Airmen from the 943rd Security Forces Squadron and the 920th Security Forces Squadron participated in a 7 day-long exercise called “Rescue Defender Challenge”, June 10th through June 16th at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.
These Air Force Reserve Defenders trained on weapons employment, radio communication, NVG operations, and Combat Search and Rescue Personnel Recovery integration. Utilizing the 943d Rescue Group’s HH-60 Pavehawks and training facilities, the Defenders were able to practice entering and exiting the helo, loading/unloading patient litters and experiencing hoist rescues while incorporating and honing their core competencies required by Security Forces around the world.
The Air Guard Air Reserve Test Center...
The 920th LRS continues to train Airmen to be multicapable so that they can utilize every person in the squadron. They train extensively to identify what the future mission is, being able to prepare for that it, and execute it successfully.
The support section is a main supplier of tools and equipment with a team of mechanics whose primary job is to provide immediate support for HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter and C-130J Combat King II aircraft repair and maintenance so that the aircraft can be turned around for missions quickly and efficiently.
Master Sgt. Floyd Gordon, 920th RQW Development and Training Flight chief, leads newly enlisted, non-prior service members in an entry level program where they are assigned monthly duties and lessons to prepare them for basic military training and technical school.
AFE is a team of 27 Airmen whose main role is to maintain, test, and inspect the flight gear used by all aircrew. The customers of AFE include the wing’s two flying squadrons; the 301st Rescue Squadron, which operate the HH-60G Pave Hawk, and the 39th Rescue Squadron, which operate the C-130J Combat King II.
When a bird struck the leading edge of one of the wing’s C-130J Combat King II aircraft during a flight the 920th Maintenance Squadron’s aircraft structural maintenance shop successfully repaired the damage and returned the aircraft to flying operations within two months; saving the wing more than 10,000 hours in maintenance and showcasing the maintenance group’s ability to accelerate change within the wing.
After two years of assessment and validation the 920th Rescue Wing has developed an enhanced Personnel Recovery Task Force (PRTF) structure along with overhauled tactics, techniques, and procedures with a specific design to deny competitors exploitation of isolated personnel.
