'Sondes' Good to Me

Master Sgt. Jeff Stack, weather reconnaissance loadmaster, explains how the dropsonde collects weather information inside storms to Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz. The dropsonde is a 'weather station in a can,' collecting life-saving data inside the storm. The data collected by the Air Force Reservists of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron "Hurricane Hunters" improves the National Hurricane Center forecast by 30 percent. The Reserve Hurricane Hunters are the only Department of Defense unit to fly into hurricanes. General Schwartz is visiting Mississippi to speak at the 30th annual Salute to the Military, an event honoring the Airmen and Citizen Airmen of the Gulf Coast region. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Major Chad E. Gibson)