20 September 2008
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - On Saturday, June 28^th 2008, The Texas Wing conducted a distributed Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) training mission across the state.  The main mission base was up in Big Sandy, but the Group 5 mission base was at Stinson Municipal Airport, San Antonio, Texas, with the Bexar County Senior Squadron running the Stinson mission base.  As part of my training for Search and Rescue, I participated in the training mission.  At 0700 hours, Saturday morning, check-in began.  I and other Lackland squadron members checked in for the day. The Lackland squadron members were: C/CMSgt Kris Kerr, 2d Lt Brian Sommers, 2d Lt Crystal Sommers, and I, 2d Lt Larry Osbourne.

The Search and Rescue training mission started with a morning briefing at 0830 hours .  During this morning briefing the Incident Commander–In-Charge , Lt Col Ed Billman, stated that his main goal was for everyone to get training.  Following the briefing, I got my first opportunity to work with the radio.  At this time, I learned some basic radio words.  There are many opportunities to learn radio communications with Civil Air Patrol.  For the rest of the day, 2d Lt Brian Sommers would work communications with the radio, and 2d Lt Crystal Sommers would work with the mission base.  Afterwards, I left on the ground team mission.  Included on the ground team was C/CMSgt Kris Kerr.  During the mission to find the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) , I could see that C/CMSgt Kerr possessed experience using the equipment to find the ELT. While we searched for the ELT, I learned more about radio communications keeping the mission base informed on the ground team progress.  Once the ground team found the ELT, we returned to the mission base, and everyone had lunch.

When lunch was over the ground team went on the second mission to find a simulated crashed airplane.  On this mission the ground team would work with a CAP airplane to find the crashed airplane’s ELT.  First, the CAP airplane found the area of the crashed airplane’s ELT.   Then the CAP van, carrying the ground team, drove towards the crash site with the help of the CAP airplane.  The CAP airplane used flight patterns and radio messages to the ground team.  When the airplane was near the ELT, at the simulated crash site, the airplane flew circles around the area.  That was our signal to get out of the CAP van and proceed on foot.  The ground team found the ELT, and the ground team reported the ELT find to the mission base.  Then we returned to mission base in the CAP van.

To conclude the day, there was a briefing at 1700 hours.  When the Commander - In-Charge stated his goal was met and everyone received training.  Following the debriefing we check-out, and the Search and Rescue Exercise Training mission ended for the day.

The exercise staff is finishing up the in-processing at mission base, while 2d Lt Crystal Sommers from the Lackland Squadron glances at the paperwork.

 

The exercise team gathers for the morning meeting with Incident Commander-In-Charge.

 

The Incident Commander-In-Charge, Lt Col Ed Billman speaks to the team, while his staff looks on.

 

Lt Col Ed Billman, the Incident Commander-In-Charge, speaks to the team about safety, training and the day’s activities.





 

C/CMSgt Kris Kerr prepares to leave for the first Ground Team Exercise of the day at Stinson Municipal Airport, San Antonio, Texas.





 

2d Lt Larry Osbourne on the radio during an exercise.




Cadets listens to the 2d Lt Nicholas go through the checklist for the first ground team exercise of the day.



Cadets and Senior Members prepare to leave for first ground team exercise.


 

C/CMSgt Kris Kerr (center) prepares the equipment which later will find the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT).

2dLt Brian Sommers works the radio communications for the command post, while the Incident Commander-In-Charge , Lt Col Ed Billman observes.

Article Submitted by 2d Lt Walter Osbourne  and photos submitted by 2d Lt Nancy Kerr