Michael Drummond

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - "We never launch a mission thinking someone didn't survive."
Michael L. Drummond, 66, after a lifetime of serving others, has gone on his final TDY as of Oct. 1, 2025.
Born in Bradford, Pa., on Feb. 20, 1959, Mike spent his youth fishing, hunting and playing football. When he grew up, he wanted to be an unsupervised Boy Scout.
His dream came true when he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and joined Pararescue in Alaska. During orientation at Eielson Air Force Base, there was a cute girl from Ohio named Susie sitting in front of him. That day, he got two adventures for the price of one. He raised three kids with Susie, camping and fishing in the summer and hitting the ski slopes and snowshoeing in the winter.
In his spare time with the 71st and then the 210th, he embodied their motto, "That Others May Live." This involved jumping out of planes, scuba diving and mountain climbing. Of course, all of these activities were done in perfect weather conditions, at reasonable times of day. His elite training allowed him to travel not only the U.S., but the world, going to Japan, Turkey, Korea and Russia.
Mike climbed Mount McKinley multiple times (once he was stuck up there for three weeks), greeted astronauts in their capsules after re-entry and once was mistaken as a UFO. He assisted countless people on their worst days, and saved hundreds of lives.
His dedication to serving others did not end there. Mike spent 17 years at the Alaska Department of Emergency Management, where his experience as a PJ was invaluable helping organize communities to be prepared for disasters.
Like his life, retirement was going to be epic. He spent years planning an RV trip across America to look for the elusive, "Bi-Pedal North American Primate." His preliminary research led him to believe "Bigfoot" seemed to be seen almost exclusively at the best fishing holes between Alaska and Pennsylvania. He was retired for less than a day.
Mike was generous with his knowledge of fishing, and all things survival in Alaska. He will be remembered for his ability to tell the best stories, which we will miss so much. These will continue to be told by Jared, Nikki and Kyle, the lucky kids who had the coolest dad ever who could for sure beat up your dad, and by Susie, the cute Air Force chick who was married to him for 43 years. He will always be our hero. He would like anyone who wishes to remember him to have a picnic around a campfire and tell stories.
Donations in his name can be made to the Bird Treatment and Learning Center of Alaska, where he introduced his daughter to the love of animal rehabilitation (and danger) at a young age.
He will be interred at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) National Cemetery with full honors on Oct. 10, 2025.