Mother-daughter mountain adventure helps visually impaired teen see possibilities

By Capt. Cathleen Snow

920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla – Air Force Reservist and married mother of three, Tech. Sgt. Francine Torres doesn’t think twice about her two-hour daily commute to work each way.

In fact, she chooses to live 100 miles away from her job so her visually impaired 17-year-old daughter, Jasmyn Polite, can attend the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine, Fla.

“I just do it; I love her,” said the knowledge operations manager who is employed here as an air reserve technician, a dual-hatted civilian and military service member with the 920th Rescue Wing’s Force Support Squadron.

“It’s never really been that difficult for me. I expect the same things from her that I expect from my sons,” said Torres. Her sons, ages 14 and 16, have no physical disabilities.

It was through a co-worker, Master Sgt. Marian Smith, a 920th career advisor, that Torres learned about the military-sponsored White Mountain Adventure Camp for Military Teens with Physical Disabilities, a program that would change her daughter’s life.

Leaving Florida behind last month for New Hampshire’s wintry 30-degree temperatures and snow was an adventure in of itself, as they rarely travel far from home.

Bundled in winter garb, the pair soon found themselves on sleds, skis, and ice skates, enjoying each other and the White Mountain adventure as advertised, to the fullest.

“We tried a lot of things we normally wouldn’t do,” said Torres. Dog sledding, snow tubing, mountain roller coasting, ice skating, and sit-down ice skating filled their activity calendar during the long weekend. “I did everything but ice skating,” said Torres.

At first her daughter hesitated to try it too, but after a few wobbly steps, two instructors swooped in and held her up as they circled around a frozen lake. “She learned she didn’t like it, but now you know, at least you tried it,” said Torres.

Torres said her daughter thought skiing was for “crazy people” until she tried it herself and found out she really liked it. Ski instructors held a training pole across the slope while the kids held on and skied. Jasmyn even boarded a moving ski lift inclining the mountain with the help of the camp’s therapeutic recreation specialist, and modified ski-lift chairs.

“They were flying down the mountain,” said Torres. “It was an awesome program and we had a lot of fun.”

They had so much fun that her daughter didn’t want to leave.

“The counselors were so great!” said Torres. She said they made sure the more severely handicapped kids did everything the other kids did too. They even pulled some of the kids on sleds if they couldn’t hike the mountain-trail.

While Jasmyn liked the snow tubing best, Torres was fondest of the dog-sledding adventure because of the interaction with the huskies.

But above all, it was the interaction with her daughter that topped her list.

Her daughter is already looking forward to attending next year’s camp. In the meantime, she and the other kids friended each other on Facebook, a way for them to enrich their newly made friendships, one of the camp’s goals.

Torres said she’s seen a change in her daughter. “It raised her confidence level and sense of adventure–helped her see that she can try things that she’s afraid of.” Torres highly recommends the camp to others.

She also felt that even though it was the first year running the camp that, “it was really well organized, but only a dozen kids attended,” said Torres who wants others to have the same positive experiences.

The program consists of four camps at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Highland Center in Bretton Woods, N.H., and is open to military teens ages 14-18 nationwide.

The goal: to enjoy classic winter sports and activities as they build friendships with other military teens.

Funding for Military Teen Adventure Camps has been made available through a partnership between the Department of Defense, Office of Military Community & Family Policy and the United States Department of Agriculture/National Institute of Food & Agriculture.

For information and updates on the 920th RQW follow them on Facebook or Twitter.

Future Air Force Chaplains get pararescue fit to fight

By Airman 1st Class Natasha Dowridge
920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Being an Airmen in a combat-search-and-rescue wing, there’s a high demand for physical, mental, moral and spiritual readiness at a moment’s notice.

The job demands persistent visits to the gym, while the mental, moral, and spiritual aspect may be harder to come by. To meet this need, Air Force Reserve Command spiritual leaders, known as chaplains, enter a rigorous journey to adequately minister to Reserve Airmen.

The path behind the crosses worn by chaplains led them to a weeklong visit here to learn about the 45th Space Wing and 920th Rescue Wing, August 8-12. This last stop on their 33-day sojourn proved to be the most enlightening as a cold wave of tragedy reigned over the hottest days of summer.

Guardian Angel Airmen from the 920th RQW preparing for an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan found themselves attending a memorial service for SEALs and fellow pararescuemen from another unit who were among the 30 Americans killed in action August 6. Along with the wing chaplains, future chaplains demonstrated their support by offering a spiritual hand upon their return.

To return the favor, the world’s most skilled rescue specialists shared their lifesaving skills with the chaplain candidates, allowing each to reciprocate what the other had to offer.

Among their many stops in and around Patrick AFB and nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the 32 chaplain candidates observed a live pararescue training event over the Banana River that showcased the strength and prowess it takes to save lives in combat. As the only Reserve CSAR unit in the nation, seeing the unique aspects of the 920th RQW was an impactful finale for their summer study.

The Air Force Chaplain Candidate Intensive Internship Program consists of 100 days of active duty service over two summers. Candidates use this time off from seminary school traveling between Air Force bases to soak up knowledge and learn how each mission affects its Airmen.

“The whole program is designed to help them (chaplain candidates) see if this is a ministry they feel called to do,” said Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Steven J. Nicolai, AFRC Headquarters chaplain candidate program manager. “It is meant to be a quick courtship between the candidates and the military to see if they like the military opportunities.”

This first year is a used to paint a mission-specific view of the Air Force while next year will offer more on-the- job training for the future chaplains. Since the program’s establishment four years ago, Patrick AFB has been an important stop.

“The candidates are very young and excitable,” said Nicolai.

Col. Christopher Hannon, commander of the 920th Operations Group, shared stories of the how daily training by 920th men and women are put to the test when they are deployed.

“I really believe the chaplain candidates were able to connect to the reality of what this wing does because we have people here who have been through it and share their stories,” said Chaplain (Maj.) Chaplain Matthew C. Simpson, 920th RQW chaplain.

By coming to the rescue wing, they receive hands-on experience and that’s what the candidates love to see,” said Nicolai. “They get a sense of the special settings that they may be called to minister.”

“It’s my hope with these chaplain candidates who experienced our unique mission in combat search and rescue (that) they will see the value of being a chaplain, not just in this context but to wherever they may be called,” said Simpson.

The unit’s peacetime mission is to provide search-and-rescue support for civilians at sea who are lost or in distress, and to assist in humanitarian and disaster-relief operations.

For more information about the 920th RQW, log on to the wing’s Web site: www.920rqw.afrc.af.mil or follow them on Facebook or Twitter.

Reservists save millions of dollars with a few steps

By Staff Sgt. Leslie Forshaw
920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Reservists from the 920th Rescue Wing Maintenance Group are charged with not only maintaining life-saving aircraft here, but also saving millions of dollars in equipment damage with a few simple steps.

Several times a week, as the sun rises over the Atlantic Ocean, which is about a stone’s throw away from the flightline, about 100 maintenance personnel line up on one side of the aircraft parking ramp. Spread out six football fields in width, they begin a human sweep for any debris or foreign objects across to the other side, about a football field-and-a-half away.

They search for and eliminate anything which could potentially be sucked into any one of the wing’s 15 aircraft engines or mechanical systems: six HC-130P/N King fixed-wing aircraft or nine HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters.

The Foreign Object Damage or Debris (FOD) and Dropped Object Prevention (DOP) Programs are an incredibly important part of the maintenance regime here — and often not thought of by the majority of Patrick Air Force Base personnel.

“These FOD walks are important to the safety of our aircraft,” said Master Sgt. Brian Ball, 920th Rescue Wing FOD/DOP Monitor. “We save millions of dollars in repairs by participating in this preventative maintenance.”

Before any vehicle can enter the flightline area, the driver must inspect the tires and undercarriage to make sure there are no damage-causing objects, said Sergeant Ball.

These objects can be anything that is potentially damaging to the aircraft or flight, such as rocks, food wrappers, sticks, and chunks of asphalt or cement.

This mandatory program here keeps people in check as they go about their daily work on the flight line. As a precaution before every flight, the crew chief will inspect the area around the aircraft for debris, and right before any landing the same procedure will be in effect.

Due to low manning, the maintenance squadron cannot be on the flight line every morning for FOD walks; instead, there is a motorized sweeper that is used in the interim.

The FOD walk isn’t just for the sticks and stones, but also holds the maintenance Airmen responsible for the tools and equipment they bring on the flight line, said Sergeant Ball.

“Every piece of equipment must be accounted for after working on an aircraft,” explains Sergeant Ball. “We describe it as a clean-as-you-go process.”

This program is so important that every incoming Reservist here is subjected to the training at the monthly “Newcomer’s Brief” that welcomes them, but also gives them a run-down of the 920th RQW and all the different programs and procedures here.

“We, maintenance and safety folks, don’t want it to turn into out-of-sight out-of-mind on the flight line,” said Tech. Sgt. Raymond McCaig, 920th RQW Ground Safety Manager. “Everyone is involved with this program.”

For more information on the 920th Rescue Wing, visit their http://www.920rqw.afrc.af.mil/index.asp website and like them on http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/920th-Rescue-Wing/142804449075083 Facebook and http://twitter.com/#!/920threscuewing Twitter.

ON BASE: Flying the fleet trains Airmen, brings pride
By Staff Sgt. Annamarie Wyant
920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — Airmen from the Air Force Reserve’s 920th Rescue Wing here stepped up to the challenge from their commander, Col. Robert Dunn, who had them launch the wing’s entire fleet of aircraft March 6 during their drill training weekend.

The mission simulated a mass hurricane evacuation prior to the start of Florida’s storm season, as well as the 920th RQW’s busy deployment schedules.

Three HC-130P/N King fixed-wing aircraft were launched at approximately 9 a.m. Immediately following their takeoff, Airmen launched six HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters.

Onlookers on the beach said the aircraft disappeared into the mist shortly after liftoff as there was a thick cloud cover and it rained off and on around the base when the planes took off.

Airmen flew the aircraft several miles out to sea where the Kings refueled the Pave Hawks, then the fleet returned to the coastline, flew south approximately 10 miles, then turned and flew north about the same distance north along Cocoa Beach, then back to PAFB.

Colonel Dunn said this was the first time the entire operational fleet was flown in more than 15 years and it was significant for 920th RQW Airmen for many reasons.

“To do something like this takes a lot of effort,” Colonel Dunn said. “These are old planes; to put one hundred percent of them in the air together is a major feat that required a lot of time, effort and coordination from everyone.

In addition to training for hurricane evacuation and natural disaster relief, Colonel Dunn said having the aircraft maintainers work together and see the fruits of their labor was a great morale booster for them.

“It’s good practice, and it’s motivational,” he said. “To see the (aircraft) maintainers out there watching all the planes and helicopters take off, and seeing the pride in their faces for what they’ve accomplished, makes it all worth it.”

The colonel said he knew this would require extensive work from all Airmen, but he believes the entire wing benefited from it. He said it was a great success, and he was proud of the hard work his Airmen did to make it happen.

“It couldn’t have been a better day,” he said. “There was a lot of pride out there.”

The maintainers started organizing the mission early to make sure everything would run smoothly. They began coordinating three months earlier with pilots and aircrew.

The wing has three additional HC-130s to the three that launched, but two are getting scheduled maintenance inspections at other locations, and one is at another location performing a temporary duty mission. The wing also has two additional helicopters, but they are also getting scheduled maintenance inspections off-site.

The primary mission of the 920th RQW is a combat-search-and-rescue. The unit is also tasked as the primary rescue force for NASA astronauts during lift off and local civilian search and rescue, as well as humanitarian relief. For more information on the 920th Rescue Wing, log onto their web site or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

ON BASE: Air Force Reserve Rescuers support historic launch
By Capt. Cathleen Snow
920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – The U.S. Air Force Reserve’s 920th Rescue Wing at nearby Patrick Air Force provided flawless rescue and Eastern Range support for NASA’s successful launch of the final scheduled flight of Space Shuttle Discovery on February 24. The launch occurred at 4:50 p.m. (EDT) from Space Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center.

A combined team of military, government civilians and contractors from across the 920th Rescue Wing and 45th Space Wing provided vital support to the STS-133 mission. The 920th RQW’s role was to patrol the Eastern Range ensuring the safety and security of mariners during lift off, and to serve as guardians to the astronauts if something were to go wrong during lift off.

The Air Force Rescuers have served as the primary rescue force supporting manned spaceflight since the early 90s, and have more than 400 rocket launches from Kennedy Space Center and CCAFS launches since that time.

STS-133 marks the 35th flight of a shuttle to the International Space Station. It’s commanded by Steve Lindsey, a retired Air Force colonel. Active Air Force Colonels Eric Boe and Alvin Drew are Pilot and Mission Specialist-1, respectively.

“As a proud group of Airmen called Guardians of the Astronauts, I congratulate my team for their role in this historic mission, and also the team as a whole for another successful launch supporting our nation’s manned-space program,” said Col. Robert Dun, 920th RQW Commander who piloted an HH-60G Pave Hawk from his wing’s fleet in support of rescue operations.

Discovery and her crew will deliver to the ISS the Permanent Multipurpose Module, critical spare components, the Express Logistics Carrier 4 and Robonaut 2, the first human-like robot in space. The mission will feature two spacewalks to do maintenance work and install new components.

Air Force pararescuemen have been called upon to serve as rescue response for astronauts since the beginning of manned spaceflight.

For more informatoin on the 920th Rescue Wing’s support for manned spaceflight and combat search and rescue endeavors, follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

Air Force Reservists featured in Smithsonian Channel Documentary for Heroics
By Capt. Cathleen Snow

920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla.  – Local Air Force Reserve Combat-Search-and Rescue (CSAR) Airmen, from the 920th Rescue Wing here, are featured for their heroics in a newly released documentary titled, “The Taliban Gambit,” which will be airing on the Smithsonian Channel through January.

Deep in the mountains of Afghanistan, nearing the end of their overseas deployment in June 2005, Airmen from the 920th RQW at PAFB were called upon to find and rescue a Navy SEAL who was the sole survivor of the largest loss of life in the Special Forces community since
the Vietnam war.

“Nothing prepared me that day for what I saw under my night vision goggles on that mountain side in Afghanistan… the world outside my rotor tips came to a complete stop as our PJs (pararescuemen) met with the Navy SEAL and took the time to painstakingly pin the American flag on the body bag of the fallen member we were sent to recover,” said Lt. Col. Kurt Matthews, HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter pilot and 308th Rescue Squadron Commander here.

“It didn’t matter that the Marines were shelling the next valley over, or that the A-10s were striking targets on our route as we came in and out of the landing zone; all that mattered was the proper respect be paid for our brother-in-arms,” Lt. Colonel Matthews remembers.

Although U.S. forces were unsure at the time if any of the SEALs had survived the conflict, their mission was to fly their Pave Hawk helicopters into some of the most inhospitable territory in the world to find out.

In the “Taliban Gambit” you’ll witness this heroic search and rescue, where reservists showed the world, and themselves, what they’re capable of when duty calls. Not only did the Airmen find and pull out the only survivor of the ordeal, Petty Officer Marcus Luttrell, but to keep with the U.S.’s policy to leave no service member behind, they went back in to the hostile region, to recover the bodies of his three fallen team mates.

Several years later, the rescued Navy SEAL found his account of the ordeal on the New York Times bestseller list in a book he penned after being medically discharged from the service.

Titled, “Lone Survivor, the Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10,” where the book ends the documentary begins. “Taliban Gambit” reveals for the first time, the details of this harrowing rescue told by Airmen — a mixture of HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter aviators and pararescuemen.

The rest of the Airmen featured in the documentary are scattered about the U.S. and a handful still serve here with the 920th RQW.

The Smithsonian Channel airings of the “Taliban Gambit” are: 1/3: 10 a.m.; 1/5-6: 7 p.m. and 2 a.m.; 1/9-10: 4 p.m. and 5 a.m.; 1/24: 8 a.m. and 11 p.m.; 1/31: 10 a.m.

For more information on the 920th RQW, log onto: Facebook/920th Rescue Wing or visit their web site at www.920rqw.afrc.af.mil.

A Veteran’s Day story: Hell’s Guest campaigns for remembrance

By Staff Sgt. Leslie Kraushaar

920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

While pundits all over the nation recently ended frenzied campaigns in races for political office, one man continues at a slow but steady pace on his campaign for America. One that’s taken years, which he hopes will never end.

His campaign: remembrance.

“I came here to talk about what happened to me and to make it real; to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” explained Colonel Glenn D. Frazier (Ret.), an American Prisoner of War and Bataan Death March survivor from April 9, 1942 to September 4, 1945.

At 87, the stoic colonel filled out his Army service dress well. While his white hair contrasted his uniform’s deep green color, a rack of military medals dangled like weights, pulling down slightly to the right side of his chest, clanging softly when he moved. Among them were: the Medal of Freedom, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and more, coloring his chest with many acts of heroism.

He was awarded four purple hearts in all, but today he would reward Reserve Airmen of the 920th Rescue Wing here with his story. The survivor’s gray eyelashes framed his watery blue eyes that were as vivid as his memories.

“At my age, I’m in a campaign to pay back my country and the people in the service; they need to know what happened to us in Bataan so it will never, ever happen again,” said Colonel Frazier.

The Bataan Death March took place in the Philippines in 1942. After a three-month battle at the start of World War II, about 80,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war were captured by the Japanese. The Japanese commanding officer, General Masaharu Homma, found he had too many prisoners to transport by rail, so he ordered the forced march of the already starving and disease-ridden men to his prison camp.

The 60-mile trek would be like walking from here to Orlando in the middle of a sweltering August with no food, water or sleep for 6 days. Death surrounded the men as they stepped over the bodies of those who were beheaded for falling. The colonel witnessed his captors shoot and cut the throats of fellow marchers. Some were stabbed with bayonets, and all endured rifle-butt beatings.

Out of about 80,000 prisoners, there were 67,000 Filipino, 1,000 Chinese-Filipinos and 11,796 Americans. Only 54,000 made it to the final camp, Camp O’Donnell.

General Homma was eventually found guilty and executed for the atrocities of the death march out of Bataan and the gruesome events at Camp O’Donnell at a war crimes trial.

The brutality and horror the men faced is beyond explanation; but as a survivor, Colonel Frazier makes it his mission to keep the memories and history alive so that this generation and those to come can learn from his ordeal.

Paying back his country and fellow Americans with information and knowledge is foremost on Colonel Frazier’s mind as he sits daily next to a decommissioned battleship, now a museum, in Mobile Bay, the USS Alabama in Alabama, to dedicate and sign a book he authored, “Hell’s Guest,” which details the horrific events. He himself is a live museum retelling these events to visitors who stop.

This daily ritual was how Capt. Jason Goetz, 301st Rescue Squadron helicopter pilot, found him, on a family vacation to the USS Alabama.

“I was inspired by his words and book so I invited him to speak to fellow Reservists here during their drill training weekend,” said Capt. Goetz.

With the numbers of survivors of the Second World War dwindling at a rate of 1,000 a day, according to U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs estimates, Colonel Frazier is a representative of America and her survivors of war.

“We have to remember how special this country is and what we have to remember it by,” said Capt. Goetz. “Colonel Frazier puts it all in perspective.”

Recently, Colonel Frazier was asked to speak at the U.S. Army Base of Ft. Benning, Ga. on the topic of suicide, which has been hitting all military branches harder than war these days.

“Your relationship with your fellow soldiers is so vitally important,” Colonel Frazier explained. “You must make friends with those around you; you’ll never know when you’ll need them.”

Today’s service members struggle with feelings and emotions not unfamiliar to the colonel as seen in recent rising rates of suicide released by all the services.

“It’s hatred that kills us,” he said. “I came home with hatred in my heart and it took 30 years for me to forgive — I prided myself in that hatred.”

“Once I got rid of that hate, I never had another nightmare, another day that I felt sick or another moment of regret,” said the Colonel.

This is one of the many lessons he passes on to fellow service members suffering from wartime stress.

With books being sold daily (one or more books in 95 different countries), appearances on “Larry King Live” and a Public Broadcasting System’s documentary, “The War,” Colonel Frazier reaches thousands with his words.

“It’s my country. It’s our country,” he said.

For more information and updates on the 920th Rescue Wing, follow them on Facebook.

ON BASE

By Staff Sgt. Leslie Kraushaar
920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

Same Job, Many Skills

Rescue Reservists from the Air Force Reserve’s 920th Rescue Wing here at Patrick Air Force Base have a new campaign to showcase their life-saving skills for two upcoming Air Force events: Air Force Week, October 26-29, and the Cocoa Beach Air Show, October 30-31, 2010.

The information campaign is kicking off the start of these festivities with the production of printed recruiting materials showing one of the many unique careers offered in the Reserve, the pararescuemen, or PJs, and the multitude of skills necessary to perform their job as rescue specialists.

Air Force week is dedicated to showcasing Airmen who make up the Air Force family. Rescue Wing Airmen will demonstrate their water rescue techniques as they fly their HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters and HC-130P/N Kings front-and-center during several scheduled events throughout the weekend of October 26-31.

As shown on the flyer (found at the 920th RQW’s website: www.920rqw.afrc.af.mil), four different PJs are outfitted in completely different gear to show the multitude of skills they have to perform rescues. In one scenario they could be climbing a mountain to rescue a missing hiker, and in a very different scenario they could be free-falling from the back of a C-130 to get to someone who needs help at sea.

PJs go through extensive training to get and maintain their many qualifications. Each PJ is an expert SCUBA diver, mountaineer, marksman and parachutist.; not to mention their main job — to save lives. Throughout their careers they must obtain and maintain emergency medical/paramedic qualifications.

The 920th RQW is an Air Force Reserve Command combat search and rescue unit with two geographically separated units, one at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., and the other at Portland International Airport, Ore. All three units have Reserve PJs assigned who not only serve as Citizen Airmen but also hold civilian jobs in their communities.

This is one of many of the careers offered in the Air Force Reserve.

For more information on the 920th RQW, Air Force Week and/or the Cocoa Beach Air Show, contact the 920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs Office at (321) 494-0536 or log onto: www.920rqw.afrc.af.mil. Find them on Facebook at: facebook.com/920th Rescue Wing (Government Organization).

ON BASE
By Staff Sgt. Leslie Kraushaar
920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

Local heroes share their rescue adventures on Facebook

The Air Force Reserve Combat search and rescue Airmen are used to going to work in the most extreme conditions. Now you can be a part of the action by joining their new Facebook site.

In addition to rescuing downed pilots and other Special Forces troops in war zones, their day at the office looks very different than what most of us do.

During a typical day at the 920th Rescue Wing on Patrick Air Force Base, Rescue Airmen could be called to help search for a missing boater lost at sea during a tropical storm or they may go farther, like to the top of a mountain, to rescue a hiker caught in snowstorm.

The 920th Rescue Wing is also the world’s premier rescue unit that serves as guardians of the astronauts. Rescue Reserve Airmen are charged with watching over NASA astronauts during all space shuttle launches and returns. They also keep watch over the Atlantic Ocean during all Space Coast rocket missions to keep everyone safe.

“These things we do, that others may live,” defines the daily work ethic of the Reserve Rescue Wing Airmen.

If you haven’t been properly introduced, the 920th Rescue Wing is an Air Force Reserve Command combat-search-and-rescue unit headquartered in Cocoa Beach. The wing is the only Air Force Reserve Rescue unit in the world and operates three very different weapons systems out of three very different locations.

If you aren’t impressed yet, read on, but before you do, help us share our story by becoming a member of our Facebook page.

While several 920th Rescue Wing Facebook pages exist, there’s only one official page and the world’s premier rescue wing wants to share their adventures with you. All you have to do is log on and find the official site — www.920rqw.afrc.mil — and click the “Like this” tab: Facebook/920th Rescue Wing (Government Organization).

LOCATIONS:

Although Headquartered at Patrick Air Force Base in Cocoa Beach, Fla., the wing is spread out over the country. They have sites in Tucson, Ariz. and Portland, Ore. Each location allows them to take advantage of the diverse terrain and exercise their rescue skills. It also puts them close to harm’s way. No matter where in the country, or the world, they have the skills that save lives.

By being a member of their new Facebook site you will get a look behind the scenes of these thrilling events.

WEAPONS SYSTEMS:

Guardian Angels — The Guardian Angels’ Weapon System (GAWS) are a team of rescue specialists. They are the Air Force’s and the military’s most elite special force (If you don’t believe us, read on).

HH-60G Pave Hawk — To get the job done, Airmen fly the Air Force’s version of the Army’s Blackhawk — a souped-up HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter that drips with extraordinary electronics that provide special combat rescue capabilities.

HC-130 Hercules — Supercharged C-130s — HC-130 P/N are extended-range Hercules aircraft configured for air-to-air refueling of the Pave Hawk helicopters that extend the range of any rescue at sea. Not to mention that they also serve as a stand-alone search platform proving more visibility on some of the most difficult search-and-rescue scenarios.

To access this page search Facebook/920th Rescue Wing (Government). Upon accessing this page, you will find recent search and rescue exercises, missions, deployments and upcoming events involving the 920th RQW.

One of the events that you’ll be kept up-to-date on is the upcoming Air Force Week and Cocoa Beach Air Show, both of which feature the 920th Rescue Wing and its people. The Air Force Week is scheduled for October 26-29, 2010 and the Cocoa Beach Air Show is set for October 30-31, 2010.

The 920th is responsible for a demanding and compelling array of missions, and the men and women who serve here must maintain a high level of proficiency and be ready to deploy at moment’s notice.

For more information, visit the 920th Rescue Wing’s web page: www.920rqw.afrc.mil

Florida Guardian Angels return from saving lives in Afghanistan
• Staff Sgt. Leslie Kraushaar •
920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

As the sun shone brightly and the Banana River glistened next to 920th Rescue Wing’s pararescue squadron here at Patrick Air Force Base, a small, intimate group of families waited anxiously as the white bus pulled into the parking lot on May 5, 2010.

It had been quiet around the Guardian Angel’s squadron the last four months, with personnel who make up the Guardian Angel Weapons System (or GAWS) and support personnel deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

GAWS is made up of survival, evasion, resistance and escape specialists, pararescuemen called PJs, and combat rescue officers (or CROs) to provide a life saving force to the forces.

The deployment, which has been a yearly event for the GAWS, began in January and was completed May.

While deployed, they saved many lives of both service members and Afghani nationals. One particular event took them high up in the mountains of the Helmand Province, more specifically, the Salang Pass, at an elevation of approximately 11,500 feet.

The Guardian Angel Team used their diverse rescue skills to treat and evacuate survivors of multiple avalanches that occurred in this major mountain pass, which connects northern Afghanistan to the Kabul province.

More than 1,500 Afghans were stranded on Salang Pass in frigid weather — raging winds and minus-40 degree air, not to mention mounds of snow.

After 12 flights in a seven-hour period, the guardian angels were able to assist more than 300 people.

Not only were the GAWA able to assist the local citizens but they were also tasked to help fellow Airmen and Soldiers.

“We always have good missions — we’re rescue — we’re there to help people,” said Master Sgt. Mike Maroney, Air Force Reserve PJ here who was deployed with the GAWs team for the last two months.

Although helping others is a calling for PJs, it is nice to be able to come home to loved ones at the end, he said.

While waiting for her dad to get off the bus, Lola Hufnagel, 3, holds a small American flag to give to pararescueman Tech. Sgt. Wes Hufnagel.

“We are very happy and excited to have him back,” said Ms. Sheri Hufnagel, Sergeant Hufnagel’s wife.

Helping others is engrained in the pararescuemen through their training, history and motto, “These things we do, that others may live.”

Air Force Reserve Combat-Search-and-Rescue Wing holds change-of-command
• Staff Sgt. Leslie Kraushaar •

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, FL – Colonel Robert Dunn will assume command of the 920th Rescue Wing on May 2 after a change-of-command ceremony at Patrick Air Force Base at 10 a.m.

Colonel Dunn will replace Colonel Steven “Wall Street” Kirkpatrick who served as commander of the 920th Rescue Wing from March 2006 to May 2009. Colonel Kirkpatrick will be assigned as the Senior Air Force Reserve Advisor to the U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base, FL.

Colonel Dunn is currently the Commander of the 943rd Rescue Group, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., which is a geographically separated unit of the 920th RQW.

He received his commission through Reserve Officer Training Corps from Kent State University, Ohio, in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering Technology. He spent 10 years on active duty as a pilot. He entered the Air Force Reserve in 1990 and has since seen worldwide duty in Air Force Systems Command, Pacific Air Forces, Tactical Air Command, Air Combat Command, Air Force Special Operations Command and Headquarters Tenth Air Force as a unit training officer, instructor pilot, flight examiner, flight commander, operations officer and director of safety.

Colonel Dunn is a command pilot with more than 5,500 hours in the T-37, T-38A/B, A-10A, UH-1H, HH-3E and HH-60G.

As the 920th RQW Commander, Colonel Dunn will provide leadership, management and supervision and will be responsible for the organization, training and equipping of the wing.

The 920th RQW is the only combat-search-and-rescue wing in the Air Force Reserve Command. It’s comprised of 1,500 dedicated Citizen Airmen and is the most called-upon unit in the Air Force Reserve. The 920th routinely averages 50-200 service members deployed in support of overseas contingency operations.

The wing’s assets include a fleet of 15 HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters and six HC-130P/N Hercules extended-range aircraft to employ wing pararescuemen to perform a demanding and compelling array of life-saving combat-search-and-rescue missions.

For more information about the 920th RQW log on to the wing’s Web site: www.920rqw.afrc.af.mil.

Reserve rescue riggers pack 67-year-old piece of history with a little help from YouTube
By Staff Sgt. Leslie Kraushaar, 920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

“No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation,” General Douglas MacArthur famously said.

Unfold the journey of how a 67-year-old Japanese silk parachute from World War II made its way to a Florida Veteran’s Memorial Center where it’s on display, and you’ll see a detour at the Air Force Reserve Command’s 920th Rescue Wing here.

Preservation and a quick history lesson was in store for the 920th RQW aircrew flight equipment technicians (or parachute riggers) when they received the old parachute with the request to repack it in its original casing. While completely adept at packing the modern day parachutes for the 920th Rescue Wing Pararescuemen (PJs), this was a definite change of pace for the crew.

Mr. Mel Mueller, of the Brevard Veterans Council and Veterans Memorial Center, brought the silk parachute to the professionals to re-pack it for display at the museum.

“During my Air Force career I spent three years in the rescue service, [...] so I was familiar with the rescue folks and knew of their capabilities,” he explained.

So, with this knowledge in hand, Mr. Mueller made the trek to Patrick Air Force Base to drop off the parachute — which, at this point, was in a plastic garbage bag.

This particular parachute was donated to the museum by a woman whose husband, a retired Air Force fighter pilot, recently passed away. His wish for his possessions, according to Alexander Terrero, Brevard Veterans Council and Veterans Memorial Center, was to keep them preserved and with the military in some fashion.

“I’ve never seen a silk parachute,” Mr. Terrero said. “It’s like History Channel stuff!”

Although the Air Crew Flight Equipment Technicians are thoroughly knowledgeable in all things parachute, it took some research, a little YouTube viewing and good old-fashioned elbow grease to get the parachute in its original bag.

Senior Airmen Jarrod Burgess, aircrew flight equipment apprentice, intrigued by the parachute and its history, did a little investigating on his own to find the correct way to pack the parachute — and it came in the form of a six-minute video, in Japanese, on YouTube.

“I just looked it up on YouTube. Once I saw how it worked and how it opened, I was able to see the signature way of packing it,” he explained. SrA Burgess also looked at the way the Japanese parachute jumpers wore the parachute when they deployed from the aircraft. All of these factors helped in finding the perfect packing method.

There were major differences though, and these differences were what made this process so interesting.

This particular parachute was the main parachute used by the Japanese fighters during WWII, and was worn on the chest, unlike the main back-worn parachutes in current use. Airman Burgess was also surprised at how small this parachute was in contrast to those used by PJs today. Tech. Sgt. Juan Duharte, 920th RQW aircrew flight equipment supervisor, was amazed not only at the difference, but, surprisingly, the similarities. “While packing this parachute, we used pretty much the same system we use today,” he said. Sergeant Duharte also noticed that the stitching and some of the knots were exactly the same as those used now. “It’s very similar to the chest reserve parachutes we use today,” he said.

As the 920th riggers exchanged their stories and histories with the group from the Veterans Memorial Center, it was clear that while years go by the code of service remains the same. The same acronyms, deployments, pride in serving America and the same career stories. There is much more in common with the two groups — bonded over the packing of a parachute that represented an entire American era — than not.

“Don’t quit.”

That’s the motto here for the pre-Indoctrination Course Air Force Reserve Pararescuemen (PJs) and Combat Rescue Officers (CROs) at the 920th Rescue Wing Patrick Air Force Base, FL. In fact, that statement will follow these men throughout their two-year training program — the Pipeline as they call it.

The Physical Ability and Stamina Test (P.A.S.T) is administered the first Wednesday of every month for wanna-be PJs and CROs. These men come from all over the U.S. to try out for the program. Tech. Sgt. Patrick Dunne, an Air Force Reserve 920th PJ and test administrator, is the gateway to the Pipeline — pass his test and there’s a good chance you’ll be passing INDOC. “I think this is one of the most important steps in the journey,” Dunne said. He went through the P.A.S.T test here in 2002 after a nine-year break in service after getting out of the U.S. Marine Corps as Force Recon. The tragic events of September 11, 2001 drew Dunne back into the service, this time as a PJ.

Capt. Dan Turpin, a CRO candidate, was in the Army Rangers for four years prior to coming into the Air Force Reserves. He came in specifically for the PJ program — a far cry from his job in the Army where his primary mission was much different than Combat Rescue. His interest in the PJ program was sparked when PJs came to the rescue of an Afghanistan national during his Army deployment. “I want to be a part of something so much more rewarding […] to help people,” he said. The test is hard, but not as hard as the training to come, so if a person can’t stand up to this test — there is no way he’ll be sent to INDOC.

With a 95% drop-out rate for the INDOC course, it’s no wonder recruitment is down. “I think the biggest problem is that these young guys don’t think the process is as tough as what it actually is. A lot of times in society today people are allowed to pass based on effort. This program is not that way. This job demands a certain level of mental and physical toughness and you have to meet the standard,” explains Tolson. The physical part of the test is timed pull-ups, sit-ups, push-ups, and flutter kicks. After the calisthenics is a three-mile run with a 22-minute limit, with the trainees hitting the 1.5 mile mark in under 10:45. Then comes the hardest part for most — the pool work.

“The pool work we do is the hardest in the Department of Defense, and this is quoting someone who went to the Navy SEAL training,” says Dunne. The pool work starts with 15 minutes of 25-meter underwater swim, then a 30-minute time limit on a 1,500 meter swim.
If there are no new recruits in for the testing, the trainees waiting to go to INDOC still come in once a month and do the P.A.S.T test. It’s here that Dunne shows the soon-to-be INDOC participants a little taste of what is to come — and he’s not easy on them.

His reasoning for the no-nonsense treatment? “There are no guarantees in the Pipeline,” says Dunne. With guys being cut during the last week of the INDOC program, to failing the academic challenges of the Paramedic Program, the 18-month process of becoming the elite Pararescueman is riddled with challenges. Capt. Turpin is one of four men scheduled for INDOC training the beginning of January 2010. They all passed the P.A.S.T testing process and are on to the Pipeline. With only 350 Air Force Reserve PJs in service, it is vital that the best-of-the-best get to the initial INDOC training and push through the rest.

This is a serious job. PJs primary function is as a personnel recovery specialist, with emergency medical capabilities in humanitarian and combat environments. They deploy in any available manner, to include air-land-sea tactics, into restricted environments to authenticate, extract, treat, stabilize and evacuate injured personnel, while acting in an enemy-evading, recovery role. Not only are they Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) trained, they also are the most highly trained emergency trauma specialists in the U.S. military.
All of these skills combined enable the PJs to perform life-saving missions in the world’s most remote areas — and they do just that.

Now, with the support of the Guardian Angel Weapons System (GAWS), the U.S. Air Force Reserve is looking for new blood. The GAWS is intended to meet the need for recovery of personnel (in combat or otherwise) to include all U.S. military members, DOD contractors and civilians serving overseas. Its mission calls for expertise in all five stages of the personnel recovery life cycle — report, locate, support, recover and reintegrate isolated persons. PJ Airmen, part of GAWS, provide the capability to execute each of the personnel recovery tasks with only a fraction of the manpower, saving time, money and lives.

These men, with the motto, “These things we do, that others may live,” reaffirms the PJs commitment to saving lives and self-sacrifice. The school is not easy, but neither is saving lives — may the best apply and pass.

For more information or to apply for the P.A.S.T process — please call or email Master Sgt. Eric Tolson: Eric.Tolson@patrick.af.mil or 321-494-1962.

Col. Hannon replaced Col. Jeffrey L. Macrander, who served as Operations Group commander from October 2005 to October 2009. Col. Macrander has taken the position of Chief, Global Power Panel at Air Force Reserve Headquarters, Robins Air Force Base, GA, and is the single point of contact for all issues concerning combat forces.

Col. Hannon comes from 10th Air Force, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, Fort Worth, Texas, as the director of training. He graduated from Washington State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology and Public Health. He then entered Undergraduate Pilot Training-Helicopter at Fort Rucker, AL, in 1984.

He served as the squadron commander of the 301st Rescue Squadron here from March 2005 to August 2008, where he commanded worldwide helicopter rescue and recovery operations. He has logged more than 5,400 hours as a command pilot, including deployments in support of Operations Northern Watch, Southern Watch, and with combat time in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

The 920th Operations Group is dedicated to combat search and rescue and is responsible for the overall combat training and readiness of nearly 300 aircrew, pararescue specialists, and support personnel, employing HH-60G Pave Hawk Helicopters and specially modified HC-130P/N Hercules aircraft.

Col. Robert S. Lipira served as interim Operations Group Commander from October 2009 through November 2009.

The 920th Rescue Wing here was one of the main performances that drew a huge crowd of enthralled onlookers. From start to finish, the crews of the HC-130 Hercules fixed-wing aircraft (also called King), and HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters (also called Jolly), amazed and delighted the crowd on the beach and pier.

While the purpose of this demonstration was to show the 920th Rescue Wing’s maritime operations as well as the past, present and future support of NASA’s manned spaceflights, the Air Force Reserve Pararescuemen (PJs) and the aerial prowess of the pilots and crews of the King and Jollies stole the show.

The crowd was given the V.I.P treatment — the PJs at their best. From a parachute free-fall from the King to jumping out of the Jollies into the Ocean, the PJs put on a very educational and fun show of their skills. They then topped it off by swimming onto the beach and through the crowd for photos, autographs and plenty of congratulatory words from the public.

Ms. Janelle Jones, of Cocoa Beach, came to the air show specifically for the Pararescuemen event with her children. The climbing of the rope ladder from the ocean to the Jolly was, by far, the most impressive, she said. The courage and strength of those guys are amazing!” Ms. Jones said. “It gives me goose bumps.”

Melbourne resident Mr. John Krause had the same sentiments. “The rope ladder climb was amazing,” he said. “I can’t imagine the brute strength needed to do that; they only used their arms,” he added. Mr. Krause also mentioned that he and another onlooker were commenting on the way the PJs jumped from the Jolly, ”It was pure and simple Hollywood,” he said. “Although the re-fueling demonstration was really, really neat to see.”

Colonel Philip Manning, Vice Commander of the 920th Rescue Wing, said, “This show is a prime example of the 920th’s dedication and resolve. This was a great training exercise for us. The community support and turn-out was great.”

The producers of the Cocoa Beach Air Show are already talking about next year’s event – and next year the 920th Rescue Wing will be out there showing the community their hard-earned skills.

Visit us the 920th online at: http://www.920rqw.afrc.af.mil/

By Bryan Ripple
DEOMI Public Affairs Officer

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — One truly unique agency within the Department of Defense is the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, more commonly referred to as DEOMI. The DEOMI campus is housed in a beautiful Florida/Mediterranean-style structure located along the beautiful Banana River on Patrick Air Force Base.

Located on Patrick in several older structures since 1971, DEOMI marked its fifth year of occupancy in its new campus in January 2009. The event provided a good opportunity to take a look back at the history of the Institute and remember why it’s so critical to mission success today for the nation’s military commanders.

With a single snip of a pair of scissors, Dr. David S. Chu, then Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, was joined by several high-ranking military and civilian leaders as they easily cut a ceremonial dedication ribbon, symbolizing the opening of the new home of the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute here.

During the ceremony, Dr. Chu commented on the factors that led to DEOMI’s emergence more than three decades ago.
“Years ago, our military was deeply troubled with racial unrest and turmoil plagued several military installations and ships. None of the military services was exempt,” said Dr. Chu, who reached the rank of Captain when he left the Army in 1970.
“In some cases, these civil disturbances directly interfered with the military’s ability to execute its mission and fight effectively,” he said.

To counteract these disturbances, an inter-service task force was formed to examine the causes — and more importantly — to find possible solutions for the racial strife within the Services.

Air Force Maj. Gen. Lucius Theus (then Colonel Theus) was chosen to head the task force, which resulted in the publication of Department of Defense Directive 1322.11, establishing the Defense Race Relations Board, and in 1971, created the Defense Race Relations Institute, the original name for DEOMI, which was renamed DEOMI in July 1979, with an expanded mission to consider areas of equity beyond race.

Since that first seven-week course, the Institute has continuously expanded to meet the needs of field commanders and agency heads. As a result, DEOMI now addresses a wide array of issues, including disability, diversity, sexism, extremism, religious accommodations, and anti-Semitism.

“The change in scenery and upgrading of our facilities is a very good thing, but what hasn’t changed, and what will never change as long as there is a need for DEOMI, is our focus on mission readiness — and on the indisputable fact than an effective and fair equal opportunity program is a real force multiplier,” said Dr. William T. Yates II, DEOMI Dean of Education.

DEOMI is a proud neighbor in the community. Many staff and faculty members live in the area and together with about 3,000 students who receive training here each year contribute to the local economy.
For more about DEOMI, visit us on the Web at www.deomi.org.

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, FL — Every time a rocket pierces through the sky into space from Cape Canaveral’s spaceport, Air Force Reservists from the 920th Rescue Wing here are on the go to support it.

Mounted aboard a Herculean Delta IV rocket, the new national weather satellite took off Saturday, June 27 at 6:51 p.m. EDT after a loading its fuel during a severe storm. Air Force Reservists from the 920th Rescue Wing here weathered the storm while patrolling for public safety in two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters — warning any mariners from slipping into the danger zone.

Winds gusting at 26 knots along with nearby lightning strikes were reported nearby. Ultimately, the storm cleared in time for United Launch Alliance rocket to part the skies with a fiery blast. Rescue Reservists remained airborne close by to ensure safety on the Eastern Range off Florida’s Space Coast.

The satellites provide a primary means of tracking tropical systems, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who owns and operates them. The spacecraft will also provide most of the satellite images seen throughout the nation on television weathercasts.

“The 920th’s space support mission showcases why the 920th Rescue Wing is the world’s premiere rescue unit,” said Wing Commander, Col. Steve Kirkpatrick. ”We are proud play a vital role supporting the 45th Space Wing and the entire space community.”

Several other units across the 920th Rescue Wing also provided support, including aircraft maintenance and life support. The Reservists must be ready each time a launch is scheduled. Many storms off Florida’s coast morph into more severe weather systems threatening populated areas along the eastern seaboard and the Gulf of Mexico. But upgrades to the GOES satellites have enabled NOAA and its National Weather Service to provide early warnings so people can take action in advance of the onset of severe weather.

GOES-O is also designed with links that include a search-and-rescue capability to detect distress signals from maritime vessels and aircraft. The added capability will allow emergency responders, like Air Force Northern Command’s Air Force Rescue Recovery Center, to obtain accurate, real-time information quickly enabling them to deploy appropriate resources, like the 920th, to save lives.

To date, Rescue Reservists have supported more than 400 launches alongside their active-duty counterparts, but that’s just a portion of what these Citizen Airmen are trained for.

“They are a Rescue force to be reckoned with,” said Col. Kirkpatrick who deployed to the Gulf region September 12, 2008 with 50 of Brevard County Rescue Reservists as part of a joint search and rescue unit at Randolph AFB in south Texas. Col. Kirkpatrick was tasked to command more than 800 joint-forces personnel staging there with approximately 20 Air Force and Navy HH-60 helicopters and four HC-130s. In all, they rescued 17 people, three Chihuahuas and two cats.

“Our SAR crews endure specialized training to conduct humanitarian and combat search and rescues,” said Colonel Kirkpatrick. “We always hope there won’t be a need for it. But when there is, we’ll do it — and we’ll do it well.”

The 920th RQW is an Air Force Reserve combat search and rescue unit which performs more than 20% of the Air Force’s CSAR mission at only 4% of the total budget. The Wing is comprised of 1,500 Airmen and flies both fixed and rotor wing aircraft: the HC-130P/N extended-range Hercules and the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter.

A mere six days after Air Force Reservist Lt. Colonel D. Brent Baysinger took command of the 301st Rescue Squadron, he and his team of Airmen were deployed to Afghanistan as part of an Air Combat Command mobilization of an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter aircrew, maintainers and support personnel.

The 301st, which originated in 1956, is now part of the 920th Rescue Wing based at Patrick Air Force Base and has saved countless lives since their deployment to the remote, mountainous region in late March. The 920th is the Air Force Reserve Command’s premiere combat search and rescue unit and trains and equips over 1,200 rescue Airmen. The Wing’s mission is to employ highly-trained aircrew and elite pararescuemen to locate and recover Armed Forces personnel during military operations.

We spoke with Col. Baysinger about his experiences in Afghanistan rescuing wounded soldiers and civilians — and trying to fly without the aid of adequate light…

What do you like best about living beachside?
My wife is from Minnesota and I spent five winters in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Because of this, we’re both pretty much done with long, cold winters! The weather here is fantastic year round and the variety of things to do makes it a great place to raise a family.

How did you first get involved with the 920th? How many years have you been with them?
I was offered a job by FedEx November of 2001, but at that time we were involved in a little dispute over the skies of Kosovo and the Air Force was not letting anybody leave active duty. They were, however, letting folks leave if they were going to a National Guard/Reserve assignment. While supporting the Air and Sea Spectacular Air show in Daytona Beach, I ran into a buddy who was flying for the 920th and told him my tale of woe. He informed me that the 920th was looking for pilots and that I should come to the drill training that weekend in July to interview. The interview went well, I was hired into the Air Force Reserve’s 920th Rescue Wing, the Air Force released me and I started working with them on November 16, 2002. (I was also hired at FedEx in my civilian job August 2002 and had to complete training with them before coming on board as a Reservist with the 920th, hence the seemingly long timeline).

When did you deploy to Afghanistan, and when did you return?
I’ve actually deployed there twice — March of ’07 and later in ’08. We left on the most recent deployment August 24 after being delayed several days by Tropical Storm Fay. Although the storm delays caused some logistical headaches, it was a positive thing for most to get to spend some extra time at home with the family before deploying and also eliminating the worry of being on the road while their families were weathering the storm. Despite the three-day delay for departure, the squadron assumed alert as scheduled on August 29th, a testament to the can-do attitude of both the maintainers who unpacked the helicopters and got them ready in short order and the operators who performed all of their change-over duties in record time. The return trip was, luckily, far less dramatic. We left Kandahar January 4th as scheduled, but had a 24-hour delay in Germany because there was no crew to fly the C-17 aircraft to the States. Although everyone was eager to get home, we managed to find something to do to kill the time! The next day, the same crew who flew us from Afghanistan would be taking us home. Upon arriving back to Patrick, we managed to talk the crew into shaving more time off the schedule by landing on the short runway at Patrick (the long one was closed) rather than landing at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Apparently the social hours we had spent with them in Germany were time well spent!

What was the first thing you did when you got back?
Went to bed and slept — for a long time.

What did you miss most while there?
The good news (for us) was that we were busy enough while we were there that we didn’t have a lot of time to think about what we didn’t have. In addition, the Air Force has made significant strides in ensuring that there are plenty of phone lines and morale computers to allow people opportunities to communicate with family. It’s not quite the same as being there on Christmas morning to open presents, but the Army folks who we worked with daily had already been there 8 months before when we arrived, which helped us keep things in perspective, as did seeing the condition of the people we were picking up.

Describe a typical day for an 920th Airman in Afghanistan.
Everybody had their own piece of the puzzle, so it’s difficult to describe a “typical” day. We were very thinly staffed for aircrew, so each aircrew member was either on a 12-hour alert duty; in crew rest for their 12-hour alert duty; or sitting around the clock alert at a forward deployed location. We did have a “backup crew” so that if someone got sick, we would have the capability to substitute bodies, but that crew was often called in to duty at times when the Army was unable to provide an escort for us. There was a daily alert briefing where we would give the weather, intelligence updates, maintenance updates on the helicopters (i.e. which bird was on alert) and any other information that needed to be gotten out. While on alert, the crew was required to remain in the building (except for short trips for meals or quick trips to the Base Exchange) and everyone was on a beeper in case there was a mass casualty and we had to launch multiple helicopters. Or, in case there was a rocket attack on the base and we had to provide accountability for our members (we got very good at that by the end since we had a lot of rocket attacks). We did have a sleep room so that the “night crew” could sleep in the building to reduce the response times. All other specialties maintained a 24/7 presence in the building as well, despite often only having two people deployed for that specialty (i.e. life support, flight management, intelligence). Never underestimate the creativity of aircrew members restricted to a confined space, however. There was a “media room” where a computer connected to an overhead projector could be turned into a makeshift movie projector, and the “war room” where eight laptops were networked together and multiple “scenarios” were played out…daily. The maintenance side was very similar, although their workload was driven by how often we broke the helicopters! They did an amazing job, considering the harsh environment, and I don’t think we ever missed a launch due to maintenance.

Tell us about some of the people you helped there?
In addition to airlifting U.S. Servicemembers, we airlifted Coalition Forces, Afghani Nationals and children — as well as working dogs. One of the children we helped out was a young girl named Satara. She was 7 or 8 years old and is one of ten in her family. Approximately three years ago, she stumbled into a still hot tandoor (an outdoor oven that has a wide opening) and burned both feet. She ended up missing two toes on her right foot from the accident and had her big toe on her left foot burned, and the way the local medical people had bandaged her left foot caused her to heal with her big toe in a complete flexed (curled under) position, actually forming a skin bridge over time. This caused her great pain when she tried to walk, and she couldn’t get to school anymore. She and her oldest brother traveled down from the far Northwest area of Afghanistan more than 400 miles to a U.S. Field Surgical Team in the middle of the country to see if something could be done to correct her left big toe. They traveled by cab which was really expensive and dangerous. The Air Force Surgeon did some releases of the skin, soft tissue, and tendons to bring her toe back straight again. In doing this, there was an area on the underside of the toe which did not have skin coverage, so they took some of the excess skin from the topside of the toe and used it as a full thickness skin graft on the underside area of defect. She did very well after the surgery and was released to go back to her town after about 2 1/2 weeks. We flew her to her home in Herat in Western Afghanistan with her older brother who brought her to us for help. Both of the kid’s parents did everything possible to give them a good future like we do for our children in the U.S. Without U.S. healthcare, Satara would have been a crippled and some of the children who we helped might not have made it at all. Additionally, we were always airlifting the working dogs when they got injured and sick just like the people.

How many lives were saved during your deployment?
450 lives saved by 920th crews — situations where, without immediate medical evacuation, a person would lose their life, a limb or their eyesight (LLE injuries); 615 assists — medical evacuations where LLE were not in immediate danger; 496 escorts — an accompanying flight into hostile or denied territory to recover injured personnel, and 2,215 missions flown.

What’s been your most memorable experience with the 920th?
During the 2007 deployment, we were going into a particularly difficult landing zone at the bottom of a very deep, very steep, very dark mountain valley to pick up an injured Army troop and his doctor. There was absolutely no ambient light, so we were using an Infrared searchlight, which could act as a beacon for any enemy equipped with night vision goggles (NVGs), despite the fact that an army helicopter had been shot at with a rocket propelled grenade earlier attempting to pick up the same folks. There was no escape route, so we knew if we had any type of mechanical malfunction (or got shot at) the only way to go was continue the approach and hope for a good landing. After picking up our “passengers,” we were staring at a cliff so we had to do a hairy, elevator-like take off straight up (we just barely had enough power to do it), pedal turn the helicopter back in the direction we had come, and climb out of the valley. After doing all of this, and discussing how we never, ever, ever, ever wanted to try that again, we were informed by our wingman that they were unable to dump fuel (to adjust the weight of the helicopter so there would be enough power to climb back out) and we would need to go back in after dropping off our current passengers and pick up the folks remaining at the landing zone. On the plus side, apparently practice does make perfect since it was easier the second time!

Explain why it’s particularly difficult to fly in Afghanistan. Did you have any close calls?
There are two things (other than people shooting at you) that make Afghanistan a challenging environment for helicopters. The first is the brownouts. The second is performance issues. The amount of horsepower a turbine engine can deliver to the rotor system is determined by how much air goes through the engine (massflow) and how much heat energy can be put into that air. The upper limit of the heat energy is plastic deformation of the turbine blades (literally, burning up the engine), so the cooler the outside air temperature is, the more energy you can put into that air before reaching that fixed upper limit. The converse is also true — the hotter it gets outside, the less energy you can put into the air, therefore the less power you can produce. Also, as you go up in elevation, the air gets less dense. By the time you get to 8,000 feet above sea level, the air is only half as dense as it was at sea level. This adversely affects the massflow side of the power equation. Unfortunately, the entire country of Afghanistan is what is known as a high desert. It is both high altitude (most of the country is higher than 3,000 feet MSL) and summer high temperatures can reach well over 100 degrees. This combines to greatly reduce the power available to the helicopter. This makes flying approaches, or more importantly an unexpected go-around from an approach, very difficult, since the first indication to a pilot that he is pulling too much power is the rotor system slowing down, followed shortly afterwards by the generators dropping off line and, if nothing is done, losing directional control of the aircraft. Also, while brownout approaches don’t necessarily require a lot of power, taking off again does. The only safe way to take off from a brownout is to go straight up to avoid hitting the ground or any other unseen obstacles while transitioning to forward flight. Unfortunately, this requires an extra margin of power since you lose ground effect as you hover higher above the ground before you start to regain the efficiencies of forward  flight.  Also, although the lack of light could render the Night Vision Goggles (NVGs) useless, the Forward Looking Infra-Red (FLIR) would always give a good picture. The problem with both of these devices is that you have a much narrower field of view than you do with your eyes.  Imagine trying to fly a helicopter while looking through two toilet paper tubes and you have a pretty good idea of what it’s like flying on NVGs.  he FLIR has similar issues, but it is tied to only “looking” in the direction that the helicopter is moving. This becomes a problem when trying to turn around in a narrow canyon, for instance. Probably the scariest thing we encountered flying in Afghanistan, however, is the brownouts. Afghanistan has some of the finest dust that you will find anywhere in the world. It feels just like talcum powder. As the helicopter approaches the ground, the downwash from the rotor system kicks this dust up into the air, causing the pilots to lose what little vision they had from the NVGs or FLIR. Depending on the approach, this could happen while still as high as 50 feet above the ground.  This is particularly dangerous when shooting an approach to a confined area surrounded by walls, ditches, or vehicles. With the lack of vision at the end game, it’s very easy to gently drift into a catastrophic situation. Any close calls? Yeah, quite a few. It’s a very unnerving feeling to touch down after a brownout and, as the dust slowly dissipates, see that you ended up a few inches from a ditch or the probe sticking through a barbed wire fence.

What’s the most rewarding things about your job?
Clearly, the rescue motto “These things we do that others may live” pretty much sums it up. It’s great to be able to go home at the end of a day and realize that, quite literally, you saved someone’s life. I’ve been lucky enough to have participated in two rescue missions where we plucked an unlucky boater out of the Atlantic, the first few days of the Hurricane Katrina evacuation where we picked up 99 people, two cats and a dog, and this latest deployment where, honestly, I lost track of how many people we picked up.

What’s the worst part of your work?
Most aviators tend to have type-A personalities — we don’t like to do things less than perfectly. Unfortunately, as a an Air Force Reservist, juggling becomes a life skill, and you have to prioritize the million-and-one things you’re responsible for in the execution of three very different lives — in my case the Squadron Commander, a FedEx pilot commuting to Memphis for work and a husband/father of two daughters. By definition, there will be times when you neglect something in one job so that you can be marginal in another and still have to deal with someone in all three of them feeling that you’re letting them down. That takes some getting used to.

What quality is most essential in a good squadron?
Ask ten different people and you’ll get ten different variations of an answer. Most of them boil down to the same core answer, though. It takes good people to make a good squadron. As long as everyone is more interested in getting the job done than they are in ensuring they get the credit for getting the job done, amazing things can be accomplished. As I talked about earlier, it is very frustrating to only be able to start looking at a problem and then have to leave for Memphis for my civilian job with loose ends hanging. The good thing is that I can rest assured that someone else will pick up where I had to leave off and make sure that whatever problem had arisen, it was taken care of appropriately.

Do you feel that violence has escalated or diminished?
Escalated. Definitely.

What myth would you like to dispel about Afghanistan and Afghanis?
It seems that most Afghanis are just like most Americans in that they would like to be able to get up in the morning, work an honest day’s work and come home and spend some quality time with the family. Unfortunately, there are a relative minority of individuals (on both sides of the fence) who are intent on making the other side look like the evil empire. The difference is that there is no means of effective mass communication in Afghanistan, and if there were, most people would probably not believe it, given the history in that country of credible government. This is why the Taliban is so effective; they tend to work (whether it is positive or negative coercion) at a very local level on a personal basis with village elders. This is something we are just starting to do. Most Americans probably don’t understand how undeveloped the great majority of the country is. Most of the towns we flew over at night were only lit by campfires. They also fail to realize how little sway any type of central government has on the average Afghani. Their allegiance lies in family first, then tribe (or village) and then, perhaps, to a government. In the U.S., people get upset when a law is passed because they know they will be forced to do something they don’t want to. In Afghanistan, there would be far less resistance to an unpopular law because most people would simply ignore it.

To learn more about the 920th Rescue Wing, visit www.920rqw.afrc.af.mil/