Altus AFB gets first glimpse of "Inside Combat Rescue"

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Klynne Pearl Serrano
  • 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  The 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs office hosted two pre-screenings of part one of National Geographic's six-part TV series, "Inside Combat Rescue," at the base theater Feb. 12, 2013.

The United States Air Force allowed cameras to follow highly-skilled pararescuemen and capture their advanced medical skills which they apply in war.

Altus AFB base personnel and their families were given the opportunity to view the series premier, titled "Visions of War." They also participated in a question and answer forum after the show with a panel of subject matter experts assigned to Altus AFB from a variety of career fields who have supported the rescue mission in some way during their career.

The 97th AMW's mission is "Forging Combat Mobility Forces... Deploying Airman Warriors," as the premier air mobility training location for C-17 Globemaster III and KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft.

"We were aiming to highlight our role in the fight here at Altus Air Force Base, where mobility training begins," said 1st Lt. Katie Cousins, 97th AMW chief of public affairs. "Mobility aircraft play a vital role in support of this mission, by getting crews and equipment into and out of the area of responsibility, and with aeromedical evacuation capabilities that allow injured patients to get home safely."

The premier highlighted pararescuemen on missions saving service members' lives, while taking on enemy fire in the heart of Kandahar City, Afghanistan, an active battle zone. Rescuers race against time to fly Pave Hawk helicopters into the battle zone, reach the victims, perform initial life-saving procedures, and evacuate them to the nearest hospital to receive additional additional care.

These Airmen put their lives on the line so, as their motto says, "that others may live."

"Watching the show hit home for me personally because my dad was actually a Green Beret in the Army," said Airman 1st Class Kasta Rea, 97th Training Squadron boom operator student. "So for me it was emotional, but at the same time it was very enlightening and eye-opening because I never really understood what my dad went through. But after watching something like this, you really grasp an over-all concept of it. As a pipeline Airman, it also put more into perspective how important it is to learn my job."

The series is scheduled to premier publically on the National Geographic Channel at 10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time Feb. 18, 2013.

For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com.