ST. PAUL, Minn. – There’s an official send-off Thursday at 1:30 p.m. before a special six-member detachment of the Minnesota National Guard departs on a nine-month mission to South America to support the war on drugs.
Detachment Commander Brad Husnik said they’ll be based in Bogota, Colombia, but could fly C-12 “Huron” turbo-props into 31 nations – basically every country south of Honduras.
The detachment will provide logistical support – moving passengers to locations without airline service, and transporting small amounts of cargo to support people.
Husnik said the mission comes with some risk, but they’re prepared.
“It’s high-risk, high-reward,” Husnik said. “This flying will be what I call graduate-level or master-level. It kind of showcases our skills. The detachment, the fixed-wing detachment as we call it in Minnesota, is a group of really experienced aviators.”
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