Coast Guard

MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. — Ocean water fills the vessel as crew members chuck water from their tether to life, a 20-person life raft. Another member steadfastly refills the escaping air that keeps their raft afloat. These activities are just a couple of measures taken to ensure the survival of Airmen in the event of a downed aircraft over a large body of water.

During a simulation of an in-flight emergency, pilots and aircrew stationed at MacDill Air Force Base perform life-saving techniques in preparation for potential long-term survival and isolation over open water.

Water Survival Preparation at MacDill consists of two segments, academic instruction reviewing concepts such as open water recovery and raft-living procedures, and a live simulation to apply those concepts. All pilots and aircrew are required to complete this course every 48 months, and this year, participants are in for a fun surprise.

Given the charge of making this training as realistic and safe as possible, two Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) specialists set out to transform the way MacDill prepares pilots and aircrew for in-flight water emergencies. For Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Haskins and Staff Sgt. Matthew Montour, SERE specialists with the 6th Operations Support Squadron and instructors of the Water Survival Preparation course, this meant moving into a season of growth, both personally and professionally.

Montour and Haskins had a framework for creating this new and engaging course, but they knew they needed the help of the community to bring this immersive experience to life.

“The big challenge was recognizing what assets we have in play, at least here and near MacDill, and how we can utilize and incorporate them into our water survival preparation course,” said Montour. “The next big step was getting all of those unique and capable assets to be able to assist us in this process.”

The new scenario allows participants to practice a truer version of what they may encounter. Rather than swimming out 50 yards into the water, participants will board a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) marine vessel and be carried to the middle of the bay, approximately 1200 yards, where they will disembark, swim into a life raft, and simulate raft-living procedures. To close out the experience, the Coast Guard will “rescue” the team via helicopter hoist (an outcome more likely to occur on the open waters). Montour and Haskins believe these changes will provide a more impactful experience for both pilots and aircrew.

To facilitate the type of program that effectively prepares pilots and aircrew for emergencies, Montour and Haskins needed to be certified to address certain situations while in the training environment.

Soon, they would attend the Navy’s Surface Rescue Swimmer School (SRSS), a demanding 26-day course that tests physical aptitude and mental acuity, all while equipping participants with the skills to recover and assist personnel during emergency situations.

Physically and mentally demanding programs were nothing new for Haskins and Montour, but this program added a few layers of pressure that made the process something to remember. For one, SRSS is a grueling program with a high attrition rate but being the first Airmen to attend made them keenly aware that they were representing all the U.S. Air Force and setting the standard for all who followed. Like a house of cards, one false move could have the entire overhauled water survival preparation course crumbling, or at the very least, delayed.

As if that weren’t enough, during the training, Montour experienced an episode of illness which could have meant the end of his training and no certification.

“[The] reality set in that the next couple hours or days were about to get a whole lot worse. I woke up at 0130 and thought, ‘This isn’t good. PT is at 0600, I’m not going to get any more sleep, and my body is actively rejecting food and water,’” said Montour.

“I prayed first, called Haskins at 0540 for a pep talk, armed myself with a hotel trash can, extra clothes in my pack, and the will to survive. I knew that if I didn’t show up for PT, or if I didn’t perform well enough, I would get pulled. I also knew that if I voluntarily went to sick call or the ER during training hours, I would get pulled,” he added.

“In all honesty though, remembering why I was there was critical; I am here for the betterment and safety of others, so what’s a little momentary discomfort?”

Unable to keep anything down, Montour powered through a grueling PT session to get the credit he needed to move forward, and he capped off his evening with a trip to the emergency room.

“The following day we had our final eval which I passed, and then went to the ER that evening too,” he said. His perseverance was a testament to the tremendous responsibility he felt in being one of the first from the Air Force to attend.

Although SRSS is a demanding program, Haskins notes its importance for SERE Specialists. “Currently, the standard for SERE Specialists is to be lifeguard certified.”

“We are advocating for other SERE programs across the force to go to the Navy Surface Rescue Swimmer School so they can have those skills and be as safe as they can and lower the risk to the force in that high-risk training event that they conduct and are responsible for.”

Although the grueling water training program and an illness stood as obstacles on their path to a reimagined water survival preparation course, Haskins and Montour are thankful for the experiences and opportunities this journey has afforded.

“We’ve gotten to work with other agencies that I’ve never worked with before, for instance the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office,” said Haskins. “That’s been a huge breadth of knowledge and also opens up a lot more resources for us to tap into.”

Haskins discussed how this experience has also influenced him personally, “[it’s] also been broadening for me to get out of my comfort zone and be able to interact with civilians and other counterparts in a way that is applicable to the preparation we already perform here at MacDill AFB.”

Both Montour and Haskins received special recognition for their efforts in revitalizing the water survival preparation course. Major General Corey J. Martin, the 18th Air Force Commander, gifted them with the 18th AF coins and personal letters celebrating this achievement.

“It’s been a blessing seeing this process change within the last year,” said Montour. “It was a lot of legwork, about nine months of planning and preparation from the SERE shop.”

“We hope to set a precedent and a way forward for the rest of our program in the hope that other units, and other SERE specialists across AMC and across the Force can implement some of these skills as well.”

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Stone (WMSL 758) returned to their home port in North Charleston, Wednesday, following a 63-day patrol in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea in support of homeland defense and counterdrug operations.

Supporting the Tri-Party partnership, Stone served as on-scene commander, leading U.S. Navy and Royal Canadian navy assets in a dynamic mission to preserve the sovereignty of U.S. waters and counter the actions of foreign actors and transnational criminal organizations.

The Tri-Party partnership, comprised of U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, U.S. Second Fleet and Canadian Joint Task Force-Atlantic maritime forces, was established in 2015 and continues to be an effective partnership aimed at preserving mutual interests and upholding the rules-based international order in support of good maritime governance.

“This deployment offered a unique opportunity to demonstrate the diverse capabilities of the national security cutter, and how seamlessly and rapidly the Coast Guard can integrate with joint and allied forces to counter maritime threats,” said Capt. Jonathan Carter, commanding officer of Stone. “The Stone’s crew performed admirably throughout the demanding mission.”

Stone is a 418-foot, Legend-class national security cutter. The cutter’s primary missions are counterdrug operations and defense readiness. James falls under the command of the Coast Guard Atlantic Area in Portsmouth, Virginia. Atlantic Area oversees all Coast Guard operations east of the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf. In addition to surge operations, Atlantic Area also allocates ships to deploy to the Caribbean Sea, Eastern Pacific Ocean, and South Atlantic Ocean to combat transnational organized crime and illicit maritime activity.

For information on how to join the U.S. Coast Guard, visit GoCoastGuard.com to learn about active duty, reserve, officer, and enlisted opportunities. Information on how to apply to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy can be found at https://uscga.edu.

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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – Arctic Thunder Open House concluded for the year at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, July 22, 2024.

ATOH is the largest two-day event in Alaska and one of the largest air shows in North America. This year, an estimated 260,000 attendees came out to enjoy this year’s iteration, which included static and ground displays, aerial performances, vendors, a children’s zone and more.

Headliner acts included the U.S. Air Force Demonstration Squadron “Thunderbirds;” the U.S. Army Parachute Team, The Golden Knights; F-16 Viper Demonstration Team; F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team, the largest Joint Force Demonstration in North America and a German Air Force Tornado demonstration.

“My favorite part was being able to go into the cockpit of the C-17 and talk with the loadmasters and pilots. I think it’s interesting learning about different jobs in the Air Force,” said U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Hannah Parmeter, conventional maintenance technician assigned to the 3rd Munitions Squadron. “As a whole, I appreciate how the air show brings the community together and allows for a common interest everyone can experience.”

The theme of this year’s ATOH was “Honoring Legacy, Inspiring the Next Generation,” which was highlighted with an Alaska Native Veterans’ Display.

“We are so thankful to everyone who came out to the open house, especially those who brought their family and friends to see what we do here on JBER and in the armed services,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Lee Morgan, director for ATOH. “With over 50 static displays, including several from our Army and Coast Guard sister services, and international partners from the Royal Canadian Air Force and German Luftwaffe, I believe we succeeded in showcasing our combined and joint power to our incredibly supportive Alaskan community.”

With this year’s open house in the rearview, preparations for 2026 are already under way.

“From the bottom of our hearts, this event was a love letter from all of us to Alaska and all Alaskans. We’re grateful that you spent your weekend with us; see you in 2026,” said Morgan.

To review highlights from the event please visit flickr.com/photos/arcticwarrior/albums.

July 13 marked the completion of the first urban search and rescue exercises in RIMPAC history, illustrating the growing value of the world’s largest maritime exercise and the increased range and usefulness of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Hurricanes, typhoons, flooding and tsunamis can inundate coastal communities and trap residents in their buildings, often driving them into their attics or roof spaces to escape rising waters. Members from the U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Strike Team, the Peruvian Naval Infantry and the Mexican Navy collaborated for three days of combined training, simulated search and rescue coordination and survivor extraction and triage as part of the humanitarian assistance and disaster response component of RIMPAC.

The exercises paired teams from the three countries in a range of disaster scenarios. The Mexican and Peruvian teams brought expertise at rescuing survivors from damaged structures, while the U.S. team contributed tactics for water-based rescues and the detection and identification of hazardous materials.

“Natural disasters present serious rescue challenges in urban areas, so we were all grateful for the chance to share our experiences and tactics that have saved hundreds of lives during recent storms and flooding events around the United States,” said Chief Warrant Officer Ian Thompson, the Urban Search and Rescue coordinator for the USCG Pacific Strike Team. “All three teams leave this collaboration with a greater capability to collaborate and to save lives after disasters in our home countries and abroad.”

The teams drove inflatable boats into a simulated flooded community and practiced cutting through a roof. In a separate exercise area on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, they practiced vertical extraction, or moving injured medical patients up and out of buildings using vertical rescue systems with tripods, ropes and pulleys and entering confined spaces with atmospheric contamination to rescue victims.

Additionally, the USCG utilized the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Geographic Information Systems “SARCOP.” This smartphone app connects rescue coordinators and search teams via a common operating picture. By the end of the exercise, the three countries could coordinate via SARCOP, which will streamline coordination during future responses.

“Participating in these exercises has been invaluable for our teams,” said Lt. j.g. Gonzalo Hernandez of the Peruvian Naval Infantry. “We have not only improved our technical skills but also strengthened our ability to work alongside our international partners. The use of the SARCOP app has significantly enhanced our coordination capabilities, which will enhance our collective response to natural disasters.”

“Working with the U.S. Coast Guard and Peruvian Navy is really good for us, we can learn a lot of their techniques and share how we work in Mexico,” said Seaman Lizeth Magaña, Mexican Navy USAR team member. “We are so grateful for this partnership opportunity in RIMPAC.”

The Novato, Calif.-based U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Strike Team provides an expert deployable force for search and rescue operations, pollution and hazardous material spills, and recovering from weapons of mass destruction.

Historically, the Strike Team has conducted search and rescue missions following major disasters such as Hurricane Harvey, Katrina, and most recently Hurricane Ian. The Coast Guard has enhanced its disaster response capabilities in the past decade by incorporating flood response abilities into Catastrophic Incident Search and Rescue. This modernization effort involved strategically placing Mobile Response Kits across the US and formalizing training programs for all CISAR teams. This training is jointly led by the USCG and US-based USAR teams.

“We are honored to have participated in such a comprehensive exercise,” said Hernandez. “The shared experiences and knowledge gained here are invaluable, and we look forward to applying these lessons to improve our disaster response capabilities.”

To support people affected by different natural or man-made disasters, the principal mission of the Mexican Navy USAR Team is to carry out operations of search, location, access and stabilization of rescued people. They also perform body recovery.

Twenty-nine nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, more than 150 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC in and around the Hawaiian Islands, June 27 to Aug. 1. The world’s largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world’s oceans. RIMPAC 2024 is the 29th exercise in the series that began in 1971.