Air crew brings home hurricane help

  • Published
  • By Shawn J. Jones
  • 514th Air Mobility Wing public affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  Airmen from the 732nd Airlift Squadron traveled to Phoenix, Ariz., Friday night to retrieve some help with bringing back the power to the residents of New York and New Jersey in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

Led by loadmasters Master Sgt. Kevin Keane and Tech. Sgt. Ryan Jackson, several Airmen loaded and chained two large boom trucks into the cargo hold of a C-17 Globemaster III. The trucks and their drivers - both from a Phoenix-based electrical utility company - were then flown to Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, N.Y.

From Newburgh, the driver's will take the trucks to Long Island, N.Y., to help repair downed power lines.

One of the truck drivers, Michael Brandt said he was eager to volunteer to help those who were affected by the hurricane.

"I just thought, 'What if it was my family?'" said Brandt, a husband and father of three.

His co-worker, J.D. Muñoz said he was excited by the prospect of traveling across the country in an Air Force mobility jet to help those in need. He said he's never worked outside of Arizona, and would have to learn how to work around so many trees that aren't so common in the deserts of his home state.