Photo By Staff Sgt. Avery Cunningham | U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Four Keith Streeter, Detachment 2, Charlie Company,...... read more read more
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Chief Warrant Officer Four Keith Streeter, an UH-72 Lakota helicopter pilot with Detachment 2, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 224th Aviation Battalion (S&S), Vermont National Guard, performed his last flight over Vermont, July 25, 2016. Taking off from the Army Aviation Flight Facility in South Burlington, Vermont, Streeter flew to Rutland using Visual Flight Rules (VFR) (operating with visual reference to the ground and by visually avoiding obstructions and other aircraft). Flying using VFR afforded Streeter the opportunity to enjoy flying without assistance one last time before retiring. Upon his return, Streeter was greeted by cheering Soldiers and a water salute, as is tradition.
"It feels like I'm getting old!" exclaimed Streeter.
After leaving Active Duty in 1978, he made the decision to join the Vermont National Guard. In 1983, he transitioned from an armor crewman to a helicopter pilot.
"I've been flying since 1983 and this is the last time I'll be in a military helicopter," said Streeter. "I've been doing this for 41 years."
Despite his long tenure in the Army Streeter has stayed busy as a contributing member of aviation. He contributed to the interception of approximately 160 Unidentified Americans and the seizure and prevention of 3000 pounds of illegal drugs from entering the United States from Mexico during two short tours to the Southwest Border in support of Operation
Phalanx in both 2015 and 2016.
"Just got back from the border," he said. "I was flying the border for the Southwest border mission, so we were catching drugs and illegal immigrants crossing the border for the last six months."
Another highlight of his career was assisting with the July 7, 1984, Amtrak passenger train derailment in Essex Junction, Vermont.
"We were the first aircraft in there, and we [medically evacuated] 12 people off the Amtrak," said Streeter.
Additionally, Streeter has 161 combat hours as a Medevac Pilot in the HH-60M after serving as a pilot in command during a deployment with Vermont's Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment (Air Ambulance), to Iraq.
His contributions in the area of aviationsSafety have helped Vermont earn both the Charles A. Lindbergh Award, for 25 years without a Class A or B human error aviation accident, and the Army National Guard Distinguished Aviation Safety Award, for achieving over 40 years without a Class A or B flight related accidents.
Even with these accomplishments, Streeter says the thing he will miss most about his time with the National Guard is the people, who have made it a special experience.
| Date Taken: | 07.25.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 08.17.2016 10:47 |
| Story ID: | 207403 |
| Location: | SOUTH BURLINGTON, VERMONT, US |
| Web Views: | 223 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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