PATRICK SPACE FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The 308th Rescue Squadron held a change of command ceremony here July 12 where Lt. Col. Dan Turpin passed on command to Lt. Col. Koaalii Bailey.
The mission of the 308th RQS is to train and maintain the Air Force’s only dedicated rescue capability for Department of Defense personnel in support of Combatant Commander’s wartime objectives as well as peacetime humanitarian and disaster relief activities. The squadron consists of Combat Rescue Officers (CRO), Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE), and Pararescuemen (PJ) which is also known as Guardian Angel.
The change of command is a military tradition that formally signifies the transfer of responsibility from one commanding officer to another; symbolized through the passing of a guidon.
Based at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, the 920th Rescue Wing is the only Air Force Reserve Command unit that trains and equips Airmen to plan, lead, and conduct military rescue operations and missions to deny competitors and adversaries exploitation of isolated personnel.