Kandahar Airman receives Thanksgiving call from president

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Melissa B. White
  • 451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan --  An Airman assigned to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, received a Thanksgiving Day call from President Barack Obama Nov. 25, 2010.

"I was surprised that I was chosen for this," said Airman 1st Class Erin Patton, 451st Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 55th Expeditionary Maintenance Unit HH-60G Pave Hawk crew chief. "At first I thought they were joking with me, but I definitely believe it now. I feel so honored to be one of the few people selected for this."

Airman Patton said President Obama thanked her for her service and let her know that everyone back home is anxious for her return. She was one of a handful of deployed military members selected for the president's traditional call on the holiday.

"We nominated her for this because she took the seriousness of our mission from the first day and followed through with it during the entire deployment," said Capt. John Barry, 451st EAMXS, 55th EHMU officer in charge. "Her motivation is very inspiring and we get constant comments from the aircrew about how her aircraft is the best one out there ... she was definitely an easy choice for this."

As an HH-60G crew chief attached to a rescue squadron, Airman Patton made herself stand out above the rest by responding to 74 scrambles, or responses to alert calls, to remove forces from the point of injury on the battlefield. Her specific assigned helicopter is credited with enabling aircrew members to fly 48 combat sorties, totaling 52 flight hours and saving 36 lives since arrived here at the end of July.

"They fly so much and we help make that possible by making sure their aircraft are always ready to go," said Airman Patton. "We're so directly related to the rescue mission and it doesn't really get any better than that ... we're saving lives."

Though she's far from her home base of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., and her family and friends in St. Louis, she said this was a pretty interesting way to celebrate her Thanksgiving.

"I'm glad he took some time away from his family and his holiday to show us he still cares about us and thinks about us," she said of the commander in chief.

She also said this was a "once in a lifetime opportunity" she is glad to have experienced during her first deployment. Airman Patton is scheduled to return home in the beginning of December.