38page

www.AIRMANonline.af.mil 36 “We train for everything – water training, mountain rescues, shuttle opera- tions, nighttime scenarios – whatever it takes to help people out. We have to be ready for anything because you never know what you are going to face when you have to save lives.” — tech. sgt. blain Morgan As the sun slipped away one evening in February, beyond the Florida coastline, as darkness set in on a moonless night, Tech. Sgt. Blain Morgan had to prove once again he is ready. The pararescue- man from the 308th Rescue Squadron was about to engage in 10 and 10s: fast-roping down 10 feet from a HH-60G Pave Hawk moving at 10 knots into the cold waters of the Banana River just off of Patrick Air Force Base, Fla. He and his team of Air Force Reservists had to fast-rope out of the helicopter carrying more than 40 pounds of gear, wade in water cold enough to take their breaths away, then climb back into the HH-60G. But Sergeant Morgan is ready for this. He keeps warm with a wet suit underneath his soaked battle dress uniform. His eyes pierced the black night. The only lights emanated from the green glow sticks he and the rest of the team wore attached to their shoulders. After the pararescuemen safely fast roped down into the water, the HH-60G disappeared into the sky and circled the area before coming back to pick up the team. Again, the helicopter dropped down to 10 feet above the surface. A rope ladder was tossed from the chopper and the pararescuemen — dripping and fighting to stay warm — struggled to climb back up into the hovering HH-60G. When they finished, the entire team of Reservists started from the beginning and did the training all over again. This type of training never ends for pararescuemen, because it’s this type of training that is vital to saving lives. With the world’s second-largest ocean just a stone’s throw away, day and nighttime water training is crucial for the members of the 920th Rescue Wing, stationed at Patrick AFB. The training that night was designed to prove they are ready to support a NASA Space Shuttle crew in the event of a bail out over the ocean. Whenever a shuttle launches, wing assets are spread out across the globe; ready and in place for worst-case scenarios. “We train for everything – water training, mountain rescues, shuttle operations, nighttime scenarios – whatever it takes to help people out,” said Sergeant Morgan after climbing into a 21-foot boat, river water still dripping off of his body after completing a set of 10 and 10s. “We have to be ready for anything, because you never know what you are going to face when you have to save lives.” “The NASA support mission requires some unique training and skills,” said Col. Jeff Macrander, the 920th Operations Group com- mander. “Every time a shuttle goes off, we have to be ready for that worst-case scenario where the shuttle crew would bail out over the ocean — that would require two HC-130s and four HH-60Gs. We also train to deploy the Rapid Air Mobile Zodiac, which is a rubber boat with parachutes attached to it that can be pushed out the back of an HC-130. Pararescuemen jump after the RAMZ to inflate the boat that can help rescue astronauts.” In addition to their highly-specialized pararescue training, PJs must also undergo training on the workings of the highly-technical Advanced Crew Escape Suits, which shuttle crewmembers wear during all launches and landings. In March, pararescuemen began training with NASA’s next generation spacecraft, as the 920th Airmen learned how to extract astronauts from the Orion capsule in a water-landing scenario. The Orion is part of the Constellation space program, which is scheduled to replace the space shuttle. But 920th RQW Airmen are not only trained to save astronauts, their primary mission is to rescue warfighters in bad situations. “We are the only Air Force agency that mans, trains and equips a force to do combat rescue,” said Colonel Macrander, who piloted HH-60Gs in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. “It’s hugely important to the morale of our fighting force that they know — if they are sent behind enemy lines, we can penetrate an enemy area with (the HH-60G) and go in and grab our guys.” To perform search-and-rescue missions takes a fleet of HH-60G and HC-130P/N refueling aircraft, although the real work comes Pararescuemen from the Air Force Reserve Command’s 920th Rescue Wing train with HH-60G Pave Hawks to locate, rescue and provide medical treatment to astronauts in case of an emergency during launch or landing. Pararescuemen also support rescue efforts in the aftermath of disasters such as hurricanes, floods and earthquakes.