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3rd Herd returns from Haiti mission

  • Published
  • By John Stuart
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  At 6:42 p.m. the flight touched down at Tinker, having safely transported 14 Airmen with the 3rd Combat Communications Group. It had been almost four months since the Airmen left Tinker for their TDY in Haiti. The 3rd Herd Airmen were some of the last U.S. troops to fly away from the weary country and arrive home May 28.

At the pinnacle of their mission, the combat communicators provided vital communications to about 1,000 military personnel as they operated out of the Toussaint Louverture International Airport, delivering aid supplies to local Haitians.

"It was just incredible to do it for real," said Maj. Kenneth Bratland, 32nd Combat Communications Squadron commander. "We saw the impact of what we were doing every day."

One of the biggest stressors for the combat communicators was from a mission that lay outside their routine duties. Every day, lines of people formed outside the rudimentary airport hospital nearby. All of the 3rd Herd Airmen helped. Those with EMT training took more advanced roles. Airmen with no former medical training received training from nurses on the spot, Major Bratland said. At one point, his Airmen were practically running the neo-natal intensive care unit of the hospital, due to dwindling medical staff.

"It was really good to help with some of the medical needs of the people while we were there," said Senior Master Sgt. Joseph O'Donnell, the flight superintendent for the Haiti mission. "(Our Airmen) saw some really sad stuff while they were there too. I know that was a challenge for a lot of guys."

The Airmen also helped recover bodies in the rubble of Hotel Montana, a two-month process that proved a physically and emotionally demanding task.

The Herd originally sent 31 Airmen and 94 tons of equipment in support of the Haiti operations. They had gradually scaled back the personnel numbers and as of June 3, all 3rd Herd personnel were safely back.