Administrative control for select active-duty Air Force combat search and rescue assets is transferring from Air Force Special Operations Command to Air Combat Command.

“Our military must always have the combat capability to rescue its people ... our warriors ... wherever and whenever required,” said Gen. T. Michael Moseley, Air Force chief of staff. “I’ve given ACC, (Pacific Air Forces) and AFSOC commanders 30 days to develop a transition plan.”

This change ensures this critical Air Force capability is directly linked to the combat air forces and the personnel they support, thus consolidating the management of limited Air Force resources. Under ACC, these assets can be mobilized faster during a national crisis, integrated into combat training and tasked to support all air and space expeditionary force rotations.

Assets affected by this realignment include the HC-130P/N and HH-60G Pave Hawk aircraft and most of the combat rescue officers and pararescuemen. Pacific Air Forces and U.S. Air Forces in Europe active-duty units will remain separate from this action.

Except for PACAF, Guard and Reserve units will remain under administrative control to their respective units until they have been mobilized, at which time they will become ACC units.

This change will be transparent to the affected commanders. They will continue to gain personnel recovery capability through the joint forces air component commander as they have before.