Exercise calls for search and recovery team

  • Published
  • By Airman Sondra M. Escutia
  • 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Approximately 30 members from the 49th Fighter Wing gathered at an area on the north-east side of Holloman Nov. 20 to perform a simulated search and recovery during Exercise Coronet Gold Rush 08-08.

The search and recovery team included members from the 49th Force Support Squadron and 49th Civil Engineer Squadron as well as a chaplain, a public affairs photographer and a member of life skills.

The team was called out to the area to recover the simulated remains of an Airman.

The scenario was that a 49th Logistics Readiness Squadron resupply convoy was hit with an improvised explosive device. They sustained several casualties and one Airman was unaccounted for. Assuming the IED had killed him, they radioed out for back-up.

"Part of our role is to come up and recover their comrade and send them back to the states," said Maj. Kurt Mencke, the 49 FSS commander and scenario on-scene commander. "We got the call and put our team together. As part of our normal training, we come out and do a very thorough, very exacting search to recover as much remains as possible."

During their mission, the group formed a precise line on one side of the cordoned area, made their way to the other side and come back at 90 degree angle to cross-check everything.

"The Airmen are looking for any kind of personal effect such as a wedding ring or wallet. They're looking for any kind of remains of the body itself or anything specific that the Expeditionary Operations Center (EOC) director wants us to looks for," he said. "We then mark everything, plot it on map when we get back and that becomes a part of the investigation package."

Although this search and recovery mission was only part of an exercise, a similar team would do the same thing in a real-world situation. It is also part of the 49 FSS deployment training.

"You can teach this in a classroom, but when you come out to the field and you deal with certain obstacles: thick brush, trees, terrain, weather - it becomes a lot harder," he added.

Upon completing the mission, Major Mencke and the participating Airmen met for a "hot wash" where they went over the entire event including the obstacles they faced, the injects and how they reacted.

"I think this training is very important," said Airman 1st Class Karla Davis-Sanchez. "It's stressful but it's good to practice so if I do encounter a situation like this someday, I'll know what to expect."