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        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Photo of a Airman crossing a river on a ropeStaff Sgt. Evan Orth, 38th Rescue Squadron Blue Team pararescueman, crosses a waterway using a rope system during jungle warfare training in Wahiawa, Hawaii, April 1, 2022. Blue Team practiced crossing the waterway to test their capabilities in the jungle environment. The 38th RQS trained in jungle warfare to adapt personnel rescue tactics, techniques and procedures for the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
                
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        Photo of a Airman crossing a river on a ropeTech. Sgt. Michael Galindo, 38th Rescue Squadron Blue Team pararescueman, crosses a waterway using a rope system during jungle warfare training in Wahiawa, Hawaii, April 1, 2022. Rope crossing ensures special warfare Airmen are able to get to their destination effectively and efficiently. The 38th RQS trained in jungle warfare to adapt personnel rescue tactics, techniques and procedures for the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
                
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        Photo of Airman applying camo paint to his faceStaff Sgt. Evan Orth, 38th Rescue Squadron Blue Team pararescueman, applies face paint before setting out on a training exercise in the jungle of Wahiawa, Hawaii, April 1, 2022. Camouflage enabled the Airmen to blend in with the jungle environment during training to avoid detection from potential enemies. The 38th RQS trained in jungle warfare to adapt personnel rescue tactics, techniques and procedures for the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
                
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        Photo of Airmen standing in the jungleU.S. Air Force pararescuemen assigned to the 38th Rescue Squadron Blue Team, pose for a group photo during jungle warfare training in Wahiawa, Hawaii, March 31, 2022. Blue Team took turns tracking down their teammates in the jungle using techniques they learned from Tactical Tracking Operations School instructors. The 38th RQS trained in jungle warfare to adapt personnel rescue tactics, techniques and procedures for the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
                
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Welcome to the jungle: Special warfare Airmen acclimate to Indo-Pacific environmentPublished April 12, 2022
                    
                    By Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer
                    
                    
                    23rd Wing Public Affairs
            **WAHIAWA, Hawaii (AFNS) --**Photo of Airmen in the jungleSpecial warfare operators trek up a hill during jungle warfare training in Wahiawa, Hawaii, April 1, 2022. Blue Team trekked through various obstacles to include tall grass, thick ferns and waterways to make it to their objectives. The 38th Rescue Squadron Blue Team trained in jungle warfare to adapt personnel rescue tactics, techniques and procedures for the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
            
            
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The 38th Rescue Squadron’s Blue Team traveled to Hawaii to conduct jungle warfare training, March 26 - April 10.**Moody Air Force Base**’s pararescuemen are special warfare operators charged with the responsibility of rescuing personnel all around the world. As such, it’s vital they familiarize themselves with all types of environments.
In an effort to sharpen their capabilities in rescue operations throughout the Indo-Pacific region, Blue Team learned how to track personnel in the jungle.
“The jungle is a very unforgiving environment,” said Lt. Col. Michael Vins, 38th RQS commander. “There are areas in the jungle where you can only travel 100 meters in an entire day. We need to be ready for that kind of environment by training there, understanding how to survive there, using different equipment ... everything is so different, so we need to get used to that kind of environment to be effective in (**Indo-Pacific Command**).”
Blue Team put their tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP) to the test in a climate they had never experienced before by performing a series of training scenarios to include team vs. team tracking and anti-tracking exercises.Photo of Airman rappellingMaster Sgt. Craig Patterson, 38th Rescue Squadron Blue Team flight chief and pararescuemen, rappels down a rock face in the jungle of Wahiawa, Hawaii, March 29, 2022. In addition to rappelling, the 38th RQS Blue Team trained in tactical tracking, anti-tracking and jungle living. The overall purpose for the jungle warfare training was to adapt personnel rescue tactics, techniques and procedures for the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
            
            
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Upon arriving in the jungle, the team set up an outpost to conduct operations. Over the duration of five days and four nights, they survived with only the rucks on their backs and the knowledge they gained as special warfare operators in the Air Force. Rogowski said one of the biggest challenges they faced was the weather.
“It’s pretty unpredictable out here in the jungle,” Rogowski said. “It can be raining in the morning and then completely sunny in the afternoon, and back to rain. Outside of carrying the proper equipment, there’s not much we can do to control that.”Photo of a Airman crossing a river on a ropeMaster Sgt. Craig Patterson, 38th Rescue Squadron Blue Team flight chief and pararescuemen, crosses a waterway using a rope system during jungle warfare training in Wahiawa, Hawaii, April 1, 2022. Rope crossing ensures special warfare Airmen are able to get to their destination effectively and efficiently. The 38th RQS trained in jungle warfare to adapt personnel rescue tactics, techniques and procedures for the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
            
            
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    Photo of Airmen walking through the jungleSpecial warfare operators conduct tracking training in the jungle of Wahiawa, Hawaii, March 31, 2022. The Airmen learned how to live in the jungle long enough to complete rescue objectives. The 38th Rescue Squadron trained in jungle warfare to adapt personnel rescue tactics, techniques and procedures for the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
            
            
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    Photo of Airman walking through the jungleStaff Sgt. Evan Orth, 38th Rescue Squadron Blue Team pararescueman, conducts tracking training in the jungle of Wahiawa, Hawaii, March 31, 2022. Blue Team utilized rifles with blank ammunition and smoke grenades to defend and conceal themselves from potential threats in the jungle. The 38th RQS trained in jungle warfare to adapt personnel rescue tactics, techniques and procedures for the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
            
            
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The unique experience tested their ability to adapt in an unforgiving environment. To combat the risks associated with sleeping on the ground, the team slept in enclosed hammocks.
Encounters with centipedes, spiders, steep inclines and thick foliage made it difficult to execute the mission. Despite the challenges, the team was able to effectively track their targets in the jungle. Using tactical formations and hand signals, they practiced combatting potential threats from simulated enemies and booby traps.
“As highly trained special warfare operators, we’re always thinking about modern-day warfare and high-tech weapon systems, but something so primitive like grenades that roll out of bamboo if you kick the wrong stick over is enough to wipe us all out,” said Staff Sgt. Evan Orth, 38th RQS Blue Team pararescueman. “Getting this training makes us more aware of threats we would have never expected in this environment, which could be the difference in saving not only our lives but the life of the person we’re trying to locate on the ground.”
Blue Team learned mostly through action, however instructors from the Tactical Tracking Operations School also provided an array of tips in a classroom setting before they ventured out into the jungle.Photo of Airman in a treeSenior Airman Jon Mellen, 38th Rescue Squadron Blue Team pararescueman, climbs a tree to secure a tarp over a campsite in the jungle of Wahiawa, Hawaii, March 29, 2022. Pararescuemen must familiarize themselves with various environments and climates to ensure successful rescue operations all over the world. The 38th RQS Blue Team pararescuemen trained in jungle warfare to adapt personnel rescue tactics, techniques and procedures for the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
            
            
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Kerr expressed the importance of attention to detail. Whether tracking an adversary or a missing ally, such as a downed pilot, being able to notice subtle disturbances in the terrain is crucial to finding a target.
“What that's doing is programming the subconscious mind to pick up on these indicators,” Kerr said.
TTOS provided detailed hands-on training enabling the special warfare operators to determine a person’s direction of travel and intent.Photo of Airmen sitting around a fireSpecial warfare operators camp around a fire in the jungle of Wahiawa, Hawaii, March 29, 2022. Between training days, the 38th Rescue Squadron Blue Team pararescuemen and a Joint Terminal Attack Controller assigned to the 607th Air Support Operations Group camped out in the jungle to familiarize themselves with the environment. The overall purpose for the jungle warfare training was to adapt personnel rescue tactics, techniques and procedures for the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Devin Boyer)
            
            
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Using the skills they learned during the training scenarios, the team was put to the test in a final two-day, one-night exercise. During the exercise, Blue Team tracked a simulated downed pilot while traversing the terrain undetected from potential danger. Once they retrieved the isolated personnel, the team made their way to an extraction point.
After a sleepless 24 hours and hiking 6 kilometers through grueling terrain, the team completed their mission.
By the end of the two-week course, Blue Team gained the knowledge necessary to refine their TTPs for the unique jungle environment, thus enabling them to operate effectively in the Indo-Pacific region.
“The culmination of this exercise validates the effectiveness the rescue teams will have in a contested jungle environment,” Rogowski said. “The lessons and skills learned here will further expand the way we operate in the INDOPACOM area of responsibility. We’ll take these lessons and shape our TTPs for the future of special operations, personnel recovery, and combat search and rescue.”LR 



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