Story by Senior Airman Melany Bermudez | 18th Wing | 07.09.2025
U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Nicholas Evans, 18th Wing commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Brandon Wolfgang, 18th Wing command chief, flew their final sortie with the 33rd and 31st Rescue Squadrons on July 9, 2025, marking the end of their leadership at Kadena. To commemorate his time at Kadena and honor the combat search and rescue mission in the Indo-Pacific, Evans chose to pilot an HH-60W Jolly......
Story by Sgt. Laura Gauna and Staff Sgt. Jesse Stence | III Marine Expeditionary Force | 02.16.2017
KADENA AIR FORCE BASE, Okinawa, Japan -- The minute combat rescue Airmen heard about what appeared to be the beginning of a disaster, they took action. An MV-22 Osprey made a forced landing off the coast of Okinawa, Japan, Dec. 13, while conducting an aerial refueling operation at night....
Story by Airman 1st Class Lynette Rolen | 18th Wing | 11.17.2016
Pararescuemen from the 31st Rescue Squadron and Japan Air Self-Defense Force participated in a mass casualty exercise as part of Exercise Keen Sword 17, Nov. 10, 2016, off the coast of Okinawa....
Story by Airman 1st Class Corey Pettis | 18th Wing | 11.15.2016
U.S. and Japan Air Self-Defense Force Rescue Squadrons participated in Exercise Keen Sword 17, which started Oct. 30. Keen Sword is the largest joint, bilateral field training exercise between the U.S. military and the Japan Self-Defense Force and involves U.S. forces and the JSDF from all components of both militaries....
Story by Airman 1st Class Hailey Staker | 18th Wing | 11.12.2012
It’s a cool November morning on Okinawa, Japan, and as the rest of the Island stirs around them, it seems as though time stands still as airmen, soldiers, sailors, Marines and even veterans from wars long ago gather for a ceremony at the 18th Wing headquarters building to observe Veterans Day, Nov. 12....
Story by Staff Sgt. Sara Keller | 18th Wing | 10.18.2012
Most airmen from the 31st and 33rd rescue squadrons know Tech. Sgt. Bobby Colliton as their resident "SERE guy," but others may think he's the host of "Man vs. Wild," or in this case, Air-Man vs. Wild....
Story by Staff Sgt. Sara Keller | 18th Wing | 10.15.2012
For the fifth straight year, 31st and 33rd Rescue Squadron airmen from Kadena Air Base, Japan, have teamed up with the 25th Fighter Squadron here to kick off Exercise Pacific Thunder 2012....
Story by Pfc. Codey Underwood | Exercise Balikatan | 04.17.2012
Philippine and U.S. pararescue teams conducted collapsed building training here, April 17, during Exercise Balikatan 2012....
