This month, U.S. Air Force Pararescuemen assigned to the 68th Rescue Squadron completed the Combat Leader Course needed for them to progress in their careers in the Pararescue (PJ) community. The training took place at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona and at another unique location, the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley.
The two-month-long course prioritized four training scenarios that reflect the unit's real-world missions.
These were:
- Search and rescue operations: the bread and butter of the PJs is searching for and rescuing American military personnel who are missing in action. In this scenario training the PJs had to locate and rescue simulated personnel in difficult terrain and within tight time constraints.
- Confined space rescue missions: Taking place at the decommissioned missile base, this scenario tested the PJs' ability to complete a rescue operation in confined and narrow spaces. Pictures of the event also show the trainees wearing protective masks and gear, meaning they were also simulating a chemical, biological, nuclear, or radiological environment.
- Mass casualty extraction training: This scenario required, "rapid planning and execution to remove personnel and equipment from contested areas, where speed and stealth are critical." A mass casualty event is defined as one in which a unit has taken so many casualties that they are overwhelmed, and their medical personnel are unable to process all of them. This scenario likely saw the PJs coming in to assist in such a case.
- Recovery mission practice: Not said outright in the Department of Defense press release, recovery is separate from rescue. A recovery operation is intended to recover the remains of service members killed in combat operations. Psychologically taxing, such a mission sees the PJs training for the military's belief that no one should be left behind.
"This training is as real as it gets," explained Chief Master Sgt. Zach Hill, the 68th Rescue Squadron senior leader. "From the moment we got the 'go,' we were constantly making decisions that had consequences. Operating the drone to clear the route, gaining access through technical means, and then immediately switching to provide medical care while watching for threats; it tests every skill we have. You can't replicate this kind of stress in a classroom; you have to live it. It's tough, but it's what makes us ready for anything."
