Rescue Wing Commander shares news of Wing' s successful ORI

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Natasha Dowridge
  • 920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs
PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Rescue Airmen from the 920th Rescue Wing here gathered in the Base Theater during the wing's unit training assembly for a wing commander's call by Col. Jeffrey Macrander, May 4 to discuss the results of the unit's recent operational readiness inspection.

A year has passed since the 920th RQW, Air Force Reserve Command's only combat-search-and-rescue wing, started preparing for its ORI last month.

More than 460 Rescue Reservists put their civilian jobs on hold for a week to perform scenarios that mimic deploying for combat while the Air Combat Command Inspector General team graded them on their level of success.

"I'm still standing here, so it's good," Macrander joked about the results of the inspection.

He told the Rescue Airmen packed in the Base Theater that their wing was the first within 10th Air Force to pass an ORI on its first attempt during this cycle of inspections.

"Everybody had a part in making sure we were successful," said Macrander.

The wing was graded on four major areas: positioning the force, employing the force sustaining the force and ability to survive and operate. As a whole the wing received a satisfactory, for which the wing commander 'tipped his hat off' to the Rescue Airmen. More than 90 percent of the subcategories received a satisfactory, excellent, or outstanding grade.

As a result of the wing's passing grade, 60 Rescue Airmen were recognized for being superior performers while carrying out their duties. The day shift entry control point/post-action reconnaissance team, intelligence team and munitions team were recognized, as well as individuals from the wing staff, operations, maintenance, mission support and the aeromedical staging squadron.

Tech. Sgt. Darren Montefu, 920th RQW HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter crew chief, was singled out as the soul recipient of an ACC-IG coin for his outstanding actions throughout the inspection.

During the ORI, reservists flew two HC-130P/N King refueling aircraft and three Pave Hawk helicopters from here to Savannah, Georgia's Combat Readiness Training Center.

To put the icing on the cake, the wing was informed that it was their wing commander's 50th birthday.

"Who else would I rather spend my birthday with than my Rescue family," Macrander said.