Air Reservists hold training

The Air Force Reserve Command’s 920th Rescue Wing’s 308th Rescue Squadron held training exercises at the Guardian Centers Oct. 11-15.

This was the last major training event before deployment next year.

“Basically, we’re getting ready for deployment. There were several units coming together, working together as one team,” said Capt. Ryan Kelly of the 308th Rescue Squad. “There will be things we do before we go, but this was the culminating exercise, the biggest event we’ll do before we leave.”

Aptly named, the 308th Rescue Squad consists of specially trained soldiers whose primary job is personnel recovery in the field, Kelly said.

“My job is combat rescue,” the 26-year-old airman said. “We’re trained specifically in survival. We work together for personnel recovery, rescue of isolated personnel or whatever.”

The soldiers have a wide variety of skill sets so that they may operate in any time of climate or weather event.

“We like to call Guardian Angel a jack of all trades. We do everything, all kinds of stuff,” Kelly said. “We did diving, helicopter work, aircraft work, parachuting, high angle work. We do extraction in which we carry tools like firefighters such as the Jaws-of-Life and extraction equipment, we shoot well, and have a broad spectrum of staff. We operate in every environment — mountain, cold, desert, jungle. We specialize in medical treatment and can do battlefield treatment and battlefield surgery. We have a very broad skill set.”

The group is trained to carry weapons into the field and has been trained to work in contested environments, Kelly said.

The training held last week specifically focused on real-life scenarios in which the squadron may be placed. Kelly said the training was put together by analyzing prior events and then trying to mirror those events in the exercise. Personnel acted as patients in order to set up the scenario and make it as realistic as possible. The scenes start from the drop point, in which the team may not know exactly what to expect.

“Pretty much our goal was to get a little bit of everything in. We practiced six or seven missions, each one unique,” Kelly said. “One was a downed pilot where his helicopter was down and he was stuck in the helicopter. We had to get there and pry it open. We worked with Special Forces Army units in diving to recover personnel who drowned. We did a lot of things out there; it’s always a great opportunity and a great experience for us.”

Kelly said this team is relatively new, having trained together for only six months. He said that in the Guardian reserve, many soldiers don’t move around much and sometimes will stay for their entire careers. However, with active duty personnel, people may work for three to four years and then move on to a different team.

“It is what it is. With the military, that’s how it does things,” Kelly said. “Where there’s manpower needed, that’s where they put extra personnel. It’s not uncommon and not unusual. The 308th said they’ve got a couple guys who need experience, so that’s how I got put on.”

Kelly said that through the work, team members learn each other’s skill sets and who tends to do better in certain areas. While all are trained, some might have extra training in one area or another may just be better in a different area. He said that’s how the team works together and how it can be so well prepared for each situation.

The reservists worked with an Army Special Forces unit during the training exercises, and they all worked well together. The teams shared how they do different things, shared tactics, techniques and procedures.

“It’s not uncommon to work with other units. You’re always with others, never working by yourself. There are always other people, aircraft or ground units, so being a leader that works well with others is very important,” Kelly said.

The team was most recently activated in August to College Station, Texas, where they saved 235 lives in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. The team also conducted a long-range at-sea rescue of two Germans whose boat became disabled, caught fire and sank.

“For me personally, it was a choice. The type of training work can be hard, but it can also be rewarding. I wanted to help to do this, to help people and work with awesome, motivated people,” he said. “It’s not easy. You have to be motivated, work long hours, and it’s hard work It’s a tough job, but that’s why they do it. It’s tough but rewarding, so I’m lucky to be where I am right now.”

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