I hate bad things happening to kids...

I was out sick yesterday. Kinda nice to have a day where everyone is working, and I'm NOT. =)

I received a page for a missing person in the Big Bear area, and hated to hear it's a 9 year old kid that wandered away from his family/church friends campsite. He was supposed to be going 50-100 yards to a truck to get some cookies, and he vanished. 15 agencies are looking for him, including our own. We've got a request to staff a plane or 2 since CAP is in charge of all comms for the rescue. Highbird is a mission I've had before (high altitude communications relay). It's basically flying at 10,000 feet in circles while other crew members act as a Forward Air Controllers/Comm relay for the mission base. Logging in and out-bound radio traffic, position reports, check-in's, clue reports, anything that needs to get from the field workers/searchers to the people in charge and vice versa. You need a high bird when there's something preventing field crews from talking directly with the mission base, like mountains.

I'd LOVE to go, but they don't leave till Friday night, if they take my crew at all. Yeah, even as the back seater I'd LOVE to go. Last night I was asked why I was so distracted. It was nice to know that someone that doesn't even know me that well could tell I was off compared to normal. But yeah, I'd love to be in on the search. I hope it ends today as a child missing for 1 minute is too much. Yeah, it gets to me, I wish I could leave for there NOW, not near the weekend.

SEARCH UPDATE...

WHO IS GROUP 5's #1 Emergency Services Officer? I hear it's me if I listen to my squadron-mates, and I think I'm going to agree tonight.

I don't flaunt my efforts and successes, but tonight god damnit I deserve it, as do my team members.

Nor Cal's response to Big Bear is ok, but WHO is the person that pounded the pavement to get crews to fly comm missions to look for David (that's the boy's name)? Who made 30 calls and spent 3 hours on the phone in the past 2 days to get teams ready on 2 hour alert? Who secured not one, but 2 airplanes and crews to transport a pair K9 search teams to Big Bear tomorrow from Nor. Cal.?

I DID.

And, I'll do it again tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that... A child is lost in the forest and it gets to me, so I turn it into energy. It's serious motivation.

I'm pumped. It's HARD getting volunteers to support a mission mid-week, even for a missing kid. We're 500 miles from the search zone, yet I've found some great CAP Pilots in the form of Major Steffan and Capt. Kahn who are willing to give up work days to support this mission. MANY THANKS TO THEM, because without them I can't do jack.

If I don't get online between Friday and Monday it's because I'm down there myself. All gear packed, batteries charged, sleeping bag/meals/clothes packed, emergency water, glow sticks, trauma bag, I'm set. So are 1Lt. Grehan and Capt. Felton. I usually don't use ranks when talking about squadron members, but these people have EARNED their ratings and ranks by consistently volunteering time and their own money over the years to help those that are in need.

Thank you to all that do the same, that I know, or will never meet.

2Lt. Michael J Allen- CAP
Emergency Services Officer, Medical Services Officer
USAF Aux CAP Sqd. 23
Marin Air Search and Rescue
PCR-CA-016