California Air National Guard 146th Airlift Wing assists Foodbank Santa Barbara with distributing food to those in need

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Nieko Carzis
  • 146th Airlift Wing

A team from the California Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing (146 AW) mobilized personnel to begin delivering and organizing food to multiple food distribution centers in the Santa Barbara area with the non-profit hunger-relief organization Foodbank Santa Barbara.

Projected as a 14-day mobilization, the 146 AW has provided around 80 personnel to support and integrate with additional California National Guard units statewide.

U.S. Air National Guard Lt. Col. Adam Goldstone, Chief of Optometry for the 146th Airlift Wing’s Medical Group (146 MDG) and his six airmen at the Santa Barbara Foodbank facility begin their day being trained on building and wrapping pallets of donated material. After a quick course the airmen start diligently weaving though giant boxes of palletized food scattered across the parking lot.

The airmen begin expediently stacking additional large containers filled with food on the pallets. Organizing, separating and moving the food before loading it on a delivery truck.

Goldstone, an 18-year veteran with the Air Force Reserves and Air National Guard has a smile across his face as he and a member of his team together wrap a giant pallet.

“One of the big reasons I joined the guard, being was to be able to do missions like this,” said Goldstone. “It’s a scary time for a lot of people right now and it feels good knowing that we can provide a little bit of comfort and help.”

Shortly after California Gov. Gavin Newsom activated the California National Guard on March 20, the 146th Airlift Wing provided assistance to multiple California agencies providing humanitarian support, assembling medical beds and delivering food in multiple cities including Santa Maria, Santa Clara, Santa Barbara and Indio, California.

“This is what the Guard is all about,” added Goldstone. “We like being able to have the opportunity to get out there and start helping people in our communities. My team and I got activated and assigned to this mission pretty fast and we’re really happy to be able to give back to our communities when they need us.”

California Air National Guard 146th Airlift Wing assists Foodbank Santa Barbara with distributing food to those in need

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Nieko Carzis
  • 146th Airlift Wing

A team from the California Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing (146 AW) mobilized personnel to begin delivering and organizing food to multiple food distribution centers in the Santa Barbara area with the non-profit hunger-relief organization Foodbank Santa Barbara.

Projected as a 14-day mobilization, the 146 AW has provided around 80 personnel to support and integrate with additional California National Guard units statewide.

U.S. Air National Guard Lt. Col. Adam Goldstone, Chief of Optometry for the 146th Airlift Wing’s Medical Group (146 MDG) and his six airmen at the Santa Barbara Foodbank facility begin their day being trained on building and wrapping pallets of donated material. After a quick course the airmen start diligently weaving though giant boxes of palletized food scattered across the parking lot.

The airmen begin expediently stacking additional large containers filled with food on the pallets. Organizing, separating and moving the food before loading it on a delivery truck.

Goldstone, an 18-year veteran with the Air Force Reserves and Air National Guard has a smile across his face as he and a member of his team together wrap a giant pallet.

“One of the big reasons I joined the guard, being was to be able to do missions like this,” said Goldstone. “It’s a scary time for a lot of people right now and it feels good knowing that we can provide a little bit of comfort and help.”

Shortly after California Gov. Gavin Newsom activated the California National Guard on March 20, the 146th Airlift Wing provided assistance to multiple California agencies providing humanitarian support, assembling medical beds and delivering food in multiple cities including Santa Maria, Santa Clara, Santa Barbara and Indio, California.

“This is what the Guard is all about,” added Goldstone. “We like being able to have the opportunity to get out there and start helping people in our communities. My team and I got activated and assigned to this mission pretty fast and we’re really happy to be able to give back to our communities when they need us.”