Page 6 - Desert Lightning News So. AZ Edition, May 7 2021

6 Desert Lightning News Photo Feature May 2021 7
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Rescue Ai
Rescue Ai
Rescue Ai

— Participate in readiness exercise —

by Senior Airman Squadron, 14th Air Support Operations The terminal employment phase of that has to train to a very high standard.
NicholAS RoSS Squadron and Seal Team Seven. combat search and rescue is the portion We have to take advantage of these op-
“It’s good to have all the rescue units to- of the operation where Airmen are flying portunities to work together, train to-
355th Wing Public Affairs
gether in order to perform similar exercis- into potentially contested environments gether, and learn from each other because
BoiSE, idaho — The 563rd Res- es on the Orchard range,” Albanese said. to rescue a survivor. During the exercise, they are uncommon.”
cue Group conducted Operation Spud “It allows us to synchronize, standardize the rescue squadrons simulated numerous “My biggest takeaway from this exer-
Smoke 2021 in Boise, Idaho, March and compare our tactics, techniques and scenarios in which survivors, with varying cise is how beneficial it can be to work
14-28. procedures between the units.” degrees of injury, were in need of rescue. and train in a new location,” Burke said.
“Operation Spud Smoke 2021 is a The 143,000-acre Orchard Combat “The TE phase involves a lot of shoot- “When you work at the same training
terminal employment phase exercise for Training Center has multiple different ing, a lot of tactics, a lot of communica- range continuously, it can be hard to
A U.S. Air Force pararescueman from the 48th Rescue Squadron prepares to drop the 563rd RQG,” said Capt. Kimberly ranges and 89,500 acres of maneuver area. tion, and working with teams on the recognize areas that need improvement.”
from an HH-60G Pave Hawk during exercise Spud Smoke 2021 at the Orchard Com- Albanese, 55th Rescue Squadron pilot. “The Orchard range has advanced ground and in the air,” said Tech. Sgt. Exercises like Spud Smoke 2021 help
bat Training Center in Boise, Idaho, March 16. Spud Smoke 2021 exercised combat The two-week-long exercise brought stationary and moving targets that allow Austin Burke, 55th RQS special mission rescue Airmen maintain mission readi-
search and rescue capabilities in a simulated austere and contested environment. personnel from numerous units includ- us to see how well our crews are doing,” aviator. “These exercises are critical to ness, ensure that others may live and
ing the 55th RQS, 48th RQS, 79th RQS, Albanese said. “Nothing like that is avail- maintain rescue readiness across our uphold the high standards their mission
66th RQS, 512th RQS, 34th Weapons able at home station.” community. We are a small community requires.

A U.S. Air Force pararescueman and survivor are hoisted up into an HH-60 Pave
Hawk at the Orchard Combat Training Center in Boise, Idaho, March 16. Pararescue-
men are sent to find and rescue service members who are downed or trapped in
combat situations.

A U.S. Air Force pararescueman from the 48th Rescue Squadron prepares to hoist
up a survivor during exercise Spud Smoke 2021 at the Orchard Combat Training
Center in Boise, Idaho, March 16. The terminal employment phase exercise incorpo-
rated combat search and rescue capabilities in a simulated austere and contested
environment.

Staff Sgt. Mitchell Miller, 55th Rescue Squadron special mission aviator, fires a
.50-caliber machine gun at a target in the Orchard Combat Training Center in Boise, Photos by Senior Airman Nicholas Ross A U.S. Air Force survival evasion resistance and escape specialist from the 563rd
Idaho, March 19. The 55th RQS participated in a two-week combat search and res- A U.S. Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawk assigned to the 55th Rescue Squadron prepares for landing at the Orchard Combat Training Center in Boise, Idaho, March 16. The primary mis- Rescue Group pops green smoke to mark his location during exercise Spud Smoke
cue terminal employment exercise. sion of the Pave Hawk is to conduct day or night personnel recovery operations into hostile environments to recover isolated personnel. 2021 at the Orchard Combat Training Center in Boise, Idaho, March 16.