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        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Angel de los Andes 2018Angel de los Andes 2018
                        
                        
                        U.S. Air Force Capt. TJ Oltman and 1st Lt. Matt Bair, 133rd Airlift Squadron, C-130 Hercules pilots, conduct low altitude flying manuvers over Colombia during the Colombian-led search and rescue exercise Angel de los Andes Sept. 12, 2018. The second week of the exercise focused on close air support and combat search and rescue techniques to include: simulated humanitarian aid in a convoy attack, pilot recovery in land and water. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Angela Ruiz)
                
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        Angel de los AndesAngel de los Andes
                        
                        
                        A Colombian Air Force medical professional and U.S. Air Force Maj. Tina Ruyle, 109th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron medical crew director, discuss patient movement at Air Combat Command number 1, German Olano Air Base, Colombia, during the Colombian-led search and rescue exercise Angel de los Andes, Sept. 7, 2018. The two-week exercise had more than 400 participants from 12 nations training together in the air and on the ground in the event of a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief response. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Angela Ruiz)
                
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                        A Colombian Air Force UH-1H Huey II launches after transporting simulated earthquake victims to a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules for aeromedical evacuation at Air Combat Command number 1, German Olano Air Base, Colombia, for the search and rescue exercise Angel de los Andes, Sept. 6, 2018. The two-week Colombian-led exercise has more than 400 participants from 12 nations training together in the air and on the ground in the event of a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief response. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Angela Ruiz)
                
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        Angel de los AndesAngel de los Andes
                        
                        
                        A Colombian Air Force UH-1H Huey II launches after transporting simulated earthquake victims to a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules for aeromedical evacuation at Air Combat Command number 1, German Olano Air Base, Colombia, for the search and rescue exercise Angel de los Andes, Sept. 6, 2018. The two-week Colombian-led exercise has more than 400 participants from 12 nations training together in the air and on the ground in the event of a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief response. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Angela Ruiz)
                
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        Angel de los AndesAngel de los Andes
                        
                        
                        U.S. Air Force pararescueman, Colombian Civil Defense members and Peruvian airmen treat patients of a simulated aircraft crash at Air Combat Command number 1, German Olano Air Base, Colombia, during the Colombian-led search and rescue exercise Angel de los Andes Sept. 5, 2018. The simulated aircraft crash had more than 25 victims that were air evacuated by the Colombian, Peruvian and Brazilian Air Force’s helicopters to a U.S. C-17 Globemaster III and a U.S. C-130 Hercules. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Angela Ruiz)
                
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Angel de los Andes exercise unites US Air Force, South American partnersPublished Sept. 20, 2018
                    
                    By Tech. Sgt. Angela Ruiz
                    
                    
                    12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) Public Affairs
            **RIONEGRO, Colombia (AFNS)  --**Ninety-five U.S. Air Force Airmen trained with 11 partner nation air forces, tallying more than 400 participants, in the Colombian-led multinational search and rescue exercise “Angel de los Andes” Sept. 3-14. 
The U.S. and multinational participants trained together by responding to realistic scenarios of natural disaster and combat related search and rescues, humanitarian aid, disaster response, aerial evacuation, patent treatment, flying operations and personnel recovery at Rionegro, Guatape, Velasquez and Palanquero, Colombia.
“This has been an excellent opportunity to train with our partner nations,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Brett Howard, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) Angel de los Andes U.S. lead. “We’ve had many challenges, (but) what we were able to learn is how to overcome those challenges together for mission success.”
A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III and a C-130 Hercules transported 506 passengers from all partner nations, moved 86.4 tons of cargo and airdropped 72 multinational personnel total during the exercise, while also transporting simulated victims of the exercise scenarios.
The C-130 Hercules airdropped a motorized boat known as rigged alternate method zodiac, an inflatable boat, U.S. pararescuemen and commandos from Colombia, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Panama and Peru in high altitude low opening and high altitude high opening free fall jumps.
“We did some low altitude low level training. To get to go practice ridge crossings, flying though valleys and mountainous terrain was cool experience because it’s not something we get to do very often in Minnesota,” said U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Matt Bair, 133rd Airlift Squadron, Minnesota Air National Guard C-130 co-pilot. “Anytime that we can come down here take advantage of the local terrain and practice in a low level environment, we really appreciate it.”
The Colombian Air Force has participated in numerous U.S. Air Force training exercises in the past years to include: Angel Thunder 2014, Green Flag 2016, Mobility Guardian 2017, Red Flag 2012 and 2018.
“The significant importance of the U.S. being here is that we have the opportunity to strengthen our relationship so we can be prepared to confront the future threats together,” said Colombian Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Carlos Eduardo Bueno Vargas.
This is the second time the Colombian Air Force has hosted this exercise since 2015.Six nations participated in the exercise and six countries observed. Colombia plans execute Angel de los Andes exercise again in three years.
U.S. Air Force participants included exercise planners and leadership form 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern), pararescuemen from the 48th and 306th Rescue Squadrons, a critical care air transport team from the 943rd Aerospace Medicine Squadron all from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona; two aerial evacuation teams from the 109th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and C-130 Hercules aircrew from the 133rd Airlift Wing, Minnesota National Guard; a C-17 Globemaster III aircrew from the 14th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Charleston, North Carolina; and a mobility control team from the 571st Mobility Support Advisory Squadron, Travis AFB, California.C-17 



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