Air Force PJs parachute into Alaskan wilderness to rescue bear attack victim: When a h****r was mauled by a grizzly bear in the remote Alaskan wilderness, he was literally in the...

Rose42

When a h****r was mauled by a grizzly bear in the remote Alaskan wilderness, he was literally in the middle of nowhere. There wasn't a highway within 150 miles.

When word of the attack reached Tech. Sgt. Katelyn Magnuson she knew the h****r only had once chance to survive. As the senior search and rescue coordinator at the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson she began spinning up the assets needed to put to Air Force pararescuemen directly on target. Time was of the essence as the h****r was in critical condition and had lost a lot of blood.

The HC-130J Combat King II from 211th Rescue Squadron was the airframe of choice. Pararescuemen Senior Master Sgt. Jeremy Diola and Master Sgt. Cody Inman received the mission after their commander gave it the green light. Pararescue (PJs for short) have a two-year training pipeline when they are trained on everything from high altitude parachuting to combat diving, with a heavy emphasis on trauma medicine and search and rescue tactics.

They are known for rescuing downed pilots behind enemy lines and recovering MIA soldiers in places like Afghanistan. PJs also work with the Special Operations community and even assist NASA if they need help recovering astronauts during a water landing.

Diola and Inman suited up and lugged their 100-pound rucksacks onto the back of the HC-130J before taking off.

Parachute jumps are rare, even for elite Special Operations troops due to how many things can potentially go wrong. Years prior, a squadron sized element from Delta Force had planned to conduct a military free-fall jump in Afghanistan but the wind speeds were such that planners felt that the squadron would end up spread out across an entire valley so the mission was scrubbed.

But for this rescue operation in Alaska, the stars had aligned it seemed. “It was one of those times when those risk factors were absent,” Diola said. “It was a lower risk from the jump side, and the benefits of getting there faster — even if it’s minutes — made for the course of action we took.”

Diola and Inman exited the aircraft at 3,000 feet above ground level and used the toggles on their parachutes to steer themselves to the impromptu dropzone, landing about 500 meters away from the injured h****r. They quickly moved towards him and confirmed their initial suspicions that his situation was dire.

“Our assessment he was severely injured — what we call a cat alpha or an urgent surgical patient — was confirmed,” Inman said.

The PJs treated and packaged their patient and soon an HH-60 helicopter arrived. They boarded and flew 30 minutes to the nearby town of Galena where they then crossloaded the patient onto the HC-130, then waiting for them at an airfield. They then flew directly to Anchorage where the h****r was loaded onto a UH-60 helicopter and flown directly to the emergency room at the Providence Alaska Medical Center.

Thanks to the hard work of the PJs, aviators, search and rescue coordinators, and others involved in the effort, the patient survived. The rescue mission itself also serves as a proof of concept, demonstrating that special operators can utilize the military free fall infiltration technique in small teams to great effect if commanders are open to the possibility of using it.

https://connectingvets.radio.com/articles/pararescuemen-jump-into-alaska-to-save-victim-of-bear-attack

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

Rose42 wrote:

When a h****r was mauled by a grizzly bear in the remote Alaskan wilderness, he was literally in the middle of nowhere. There wasn't a highway within 150 miles.

When word of the attack reached Tech. Sgt. Katelyn Magnuson she knew the h****r only had once chance to survive. As the senior search and rescue coordinator at the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson she began spinning up the assets needed to put to Air Force pararescuemen directly on target. Time was of the essence as the h****r was in critical condition and had lost a lot of blood.

The HC-130J Combat King II from 211th Rescue Squadron was the airframe of choice. Pararescuemen Senior Master Sgt. Jeremy Diola and Master Sgt. Cody Inman received the mission after their commander gave it the green light. Pararescue (PJs for short) have a two-year training pipeline when they are trained on everything from high altitude parachuting to combat diving, with a heavy emphasis on trauma medicine and search and rescue tactics.

They are known for rescuing downed pilots behind enemy lines and recovering MIA soldiers in places like Afghanistan. PJs also work with the Special Operations community and even assist NASA if they need help recovering astronauts during a water landing.

Diola and Inman suited up and lugged their 100-pound rucksacks onto the back of the HC-130J before taking off.

Parachute jumps are rare, even for elite Special Operations troops due to how many things can potentially go wrong. Years prior, a squadron sized element from Delta Force had planned to conduct a military free-fall jump in Afghanistan but the wind speeds were such that planners felt that the squadron would end up spread out across an entire valley so the mission was scrubbed.

But for this rescue operation in Alaska, the stars had aligned it seemed. “It was one of those times when those risk factors were absent,” Diola said. “It was a lower risk from the jump side, and the benefits of getting there faster — even if it’s minutes — made for the course of action we took.”

Diola and Inman exited the aircraft at 3,000 feet above ground level and used the toggles on their parachutes to steer themselves to the impromptu dropzone, landing about 500 meters away from the injured h****r. They quickly moved towards him and confirmed their initial suspicions that his situation was dire.

“Our assessment he was severely injured — what we call a cat alpha or an urgent surgical patient — was confirmed,” Inman said.

The PJs treated and packaged their patient and soon an HH-60 helicopter arrived. They boarded and flew 30 minutes to the nearby town of Galena where they then crossloaded the patient onto the HC-130, then waiting for them at an airfield. They then flew directly to Anchorage where the h****r was loaded onto a UH-60 helicopter and flown directly to the emergency room at the Providence Alaska Medical Center.

Thanks to the hard work of the PJs, aviators, search and rescue coordinators, and others involved in the effort, the patient survived. The rescue mission itself also serves as a proof of concept, demonstrating that special operators can utilize the military free fall infiltration technique in small teams to great effect if commanders are open to the possibility of using it.

https://connectingvets.radio.com/articles/pararescuemen-jump-into-alaska-to-save-victim-of-bear-attack

When a h****r was mauled by a grizzly bear in the ... (show quote)

PJ's are some of the toughest folk in the Spec Op's community.

Rose42

lpnmajor wrote:

PJ's are some of the toughest folk in the Spec Op's community.

Never have met one but have only heard good things about them.

bahmer

Rose42 wrote:

When a h****r was mauled by a grizzly bear in the remote Alaskan wilderness, he was literally in the middle of nowhere. There wasn't a highway within 150 miles.

When word of the attack reached Tech. Sgt. Katelyn Magnuson she knew the h****r only had once chance to survive. As the senior search and rescue coordinator at the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson she began spinning up the assets needed to put to Air Force pararescuemen directly on target. Time was of the essence as the h****r was in critical condition and had lost a lot of blood.

The HC-130J Combat King II from 211th Rescue Squadron was the airframe of choice. Pararescuemen Senior Master Sgt. Jeremy Diola and Master Sgt. Cody Inman received the mission after their commander gave it the green light. Pararescue (PJs for short) have a two-year training pipeline when they are trained on everything from high altitude parachuting to combat diving, with a heavy emphasis on trauma medicine and search and rescue tactics.

They are known for rescuing downed pilots behind enemy lines and recovering MIA soldiers in places like Afghanistan. PJs also work with the Special Operations community and even assist NASA if they need help recovering astronauts during a water landing.

Diola and Inman suited up and lugged their 100-pound rucksacks onto the back of the HC-130J before taking off.

Parachute jumps are rare, even for elite Special Operations troops due to how many things can potentially go wrong. Years prior, a squadron sized element from Delta Force had planned to conduct a military free-fall jump in Afghanistan but the wind speeds were such that planners felt that the squadron would end up spread out across an entire valley so the mission was scrubbed.

But for this rescue operation in Alaska, the stars had aligned it seemed. “It was one of those times when those risk factors were absent,” Diola said. “It was a lower risk from the jump side, and the benefits of getting there faster — even if it’s minutes — made for the course of action we took.”

Diola and Inman exited the aircraft at 3,000 feet above ground level and used the toggles on their parachutes to steer themselves to the impromptu dropzone, landing about 500 meters away from the injured h****r. They quickly moved towards him and confirmed their initial suspicions that his situation was dire.

“Our assessment he was severely injured — what we call a cat alpha or an urgent surgical patient — was confirmed,” Inman said.

The PJs treated and packaged their patient and soon an HH-60 helicopter arrived. They boarded and flew 30 minutes to the nearby town of Galena where they then crossloaded the patient onto the HC-130, then waiting for them at an airfield. They then flew directly to Anchorage where the h****r was loaded onto a UH-60 helicopter and flown directly to the emergency room at the Providence Alaska Medical Center.

Thanks to the hard work of the PJs, aviators, search and rescue coordinators, and others involved in the effort, the patient survived. The rescue mission itself also serves as a proof of concept, demonstrating that special operators can utilize the military free fall infiltration technique in small teams to great effect if commanders are open to the possibility of using it.

https://connectingvets.radio.com/articles/pararescuemen-jump-into-alaska-to-save-victim-of-bear-attack

When a h****r was mauled by a grizzly bear in the ... (show quote)

Awesome it is nice to know that we have personnel that are trained in these types of operations.

EN Submarine Qualified Loc: Wisconsin East coast

Rose42 wrote:

Never have met one but have only heard good things about them.

Great effort. Now if someone with half a brain would come up with permission to permit service people to protect themselves on their bases. Gun free zone, my dying butt!!

Peewee Loc: San Antonio, TX

Rose42 wrote:

Never have met one but have only heard good things about them.

Watched them train at Patrick AFB, FL. They were always jumping into the local river from helicopters. They go all over to practice their sk**ls from snow-covered mountains to the tropics. Some tuff, well trained, can-do warriors you don't hear a lot about.

Mike Easterday

I was in the army. We always joked about the Air Force. Never complained about their chow halls though.

EN Submarine Qualified Loc: Wisconsin East coast

You mean "Chair Farce"? Never got to try out any of their chow halls. The submarine's chow was the best. The usual 3 per day plus 'soupdown' around 1400 and "Midrats" at midnight. On the old diesel boats, we stood our watches usually 4 on 8 off,slept, played cards and ate. Might spend a little time picking on your shipmates or telling sea stories (NTINS) and there was a movie each evening in the chow hall and that was pretty much it. Back in either 1959 or 60, on one of our many patrols,we dove the boat on 23 Feb and didn't surface until 18 April. Snorkeled every night to charge batteries and refresh the boat's atmosphere . Probably not a record but still a long time never seeing daylight.

Dad retired from Army in 1946. Brother served in Korea in the Army, an uncle survived the Bataan Death March, POW in Japan, came home,finished his 20 and retired.

Peewee Loc: San Antonio, TX

Mike Easterday wrote:

I was in the army. We always joked about the Air Force. Never complained about their chow halls though.

I've seen some of your base housing and barracks. I felt so sorry for you guys. I went to Ft Campbell in the winter and it was freezing cold. Troops were lined up for about two miles headed into the woods for two weeks. You guys are my heroes. You catch all the crap and in every way. I sometimes go to Ft Sam to shop the Commissary, much better se******n than ours and the prices seem cheaper.

Mike Easterday

I did most of duty in Germany . Taylor Barracks. We had some good Mess people . We still envied the Chair Force Base

Peewee Loc: San Antonio, TX

Mike Easterday wrote:

I did most of duty in Germany . Taylor Barracks. We had some good Mess people . We still envied the Chair Force Base

I was at Ramstein for four years and loved every minute lived in Landstuhl below the hospital. First time I ever had a beer in a movie theater. There are some neat sites hidden in the forest and on top of hills. If you went out the back gate of Ramstein it's an old WWII runway. You have to turn off to go to Landstuhl, but if you keep going straight there is a civil engineering compound on the right. Half German and half Americans, that's where you want to go eat lunch. The food was so good, better than any restaurant I ever ate at. Not fancy just delicious.

woodguru

Mike Easterday wrote:

I was in the army. We always joked about the Air Force. Never complained about their chow halls though.

Best food in the military, that's a fact... we used to uniform up at midnight for midnight chow, omelettes and SOS (sausage gravy on toast), two trays, four plates for me. I don't know how I could eat as much as I used to and be skinny and in shape too.

woodguru

Peewee wrote:

Watched them train at Patrick AFB, FL. They were always jumping into the local river from helicopters. They go all over to practice their sk**ls from snow-covered mountains to the tropics. Some tuff, well trained, can-do warriors you don't hear a lot about.

My best friend and I made friends in Louisiana with two Rangers who were doing paratrooper training, it started when my friend and I had been taking money from these guys playing partners pool and it escalated into a fight. They said they wanted to take it outside and talk about it, I said anytime let's go. Walking outside my friend whispered that I was taking the big one, he'd get the smaller one, I told him it didn't matter we were going to get our butts kicked anyway. I was squaring off with my guy, and I knew if I didn't do something this was going to hurt. I started laughing, he thought I was laughing at him and almost hit me, he asked what was so funny and I told him this was, that we should be friends, he started laughing, my friend started, pretty soon we were laughing our butts off and went back in with our arms around each others necks. I was very sure I'd rather have them as friends than be fighting them.