Airmen practice water rescue

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Christopher A. Marasky
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan (AFPN) --  Part of participating in a local operational readiness exercise is practicing skills and tactics that many hope they never have to use.

Such was the case when a water survival and rescue exercise was conducted Oct. 24 by members of Kadena Air Base, Japan, off the coast of Okinawa as part of  local operationl readiness exercise Beverly High 08-1.

In the scenario a pilot ejects from an F-15 Eagle over the water far from shore.

"We put the pilot out in a life raft, to simulate that he ejected from an aircraft," said Tech. Sgt. Edmund Dawejko, an 18th Operations Support Squadron survival evasion resistance escape specialist. 

"We're going out there to simulate a friendly ejection over water," said pilot Capt. Derek Flynn from the 67th Fighter Squadron. "We're testing basic search and rescue finding, and getting me out of the water as safe as possible."

The exercise is not just to practice the skills of the rescuers, but to ensure the pilot has the skills needed to be rescued.

"We're testing his survivability in the life raft," said Sergeant Dawejko. "We (also) want to see things like communication procedures and use of his survival equipment, to ensure that he's proficient with them, and that he's been trained and briefed properly prior to his mission." 

The use of communications equipment is especially important during survivial and rescue training, he said.

"The main reason is to help with his recovery," said Sergeant Dawekjo, "so that the search and rescue teams are able to get in contact with him in a timely manner, and get his location."

It's ultimately the pilot's responsibility to get in contact with the recovery forces, he said. 

"He did pretty well," Sergeant Dawekjo said.

The exercise also helped Kadena's search and rescue teams practice their recovery skills.

After nearly five hours in the water, a team from the 31st Rescue Squadron reached Captain Flynn and pulled him into one of their zodiac boats.

"The zodiac is a soft-bottom boat, with inflatable sides," said Sergeant Dawejko. "It can be deflated so that it can be placed in a recovery helicopter or in the back of a KC-135 Stratotanker." 

Once recovered and safely on land, Captain Flynn reflected on the exercise.

"It's great to practice something like this," he said. "I think it was very important for pararescue to practice their methods. It's (vital) that they be able to get us out of the water fast and safe, before the enemy can find us."

Search and rescue professionals understand their commitment to the pilots, said Sergeant Dawejko.

"It's about fulfilling the mission and helping our pilots to return with honor," he said.

Captain Flynn said knowing that those who perform search and rescue are well trained is comforting.

"I love flying F-15's, and it's nice to know that there are pararescue guys out here to save us if something happens," he said.

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