CONTACT: For more information, contact the DMNA Public Affairs Office at (518) 786-4581.

FOR RELEASE: Thursday, Aug 26, 2010

ON SITE: On site POC is Lt. Col. Paul Fanning.

LATHAM, NY (08/24/2010)-- New York Army National Guard aviators and members of the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing, based at Stratton Air National Guard Base, who responded to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 will be available to reporters to discuss the lessons they learned which can be applied to emergency response missions in New York today. WHO: Chief Warrant Officer Chuck Rodda and Staff Sergeants Dolan Brammer and Thomas Balogh of Company A, 3rd Battalion 142nd Aviation operating UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and flight crew members of the 109th Airlift Wing from Scotia. WHAT: Interview opportunity, with members of the New York Army National Guard who were mobilized and deployed to the Gulf of Mexico in 2005 in response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. WHEN: Thursday, August 26, 2010 from 11 a.m. to noon. WHERE: Army Aviation Support Facility #3, 330 Old Niskayuna Road, Latham. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: • The New York National Guard performed the following actions in response to the Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Recovery efforts: • Rapidly deployed dozens of Air and Army National Guard aircraft, both fixed and rotary wing, and rescued trapped residents in New Orleans, transported more than 3.5 million pounds of relief supplies and equipment into the region and carried nearly 2,200 passengers. • Mobilized and deployed hundreds of aviation support, medical, communications, security and technical staff personnel for direct support operations region wide. • Collected nearly 4,000 boxes of donated clothing at the Jamaica Armory in Queens for delivery to charitable organizations supporting evacuees. • Identified more than 1,000 additional personnel and equipment for possible on call deployment.