Multiple rescue squadrons peel out to Idaho for spud-tactular training

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Mercedee Wilds | Members from 11 rescue squadrons with HH-60 Pave Hawk’s participate in Spud Smoke 21, leaving from Gowen Field to the Orchard Combat Training Center, Idaho, March 8-28, 2021. Spud Smoke 21 is an exercise that focuses on the weapons employment fundamentals and dynamic threat environments. The participating squadrons include the 55th Rescue Squadron, 79 RQS, 655th Air Maintenance Squadron and the 563 Operations Support Squadron from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, 66 RQS, Seal Team 7, 58 RQS, 34th Weapons Squadron and 855 AMXS from Nellis Air Force Base, 512 RQS from Kirtland Air Force Base and the 14th Air Support Operations Squadron from Fort Bragg. (U.S. Air National Guard Photo by Senior Airman Mercedee Wilds)  

UNITED STATES

03.29.2021

Story by Senior Airman Mercedee Wilds 

124th Fighter Wing

Members from 11 rescue squadrons flock to Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho in their HH-60 Pave Hawk’s to participate in Spud Smoke 21, an exercise that focuses on the weapons employment fundamentals and dynamic threat environments, March 8-28, 2021.

The participating squadrons include the 55th Rescue Squadron, 79 RQS, 655th Air Maintenance Squadron and the 563 Operations Support Squadron from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, 66 RQS, Seal Team 7, 58 RQS, 34th Weapons Squadron and 855 AMXS from Nellis Air Force Base, 512 RQS from Kirtland Air Force Base and the 14th Air Support Operations Squadron from Pope Field.

“Our main focus is terminal deployment and how to analyze a threat in a terminal area,.” said Capt. Forest Shaffer, a HH-60 Pave Hawk Pilot with the 55 RQS at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. “We analyze the treats around the survivor and use our techniques to suppress those threats, so we can safely get into the terminal area and pick up our survivor quickly, efficiently and safely”.

Gowen Field is a short 10 minute helicopter flight to the Orchard Combat Training Center which gives the visiting units quick and efficient access to training opportunities and complex scenarios that they wouldn't see at their home stations. The technology that is provided by the OCTC which includes pop-up and moving targets that offer a more realistic and dynamic training opportunity.

“You can create pretty dynamic real-world-like environments with the pop-up targets and we’re able to tell how effective our shooting is,” said Capt. Roy Taylor, a HH-60 Pave Hawk Pilot with the 55 RQS at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

The Idaho weather was also a factor in the intense training environment of the OCTC, giving these warmer-climate squadrons experience facing acclimate weather.

“The training is second to none out here.” said Shaffer.

• Date Taken: 03.29.2021
• Date Posted: 03.29.2021 16:55
• Story ID: 392524
• Location: US