Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Parachute water survival moves to Fairchild

by Tech. Sgt. Joshua Strang
Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs


8/18/2015 - JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) -- Detachment 2, 66th Training Squadron, 336th Training Group at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, relocated to Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington.

Detachment 2 was responsible for conducting the three-day Parachute Water Survival Course that provides training to aircrew members who fly in aircraft with parachute egress capability and teaches crews disentanglement, drop and drag, and descent into water procedures.

In the current flying training pipeline, personnel attend survival, evasion, resistance and escape training at Fairchild AFB. In the past, individuals would go TDY to NAS Pensacola for water survival training.

Lt. Col. Clint Rea, the 66th TRS commander, said the 66th TRS consolidated the course with the existing non-ejection water survival course currently taught at Fairchild AFB.

"Foundational water survival training is a core function of the 66th Training Squadron and a key part of our heritage," Rea said. "Having this course at Fairchild will ensure this legacy of excellence continues with robust training, readiness and combat capability not only for the Air Force, but combatant commanders as well."

The move is projected to save the Air Force approximately $4.6 million annually in TDY funds and operating expenses.

The first course at Fairchild AFB began Aug. 10.

The 66th TRS is also responsible for Detachment 1, which conducts arctic survival training at Eielson AFB, Alaska.

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