254th RED HORSE Heads for Africa

Story by Maj Rob McGaughey; Photos Courtesy 254th RED HORSE   -   Posted Apr, 2004

For more information about DoD missions to the Horn of Africa, please visit the Combined Joint Task Forces - Horn of Africa website.

Completing an engineering project

This most recent addition to the Washington Air National Guard heads out on its first deployment.

This unique group of engineers will spend 3 months in the country of Djibouti, located in the Horn of Africa. There they will provide humanitarian support in the form of engineering and construction projects.

The 254th RED HORSE Squadron stationed at Camp Murray, Tacoma WA and will be deploy for approximately 3 months to Camp Lemonier, Djibouti-Ambouli, Djibouti, Africa.  Lt. Col. Mike A. Moran, the Commander of the 254 RED HORSE Squadron, will lead the Squadron on their first deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Setting up power
    

The 254 RHS will be part of an Expeditionary RED HORSE force made up by blending the 219 RHS with the 254 RHS.  The 219th RHS is an Air National Guard unit from Malmstrom Air Force Base, Great Falls, Montana which has been deployed since March.

Even though Horn of Africa is considered a high threat area the mission of the 254 RHS is humanitarian in scope.  Our goal is to win the hearts and minds of the people of the region, which in turn will aid the intelligence community to gain access and information concerning al-Qaida. 219- 254 Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron will be helping to build relationships in the Horn of Africa region by providing humanitarian support in the form of engineering and construction projects.

Helping the village of Owea by testing a utility services station

The 219-254 Expeditionary RED HORSE squadron will focus on improving roads, constructing food storage warehouses, upgrading water distribution systems, and renovating childrens schools and medical clinics throughout the Horn of Africa.

So far the mission has met with great success.  The 219 RHS has been working on the renovation of a medical clinic located in the village of Owea, Djibouti. After the project was complete the village chief was so pleased with the newly renovated clinic the he gave the 219th six goats in gratitude.  The village Chief also stated that When we see the news on TV or hear on the radio we are seeing the bad side of Americans like going to war and fighting the people.  We never knew Americans could help the people too.

Opening a road blocked by flood debris

In addition to completing this project the 219 has been tasked to help in disaster relief.  Last week Djibouti-Ambouli, the capitol of Djibouti, received over 15 inches of rain in a 24-hour period.  It was reported that the flood killed 260 Djiboutian Nationals.  The 219th has helped restore utility services, repair damaged buildings, open roads blocked by flood debris and recover victims from the flood.

The history of Rapid Engineers Deployable Heavy Operations Repair Squadron, Engineers (RED HORSE) squadrons date back to September 1965 where up until then the Air Force lacked the engineering capability to quickly repair damaged installations and built airfields in combat areas for tactical Air Force units.

Concrete paving in a new building

These squadrons provide the Air Force with a highly mobile civil engineer response force to support contingency and special operations worldwide.

RED HORSE units are self-sufficient, mobile heavy construction squadrons capable of rapid response and independent operations in remote, high-threat environments worldwide.

RED HORSE squadrons provide the Air National Guard and the Air Force with highly mobile construction and engineering response force to support worldwide operations.  They are self-sufficient mobile squadrons capable of rapid response and independent operations in remote, high-threat environments worldwide.  They provide heavy repair capability and construction support when requirements exceed normal civil engineering capabilities of the Air Force and where Army engineering support is not readily available.  These units posses many special capabilities, such as water well drilling, explosive demolitions, quarry operations, material testing, expedient facility erection, concrete and asphalt paving, high and low voltage electrical installations and much more.

Building a utility substation

Their major wartime responsibilities are to provide a highly mobile, rapidly deployable construction and engineering response force that is self sufficient and able to perform heavy damage repair for recovery of critical Air Force facilities, utility systems and aircraft launch and recovery systems.  In addition, they accomplish engineer support for weapon systems required to initiate and sustain operations in austere environments.

During peacetime, they train for contingency and wartime operations.  They participate and train in joint operation command exercise, humanitarian projects, local community and state projects and also assist in base construction efforts.

 

The distinctive "Red Horse" emblem is frequently stenciled on unit equipment

No matter where they go, RED HORSE personnel have carried on their proud tradition of service to the Air National Guard, the Air Force and the United States for more 39 years.  They have shown that their unique capabilities and skills are indispensable.

The 254 RED HORSE Squadron has over 40 openings for carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and equipment operators.  If you would like to be part of making history and helping the United States win the War on Terror contact MSG Tabatha Bennett at (800) 344-0539 or email Tabatha.Bennett@wataco.ang.af.mil.  For more information on the 254 RHS visit our web site at http://redhorse.washingtonairguard.com.