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68th RQS Hosts the Combat Leader Course

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class William Turnbull
  • 355th Wing Public Affairs

The 68th Rescue Squadron hosted the Combat Leader Course for Combat Rescue Officers and Pararescuemen from across the U.S. Air Force at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, April 25-29, 2022.

The purpose of the CLC is to take CROs and PJs to the next level, a leader in charge of their team and ready to use their leadership skills in any environment around the world.

“The CLC is the Guardian Angel's premier PJ team leader and CRO team commander upgrade course,” said Tech. Sgt. Austin Reed, 68th RQS weapons and tactics noncommissioned officer in charge. “The course compiles PJ and CRO participation from primarily Air Combat Command’s rescue squadron units, but also includes Air Force Special Operations Command, as well as guard and reserve participants.”

The 68th RQS, also known as the Guardian Angel Formal Training Unit, is the only unit that administers this course.

The 68th RQS hosts the CLC twice a year, with this year’s participation totaling 24 Airmen. There are 12 Airmen per class with each class having a combination of 10 PJs and two CROs.

“The course starts with two weeks of mission planning instruction revolving around the joint military decision making process and troop leading procedures,” Reed said. “From there the team conducts land-based full mission profiles that consist of High Altitude Low Opening and High Altitude High Opening jump insertions, rotary wing infiltration and exfiltration, confined space and collapsed structure rescues, mass casualty and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive medical events.”

The team members then transition to the Naval Air Station North Island on Coronado, California, to conduct Full Mission Profile Water Operations that exercises open ocean dive and jump operations.

The constant specialized training of the U.S. Air Force’s battlefield Airmen ensures that they are in a constant state of readiness and are fully equipped with the tools and training needed to respond to anything from natural disaster relief to advanced, persistent threats.