HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters and HC-130s from the 347th Rescue Wing at Moody AFB, Ga., and AFRC’s 920th RW, Patrick AFB, Fla., deployed to Laughlin AFB, Tex., for search and rescue operations after Rita’s landfall. On Sept. 24, the rescue crews made five saves and assisted in six others during post-storm operations over Louisiana and Texas.
Air Force Gen. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost—a trailblazer and one of the first 10 women to reach a four-star rank across the U.S. military—retired and passed control of U.S. Transportation Command to Air Force Gen. Randall Reed on Oct. 4, finishing an eventful tenure at TRANSCOM.