Released: Apr. 2, 2003
Florida Guard's Red Horse unit deploys
By Senior Airman Stephen Hudson
Florida National Guard Public Affairs
CAMP BLANDING, Fla. (ACCNS) -- Cheryl Beckman knew this day would come. In
her heart and mind she knew it was inescapable. She and her family had been
preparing for it months in advance. Yet, it didn't resonate until today.
Clinging tightly to her children, Mrs. Beckman watched as the blue Air Force
bus pulled away carrying her husband Greg and more than 40 other members of
the Florida Air National Guard's 202nd Red Horse Squadron.
"I'm proud of him," she said. "It helps knowing that he is going with
friends."
On March 31, the airmen deployed to Southwest Asia to support Operation
Enduring Freedom. The 202nd linked up with its sister unit, the 203rd Red
Horse Squadron from Camp Pendleton, Va., and traveled together.
Since January the members of the 202nd have been on active duty and have spent
the last few months preparing themselves to do their part in the global war on
terrorism. In all, more than 130 airmen from the unit will go to U.S. Central
Command's area of responsibility.
Red Horse stands for Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair
Squadron Engineer and was developed during the Vietnam War. The Red Horse
mission is to build runways and horizontal structures, and to repair damaged
facilities.
Red Horse units are designed to be self-sufficient and, in addition to heavy
construction, provide vehicle maintenance, supply and medical functions to
support the unit in remote locations.
As one of seven Red Horse units in the Air Force, the 202nd has traveled to
Kuwait, Europe and Jamaica in recent years.
Since December, more than 5,200 members of the Florida National Guard have
deployed in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
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