Diving in: ensuring aircrew members are fit to survive Published Sept. 10, 2011 By Airman 1st Class Chelsea Smith 94 Airlift Wing Public Affairs DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. -- Bystanders gathered to witness the helicopter hovering over Lake Allatoona as air crew members from Dobbins participated in the water survival training exercises held at the Navy Lake site Saturday Aug. 6. The 94th Airlift Wing life support unit in conjunction with the 169th Charlie Company National Guard unit here conducted the joint training exercise for approximately 20 air crew members to satisfy their mandatory survival, evasion, resistance, and escape, known as SERE, based water survival training. Training included early morning briefings, survival training on a 20-person life raft and helicopter extraction for a rescue training exercise. The refresher course is conducted in two phases beginning with two to three hours of safety and equipment briefings, as well as a helicopter walk-through. The second phase requires members to apply their academic training in a real-life scenario, said Staff Sgt. Sean Mcdermott, 94th Airlift Wing Life Support aircrew member. "The course allows air crew members to receive realistic training in an environment that simulates a real-life scenario," said Mcdermott. "Should they be faced with this situation, it gives them the confidence to work through life-threatening conditions." During the raft training, participants are familiarized with how to use safety equipment and staf afloat in the open water. Members are trained on how to swim with life preservation units, which are lightweight, inflatable flotation devices that are able to sustain up to 300 lbs of equipment, including a person, said Mcdermott. Participants begin on the water raft and must swim 30 to 40 feet with gear to reach the hook released from the helicopter, known as the forest penetrator. The person must secure themselves with a strap, signal they're ready for extraction and wait to be lifted up to 100 feet in the air, said Staff Sgt. Demetrius Brown, 94th Airlift Wing Life Support aircrew member. "The most challenging part of the exercise was trying to swim to the hook because the propeller wash generated from the helicopter is pushing against you," said Technical Sgt. Tiffany Brown, 94th Airlift Wing Aeromedical Evacuation squadron technician. "Visibly, it made it hard to see where you were going." It's important to be physically fit when conducting these types of exercises because you're working in treacherous conditions in which you have to save yourself, as well as the lives of others, said Staff Sgt. Brown. Approximately 45 minutes after the start of the exercise, the first participants drenched in flight suits emerged from the water understanding the importance for the day's exercises. "I hope I never find myself in this type of situation, but this training is critical because of the uncertainty of my job," said Technical Sgt. Brown. "I'm scheduled to leave for Afghanistan in May," said Lt. Col. Todd Copley, 700th Aerial Support assistant operations officer. "This training exercise provides comfort in that it's good to know someone is equipped and ready to rescue you in a time of need." Additionally, the exercise was mutually beneficial for both branches involved because it was an opportunity for the Army to train on effective approaches of rescue, said Copley. Earlier this year, water survival training was conducted at the Cobb County aquatic center which allowed participants to undergo portions of the exercises in a controlled environment. Annual exercises at Lake Allatoona allow air crew members to satisfy their training requirement every three years.
