Inland Search and Rescue Course at Green Flag

During the week of Dec 9th to Dec 13th the United States Coast Guard and United States Air Force put on the Inland Search and Rescue Course at our Green Flag hanger. The course was led and taught by Lt. Col Greg Rockwood which also is a HH-60 Pave hawk with 6 deployments overseas and earning the distinguished flying cross with valor. His Co-instructor was Chief Petty Officer Jane Driscoll. The class is one of the best courses that Civil Air Patrol member can go to.

As the class started we went over the Dennis Martin Case of what was the right and wrongs from the case. Then when into air searches and ground searches and the difference that they do. Basically a introduction of search and rescue. What was awesome about this is there was 4 members of the Nevada wing there, one from Florida. Large group of members from the Red Rock Search and Rescue, and service members of the Coast Guard and Air Force part of the class as well. So we got to hear a lot of different experiences from across the board on how things are done.

After the intro we finally got into main reason of the course. Search Theory, how to put math into finding people, easier and controlling what you have and where to put it. Honestly it was one of the moments when you thought the math you learned in school that you will never use again just came back. But it was ok, the first type of Searching we went over was Air Searching. How to take a missing airplane flight plan and all the things that come off it and how to start a search, then later putting search theory into it where are the best places to look for them.

The next day we went over ground searching. And did the same thing knowing basic information how to start a search then later putting search theory into place. What was awesome to see was members from every organization explaining things in there specialty to others that are not to familiar with others things working together. For example Red Rock Search and Rescue does an amazing job in ground searches as Civil Air Patrol works more in Air Searches and ELT Searches, through the five day course putting the best together for a great end result.

The last couple days was what everyone was waiting for. Finally putting things that we learn together. We were divided up into 5 groups and of course the instructors made sure the groups where mix with everyone form different organizations. All the groups where all given the same scenario, pending on how the groups work together was the outcome of the end result. Some groups were able to find everyone and everything they were looking for as for some others they were not able to, but it was ok and a learning process. At the end of the week it was awesome to see everyone working together and making new friends. As new friends where made hopefully we can start working together more with other groups and being able to get our name out there more and saving lives.

Nevada Wing had four graduates of the course, Lt Col Gene Pasinski, Maj Darrin Scheidle, Capt Michael Lipka, and 1st Lt Nicholas Sacco. As being a graduate we all get to wear a special graduate patch on uniforms now.