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North Carolina Wing Members Support Deepwater Horizon

North Carolina Wing Incident Management
North Carolina Wing Incident Management Team (l-r Capt Shawn McComas, Major Dion Viventi, Capt John May, Lt Col Jeff Willis) prepare to depart for Mobile Alabama.
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Incident Management Team Deploys to Mobile Alabama

By Lt Col David E. Crawford
Director of Operations

8/21/2010–Raleigh, NC– A 4 member Incident Management Team from North Carolina Wing led by Lt Col Jeff Willis has deployed to Mobile Alabama in support of CAP Operations related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  The team which includes Lt Col Willis as Incident Commander, Major Dion Viventi, Capt John May and Capt Shawn McComas will spend a week running CAP Air operations out of the Incident Command Post in Mobile Alabama.  As the mission enters its 5th month, National HQ has begun requesting assistance from wings across the country.

During their week as the lead Incident Management Team, the North Carolina members will coordinate air operations with customers, National Headquarters, 1st Air Force/NorthCom at Tyndall AFB and supporting wings in the gulf area.  According to Lt Col Willis "we expect to receive 3 to 5 sortie requests per day to provide aerial imaging support to various customers. We will be assisted by aircrews from Tennessee who have deployed in to augment the local wings."  

The team departed Raleigh at 0945 on Saturday 21 August, flying 2 North Carolina Wing aircraft.  With an intermediate fuel stop in Columbus, GA, the team arrived in Mobile, AL just after 6pm EDT.  The team is scheduled to return to Raleigh late Sunday 29 August.