CONTACT: Chief Warrant Officer Richard Siracusano (631)-235-3642

FOR RELEASE: Thursday, Jun 17, 2010

ON SITE: Chief Warrant Officer Richard Siracusano (631)-235-3642

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY (06/16/2010)-- New York Army National Guard Aircrews will conduct training tomorrow that will benefit the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation when an Army National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter will slingload abandoned vehicles out of the Pine Barrens for appropriate disposition. WHO: Aviators from the New York Army National Guard and the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation. WHAT: Tentatively, Army Aviation Support Facility #1 (AASF #1), Ronkonkoma, in conjunction with NY DEC will be conducting car lift extraction of abandoned vehicles. WHEN: On Thursday, June 17 at approximately 9 a.m. WHERE: There are three separate landing zones for vehicles will be located close to Francis S. Gabreski Airport at Westhampton Beach, N.Y., 11978. For directions to the first landing zone, please call Cpt. Timothy Byrnes NY DEC officer at (646)-739-4170. BACKGROUND: Traditionally, members of the New York Army Naitonal Guard at the Army Aviation Support Facility Number One at Ronkonkoma conduct Innovated Readiness Training. This program allows the Army National Guard to execute its wartime missions in support of civil authorities. In this case, aviation sling loads is a primary task of the UH-60 Blackhawk flight companies stationed on Long Island. The crews coordinated their support with the NYS DEC and the Pine Barrens Society, an opportunity to leverage National Guard capabilities that dates back to the 1980s. Thursday's extraction mission will remove six abandoned cars. Each has different challenges for the crewchief and aircrew of the Army National Guard aircraft. One vehicle is in multiple pieces and others require different sling lengths based on the tree heights. Typical slingload missions utilize a 60 foot sling. However, one vehicle will need to utilize a 120 foot sling. For more information from the National Guard, contact Chief Warrant Officer Richard Siracusano (631)-235-3642.