Combat rescue officers are Air Force officers who are part of special tactics and assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command or AFSOC, the Air Force component of the US Special Operations Command or SOCOM.
Let’s take a quick look at the United States Air Force combat rescue officers, or CROs, and their command structure, people, training, and missions.
In a gross oversimplification, CROs are the officer versions of pararescue men (PJs), but with the added responsibility of planning and leadership. Combat rescue officers are 18- to 39-year-old men. They are officers with bachelor’s degrees who have completed Officer Training School (OTS) or the Air Force Academy, or who got a commission through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC).
Training Pipeline & Requirements
Candidate Requirements – Combat rescue officer candidates must be able to pass a dive physical and a freefall physical and qualify for a secret clearance.
Initial Indoc
CRO training consists of the following: the combat rescue officer and Pararescue Indoc course at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
Airborne and Diving Training
After Indoc, CROs go to Army Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Then they go to the Air Force Combat Diver School at the Navy Diving and Salvage Training Center at Naval Support Activity, Panama City, Florida. Then they go to underwater egress training at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida.
Survival Training
Next is Air Force Basic Survival School at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington. Then they go to the Army Military Freefall Parachute School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in Yuma Proving Grounds, Arizona. Next is advanced survival, evasion, resistance, and escape school at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington.
Advanced Courses
Then they go to the Air Force Combat Rescue Officer entry-level course at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. Next is the introduction to personal recovery at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and they finish up with a joint Aerospace command and control course at Herlart Field, Florida.
Summary
Combat Rescue Officer candidates must:
- Pass a dive physical
- Pass a freefall physical
- Qualify for a secret clearance
Training Overview
| Phase | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Indoc | Combat Rescue Officer and Pararescue Indoc course | Lackland Air Force Base, Texas |
| Airborne Training | Army Airborne School | Fort Benning, Georgia |
| Combat Diver Training | Air Force Combat Diver School | Naval Support Activity, Panama City, Florida |
| Underwater Egress | Underwater egress training | Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida |
After the initial training phases, candidates advance to the next stage.
Training Progression
The progression through more advanced training is as follows:
| Phase | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Survival Training | Air Force Basic Survival School | Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington |
| Military Freefall Training | Army Military Freefall Parachute School (with training at Yuma Proving Grounds) | Fort Bragg, North Carolina / Yuma, Arizona |
| Advanced SERE Training | Advanced Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) school | Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington |
| Entry-Level Course | Air Force Combat Rescue Officer entry-level course | Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico |
| Personal Recovery Introduction | Introduction to personal recovery | Fort Belvoir, Virginia |
| Aerospace Command & Control Course | Joint Aerospace command and control course | Hurlburt Field, Florida |
Combat Rescue Officer Mission Responsibilities
Combat rescue officer missions include managing rescue programs and training, directing survival and evasion assistance, command and control, full-spectrum personnel recovery, and, of course, leading personnel recovery in survival, evasion, resistance, and escape operations.
Below is a summary table of mission responsibilities:
| Mission Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Rescue Programs | Manage and train for personnel recovery operations |
| Survival/Evasion Assistance | Direct support for personnel in hostile or adverse environments |
| Command and Control | Lead and coordinate recovery operations |
| Full-Spectrum Recovery | Oversee recovery in SERE operations |
Personal Experience and Impact
I met my first combat rescue officer when I was at dive school. Back then, the Air Force “sof guys” went to our dive school. This CRO candidate was competent, in great shape, serious, and mature—he was all business.
A few years later, I had to coordinate an operation with the CRO and some PJs in Afghanistan. Not only did they help us out, but they were also able to use their Air Force connections to find us two more aircraft for the mission. It makes a big difference if you have two aircraft and 20 men on the objective or if you have four aircraft and 40 men. There you have it—an executive summary of combat rescue officers. Thanks for watching.
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