Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Cory Grogan | Participants in the Benton County Search and Rescue Academy pause for a group photo...... read more read more
CORVALLIS, Ore. — Volunteers training to help find missing people and rescue injured hikers in Benton County recently received a close-up look at military aviation during a Search and Rescue Academy exercise supported by the Oregon National Guard.
During the training, Oregon National Guard aircrews brought an HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter to demonstrate how aircraft support search missions, including inserting rescuers into remote areas and evacuating injured patients. The training is part of the Benton County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Academy, a nine-week program that prepares community volunteers to respond when emergencies happen in the outdoors.
The aviation training was coordinated by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office Special Services Unit, which manages search and rescue operations across the county.
Benton County maintains six search and rescue teams supported by about 130 volunteers. The teams include specialties such as mountain rescue, mounted posse units, K-9 teams and amateur radio operators who assist with communications during missions.
The program is managed by Kevin Higgins, Special Services Manager for the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. Higgins began his search and rescue career as a volunteer in 1989 and has spent more than three decades supporting emergency response in the region, including 23 years in the fire service and 11 years working for Benton County.
“The desire to help people has always been the motivation,” Higgins said. “Even though my role today focuses more on coordinating teams and managing missions, it’s still incredibly rewarding when someone is found and brought home safely.”
Many volunteers train year-round and remain ready to respond at any hour when someone is missing or injured.
“Many of our volunteers are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” Higgins said. “They’ll drop what they’re doing to help when someone needs it.” The search and rescue teams operate under a simple motto that reflects their mission: “So others may live,” he said.
The Search and Rescue Academy runs annually from early March through late April. Participants attend classes on Thursday evenings and Saturdays, learning skills that include navigation with map, compass and GPS, search techniques, shelter building, knots, fire building, canine operations and aircraft coordination.
The training combines classroom instruction with field exercises designed to meet state search and rescue standards.
“Training is critical because emergencies involve lives on the line,” said JonnaVe Stokes, a Special Services Program Specialist with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office who helps coordinate the program. “Every one of these students is a volunteer, and their efforts are extremely important in saving lives.”
During the aviation training session, volunteers learned how helicopter crews support rescue operations. Oregon National Guard aviators explained landing zone requirements, winch capabilities and how rescuers prepare injured patients for transport.
Capt. Matthew Sherburn, a medical evacuation officer with Golf Company, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, said the training helps both agencies work together effectively during emergencies.
“We’re giving them a familiarization with our capabilities and how to contact us and how we can help search and rescue efforts,” Sherburn said. “If someone is having the worst day of their life out there, we can respond and help get them out of a tough situation.”
For many academy participants, the training also provides a chance to serve their community. Volunteer Aaron Pyles said search and rescue offers a way for people to contribute beyond their everyday routines. Pyles serves in the 142nd Fighter Wing of the Oregon Air National Guard.
“It’s easy to get wrapped up in work and everyday life,” Pyles said. “This is a chance to do something bigger than yourself and help other people.”
The academy concludes with a 24-hour overnight field exercise where participants practice large-scale search scenarios. Volunteers must demonstrate navigation, tracking, communications and teamwork while organizing teams and establishing incident command.
Those who successfully complete the program and pass a written exam become state-certified search and rescue personnel through the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association. Program leaders say Benton County is always looking for additional volunteers willing to train and serve.
Volunteers often work long hours in difficult conditions, sometimes searching through the night or for several days until a mission is complete.
“People volunteer because they want to help,” Stokes said. “They’re out there in the rain, the cold or the middle of the night because someone needs them.”
Information about the Benton County Search and Rescue Academy and volunteer opportunities is available on the Benton County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Units webpage.
Photos from the training are available on the Oregon Military Department https://www.flickr.com/photos/oregonmildep/albums/72177720332558664.
| Date Taken: | 03.15.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.15.2026 00:22 |
| Story ID: | 560570 |
| Location: | CORVALLIS, OREGON, US |
| Web Views: | 51 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Benton County Search and Rescue Academy trains volunteers with Oregon National Guard aviation support, by SFC Cory Grogan, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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