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ABOUT US

Mission

 The Air Rescue Association (ARA) has a multi-faceted mission that’s been in existence since 1976.  The first is to honor past and present USAF Rescue professionals and capture their history for future generations.   The ARA also sponsors multiple USAF-Level awards including the Kight Award, the Jolly Green Rescue Mission of the Year, and the Rescue Squadron of the Year.  Another important mission for the ARA includes building its member base and actively recruiting any Airman or family member who serves/served in any capacity supporting USAF Rescue operations.  ARA partners with the That Others May Live Foundation in helping with fundraising for its mission of scholarships for Rescue families, warfighter appreciation support, and immediate tragedy assistance.  Lastly, the ARA plans and sponsors an annual Air Rescue Symposium that includes reunion activities, informative briefings, heroic rescue mission recaps, and an awards gala where our award winners are recognized.

 

Goals

  • Honor our award winners and members

  • Work together with the USAF Air Staff to recognize our Rescue professionals

  • Create an annual AF-Level Rescue Maintenance Award

  • Build our membership base

  • Strengthen the relationship with TOMLF toward mutual success

  • Stay relevant and in contact with Total Force Rescue leaders

ARA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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MIKE TILLEMA

President

Mike is a retired USAF Colonel with 26 years of AF Rescue experience.  After his AF career he served as the NASA Chief of Flying Operations at Kennedy Space Center.

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MANDY HUTCHISON

Vice President

Mandy was an HH-60G Instructor Pilot with 16 years AF Rescue experience.  After separating from AD, she served in various roles in the Rescue community including time as a schoolhouse academic and simulator instructor.  She is currently the  F-16 Flight Manual Manager at Hill AFB, UT.

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BRAD DOW

Secretary

Brad is a retired USAF Lt Col and former Command Pilot with 20 years of AF Rescue experience.  He retired from HQ AETC In 2017 where he continues work as a civil servant.

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BOB REMEY

Historian

Bob is a retired USAF Lt Col and a former command pilot with 23 years of AF Rescue experience.  He was most recently at NATO Headquarters Allied Air Command as Senior Joint Personnel Recovery Staff Officer in Ramstein Air Base Germany.

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MARIE MURRAY

Editor

Marie Murray grew up in an Air Force family and is the proud daughter of Kim and Michael Tillema. Her favorite tour was Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, NM, where she was awed by the Balloon Fiesta and made her first memories of snow. She studied biochemistry and pharmacy at the University of Texas at Austin, where she met and married Daniel Murray. She is now a full-time stay-at-home mom and homeschool teacher to their four young children in New Braunfels, TX.

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GREG GAUNT

Plans & Programs

Gregory Gaunt is a retired, 38-year USAF veteran, with all but 20 months
spent in Rescue Maintenance as a crew chief, QA Inspector and section chief.
Greg is currently working in the DoD as a QA Specialist with the Defense
Contract Management Agency in Tucson, AZ.  He is also involved with the

Tucson chapter of TOMLF.

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GENE MANNER

Public Relations

Gene "Geno" Manner is a recently retired Lt Col after 21+ years in the USAF.  He is the lone HC-130P/N rep on the board, and served as an evaluator pilot at the 71st & 79th RQS's, 550th SOS, HAF, AFRCC, and completed his career as the Deputy Div Chief for PR at ACC.  He currently works for Deloitte Consulting assisting ACC's A35 efforts.

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CHRIS "TODD" PREJEAN

Treasurer

Todd is a retired USAF Lt Col and former Command Pilot in the HH-60G and the Mi-17 with 17 years of AF Rescue experience.  He retired from HQ AETC In 2014 and since then has worked as a civil servant in AETC, AFPC and AFGSC.  

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TONY RAY

Member-at-Large

Tony is retired USAF CMSgt and was a helicopter crew chief with 29 years experience in the AF rotary wing community. Following retirement he began volunteering as an Ambassador for the “That Other May Live Foundation” in Valdosta, Georgia.  Tony currently continues to serve the Rescue community as an Equipment Specialist for the HH-60W at the System Program Office at Robins AFB. 

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RICK SHEETS

Member-At-Large

Rick is married to Tara, he has 3 children and a host of grandchildren and 2 great grandkids. He is a 1968 graduate of Frankford High School, Frankford WVA. He enlisted in the USAF immediately after High School and after basic training became a firefighter. He participated in Operation Crested Cap 1 in support of NATO shortly thereafter. In 1970 he went to Ubon, Thailand and there became a member of the Pedro Rescue Detachment. He left Ubon in 1971 for Holloman AFB, NM where he became a Flight Instructor and a Flight Examiner and assisted in opening a new Rescue Detachment. Shortly thereafter he received orders for NKP Thailand and left in 1972 and he served there with Pedro till 1973. He has had multiple assignments and positions as a firefighter and finished his AF career in 1989 as a recruiter.  Rick also served 30 years with a non-profit Community Action Agency as a Director of multiple programs.

He serves as President of the Pedro Rescue Helicopter Association and Goodview Baptist Church. 

Air Rescue Association
Tax ID #91-0973130

info@usafrescue.org

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement

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