The U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division has reached out to the Greeneville Municipal Airport thanking them and Greene County for for their assistance in October as the unit was stationed at the airport during that time.
Airport Manager Angie Alley read a letter from the 101st Airborne during the Airport Authority meeting Wednesday.
A VS-17 panel with a Pathfinder Torch and signed by those in the unit accompanied the letter.
While the airport served as a water and supply distribution point during the disaster, the efforts to accommodate the Army were expressed in the letter from Lt. Col. Nathaniel Foust, commander of the 39th Engineer Battalion. Foust said they could not have flown over 590 soldiers and 60 vehicles from Fort Campbell, KY to Western North Carolina in less than 48 hours without the support from the airport staff. Foust also thanked the Greene County Sheriffs Department for providing escorts for their convoys as they moved into Western North Carolina to assist with Hurricane Helene relief efforts there.
On a local note, Alley thanked part-time employee Chuck Trittin for his efforts of fueling and offloading the military aircraft. She also noted that on his own time, Trittin distributed supplies to those in need locally. She commended all employees at the airport for their handling of the increased workload during that time.
The Airport Authority yesterday approved one hour of administrative leave for every hour worked by an airport employee beyond their normal schedule during the flooding. Part-time employees will receive a one-time $250 bonus.
