Patriot Wing Airman runs AEG, marathon in Haiti

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Timm Huffman
  • 439th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, Mass. --  After a massive earthquake struck Haiti Jan. 12, Westover responded by flying support missions stateside, but the size of the airport in Haiti did not allow for C-5 flights into the country.

     But the deployment call still came for Lt. Col. David Heroux, 439th Airlift Wing Safety Officer, who responded to take charge of the 24th Air Expeditionary Group at the Toussaint L'Ouverture International Airport, in Port au Prince.

     As commander of the 24th AEG, Colonel Heroux oversees the day-to-day operations of a multi-faceted team made up of active-duty, Air Force Reserve, and Air National Guard members.

     The AEG has a three-fold mission that includes handling all of the Joint Task Force Haiti equipment that comes through the airport, a Small Portable Expeditionary Aeromedical Rapid Response Team and the housing of Joint Task Force Bravo's 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment that consists of four UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and 45 Army, Air Force and Department of Defense civilian personnel.

     In addition to the work Colonel Heroux has done as 24th AEG commander, he also gave back to the Haitian people in a much more personal way.

     An avid runner, the Colonel set out to run a one-man marathon and raised about $500 for an orphanage in Haiti. The New Life Children's Home was the beneficiary of Col. Heroux's 26.2 mile run.

     "I wanted to give something, so I asked my wife to show my five year old pictures of kids in Haiti and get him to give back as well. I asked her [my wife] to ask her family if they would like to donate something. All totaled, we raised a little over $500," Colonel Heroux said.

     Other members of the AEG also donated their time to the children's home, the colonel said. The home provides care for orphans, injured children, as well as food for the local community.

     As JTF operations wind down in Haiti, Col. Heroux says his focus has shifted to redeploying U.S. assets and personnel. It's a daunting task to figure out how every single piece of equipment, piece of ply-wood, and strand concertina wire will get home or disposed of properly, he added.

     Coordinating the drawdown of his own people is another consideration the colonel has. The 24th AEG has to focus on getting everyone else redeployed and then getting themselves out of Haiti in a timely manner, said their commander.

     "The great part is, it's a very big puzzle and everyone is working as a team to solve it," he said.

     The 24th AEG is scheduled to redeploy in early June.