Warrior, Life Saver named best in Air Force Reserve

  • Published
  • By Capt. Cathleen Snow
  • 920th Rescue Wing
PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Air Force Reserve Pararescueman Tech. Sgt. Patrick Dunne of the 920th Rescue Wing, makes his living jumping out of aircraft, honing his medical skills and becoming proficient with a wide array of weapons.
He does all of this to save lives and was recently named Air Force Reserve Command's Pararescueman of the Year in the Non-Commissioned Officer category for 2007.
Armed with an M-4 rifle and medical rucksack, Sergeant Dunne has been trained to rescue, stabilize and recover U.S. military and coalition forces shot down behind enemy lines, often under combat conditions.
While at his home station of Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., Sergeant Dunne takes part in civilian and humanitarian search-and-rescue missions, and provides rescue and medical support for NASA space shuttle launches and landings.
Born and raised in nearby Satellite Beach, he spent most of his time surfing and working in the surf industry before graduating from Satellite High in 1988.
From there, he served a four-year tour in the Marines' 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company, spending his time gathering intelligence deep behind enemy lines.
As a veteran of both the Gulf War in 1991 and Somalia in 1993, Sergeant Dunne said the discipline of Marine Corps basic training and the high operational tempo during his enlistment gave him the desire and strength to become successful after leaving the Marine Corps.
For the next few years, he worked at local gyms and as a Spinning instructor (indoor cycling), which allowed him the time and atmosphere to race and compete as a sponsored athlete.
In 2002, Sergeant Dunne's resume and race results gained him national recognition and he was selected to compete in the Discovery Channel's "Eco-Challenge," dubbed as the world's toughest race.
A three-person, coed team from Miami asked him to lead them in the realty-TV adventure race, which pitted them against 76 teams from 27 countries.
The race saw them trek 350-miles 24-7 through the jungles of Borneo, paddle primitive outrigger canoes through the Indian Ocean, kayak through white water rapids, ascend up gorges on ropes, mountain bike rocky inclines, traverse a rugged mountainside and scuba dive into the unknown.
"It teaches you a great deal of teamwork as well as what your boundaries are, mentally and physically," said Sergeant Dunne.
His biggest physical obstacle wasn't the jagged mountains or the dense rainforests.
"It was the sleep deprivation," he said. "Either you have the mental fortitude to endure or you don't."
One year later, with a national championship win in a triathlon series under his belt, Dunne got another invitation to the Eco Challenge. This time, it was the 2001 Armed Forces Eco-Challenge in Alaska.
"It was harder this time, because there was a lot more pressure," he said.
His team of Marine Reservists--three males and one female--were up against 22 other military teams. Because of the impressive credentials of Sergeant Dunne's team, they were favored to win.
However, a victory just wasn't in the cards. Sergeant Dunne injured his ankle during the mountaineering portion of the race. Sergeant Dunne continued, but the act of favoring his defunct joint led to a more-severe knee injury, and he was airlifted off the course.
Not being able to finish the race didn't upset Sergeant Dunne, but what happened shortly afterward did--the sight of the New York City twin towers crashing down, and the emotions of that day stirred a deep sense of duty within him.
"After Sept. 11, there was no way I was going to sit back and be on the sidelines when my country was at war," he said.
He joined the 920th Rescue Wing in September 2002 and began the three-year commitment to become a pararescueman. The process of becoming a pararescueman, or PJ, is known informally as "the Pipeline." Successfully completing it takes about two years of intense physical and mental effort. Of the dozens who enter the pipeline, only the most determined graduate--roughly 90 percent of those who enter PJ training never make it through.
Now a member of the 920th Rescue Wing, Sergeant Dunne is "... all over everything," says Capt. Rob Effler, a team leader at the pararescue squadron here. "Sergeant Dunne volunteers for all deployments and continually furthers his professional development.
"He's the most stellar NCO on the team."
Air Force Reserve Command officials echoed that sentiment by selecting Sergeant Dunne as the top PJ NCO for 2007.
In a congratulatory letter from the vice commander of Reserve Command, Maj. Gen. Allan Poulin wrote, "Sergeant Dunne was awarded this honor because his leadership, experience and tireless enthusiasm have increased the combat capability of his squadron, the 308th Rescue Squadron."
"Being chosen by my peers is a great honor, because I work daily with some of the best PJs in the entire career field," said Sergeant Dunne.
When the number one ranked PJ in AFRC isn't jumping out of aircraft, honing his medical skills and becoming proficient with an array of weapons, he can be found wearing a pair of surfing shorts, working in his yard with his wife, Tory, at their beachside home. In fact, the Dunne's recently won the Satellite Beach Beautification Award for the best lawn in town.