USAF 304th Rescue Squadron / Military Assistance to Safety and Traffic / Rescue Patch
This is a VERY hard to find patch. Circa 1980/9'.
Military helicopter rescue units also have a long tradition of working alongside local civilian first responders. Based on the experience of military air ambulance and rescue units in Vietnam, the Military Assistance to Safety and Traffic (MAST) program began in 1970. This program allowed U.S. Army and USAF helicopters to quickly respond to civilian trauma scenes, usually vehicle accidents and transport patients to civilian hospitals. At the program’s height, 29 military units were participating. As civilian air ambulance services became more prolific, the MAST units ceased operations.
However, that doesn’t mean the spirit of the MAST mission has disappeared. Several military units around the country maintain strong working relationships with civil fire and rescue units that have streamlined requesting procedures to speed responses. These relationships typically develop because of the unique capabilities of the military helicopters and crews. The units have found that responding to local emergencies is excellent training for the helicopter crews, as well as giving them real-world missions that can have a positive impact on their communities.
A team of Reserve Citizen pararescue Airmen from the 304th Rescue Squadron, Portland, Oregon, partnered with the Oregon Army National Guard rush to the rescue of a climber trapped in Mt. Hood, OR
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