PORTLAND AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ore. -- Lt. Col. Luc Chandu took command of the 304th Rescue Squadron during a change of command ceremony here Aug. 16, 2024.
The change of command ceremony is a military tradition that formally signifies the transfer of responsibility and authority from one commanding officer to another; symbolized through the passing of a guidon.
“We must be excellent. We must train to fight and save lives. We don’t know when the call is coming, and frankly it doesn’t matter. Our job is to be ready and it is my job to try and filter out anything and everything that gets in the way of accomplishing just that”, said Chandu.
The 304th RQS trains and equips to deploy combat rescue officers, pararescuemen and support personnel worldwide in support of U.S. national security interests. The squadron provides contact, extraction and treatment for civilian, DoD personnel, humanitarian, disaster relief activities, and combat search and rescue operations.
Portland Air National Guard Base is a geographically separated unit within the 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick Space Force Base, Fla.