# PJ squadrons.



## Frisco (Feb 8, 2008)

Can someone please tell me what the difference in a Rescue Squaron and a Special Tactics squadron is?

Assignment Locations in *Rescue Squadrons*
o Moody AFB, (Valdosta) GA (38th Rescue Squadron)
o Nellis AFB (Las Vegas) NV (58th Rescue Squadron)
o Davis-Monthan AFB, (Tucson) AZ (48th Rescue Squadron)
o Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, JA (31st Rescue Squadron)
o RAF Lakenheath, (England) UK (OL 1, 48th Fighter Wing)
Assignment Locations in *Special Tactics Squadrons*
o Hurlburt Field, (Ft. Walton Beach) FL (23rd Special Tactics Squadron)
o Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, JA (320th Special Tactics Squadron)
o Mildenhall AB, (England) UK (321st Special Tactics Squadron)
o NOTE: Under current Special Operations Forces realignment plan, the 320/321 STS’ will probably be deactivated and moved to Cannon AFB, (Clovis) NM in 2008 and activated as a new squadron (26 STS).
o Pope AFB, (Fayetteville) NC (24th Special Tactics Squadrons). Note: Assignment to 24 STS is possible after serving 2-years in an operational squadron.
Special selection process applies before assignment.
o Other staff & instructor assignment locations are available later at:
Kirtland AFB NM, Lackland & Randolph AFBs TX, Panama City FL, Yuma Proving Grounds AZ, etc.


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## moobob (Feb 8, 2008)

Not a PJ, but I believe that Special Tactics Squadrons have CCTs assigned.


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## JustAnotherJ (Feb 9, 2008)

Rescue squadrons coordinate and conduct Combat/Civilian Search and rescue missions.  STS mainly focus their attention on the Combat Controllers (CCT) however there are PJs there too.  They do conduct SAR missions as well, however, with the CAS support that CCT brings to the table, it also enables STS Team members to embed easier with other SOF Teams out there.   

There's a lot more to it than that, but that's the most cut and dry explanation i can give ya.


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## The91Bravo (Feb 9, 2008)

JustAnotherJ said:


> Rescue squadrons coordinate and conduct Combat/Civilian Search and rescue missions.  STS mainly focus their attention on the Combat Controllers (CCT) however there are PJs there too.  They do conduct SAR missions as well, however, with the CAS support that CCT brings to the table, it also enables STS Team members to embed easier with other SOF Teams out there.
> 
> There's a lot more to it than that, but that's the most cut and dry explanation i can give ya.



C/Maj,

This is from someone who is a PJ(JustAnotherJ)... his info is as factual as it gets on this topic...


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## Frisco (Feb 9, 2008)

Cool, thanks for the info. So would like Rescue Squadrons be mostly like a QRF, waiting for something to happen, then spinning up and going,  whereas STS guys would ride along and get sent out with other SF soldiers in like a Medic position?


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## JustAnotherJ (Feb 10, 2008)

Kind of.  Sometimes, with all the bureaucratic bullshit, QRFs beat us to missions (which i hope is going to change soon) because higher doesn't want their PJs going out on some little mission when a pilot could go down.  So read the news and tell me how many pilots are being shot down...hence why PJs are experts at the XBox [/anger]


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## Frisco (Feb 10, 2008)

Sad day when a mission deson't go to the best man for it because there is a chance something else MIGHT happen, and he ends up not getting to do his job at all... The Air Force really needs to get more vocal about their Pararescue career field.. That's being severely undermaned and stretched too thin if you ask me..


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## AWP (Feb 10, 2008)

ACC is the devil.


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## Frisco (Feb 10, 2008)

Freefalling said:


> ACC is the devil.



It seems like I've heard that somewhere before..


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## JustAnotherJ (Feb 10, 2008)

Freefalling said:


> ACC is the devil.



High five.


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## txpj007 (Aug 24, 2009)

amen...its frustrating...especially when your cct buddies send you killin pics while your deployed in diff theatre waitin for that traditional csar mish.


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## amlove21 (Aug 24, 2009)

x5 double high five. I dont think I ever, ever, EVER want to go to a rescue, if i can avoid it. I dont think I can, but hey- i might. 

And let me be clear- RQS does good work, they employ good guys, and are just as capable as an STS. I just dont wanna work for one, because of my own personal choice.

JAJ, youre right on as always. Now if you weren't so damn cynical..... oh wait:doh:


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## Hillclimb (Dec 6, 2011)

Sorry for the bump. I was doing some searching and found partly what I was curious about. I'll ask my question here, so that i don't congest the forum with another thread and to keep related information in the same place.

Does assignment to a STS require any additional training or screening, since the mission is slightly different? Or is it something reserved for veteran PJ's who've been in for some time, or a luck of the draw/dream sheet sort of process?


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## Ranger Psych (Dec 6, 2011)

Trying to wrap my head around the fact that although you wouldn't want CSAR assets in country to get dedicated to casevac/medivac missions, having them in the call chain for when the "first due" assets/elements are currently tasked out makes complete sense.... makes my head hurt.

Basically being "on-call mutual aid" when everything else is full up provided you have the assets to be able to support the additional mission while still being able to provide your primary mission of CSAR.  Example being an assumption of 2 teams operating on 2 birds, one being tasked to CSAR ONLY, one being CSAR primary "everybody else" backup secondary... and just flip-flop every other day or what have you.

Any reason my idea wouldn't make sense, other than it *does* therefore it's unimplementable in military force structure?


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## dknob (Dec 6, 2011)

even after all this explanation - I still dont understand the RQS/CCT difference in PJ job duties.


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## txpj007 (Dec 6, 2011)

We are AIR FORCE PARARESCUEMEN. Not Special Tactics (ST) Pararescuemen,
Combat Air Forces (CAF) Pararescuemen, SOF Pararescuemen, JSOC
Pararescuemen, Active Duty Pararescuemen, Guard Pararescuemen, Reserve
Pararescuemen, ect. We are a combined collective of 500+ Active Duty,
Guard, and Reserve PJ's assigned worldwide to execute the rescue mission.
These 500+ PJ's are spread out throughout the world and under different
commands(ACC, AFSOC, JSOC, Reserve, Guard, PACAF, AETC, and USAFE).
However, all are trained the same, equipped the same, and execute the same
mission. A PJ is a PJ, none are better than the other, the only thing that changes is the customer
requiring our coverage and expertise. We can take an ACC PJ and plug him
into an AFSOC, Reserve, or Guard Team or vice versa and he would be able to
operate and execute the mission. 

Pararescuemen are NOT MEDICS. PJ's are combatants, medics are not. We
play an offensive role during combat operations. We fight our way in,
rescue those who need it, and we fight our way out. Our mission is to
rescue anyone, anytime, anywhere, under any conditions. We will do whatever
is necessary to bring our fellow American or Allied personnel home. We deny
the enemy a capture, kill, body to drag through the streets, or sensitive
equipment to sell/duplicate. We have and will continue to deliberately
eliminate the enemy in order to bring our wounded, injured, shot down,
isolated, or captured home...medics don't do this. Yes, our trauma medical
skills are world class, but it's only one of several hundred other world
class skill sets we possess. 

Our mission is Personnel Recovery. All missions we perform should be
referred to as "Personnel Recovery Missions or Rescue Missions", not
MEDEVAC, CASEVAC, CSAR ect. DoD and some of the leadership you may talk to
will refer to our rescue missions as such, they have their reasons, we
don't. PJ's perform rescue (live humans) and recovery
(dead humans and sensitive equipment) operations ANYWHERE, ANY TIME, AND
UNDER ANY CONDITIONS ACROSS THE GLOBE. In addition, those we rescue should
not be referred to as "patients"...they are shot-down, wounded, isolated,
ect., US or Allied Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airman, civilians ect. I
don't think our nations warriors in harm's way requiring our expertise like
to be referred to as "patients".


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## dknob (Dec 6, 2011)

oh ok, that sounds better!

How are guys in an STS structured? because CCTs get attached as individuals to SOF teams, are they part of a team in an STS? Or do they standalone as individuals but train in a group.


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## Brill (Dec 6, 2011)

amlove21 said:


> I dont think I ever, ever, EVER want to go to a rescue, if i can avoid it.



Well, I want you to!  I often do some dumb shit and need someone to pull my ass outta the fire.

"Too light to fight, too heavy to run."


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## amlove21 (Dec 6, 2011)

amlove21 said:


> x5 double high five. I dont think I ever, ever, EVER want to go to a rescue, if i can avoid it. I dont think I can, but hey- i might.


WELP! Going to Vegas! Excited about it too. Should be an awesome time. 



Jonnyb said:


> Does assignment to a STS require any additional training or screening, since the mission is slightly different? Or is it something reserved for veteran PJ's who've been in for some time, or a luck of the draw/dream sheet sort of process?


Overarching large answer, no. Some PJ's coming out of the pipeline that get assigned to an STS get Advanced Skills Training at Hurby with the Combat Controllers, basically an add on course to take care of most of their upgrade. In addition, you need to be ATP (Advanced Tactical Practitioner) qualified- the ACC doesn't require you get that cert to work at an RQS. STS- because it works closely with other services as our primary mission- does. 



dknob said:


> oh ok, that sounds better!
> 
> How are guys in an STS structured? do they standalone as individuals but train in a group.


That is a beef right now- you train with the guys you're on team with- and dont deploy with them. We are employed (at least at my unit) exactly like the Controllers, to an ODA that needs a PJ. 



lindy said:


> Well, I want you to! I often do some dumb shit and need someone to pull my ass outta the fire.


 
Well, if you're in the Vegas area, the old motto applies- "Any time, any where, you fuck up, I'll pick up!"


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## Johca (Dec 6, 2011)

Freefalling said:


> ACC is the devil.


It's a damn shame that after all the years that have passed since 1993 that this still can be said.

Missions’ are the tasks assigned by the President or Secretary of Defense to the combatant commanders. 


‘Functions’ are specific responsibilities assigned by the President/SECDEF to enable the Services to fulfill their legally established roles.


The Air Force has twelve core mission functions (sets) it provides to combatant commanders. These core functions express the ways in which the Air Force is particularly and appropriately suited to contribute to national security, but they do not necessarily express every aspect of what the Air Force contributes. These twelve core mission functions are: Nuclear Deterrence Operations, Air Superiority, Space Superiority, Cyberspace Superiority, Command and Control, Global Integrated ISR, Global Precision Attack, Special Operations, Rapid Global Mobility, Personnel Recovery, Agile Combat Support and Building Partnerships. Ref AFDD-1 , 14 Oct 2011.


Special Tactics Squadrons are AFSOC assets and consequently USSOCOM (a combat command) assets permanently aligned under the USSOCOM combat commander as Special Operations Forces to execute tasks assigned to USSOCOM

Pararescue Combat Rescue Squadrons are units of the conventional combat air forces which are the Air Force service components of the other eight combatant commands (AFRICOM, CENTCOM, EUCOM, NORTHCOM, PACOM, SOUTHCOM, STRATCOM, and TRANSCOM). These other commands execute missions as assigned by the President or Secretary of Defense.

TXPJ007 gave the short summary explanation. The long and heavy reading explantions can be found in reading PDF documents found at http://www.alaska.net/~jcassidy/ under the navgation bar titled USAF Pararescue Histories and documents.


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## Freeway (Aug 5, 2016)

Very old tread, but great deal of gems dropped here. 

My question isn't exactly about Pararescue, more so about CCT. Do all controllers get AST after the IQT? Or does it depends on your STS? Do you get to your STS after CCS. How does one get into the 24th STS, what's the deciding factor behind where you are assigned?


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## AWP (Aug 5, 2016)

Freeway said:


> . How does one get into the 24th STS, what's the deciding factor behind where you are assigned?



The 24th STS won't be discussed. You'll sort that out over your career. We don't discuss SMU accessions on the forum.


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## amlove21 (Aug 5, 2016)

Freeway said:


> Very old tread, but great deal of gems dropped here.
> 
> My question isn't exactly about Pararescue, more so about CCT. Do all controllers get AST after the IQT? Or does it depends on your STS? Do you get to your STS after CCS. How does one get into the 24th STS, what's the deciding factor behind where you are assigned?


Controllers go to STTS (AST) after their initial qualification regardless of which STS they go to. 

As far as the 724 STS, @Freefalling is dead on, but I'll pile a bit- thats a 50m target for a guy at your level. Worry about that 5-10 years into your Controller career, and not now. 

The deciding factor to where you are assigned is, like all AF AFSC's- needs of the AF. If they're short on 3 levels in Florida? You go to Florida.


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## Freeway (Aug 5, 2016)

Freefalling said:


> The 24th STS won't be discussed. You'll sort that out over your career. We don't discuss SMU accessions on the forum.



Understood.


amlove21 said:


> Controllers go to STTS (AST) after their initial qualification regardless of which STS they go to.
> 
> As far as the 724 STS, @Freefalling is dead on, but I'll pile a bit- thats a 50m target for a guy at your level. Worry about that 5-10 years into your Controller career, and not now.
> 
> The deciding factor to where you are assigned is, like all AF AFSC's- needs of the AF. If they're short on 3 levels in Florida? You go to Florida.



Thanks for the clarification. My bad if I peeked to far over my mountains, I ship next week and, can't stop thinking about how everything works.


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## amlove21 (Aug 5, 2016)

Freeway said:


> Understood.
> 
> 
> Thanks for the clarification. My bad if I peeked to far over my mountains, I ship next week and, can't stop thinking about how everything works.


No worries. You don't know what you don't know. Just take it one step at a time.


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## DFeast (Oct 13, 2016)

I know the use of CROs has been changing over the past 10 years and will hopefully continue to change as the career blossoms.  How do you all (PJs or anyone applicable) view a CRO that is on your team when you are in the field?  Especially when he is an LT, is he just a liability or do you feel like having a non-paramedic/officer provides a benefit?  

Alternatively do any of you know what a CRO does if he transfers over to an STS?  I've gotten varied responses on this but the main idea was always that their main job is to make sure the PJs have an officer looking out for them.  Are you no longer operating once you make the switch?  Thanks for the help.


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## amlove21 (Oct 19, 2016)

DFeast said:


> I know the use of CROs has been changing over the past 10 years and will hopefully continue to change as the career blossoms.  How do you all (PJs or anyone applicable) view a CRO that is on your team when you are in the field?  Especially when he is an LT, is he just a liability or do you feel like having a non-paramedic/officer provides a benefit?
> 
> Alternatively do any of you know what a CRO does if he transfers over to an STS?  I've gotten varied responses on this but the main idea was always that their main job is to make sure the PJs have an officer looking out for them.  Are you no longer operating once you make the switch?  Thanks for the help.


Sir, I let this breathe for a couple days. I am going to say some things- the BL I want you to take away is that you should be focused on Indoc. The fact that you don't have a mentor, someone that's a CRO that you can ask these questions to- that's a problem. Find one. 

_*How do you all (PJs or anyone applicable) view a CRO that is on your team when you are in the field?  Especially when he is an LT, is he just a liability or do you feel like having a non-paramedic/officer provides a benefit?*_

The prime mission of a CRO is a direct combatant, an officer in charge of the smallest SOF unit the DOD currently fields (6 man teams are the standard in PJ/CRO, as opposed to a "normal" 12 man team SOF). The CRO, specifically, brings Air Power to bear in support of multinational, multidimensional, multidirectional mission sets in one of the most dynamic and most deadly environments that the world can offer. I view every single member of my teams as a professional that can shoot, move, communicate. The fact that you think a CRO may be a "liability" because he isn't a paramedic angers me. That displays a marked misunderstanding of both PJ's and CRO's. There isn't a way to put it other than that. I only have 6 guys- I'd take 20 on most of the missions we get. A CRO brings JFO (and JTAC in some evolving cases) expertise to the heart of the problem. That is, in no way, a "liability". 

Yes, I want an officer because they _make life saving decisions on the battlefield across the DOD and Combat Rescue Officers are no different. _I, the Team Leader, am in charge of the tactical situation on the ground. I am not in command. My CRO is. 


*Alternatively do any of you know what a CRO does if he transfers over to an STS?  I've gotten varied responses on this but the main idea was always that their main job is to make sure the PJs have an officer looking out for them.  Are you no longer operating once you make the switch? *

This is so far down the road for you, it shouldn't be a question. From whom did you get "varied responses"? CRO's that currently work at STS's? Cause I know most of them. 

Their "main job" at an STS is to lead Battlefield Airmen. Tactically, strategically, operationally. An officer's main job- in any branch at any level- is to look out for their men. 

Hope I helped.


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## DFeast (Oct 20, 2016)

amlove21 said:


> Sir, I let this breathe for a couple days. I am going to say some things- the BL I want you to take away is that you should be focused on Indoc. The fact that you don't have a mentor, someone that's a CRO that you can ask these questions to- that's a problem. Find one.
> 
> _*How do you all (PJs or anyone applicable) view a CRO that is on your team when you are in the field?  Especially when he is an LT, is he just a liability or do you feel like having a non-paramedic/officer provides a benefit?*_
> 
> ...



Amlove21,

I really appreciate all the help. I apologize if any of my questions came off as offensive but your answers give a great perspective.  Thanks a lot.


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## Marauder06 (Oct 20, 2016)

DFeast said:


> Amlove21,
> 
> I really appreciate all the help. I apologize if any of my questions came off as offensive but your answers give a great perspective.  Thanks a lot.



^Thoughtful, mature, and smart response.  Others should take note.


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## amlove21 (Oct 20, 2016)

DFeast said:


> Amlove21,
> 
> I really appreciate all the help. I apologize if any of my questions came off as offensive but your answers give a great perspective.  Thanks a lot.


No worries sir. They came off exactly what they were for your level of knowledge/experience. No drama.


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