Cutchogue Firefighter Joins Father's Legacy, Becomes Air National Guard Helicopter Mechanic

Rocco Horton can put out fires in Cutchogue and, as of last week, fix the military helicopters that pull mariners off sinking boats in the waters surrounding Long Island. The Cutchogue Fire Department member returned home after completing U.S. Air Force basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio and a subsequent assignment in Virginia to earn his credentials as a helicopter mechanic. He is now serving with the 106th Rescue Wing of the New York Air National Guard at Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach, roughly 30 miles west of the North Fork community where he volunteers as a firefighter.

The timing of Horton's return carried extra meaning for the department. After finishing basic training last November, he did not wait until his Guard assignment began to report back to the firehouse. "After completing his Air Force basic training, Rocco immediately requested reinstatement from his leave so he could stand alongside his brothers and sisters in the department, ready to answer any call for service," said Cutchogue Fire Chief Mike Boken. "We are all grateful for his commitment and thank him for his service to our country."

The unit Horton now supports is central to Suffolk County's emergency readiness in ways many residents may not fully appreciate. The 106th Rescue Wing flies HH-60G Pave Hawk and HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters, conducting search-and-rescue operations over Long Island Sound, the Atlantic coast, and beyond. In October 2012, 150 of the wing's airmen deployed to shore up flood defenses ahead of Hurricane Sandy. In 2017, the wing sent 126 airmen plus three Pave Hawks to the Caribbean following Hurricanes Maria and Irma. Closer to home, the wing's firefighters responded to the Pine Barrens fire that tore along Sunrise Highway in March 2025. None of those missions happen without mechanics keeping the aircraft flyable, and Horton now holds that responsibility.

His path into dual service was shaped in part by his father. Ricky Horton, a lieutenant with the Cutchogue Fire Department and an Air Force veteran, traveled to San Antonio over Thanksgiving with the rest of the family to watch Rocco graduate from basic training. Chief Boken drew the connection directly: "Since joining the Cutchogue Fire Department, Rocco has proven himself to be a true asset. He consistently demonstrates that he is a hardworking and dedicated individual, much like his father."

The Horton family's service does not stop at two generations or two branches. Rocco's brother Lexington, also a Cutchogue firefighter, is currently deployed overseas with the Army, leaving the department simultaneously proud of and short one more volunteer.

That staffing reality points to something broader on the North Fork and across Suffolk County. Volunteer fire departments have faced sustained recruitment pressure for years. Horton's story illustrates one path that threads both commitments together: enlistment in the Air National Guard brings technical training, a local assignment, and the flexibility to remain on a volunteer roster. For any Cutchogue or North Fork resident weighing a similar step, the 106th Rescue Wing's Gabreski base is close enough that the choice does not require leaving home.

SUMMARY: Rocco Horton of Cutchogue followed his father into firefighting and the Air Force, now maintaining the rescue helicopters at the 106th Rescue Wing that protect Long Island's coast.

CONTENT:

Rocco Horton can put out fires in Cutchogue and, as of last week, fix the military helicopters that pull mariners off sinking boats in the waters surrounding Long Island. The Cutchogue Fire Department member returned home after completing U.S. Air Force basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio last November and a subsequent assignment in Virginia to earn his credentials as a helicopter mechanic. He is now serving with the 106th Rescue Wing of the New York Air National Guard at Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach, roughly 30 miles west of the North Fork community where he volunteers as a firefighter.

The timing of his return carried extra meaning for the department. After finishing basic training, Horton did not wait for his Guard posting to report back to the firehouse. "After completing his Air Force basic training, Rocco immediately requested reinstatement from his leave so he could stand alongside his brothers and sisters in the department, ready to answer any call for service," said Cutchogue Fire Chief Mike Boken. "We are all grateful for his commitment and thank him for his service to our country."

The unit Horton now supports is central to Suffolk County's emergency readiness in ways many Long Island residents may not fully appreciate. The 106th Rescue Wing flies HH-60G Pave Hawk and HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters, conducting search-and-rescue operations over Long Island Sound and the Atlantic coast. In October 2012, 150 of the wing's airmen deployed to shore up flood defenses ahead of Hurricane Sandy. In 2017, the wing sent 126 airmen and three Pave Hawks to the Caribbean following Hurricanes Maria and Irma. Closer to home, wing firefighters responded to the Pine Barrens fire that swept along Sunrise Highway in March 2025. None of those missions happen without mechanics keeping the aircraft flyable, and Horton now holds that responsibility.

His path into dual service was shaped by the man who already held both roles. Ricky Horton, a lieutenant with the Cutchogue Fire Department and an Air Force veteran, traveled to San Antonio with the family over Thanksgiving to watch Rocco graduate from basic training. Chief Boken made the lineage plain: "Since joining the Cutchogue Fire Department, Rocco has proven himself to be a true asset. He consistently demonstrates that he is a hardworking and dedicated individual, much like his father."

The family's commitment extends further still. Rocco's brother Lexington, also a Cutchogue firefighter, is currently deployed overseas with the Army, leaving the department simultaneously proud and short one more volunteer.

That pressure points to something larger across Suffolk County. Volunteer fire departments have faced sustained recruitment shortfalls for years, even as call volumes grow. Horton's story offers a concrete model: enlistment in the Air National Guard delivers specialized technical training, a posting close enough to Long Island to maintain a volunteer role, and skills, helicopter maintenance among them, that directly reinforce the region's coastal rescue capability. For Cutchogue and the wider North Fork, having one of their own keeping Pave Hawks airworthy at Gabreski is not a small thing.