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ABOUT US

The Association is organized, operated and dedicated to extending and preserving the spirit and camaraderie among persons who have been assigned or associated with the AAF/USAAF/USAF Air Rescue forces in the past, those presently serving, and those who may serve in the future.

ARA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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MIKE TILLEMA

President

Mike is a retired USAF Colonel with 26 years of AF Rescue experience.  After his AF career he served as the NASA Chief of Flying Operations at Kennedy Space Center.

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MANDY HUTCHISON

Vice President

Mandy was an HH-60G Instructor Pilot with 16 years AF Rescue experience.  After separating from AD, she served in various roles in the Rescue community including time as a schoolhouse academic and simulator instructor.  She is currently the  F-16 Flight Manual Manager at Hill AFB, UT.

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BRAD DOW

Secretary

Brad is a retired USAF Lt Col and former Command Pilot with 20 years of AF Rescue experience.  He retired from HQ AETC In 2017 where he continues work as a civil servant.

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BOB REMEY

Historian

Bob is a retired USAF Lt Col and a former command pilot with 23 years of AF Rescue experience.  He was most recently at NATO Headquarters Allied Air Command as Senior Joint Personnel Recovery Staff Officer in Ramstein Air Base Germany.

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MANDY HUTCHISON

Editor

Mandy was an HH-60G Instructor Pilot with 16 years AF Rescue experience.  After separating from AD, she served in various roles in the Rescue community including time as a schoolhouse academic and simulator instructor.  She is currently the  F-16 Flight Manual Manager at Hill AFB, UT.

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GREG GAUNT

Plans & Programs

Gregory Gaunt is a retired, 38-year USAF veteran, with all but 20 months
spent in Rescue Maintenance as a crew chief, QA Inspector and section chief.
Greg is currently working in the DoD as a QA Specialist with the Defense
Contract Management Agency in Tucson, AZ.  He is also involved with the

Tucson chapter of TOMLF.

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GENE MANNER

Public Relations

Gene "Geno" Manner is a recently retired Lt Col after 21+ years in the USAF.  He is the lone HC-130P/N rep on the board, and served as an evaluator pilot at the 71st & 79th RQS's, 550th SOS, HAF, AFRCC, and completed his career as the Deputy Div Chief for PR at ACC.  He currently works for Deloitte Consulting assisting ACC's A35 efforts.

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CHRIS "TODD" PREJEAN

Treasurer

Todd is a retired USAF Lt Col and former Command Pilot in the HH-60G and the Mi-17 with 17 years of AF Rescue experience.  He retired from HQ AETC In 2014 and since then has worked as a civil servant in AETC, AFPC and AFGSC.  

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RICK SHEETS

Member-At-Large

Rick is married to Tara, he has 3 children and a host of grandchildren and 2 great grandkids. He is a 1968 graduate of Frankford High School, Frankford WVA. He enlisted in the USAF immediately after High School and after basic training became a firefighter. He participated in Operation Crested Cap 1 in support of NATO shortly thereafter. In 1970 he went to Ubon, Thailand and there became a member of the Pedro Rescue Detachment. He left Ubon in 1971 for Holloman AFB, NM where he became a Flight Instructor and a Flight Examiner and assisted in opening a new Rescue Detachment. Shortly thereafter he received orders for NKP Thailand and left in 1972 and he served there with Pedro till 1973. He has had multiple assignments and positions as a firefighter and finished his AF career in 1989 as a recruiter.  Since retirement from the AF he received a BS in Sociology from Roanoke College and served 30 years with a non-profit Community Action Agency as a Director of multiple programs.

Rick is a lifetime member of the ARA , DAV, AFA,  He serves as President of the Pedro Rescue Helicopter Association and Goodview Baptist Church. 

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