Courtesy: Santa Barbara Sheriff's DepartmentSANTA BARBARA, Calif- Sheriff Bill Brown added three people to the newly formed Santa Barbara County Air Support Unit.
Chris Spangenberg and Pilot Robert Burris, both former Santa Barbara County Fire Pilots, were hired with the sheriff's department because of a merger of the Fire and Sheriff Aviation programs.
Spangenberg is a Vietnam veteran that flew with the U.S. Army's 145th Aviation Battalion. Burris started his aviation training in 1980 with the United States Marine Corps. Sheriff brown also hired a Hector Ponce, an aircraft mechanic, who received his training with the United States Air Force in 1977.
During the ceremony, Deputy McFarlin, an 18-year veteran was promoted to sergeant.
