Rodeo smackdown brings home bronze for Reserve pararescuemen

By Capt. Cathleen Snow / Published October 13, 2010

DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. - Air Force Reservist Master Sgt. John Grant, deployed from Patrick Air Force Base's 920th Rescue Wing, listens to instructions before plotting a course for the navigation portion of the pararescue rodeo - a week-long training event that pitted seven active duty and Reserve PJ teams against each other in events they must be proficient at when they perform life-saving missions. The events included: shooting, free-fall parachuting, combat movements, medical and navigation. The Reservists Florida, the only Reserve PJs in the nation, placed third out of seven teams. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman First Class Jerilyn Quintanilla)

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DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. - Air Force Reservist Master Sgt. John Grant, deployed from Patrick Air Force Base's 920th Rescue Wing, listens to instructions before plotting a course for the navigation portion of the pararescue rodeo - a week-long training event that pitted seven active duty and Reserve PJ teams against each other in events they must be proficient at when they perform life-saving missions. The events included: shooting, free-fall parachuting, combat movements, medical and navigation. The Reservists Florida, the only Reserve PJs in the nation, placed third out of seven teams. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman First Class Jerilyn Quintanilla)

DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. - Deployed from Patrick Air Force Base, Florida's 920th Rescue Wing, Air Force Reserve pararescuemen or PJs, check their targets for scoring during a week-long competitive event which seven pararescue teams competed in. Both active duty and Reserve PJs exercised their rescue prowess in events such as: professional shooting, parachuting and other life-saving skills. Out of the seven teams, the Rescue Reservists from Florida placed third. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman First Class Jerilyn Quintanilla)

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DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. - Deployed from Patrick Air Force Base, Florida's 920th Rescue Wing, Air Force Reserve pararescuemen or PJs, check their targets for scoring during a week-long competitive event which seven pararescue teams competed in. Both active duty and Reserve PJs exercised their rescue prowess in events such as: professional shooting, parachuting and other life-saving skills. Out of the seven teams, the Rescue Reservists from Florida placed third. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman First Class Jerilyn Quintanilla)

DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. - Deployed from Patrick Air Force Base, Fla. to the Arizona desert, Master Sgt. Chris Seinkner, an Air Force Reserve pararescuemen or PJ, checks his target after participating in a shooting competition which is part of a pararescue rodeo - a week-long training event Oct. 4-10, 2010, that pitted seven active duty and Reserve pararescue teams against each other. The competitive events include areas of specialty which PJs must practice to become proficient rescue specialists. They included: shooting, free-fall parachuting, combat movements, medical and navigation. The Reserve PJs from Patrick's 920th Rescue Wing, the only Reserve Rescue Wing in the nation, placed third out of seven teams. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman First Class Jerilyn Quintanilla)

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DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. - Deployed from Patrick Air Force Base, Fla. to the Arizona desert, Master Sgt. Chris Seinkner, an Air Force Reserve pararescuemen or PJ, checks his target after participating in a shooting competition which is part of a pararescue rodeo - a week-long training event Oct. 4-10, 2010, that pitted seven active duty and Reserve pararescue teams against each other. The competitive events include areas of specialty which PJs must practice to become proficient rescue specialists. They included: shooting, free-fall parachuting, combat movements, medical and navigation. The Reserve PJs from Patrick's 920th Rescue Wing, the only Reserve Rescue Wing in the nation, placed third out of seven teams. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman First Class Jerilyn Quintanilla)

DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. - Navigating over rough terrain is just one of the many skills Air Force Reserve pararescuemen or PJs deployed from Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., proved they excelled in during a weeklong pararescue rodeo competition October 4-10, 2010 in Tucson Ariz. Seven PJ teams throughout the nation were required to navigate through the hot desert during a simulated rescue mission. Other events they competed in required skills PJs must use to perform their job of saving lives. These skills included: free-fall parachuting, shooting, combat movements, medical and navigation. The Florida PJs, Reservists assigned to the 920th Rescue Wing, placed third among the teams. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman First Class Jerilyn Quintanilla)

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DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. - Navigating over rough terrain is just one of the many skills Air Force Reserve pararescuemen or PJs deployed from Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., proved they excelled in during a weeklong pararescue rodeo competition October 4-10, 2010 in Tucson Ariz. Seven PJ teams throughout the nation were required to navigate through the hot desert during a simulated rescue mission. Other events they competed in required skills PJs must use to perform their job of saving lives. These skills included: free-fall parachuting, shooting, combat movements, medical and navigation. The Florida PJs, Reservists assigned to the 920th Rescue Wing, placed third among the teams. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman First Class Jerilyn Quintanilla)

DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. - A four-man Air Force Reserve pararescueman team from the 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., race through the Arizona desert during a nine-mile combat skills and navigation competition. This was one of seven teams competing during a weeklong training event that pitted seven active duty and Reserve pararescue teams against each other. The events exercised skills they are required to be proficient at to perform life-saving missions in combat. They included: professional shooting, free-fall parachuting, combat movements, medical and navigation. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman First Class Jerilyn Quintanilla)

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DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. - A four-man Air Force Reserve pararescueman team from the 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., race through the Arizona desert during a nine-mile combat skills and navigation competition. This was one of seven teams competing during a weeklong training event that pitted seven active duty and Reserve pararescue teams against each other. The events exercised skills they are required to be proficient at to perform life-saving missions in combat. They included: professional shooting, free-fall parachuting, combat movements, medical and navigation. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman First Class Jerilyn Quintanilla)

Related Fact Sheets

920th Rescue Wing

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- It's "ops normal" today for eight Air Force Reserve pararescuemen, or PJs, as they made their way home to the 920th Rescue Wing, after a week-long trek through the Arizona desert, October 4-10, 2010.

The men made up two teams of four and deployed from Florida to the southern Arizona desert to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to participate in a "Pararescue Rodeo." The competitions exercised team training in free-fall parachuting, professional shooting, combat navigation and paramedic skills - all skills which PJs must excel in to perform their jobs as rescue specialists.

Not only were the Florida pararescuemen representing the 920th Rescue Wing, but they represented the Air Force Reserve as well, as members of the only Reserve pararescue unit in the nation - and placed third out of seven teams.

"The PJ rodeo is a valuable training event that makes use of all the pararescueman's skills," said Lt. Col. Kurt Matthews, Commander of the 308th Rescue Squadron here.

"This was a tight competition and for us to come in third out of seven teams is a great accomplishment , especially working with the active duty and [Air National] Guard," he said. "This fosters great working relationships between the different components and rescue squadrons."

The two teams from the Florida-based PJ squadron served two purposes, one team competed, the other trained. Both did remarkably well in the desert conditions which also led to one pararescueman garnering the "Most Valuable Player or PJ" of the week, according to the 308th commander.

Senior Airman Brandon Forshaw, Reserve PJ, 920th Rescue Wing, was voted by representatives from all of the competing squadrons as the 'stand-out' performer.

"It's remarkable because he is still in training which makes the award even more outstanding said Lt. Col. Matthews. "We're extremely proud to have him on our team."

Due to the nature of the competitions, these types of events take months to coordinate according to the senior enlisted pararescueman at the 308th Rescue Squadron here, Chief Master Sgt. Doug Kestranek . Chief Kestranek was in charge of all things PJ Rodeo and according to the teams, his work paid off.

"The 308th Rescue Squadron is grateful to have a Chief like Kestranek," Said Lt. Col. Matthews. "He not only organized the event, but he served as a judge during the competition and facilitated the training as well."

The 920th RQW PJs didn't let the change in climate and terrain - from ocean to desert - stop them from performing at their best. "That others may live," is the motto they live by, and, train for.