TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Airmen from the 190th Air Refueling Wing, Topeka, transported 12 firefighters, four K-9 handlers, and four search and rescue dogs from the Czech Emergency Response Team from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, to Texas on July 13.
According to a press release from the 190th Air Refueling Wing, the 190th aircrew, while providing transportation for members on temporary duty, was tasked with the urgent mission of direct support of rescue operations following the catastrophic floods in Texas.
We are part of a classified search and rescue team and our mission is to support the National Guard and those recently affected by the floods in Texas," said Colonel Jaromir Piesch, leader of the Czech Emergency Response Team. "The Texas National Guard has a direct partnership with the Czech Army, and due to the recent natural disaster and more than 160 people still missing in Texas, we were called into this mission because of our specialized experience with K-9 specific search and rescues.
The Czech Army has maintained a strategic partnership with the Texas National Guard since 1993 as part of the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program, fostering three decades of joint training and real-world missions.
Notably, this collaboration enabled the Texas Air National Guard to support Czech emergency services by using the MQ-9 Reaper aircraft to conduct aerial damage assessments, an essential capability that helped Czech authorities prioritize recovery efforts and restore critical infrastructure following severe floods in early October 2024.
We have provided similar support to countries like Turkey, Pakistan, and other missions we have been called to across the globe," said Piesch. "Our team is trained in search and rescue, medical stabilization, and aid. The whole team is here to support the K-9 handlers, and we have a reconnaissance team who is prepared to provide extraction of injured people as well.
The operation was coordinated through a combined effort involving the Adjutant General of Texas, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, Ramstein Air Base leadership, and the Czech Embassy in Washington, D.C. The request came through the National Guard Bureau and utilized the 190th's unique availability and proximity to Germany to execute the mission.
Here we will do our best to help the American people and support the National Guard," said Maj. Jiri Studnicka, member of the Czech Emergency Response Team. "For us, it brings great satisfaction being able to help the National Guard as they have helped in support of our troops. We are very proud to work with them.
The Czech firefighters were flown directly from Ramstein Air Base to Texas aboard the 190th ARW KC-135 Stratotanker, the only National Guard aircraft available and positioned to efficiently and effectively carry out the short-notice mission.
This mission is an example of the National Guard's ability to respond rapidly and support our international partnerships," said Lt. Col. Adam Huntington, Director of Operations for the 117th Air Refueling Squadron. "I'm proud of our entire team, including our operations and support personnel and officers back at Forbes Field, who made this mission possible. Being able to help people devastated by the floods is why serving in the National Guard is so special.
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