AF Rescue 2030

Although the AF Rescue community boasts over 9000 joint/multinational combat saves in the last two years and over 15,750 sorties in Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM since September 2001 , these impressive statistics cannot be allowed to overshadow debilitating systemic problems in the Rescue community caused by ineffective organizational structure. As demand for PR capability continues unabated across the globe, chronic staffing shortages and aircraft mission capable rates hovering at 60% paint a bleak picture of this indispensible capability. Unfilled theater Personnel Recovery (PR) requirements and an inability to rapidly deploy Rescue forces in response to crises like the Haitian earthquake highlight dangerous operational shortfalls. Additionally, lack of Air Force (AF) Rescue participation in Combatant Commander (COCOM) exercises despite Department of Defense (DOD) Directive 3002.01E mandate to "Rehearse personnel recovery as an integral part of operational planning, training, and exercise," acquisition failures such as the cancelled Combat Search And Rescue replacement (CSAR-X) program, and stalled funding for replacement HH-60s and HC-130J sustainment foretell of continued capability gaps. Inadequate major command (MAJCOM) advocacy for rescue continues to frustrate even modest improvement in the heavily tasked and operationally indispensible AF rescue community.