HC-130 - Guardsmen train during CJTF-HOA

DJIBOUTI, Africa (AFPN)—New York Air National Guardsmen Staff Sgt. Jason Rogers hands the chalks to their HC-130 aircraft to Chief Master Sgt. Tom Elefterion before a Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa mission. Sergeant Rogers is a crewchief with the 449th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron and Chief Elefterion is an HC-130 loadmaster superintendent also assigned to the 449th ERQS. The Guardsmen are from the 102nd Rescue Squadron, the oldest ANG unit. While deployed to Djibouti, Africa, the unit performed pararescue drops, air refueling for Marine CH-53s and stayed on alert to recover any downed servicemembers. (U.S. Air Force photo by 2nd Lt. Shannon Collins)