Rescue Reservists participating in Readiness Assistance Visit

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  • 920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs
PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Approximately 400 Reservists from the 920th Rescue Wing here are participating in a Readiness Assistance Visit by their higher echelon of command, 10th Air Force, Feb. 12-13 in Savannah, Ga.

The reservists departed by various modes of travel to include the wing's HC-130P/N refueling aircraft and three HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, which will participate in flying scenarios as part of the exercise.

The 10th Air Force Inspection Team which will evaluate the 920th's level of war readiness is part of three numbered Air Forces which are subordinate to Air Force Reserve Command.

The 920 RQW routinely trains and ensures unit readiness by participating in exercises, evaluations and inspections throughout the year. The visit will entail an Operational Readiness Exercise, to test the skills and preparedness of Rescue Reservists during scenarios that mimic what they may find while deployed in a combat or humanitarian disaster environments.

Within the past year, Rescue Wing Airmen have deployed overseas to Afghanistan and Germany providing both humanitarian relief, combat rescue and medical evacuations. The 920th RQW Airmen have saved more than 3,000 lives since the wing's inception in 1956.

Rescue Airmen are the only members of the DoD specifically organized, trained and equipped to conduct personnel recovery operations in hostile or denied areas as a primary mission.

The wing's primary wartime job is combat search and rescue, which involves locating and
rescuing service members isolated or injured in combat - such as pilots shot down behind enemy lines or combatants injured on the battlefield.

This is the third of three OREs the Rescue Airmen are participating in during 2012-2013. They will have their overall deployment readiness tested during an Operational Readiness Inspection by the Air Combat Command Inspector General team in April 2013.

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