Carlos Ochoa April 9

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Carlos Ochoa April 9
th
, 2014

Air Force Career

The United States Air Force Combat Rescue Officer (CRO) is an officer
career field added because of the importance of joint rescue and recovery
operations military wide.

The Air Force recognizes personnel recovery (PR) as one of its
primary roles, but through the growing Joint Special Operations
Command.

The trained combat medics such as the Air Force Pararescue (PJ) are
needed within other Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Tier
One and Tier Two units.

This new officer career specialty is essential to effectively lead and
advocate the CRO/PJ/SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and
Escape) weapons system to personnel recovery mission success
throughout several branches of the SOCOM so "that others may
liveto return with honor."

"By creating this new career field, we recognize how vital the personnel recovery
and combat rescue missions have become in our expeditionary aerospace force
concept. The ability to bring people home safely from dangerous missions is
paramount. Establishing a career field devoted to this mission will ensure that
attention is always focused on this commitment." -- Air Force







Carlos Ochoa April 9
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, 2014







The CRO specialty includes direct combatant command and control of Combat
Search and Rescue (CSAR) operations.


They plan, manage and execute the six tasks of CSAR:
1. Prepare
2. Report
3. Locate
4. Support
5. Recover
6. Reintegrate isolated personnel and materiel


CROs conduct strategic, operational and tactical level planning, provide battle staff
expertise, manage theater personnel recovery operations and conduct combat
operations.















Carlos Ochoa April 9
th
, 2014

Duties of the Combat Rescue Officer:

Deploys as team member, team leader, or mission commander as a direct
combatant or provide subject matter expertise to command and battle staffs.

Works as a mission planner and manager of personnel recovery operations.

Supports joint and combined forces in both conventional and special
operations air, ground, and maritime operations.

Ensure personnel recovery activities are organized, and teams are trained
and equipped to perform full spectrum of Air Force and Joint PR.

Inspects and evaluates PR activities, functions, and personnel.

Provides advocacy and oversight as well as advice on readiness of the
Pararescue and survival, evasion, resistance and escape (SERE) enlisted
career fields.

















Carlos Ochoa April 9
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, 2014

The CRO Physical Ability Stamina Test ( PAST)

Pull-ups: maximum repetitions in 2 minutes / rest 2 minutes

Sit-ups: maximum repetitions in 2 minutes / rest 2 minutes

Push-ups: maximum repetitions in 2 minutes / transition / rest time of 10
minutes before run

Run: 3 mile timed run (no stopping) wearing PT clothes and running
shoes. 30 minute transition time to start the swim.

Swim: 25m underwater / 10 minute rest time before 1500m swim

Swim: 1500m using any stroke wearing swimsuit, facemask / goggles, and
fins.


















Carlos Ochoa April 9
th
, 2014

Training and Selection Process

The selection process is broken into two phases.

Phase I requires an in depth application that summarizes the professional
history and qualifications of the individual applying.

Heavy consideration is given to prior military service, academic
achievement, and leadership abilities.

A board of field grade officers review the applications and select the group
that will go on to Phase II of selection.

Phase II takes place at Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington.

This phase includes three mile running sessions, 1,500 meter swims, and
rucksack marches up to six miles.

The goal of Phase II is to place the candidates under extreme fatigue and
constant stress to see how they think and act under circumstances that are
similar to the real world battlefront.

Many young officers going into Phase II drop out or are eliminated, leaving
a fraction of the original class.












Carlos Ochoa April 9
th
, 2014

CRO training consists of the following

1. Pararescue/Combat Rescue Officer Indoctrination Course, Lackland Air
Force Base, Texas (9 weeks)

2. Army Airborne School, Fort Benning, Georgia (3 weeks)

3. Air Force Combat Diver School, Navy Diving and Salvage Training Center,
Naval Support Activity Panama City, Florida (5.5 weeks)

4. Navy Underwater Egress Training, Pensacola Naval Air Station, Florida (1
day)

5. Air Force Basic Survival School, Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington (2.5
weeks)

6. Army Military Free Fall Parachutist School, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and
Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona (5 weeks)

7. Advanced SERE (Survive, Evade, Resist, Extract) course, Fairchild Air Force
Base, Washington (4 weeks)

8. Pararescue EMT-Basic Training, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico (4
weeks)

9. Air Force Combat Rescue Officer Apprentice Course, Kirtland Air Force
Base, New Mexico (17 weeks)

10. Introduction to Personnel Recovery (PR 101), Fort Belvoir, Virginia (3
days)

11. Joint Aerospace Command and Control Course, Hurlburt Field, Florida (3
weeks)





Carlos Ochoa April 9
th
, 2014

Minimum Education Requirement:
bachelor's degree
Career Tasks
Strategize and conduct rescue and recovery operations
Manage rescue programs and training
Survey and control the aerospace surface interface
Relevant Interests & Skills
You might like this position if you have interests in these areas:
Health and Medicine
Intelligence
Special Operations
Emergency Management and Response
Becoming an Officer

To become an Officer in the Air Force, you'll enter a rigorous nine-week
Officer Training School that will challenge you physically and mentally while
preparing you to be a leader.




Carlos Ochoa April 9
th
, 2014

References
Air Force Combat Rescue Officer (CRO) | Military.com. (n.d.). Air Force Combat
Rescue Officer (CRO) | Military.com. Retrieved May 12, 2014, from
http://www.military.com/special-operations/air-force-combat-rescue-officer.html
Careers. (n.d.). Combat Rescue Officer. Retrieved May 12, 2014, from
http://www.airforce.com/careers/detail/combat-rescue-officer/