Rescue squad brings experience to Cooperative Key

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Chance Babin
  • 926th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
PLOVDIV, Bulgaria (AFPN) --  More than 50 Airmen, along with two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters from the 56th Rescue Squadron at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland, made the trip here to bring their special rescue skills to exercise Cooperative Key 05.

The exercise, which began Aug. 24 and ends Sept. 5, is a multinational exercise designed to enhance the interoperability of NATO and partner nation air forces through cooperation and familiarization of the organization's procedures.

“Coming to an exercise like this we see how we fit in bigger picture, not only the U.S., but in NATO,” said Capt. Brent Beaulieu, a 56th RQS mission pilot. “It opens our eyes to the fact that we are part of a larger multinational organization.”

While here, the 56th RQS is scheduled to perform combat search and rescue, search and rescue, medical evacuation, refugee evacuation, air show support and troop transfer missions. Because many of the 21 participating nations do not fly CSAR missions, the 56th RQS is a lead unit on the subject here.

“These countries don’t have CSAR, so they ask us a lot of questions about how to conduct them,” said Capt. Matt Schexnyder, an HH-60G instructor pilot. “We also did some CSAR seminars.”

While one of the goals of the exercise is developing interoperability of NATO nations, one of the challenges is effective communication.

As an example, Captain Beaulieu said in one day they worked with Poland, Romania, Macedonia, Slovenia and the Ukraine.

“Slovenia provided cover for us picking up Bulgarian troops and transporting them on a Ukrainian IL- 76,” Captain Beaulieu said.

Effective communication is a must.

“Patience and flexibility is the key,” Captain Schexnyder said. “The ideal is by the last few flights, we’ll be familiar with all their terms, and by the end we are an effective team. The more you practice, the better you get at it.”

In Iceland, the 56th RQS performs SAR missions for Iceland Defense Force and SAR coverage for F-15 Eagles that cover air defense for Iceland.

“We don’t normally get to work with this many aircraft and with medical people or … refugee evacuation,” Captain Schexnyder said.

“This exercise simulates real world where we might be tasked to rescue thousands of people,” Captain Schexnyder said. “That’s something we can do that’s not our primary mission.”

For the group of pararescuemen with the 56th RQS, the exercise means getting a chance to operate in the multinational environment and having the opportunity to perform tasks they cannot always do in Iceland.

“Being in Iceland, there are things we can only do there, but there are other things that we can’t. It’s like a double-edge sword,” said Senior Airman Jake Groves, a 56th RQS pararescueman. “So getting the chance to fly with other countries and perform some jumps is a good opportunity.”

For Senior Airman Skiy Detray, a 56th RQS pararescueman and veteran of two Afghanistan deployments, exercises like Cooperative Key are a good opportunity to learn.

“These exercises are great,” Airman Detray said. “It’s a good chance to work alongside our NATO allies and friends and build relationships and see how they operate and do business.”