AFRC leadership thanks Citizen Airmen for hurricane rescue efforts Published Oct. 5, 2017 920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Air Force Reserve Command leadership spent the day visiting with 920th Rescue Wing Citizen Airmen Oct. 2, 2017 to personally thank them for their hard work during and after Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Lt. Gen. Maryanne Miller, chief of Air Force Reserve, Maj. Gen. Kenneth D. Lewis Jr., director of Air Force Reserve Command Air, Space and Information Operations; and Chief Master Sgt. Ericka E. Kelly, command chief master sergeant of AFRC, traveled from Robbins Air Force Base, Georgia, to Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, in order to get an up-close look at the wing and the men and women within it who proudly serve. "That connection that you all make with people that you save is unreal," Miller said, "and you may never see them again. In fact, most of them you don't, but that is something they will never forget. That is something that will go with them until the end of their life because someone was there. Someone descended down from the heavens to help them out." Miller presented Airmen throughout the wing with her commander's coin as a sign of appreciation for their diligence and dedication over the last month in response to the back-to-back hurricanes. The wing rescued 235 people, 21 dogs and five cats during Hurricane Harvey before returning home a few days later to evacuate their families and wing assets in preparation for Hurricane Irma. "Thank you for wearing the uniform," Miller said. "Thank you for being great Americans. Thank you for what you do for this country. Only one percent of the country serves. That's a very small percentage of us. You're special. You're special to this country and to its people and you will never be forgotten by the people that you reach every day."