[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 56 (Tuesday, April 23, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S2895]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                   ALASKA RESCUE COORDINATION CENTER

 Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, I would like to take the time today 
to congratulate the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center, RCC, for 
completing their 5,000th mission since July 1, 1994.
  The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center has operated in Alaska since 
1961, but since July 1, 1994, the RCC has been staffed solely by Alaska 
Air National Guardsmen under the operational active-duty commander of 
the 11th Air Force. Since that time, the men and women of the Alaska 
Air National Guard have kept watch 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 
coordinating an average of more than five missions a week for nearly 19 
years.
  The 12 Alaska Air National Guard members who work in the RCC on a 
rotating schedule all have a background in either rescue operations as 
a member of the Alaska Air National Guard's 210th, 211th or 212th 
Rescue Squadrons, or are command and control specialists with 
experience in rescue control operations.
  On March, 27, 2013, the RCC coordinated the Alaska Air National 
Guard's successful recovery of a pilot who crashed a Super Cub aircraft 
near the Bering River northeast of Cordova, AK, completing their 
5,000th mission.
  The RCC relies heavily on the support of other agencies during 
search-and-rescue missions. Aside from the Alaska Air National Guard 
and Alaska Army National Guard, during a mission, these agencies can 
also be called upon: Alaska State Troopers, U.S. Coast Guard District 
17, Civil Air Patrol, National Park Service, North Slope Arctic Borough 
Search and Rescue, Alaska Mountain Rescue, SEADOGS K-9 Search and 
Rescue Team, Anchorage Nordic Ski Patrol and various other volunteer 
search groups.
  Their busy season follows the weather trends with an increase in 
search-and-rescue missions toward the end of summer into the fall 
hunting season. Ask anyone in the rescue business, and you will hear 
that no two search-and-rescue cases are alike. Throughout the years, 
there have been many high-profile missions adding up to the 5,000 
missions and Alaskans are thankful for their knowledge, dedication, and 
expertise.
  Thank you for allowing me to take a moment to recognize the heroic 
efforts of the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center and their 5,000 
missions.

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