AERIAL RECVOERY: TACKLING RESCUE AND RESPONSE MISSIONS ALL OVER THE WORLD

Britni Shrout| June 30th, 2026

MJ Foundation

What do you do when a flood makes everyday life feel impossible? When an earthquake destroys your neighborhood? When your city has become unsafe due to conflict?

Rescue and response operations are not something most of us have prepared for. They’re complicated undertakings that require a high level of commitment, skill, and resources.

Britnie Turner founded Aerial Recovery to coordinate those efforts and others, through a passion that developed when she was young, growing into a mission to “save lives and stop evil.”

AN EARLY CONCERN FOR THE WELLBEING OF OTHERS

When she was just 12 years old, Turner learned through a documentary about the global problem of sex trafficking, and mission trips in her teen years opened her eyes to desperate conditions that fed into sex trafficking and generally impeded wellbeing. “Solutions” she saw, tended to be temporary fixes rather than transformative efforts.

In 2017, she bought land in the British Virgin Islands in hopes of building a place for hope and healing, but Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria struck within ten days of each other, decimating the islands. As she grew frustrated with recovery efforts, Turner began making a documentary series to bring greater attention to the issues she had witnessed.

In 2019, Turner and her boyfriend, U.S. Army Special Forces veteran Jeremy Locke, traveled to the Bahamas to be part of recovery efforts after Hurricane Dorian. Seeing how Locke jumped in to efficiently organize and strategize under the high-pressure, high-need situation, showed her a way forward.

SHARING KNOWLEDGE TO FURTHER THE MISSION

Turner and Locke started organizing efforts to utilize the skills of veterans and give them a purpose beyond the military while addressing difficult situations around the world. Aerial Recovery now oversees four related initiatives that save lives and accelerate recovery:

Heal the Heroes works to provide healing for military veterans and first responders as they move from their careers into civilian life. Each year, 100 heroes complete the program, which marries training and recovery activities, including physical strength, mentorship, and entrepreneurship, after which they join the Heal the Heroes Veterans Community and participate in Aerial Recovery service opportunities.

Disaster Response, which utilizes a nine-step process for coordinated, effective aide efforts that so far have rescued more than 8,000 people around the world.

Rapid assessment and situation analysis using drones, satellite imagery, and boots on the ground to identify critical needs and map the most affected areas.

Search and rescue operations that locate and help people who are trapped or otherwise in immediate danger.

Medical assistance and triage starting with those who have urgent medical need.

Emergency aid distribution that brings food, hygiene kits, and other critical supplies to remote areas that get overlooked by other organizations.

Communication and transportation network restoration by setting up temporary systems and clearing roadways,

Collaboration with local authorities and organizations to extend the reach and effectiveness of Aerial operators and streamline efforts.

Post-disaster recovery efforts, because helping communities come back stronger is a big part of Aerial Recovery’s mission.

Prevention of sexual abuse and trafficking so that post-disaster communities don’t fall prey to exploitation and abuse while populations are vulnerable.

Anti-Human Trafficking, an initiative that continues Turner’s early mission by working to rescue people directly, partner with other organizations to further their reach, and provide education and aftercare programs for survivors.

Animal Rescue, which has been part of Aerial Recovery’s mission since its earliest days and feeds directly into its efforts to rescue people, many of whom refuse to leave crisis situations without their pets. Aerial Recovery helped rescue 92 animals during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 88 puppies and kittens after Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and even four zebras from game farms.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

If you’re ready to work as a special operator, Aerial Recovery is certainly ready to train and support you, and if you’d like to support the mission without leaving home, there are a lot of ways you can make a difference.

Donate critical supplies through Aerial Recovery’s Global Resource Alliance, which helps supply food, shelter, vehicles, and other important resources to the organization’s life-saving missions.

Make a financial donation to Aerial Recovery. Help Aerial continue its effort to protect the vulnerable. Donations help cover the organizations core team of operators, predator tracking software, and equipment and supplies.

Volunteer with Aerial Recovery. Become a special operator and work with the organization to fulfill its mission to save lives and stop evil.

Nominate or sponsor a hero through Aerial’s Heal the Heroes Initiative, which helps veterans and first responders transition from military and service careers to civilian life through a yearlong program of healing retreats, activities, and community.

Support Aerial Recovery’s Global Rescue Fund by donating to Pacific Row West, an entirely human powered journey across the Pacific Ocean completed by veterans.

Spread the word with Aerial Recover swag. All profits from Aerial Recovery merchandise goes right back into supporting the organization’s efforts around the world.