Officials complete second phase of rescue officer selection

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Larry Carpenter
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. (AFNEWS) --  Combat rescue officer career field officials held phase two of their selection process March 26 to 30 at Fairchild. The purpose of phase two is to narrow the field of trainees invited into the CRO career field training pipeline.

Phase two is a rigorous week of intense physical, mental and psychological training that pushes the candidates to their breaking points, testing their leadership abilities under extreme conditions.

The selection process was established to trim the number of applicants placed into the 13-month CRO training pipeline, said Capt. Chadwick Sterr, the Combat Rescue Officer selection program manager.

Before candidates get to phase two, they must get through phase one of the selection process. During that phase, all of the individuals' records are reviewed to ensure the applicants are medically qualified and they meet the physical training test standards.

Phase two generally is a 25-person class with 20 active-duty and five Reserve or Guard members. The classes are typically filled with a mixture of officers, enlisted, and AF ROTC cadets.

There were 25 applications submitted for this class, of those 25, 24 were invited to attend the course. Only 18 showed up for the challenge.

When the candidates first arrived, they completed a physical training test consisting of a 3-mile run, 1,500 meter swim and some calisthenics. Candidates who fail are immediately dropped from the class. Then they accomplished the first water portion of the class.

This is the crawl portion of the crawl-walk-run concept, said Captain Sterr.

"I think this is the hardest course you can go through," he said. "From first-hand experience, one week of phase two was the hardest thing that I've ever done in my life."
Phase two is a crucial process in making sure the right people are placed into the training pipeline.

"This course will see if they can deal with the stressful situations they will be put in," said Captain Sterr.

Once candidates complete CRO training, they are granted much responsibility. That responsibility could be the life of someone they are rescuing or the lives of their men.

"Once they get all of their training accomplished, they will know first hand what they are putting their men into," said Captain Sterr.

The phase-two selection is 100-percent voluntary. The students have the right at any time to decide that this career field is not for them and leave at their will, with one stipulation. The students are briefed on all the class policies the morning of the first day. The quitting policy is the student has to say "I quit" and then "ring-out" by blowing the air horn.

As tough as the course is, the selection board does have a heart. Students can fail out of the course and return to try again. But, if someone quits, they are never allowed to return. Further, if someone is injured, they are medically withdrawn from the course, but can re-submit their package for the next available class.

So what would make a person want this type of job, Captain Sterr said?

"One trait that everyone has is the Type-A personality," he said, "the type of guy who will go the distance to get the job done."

"It's the best job in the world," he said. "I would definitely do it all over again. I can't imagine doing anything else."

The students who make it through the phase-two process will get an invite into the CRO training pipeline.

"If they are already commissioned, they will receive a direct invite to Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M." said Captain Sterr. "If they are currently in a commissioning program, they will receive permanent change-of-station orders to Kirtland once they complete their commission."

"The CRO career field is essential because the Air Force has a moral and ethical obligation to save people in our military and the CRO has to be the subject matter expert," said Lt. Col. Chuck Metrolis, 31st Rescue Squadron commander at Kadena Air Base, Japan, and board president for the selection.

"It's a very dangerous job and we have to make sure we are doing it the best way possible," he said. "The selection process tries to make sure the students are mentally prepared by putting them under a lot of physical and mental stress."

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