Services reservists deploy to support hurricane relief efforts

  • Published
  • 507th Air Refueling Wing
Senior Airman Stephanie Heath, a Services technician from the 507th Air Refueling Wing, has joined with 24 other Air Force Reservists deployed to Keesler AFB, Miss. 

The Services reservists started deploying there during the first week of September to provide food service and field lodging support in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. 

“Twenty of our people are to work in food service, and the others are to do field lodging,” said Chief Master Sgt. Von Putman, chief of services readiness at Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command. 

Ten of the reservists are from Niagara Falls International Airport Air Reserve Station, N.Y., and nine are from Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich. Another four are from Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., and another member of the team from Beale AFB, Calif., is slated to arrive during the second week of September. 

A Blanchard, Oklahoma native and Blanchard High School graduate, Airman Heath said she was notified she was needed on Sept. 2. In civilian life she works as a portrait studio photographer in the Oklahoma City Metro area. “I don’t know exactly what they need me to do yet, but I’m excited at the opportunity to help,” she said. 

“We received word that Airman Heath was helping with general cleanup activities,” Senior Master Sgt. Terry Tunender, 507th Services technician, later reported after she had arrived to begin her duty.