Holloman called out again to search White Sands

  • Published
  • By Tom Fuller
  • 49th Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  For the second time in two weeks, personnel from Holloman Air Force Base assisted the National Park Service in finding someone who was lost at the White Sands National Monument.

About 50 Airmen from the 49th Wing were called out Jan. 15 to help search for a 15-year old autistic boy who had wandered away from his family who were playing on the dunes. It had been almost a week to the day since Holloman was asked on Jan. 9 to help find two hikers who were lost in the National Monument.

U.S. Air Force Col. Kevin Huyck, 49th Wing vice commander, said Holloman was first notified the afternoon of Jan. 15, by the U.S. Border Patrol who needed access to part of the search area through a gate controlled by Holloman to enter the search area.

As a result of the contact, members of the 49th Security Forces Squadron were transported to White Sands National Monument and formed into ground search teams that worked through the night and into the next morning, walking and riding all terrain vehicles over the fast dune fields.

Holloman also provided the command and control of other Air Force resources participating in the multi-agency search. The crew of an Air Force HH-60 Pavehawk from Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. found the lost boy in good condition on Jan.16.

"We called in 26 Security Forces members with night vision goggles to clear some of the most difficult terrain," said Huyck, who was the senior Air Force command and control during the search.

He also said U.S. Air Force Col. Robert Cole, 49th Mission Support Group commander, and U.S. Air Force Maj. Woody Boyd, 49th SFS commander, came out to the National Monument to coordinate the Holloman assets who worked through the night.

Early Monday morning, a second shift of Holloman searchers relieved the night crew including Huyck and U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. David Wood, 49th SFS manager.

"We had security forces, Cherokee Control, and Holloman tower coordinating the air and ground assets," Huyck said.

Besides the Pavehawk helicopter from Kirtland's 150th Rescue Squadron, members of search and rescue units from Lincoln and Dona Ana Counties , New Mexico State Police Search and Rescue, Alamo West Volunteer Fire Department, two helicopters from the U.S. Border Patrol also took part in the search.

One Holloman Airman assigned to the ground search said the operation was a good way to put his Air Force training to work.

"We were able to use skills we were taught for large-area searches," said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Brian Chambliss, 49th SFS patrol leader. "It is actually very rewarding being part of a collective effort to find the lost teenager, especially since it turned out so well for him."

Rebecca Wiles, acting superintendant of White Sands National Monument, said that having a good neighbor like Holloman is great because of the support the base has readily provided over the years.

"We experience about 12-15 lost hikers here every year," she said. "People do get disoriented here, so having this great relationship with Holloman is very helpful."

On Jan. 9, an F-22 from the 7th Fighter Squadron was diverted from a training mission following a request for help from the NPS to find two hikers lost in the dunes. After a few low passes, the pilot spotted the couple, reported their location and they were soon rescued unharmed.