Hosed down, tied up, taken away

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Leslie Kraushaar
  • 920 Rescue Wing Public Affairs
PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  As the rotors of the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter slowed to a stop on the 920th Rescue Wing's flight line here April 29, two fire trucks with their water hoses poised and a team of four pararescuemen (PJs) waited for the pilot of the helicopter to emerge.

The door opened and a figure in a green flight suit took off running as the water started pouring down from the sky. Rushing up to him from halfway across the tarmac were two PJs with their simulated 'weapons' drawn yelling, "Get down! Get on the ground!"

Once face down on the ground, the pilot was quickly surrounded by a team of four PJs who then zip-tied the culprit and placed him into a medical or stokes litter, which is used, normally, by the crew to hoist an injured survivor into the helicopter from the ground or water upon being rescued. In this case there was no rescue underway but more like a pursuit. Once caught and aprehended, they PJs carried the man to a group of people waiting in anticipation to give him a proper send off. He was doused in....champagne.

The fini flight, or final flight, of the 920th RQW's wing commander, Colonel Steven "Wall Street" Kirkpatrick was the cause of this scene that took place after he piloted is last flight aboard the wing's helicopter before he would depart the wing for another command. 

This is a long-held custom in the flying community, especially when leaving a flying unit to a non-flying unit - which is what is in store for Colonel Kirkpatrick, who is on his way to MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., as the Senior Air Force Reserve Advisor to the Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command.

Not only was Colonel Kirkpatrick zip-tied and placed in a litter, but his feet were spray-painted green and pressed onto a ceiling tile to be displayed in the helicopter squadron next to those who preceded him.

The green feet are a common symbol of the combat search and rescue community - they represent the "footprints" of a Jolly Green Giant helicopter, the aircraft used for combat search and rescue. The term originated during the Vietnam War, in reference to the helicopters, Sikorsky HH-3E, and the imprint the helicopters left on the grass upon take off. The logo is embraced and displayed both by PJs and helicopter pilots and crewmembers.

Replacing him is Colonel Robert "BDU" Dunn from the 943rd Rescue Group at Davis-Monthan AFB Ariz., one of the two geographically separated units from the 920th RQW - the other is the 304th Rescue Squadron out of Portland, Ore.

Colonel Kirkpatrick has commanded the 920th RQW since April 2006. He was responsible for the five HC-130P/N combat tanker aircraft, a WC-130 weather-reconaissance aircraft and 15 HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters to support worldwide combat-rescue operations, NASA's space shuttle program and the 45th Space Wing's range-clearing missions.

"This is an amazing wing with great people and a very rewarding mission. I will truly miss the Space Coast, the rescue business but mostly the great people I've met within the wing and community," said Colonel Kirkpatrick.