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Inside Combat Rescue


slackline

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Again, not a helicopter guy...heard the crew say just before they took off "top left" and then "forward right". We were sitting around at work and being the resident Air Force guy, everybody asked me what that meant...I had no clue.

If i'm understanding the situation, it was either the Pilot, Copilot, FE, and/or gunner, calling out clearing calls ala "clear forward right/left" and "clear up and right/left" - just for obstacle clearances.

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Again, not a helicopter guy...heard the crew say just before they took off "top left" and then "forward right". We were sitting around at work and being the resident Air Force guy, everybody asked me what that meant...I had no clue.

It's clearing calls from the FE / AG. Usually it'll be "clear forward up left" "right". Often that gets shortened to "up left" "right".

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just watched the second episode on youtube...while the first episode left me feeling pumped up about my job, the second episode had a downer effect. Great episode, but when I was done watching it, it was like "fuck." And it brought back some memories of similar missions I've had over the years. My Js had to dart a guy in the back of my helo to reinflate a lung, and now I know what that looks like, and of course that mission was the worst brownout I have EVER experienced, and my FE and gunner agreed.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have another question. On last week's episode they had to wait a couple hours to pick up the Afghan dude until the Army coould sweep the area for IED's so they could land. I was wondering why they couldn't pick the guy up with the hoist without landing. Would that still be way too dangerous if something blew up on the ground? Do these guys even have a hoist?

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I have another question. On last week's episode they had to wait a couple hours to pick up the Afghan dude until the Army coould sweep the area for IED's so they could land. I was wondering why they couldn't pick the guy up with the hoist without landing. Would that still be way too dangerous if something blew up on the ground? Do these guys even have a hoist?

If I remember this mission correctly, the dudes on the ground were a non-partnered group of Afghanis. That would be the main reason to not go in there for a hoist. The helo is a sitting duck in a hover where even if the RPG doesn't kill you right away, the sudden spinning crash into the ground most likely will...or the fire, there is always the fire.

Picking up non-partnered Afghanis is not something we do on a regular basis...at least not the last time I was there. A hoist is always an option though.

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What's up with the requirement for an escort? Kind of made sense for the kid, but then there was the Afghan male adult that required one, too? Seems counter-intuitive to me.

I think in that scenerio the escort was the interpretor.

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My formation had one of the first unpartnered missions (I think), back in 2010, and the location was about 200 miles from the nearest coalition troops, and near a border with another country. So we were out there alone and unafraid...when we got overheard, we saw tire tracks, and elected to land there (figured they wouldn't drive where there was a mine). Had to take a terp with us on the mission...luckily it was extremely uneventful (other than for the 4 Cat A ABP we picked up).

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I've been watching them kind of out of order with On Demand, but are the PJs/CROs generally separate from the pilots/aircrew? They don't seem to show the pilots hanging out in the TOC very much. Do they have their own alert facility independent of the guys in the back?

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What's up with the requirement for an escort? Kind of made sense for the kid, but then there was the Afghan male adult that required one, too? Seems counter-intuitive to me.

The escort requirement is for women and children. There was a rash of incidents early on (before the escort requirement) where were would pick up a woman or child. After they were treated and released, they would be murdered in their village because they thought they had been dirtied by the Americans.

There was also another rash of incidents at Lash where armed gunmen would enter the hospital and kill certain people (many of which filled the description above). I don't know why they insisted on picking up the escort when the dude ended up being a MAM.

I've been watching them kind of out of order with On Demand, but are the PJs/CROs generally separate from the pilots/aircrew? They don't seem to show the pilots hanging out in the TOC very much. Do they have their own alert facility independent of the guys in the back?

We own several tents/buildings at each of our locations so people are usually spread out a little. When a mission drops, the Flight Lead, #2 AC, CRO and TL go to the TOC for the drop. For some reason NatGeo focused more on the PJs during this portion of it. In reality, it is the Flight Lead developing the game-plan with the CRO/TL for whatever the mission requires.

The PJs always deploy their own gym since we can't leave the alert facility so that is always nice. Other than that, dudes are either watching movies, working out, sleeping or doing homework. When there isn't a mission it is just a mix. Sometimes we are all hanging out with each other. Most of the time it is weird thought because they are always re-applying their bronzer.

On Sundays at Bastion the PJs would invite the British nurses over for a team crossfit workout. That was always a good time.

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I've been watching them kind of out of order with On Demand, but are the PJs/CROs generally separate from the pilots/aircrew? They don't seem to show the pilots hanging out in the TOC very much. Do they have their own alert facility independent of the guys in the back?

This is Hollywood pure and simple. Rarely is there a PJ hanging out in the TOC just to wait on a mission. If they're in there, they're BS'ing. CRO's maybe.

There are some retired crew members that are bugged with how the show was filmed because its heavy "PJ's are the only ones on these missions" emphasis, but the whole point of the show is to highlight the J's not us. I'm cool with it because the show highlights Rescue. Besides, even if it is some Hollywood, the J's are still pretty bad A.

ETA: oh yeah, they never tell us where we're going and how we're going in. Once again it is Hollywood, but 99% of the people won't know the difference. Heck, when I was stationed at Kadena we used to get people that asked us "Are you with that Army helo unit on the other side of the base?" And that was active duty AF, sometimes pilots both of the tanker and fast mover types.

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Edited by slackline
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First and foremost I have the utmost respect for what the jollys and pjs are doing in Afghanistan. You guys risk your lives to live the rescue motto. Total props to you. My only complaint about the show, and I know we play a limited role in Afghanistan, is it portrays USAF combat rescue as two parts, helicopters and pjs. There is a third, the kings. We have always been and will be part of the rescue triad. Unfortunately this show portrays our rescue community as only two parts and as a king guy it's disappointing. Again not to take anything away from what you guys are doing, and if I had my choice we would be there right along side of you, but that's my two cents.

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First and foremost I have the utmost respect for what the jollys and pjs are doing in Afghanistan. You guys risk your lives to live the rescue motto. Total props to you. My only complaint about the show, and I know we play a limited role in Afghanistan, is it portrays USAF combat rescue as two parts, helicopters and pjs. There is a third, the kings. We have always been and will be part of the rescue triad. Unfortunately this show portrays our rescue community as only two parts and as a king guy it's disappointing. Again not to take anything away from what you guys are doing, and if I had my choice we would be there right along side of you, but that's my two cents.

Sorry man, but in 7 trips to OEF and one to OIF, I never once had a King there in any way, shape, or form. Your role has only very recently, in OEF terms, been put into play. You actually see the helos in this show, and they're barely mentioned, so the fact that anyone could get butt hurt over not showing the Kings is a little silly. Again, let me point out again, this show is about the J's, not Jolly/Pedro, or Kings.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

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