian aid efforts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Rose Gudex)

A trio of standing Special Tactics operators gather around a pole in the ground being used to test the hardness of the ground for this potential runway. Two operators are working with the pole while a third walks toward the pair. A young boy has sat down on the ground a ways off to the left of the three operators to watch them work.

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U.S. Air Force Special Tactics operators use a dynamic cone penetrometer to test the density of the soil at Puerto Lempira, Honduras, Nov. 27, 2020. The airfield survey ensures it is safe to land C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft with hurricane relief supplies in support of the U.S. government’s relief efforts following the devastation of Hurricane Iota. Special Tactics supported Joint Task Force-Bravo, who train to rapidly respond to natural disasters and humanitarian aid efforts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Rose Gudex)

In the foreground a Special Tactics operator walks from left to right carrying heavy equipment on his back. Behind the operator Hondruran families stand waiting for a plane to land with supplies.

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A U.S. Air Force Special Tactics operator carries equipment across the airfield while Honduran locals wait for hurricane relief supplies at Puerto Lempira, Honduras, Nov. 27, 2020. The mission was in support of the U.S. government’s relief efforts following the devastation of Hurricane Iota. Special Tactics supported Joint Task Force-Bravo, who are strategically located to rapidly respond to natural disasters and humanitarian aid efforts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Rose Gudex)

We look out a window over the shoulder of a Special Tactics operator at the city going by far below.

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U.S. Air Force Special Tactics operators and aircrew from a CH-47 Chinook helicopter, assigned to the 1-228th Aviation Regiment, Joint Task Force-Bravo, fly over a city on the way to Puerto Lempira, Honduras, Nov. 27, 2020 to conduct an airfield survey. The mission was in support of the U.S. government’s relief efforts following the devastation of Hurricane Iota. Special Tactics supported Joint Task Force-Bravo, who are strategically located to rapidly respond to natural disasters and humanitarian aid efforts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Rose Gudex)

A trio of Special Tactics Operators walk away from us carrying heavy boxes of relief supplies toward the lowered ramp of a large double rotor Chinook helicopter in the background.

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U.S. Air Force Special Tactics operators load hurricane relief supplies onto a CH-47 Chinook helicopter, assigned to the 1-228th Aviation Regiment, Joint Task Force-Bravo, before departing Hector C. Moncado Air Base, La Ceiba, Honduras, Nov. 27, 2020. The mission was in support of the U.S. government’s relief efforts following the devastation of Hurricane Iota. Special Tactics supported Joint Task Force-Bravo who are strategically located to rapidly respond to natural disasters and humanitarian aid efforts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Rose Gudex)

Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras --

U.S. Air Force Special Tactics operators from the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Florida, responded to a request for humanitarian assistance following the devastation of Hurricanes Eta and Iota in Central America.

Within hours of formal notification, the team deployed in support of Joint Task Force – Bravo and U.S. Southern Command, and based their operations out of Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras.

It is important for the United States to help other nations when we can to strengthen the relationships with our allies and partners, said Lt. Col. Jesse Wilson, 23rd STS commander.

One of the primary capabilities of Special Tactics is the global access mission, which provides the U.S. military and partner forces access to anywhere in the world. That mission includes assessing and surveying landing zones for aircraft, as well as controlling the airspace of major airfields to clandestine dirt strips in any environment, including those devastated by natural disasters.

“Our (Air Force Special Operations Command) team is able to rapidly deploy by any means available,” Wilson said. The team was trained and ready “to survey, establish and control austere airfields in order to bring in humanitarian aid to help the people of Honduras.”

A Special Tactics Officers from the 23rd STS said the team was prepared to conduct sustained austere air traffic control operations for a period of up to two weeks. They also deployed with limited personnel recovery equipment in the event a recovery situation arose due to the destruction caused by the hurricanes.

The biggest challenge the team faced in Honduras was getting to the objectives, partially due to weather in the mountains and surrounding the isolated locations.

“The airfields we assessed were in remote regions lacking robust infrastructure,” the STO said. “We were able to overcome the challenge by using creative problem solving and splitting the team in order to access the airfields from multiple avenues of approach.”

One team flew to the north side of Honduras to approach the airfield from the coastline, while the other drove into the mountains, then flew to the isolated location on a helicopter. After arrival, the team conducted an airfield survey in Puerto Lempira and then Mocoron in the department of Gracias a Dios, Honduras.

Data collected by the ST team provided commanders with valuable insights on the selection and suitability of airfields for providing much needed supplies to the people of Honduras, the STO said.

“Our team was able to answer priority information requirements for JTF-Bravo, providing them the support they needed in order to continue successful (hurricane assistance and disaster relief) operations in Honduras,” the STO said.

The 23rd STS is no stranger to hurricane relief operations.

Two short years ago, an ST team from the 23rd STS opened a runway at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, after Hurricane Michael caused catastrophic damage to the base. The team controlled more than 30 aircraft over a period of three days until the 821st Contingency Response Group, Travis Air Force Base, California, took over.

Special Tactics operators constantly train and hone their skills for global access and personnel recovery in order to remain ready for the day when disaster strikes.

Any place. Any time. Anywhere.