Rescue Reserve Airmen return home from 120-day deployment

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman David Carbajal
  • 451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan --  "These things we do, that others may live." For the 920th Rescue Wing, Air Force Reserve Command's only rescue wing, this isn't just a motto--it's a mission both at their home station and abroad.

Approximately 60 members of the 920th RQW, Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., were assigned to the 26th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron detachment at Camp Bastion from early June to early October. The rescue Airmen completed nearly 500 missions saving more than 350 lives during their 120-day deployment.

The squadron, using HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, flew pararescuemen, commonly known as PJs, to various locations in Afghanistan's Regional Command Southwest to medically evacuate injured service members and civilians from the battlefield, day or night.

"In this region, where kinetic engagements are common, we have to be ready at all times," said Lt. Col. Tim Davis, 920th Operations Group vice commander, who served as the 26th ERQS commander during the deployment.

"Our unit has one of the highest utilization rates in all of the Air Force," Davis said. "So, unfortunately, we don't have much 'down time.'"

The seven-man teams worked 12-hour shifts every day throughout the duration of their deployment, Davis said.

The rescue teams are notified by a '9-line' medical evacuation request. This request includes crucial information such as location and extent of the injuries, Davis said. He explained the three alert categories of a 9-line: A, B or C. Category A injuries involve a threat of loss of life, limb or eyesight. Therefore, the rescue squadron must airborne within 15 minutes of notification and must have the patient to Camp Bastion in one hour, known as the "Golden Hour," during which the chances of survival are much higher. Category B injuries are non-life threatening, but injured service members must be taken to a hospital within four hours. Category C is for minor injuries that can be endured for 24 hours.

The unit evacuates U.S. service members, Defense Department civilians, contractors, coalition forces and local casualties.

"It doesn't matter what uniform they have on; if they're injured, we'll help them," Davis said.

The medical treatment of the casualty isn't the only thing the team is worried about on a mission.

"We'll occasionally come under fire while on a rescue mission," Davis said. "When this happens, we rely on our aerial gunner and flight engineer to keep us safe."

Each HH-60 is equipped with a .50-caliber machine gun mounted on each side of the helicopter to return fire. Even without enemy contact, the teams can have difficult missions; Davis said the area is infamous for 'brownouts.'

A brownout is an aviation term for a cloud of thick dust that significantly decreases visibility when a helicopter lands on a dusty surface. Davis called his members the "absolute best" at brownout landings due to their broad range of experience.

"We have former B-1 test pilots and F-14 fighter pilots who have flown in all types of weather conditions," Davis said. "Everyone here is highly experienced."

Brownouts can also take their toll on helicopter engine performance.

"The thick dust gets sucked into the engines and essentially burns the engines up," Davis said. "The brownouts can also damage the rotary blades."

Despite the challenges the squadron faced over the course of the deployment, Davis said he couldn't be happier with his members' performance.

"What we've been able to do here is nothing short of amazing," Davis said. "We've come together as a team from various backgrounds--maintenance, (operations) support, aircrew, PJs--and worked together to do an incredible job. It's been fabulous, and I couldn't have asked for anything better."

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Staff Sgt. Anna-Marie Wyant, 920th RQW Public Affairs, also contributed to this article.