Rescue mission moves to AFSOC
10/3/2003 - HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (AFPN) -- A ceremony held at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., Oct. 1, marked the official transfer of Air Force combat search and rescue to Air Force Special Operations Command.
The transfer is a result of an Air Force chief of staff direction to align the CSAR mission and assets under one command -- Air Force Special Operations. AFSOC now controls continental U.S.-based rescue units in the active duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. The result is a transfer of 7,000 people and more than 100 fixed-and-rotor wing aircraft from Air Combat Command to AFSOC.
"CSAR as a professional community, and special operations as a professional community, have joined on the battlefield to produce combat power and combat professionalism for our combatant commanders," said Lt. Gen. Paul Hester, AFSOC commander.
Along with the transfer of units at Moody, active-duty rescue units at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.; and Nellis AFB, Nev., moved to AFSOC. The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at Langley AFB, Va., also transferred to AFSOC.
Air Force Reserve Command's rescue units at Patrick AFB, Fla.; Portland International Airport, Ore.; and Davis-Monthan, as well as Air National Guard rescue units at Gabreski Field, N.Y.; and Moffett Field, Calif., are included in the transfer.
"The introduction of CSAR to AFSOC will mean little change to the organizations or individuals of these units," Hester said. "This realignment will be transparent, outside of the patch change on uniforms. There will be no change on how forces are presented to combatant commanders."
The command's CSAR units provide worldwide peacetime and combat search and rescue operations supporting humanitarian and U.S. national security interests. CSAR units are responsible for inland search and rescue in the 48 contiguous states. (Courtesy of AFSOC News Service) |
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