PORTLAND, Ore. -- Major Niul S. Manske assumed command of the 304th Rescue Squadron at Portland Air National Guard Base, Oregon, during a ceremony there August 3.
Manske comes to the 304th Rescue Squadron from Alaska, where he was a combat rescue officer with the 212th Rescue Squadron, Alaska Air National Guard. Prior to joining the U.S. Air Force, Manske was a U.S. Army officer competing in the Army’s World Class Athlete Program.
Athletes were chosen for the program from Active, Reserve, and National Guard components of the service, and selected for their ability to perform at the highest level of their sports, honing their skills with elite civilian and military coaches at America’s best facilities while maintaining Army requirements, attending military schools, and staying competitive with their uniformed counterparts.
Manske says his training as an elite athlete provided an excellent foundation for his service as a combat rescue officer. The 304th Rescue Squadron is an Air Force Reserve Command combat-search-and-rescue unit, training its personnel to perform day and night combat rescue missions. The 304th RQS is part of the 943rd Rescue Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona and the 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick AFB, Florida.
The 304th trains, equips, and deploys Combat Rescue Officers, Pararescue Jumpers, and support personnel worldwide in the interest of U.S. national security.
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