McChord serves as safe haven for aircraft, Airmen from Alaska Published Feb. 2, 2009 62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Airmen here are supporting a precautionary redeployment of Air Force aircraft from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska to McChord. The aircraft and about 200 Airmen who operate and maintain them are being temporarily relocated in light of increased activity associated with Mount Redoubt, a volcano located about 100-miles from Elmendorf AFB. Three Air Force Reserve Command WC-130Js on assignment from the 403rd Wing, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., to Alaska relocated to McChord Saturday; three Pacific Air Forces C-17s will arrive late tonight. Other aircraft may arrive within the next 24 to 48 hours. McChord leadership anticipates the redeployment to last two to four weeks at a minimum. The 403rd WG Hurricane Hunter aircraft deployed to Anchorage, Alaska, Jan. 17 for a month-long mission in support of the 2009 Winter Storm Reconnaissance program. To learn more about their mission in Alaska, read their story at http://www.afrc.af.mil/newsreleases/story.asp?id=123132913 McChord's own C-17 strategic airlift mission executed by the active duty 62nd Airlift Wing and the Reserve 446th Airlift Wing, makes the base ideally suited to host the relocated aircraft and allows the Elmendorf Airmen to continue to meet mission and training requirements. "Our ability to quickly receive additional air power on short notice and continue to support the nation's worldwide strategic airlift requirements is a capability long-associated with McChord," said Col. Jeffrey Stephenson, McChord's 62nd AW commander. "We've supported evacuations in the past, and we will gladly support our fellow Airmen from Elmendorf as long as they need us."