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57th RQS trains to save lives in Exercise Ares Shadow
An Airman assigned to the 57th Rescue Squadron begins a freefall jump from a 37th Airlift Squadron C-130J Super Hercules during exercise Ares Shadow, Aug. 11. Ares Shadow is a 48th Fighter Wing-led personnel recovery exercise involving Airmen from across U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Air Force Special Operations Command, as well as members of the Italian armed forces. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Eli Chevalier)
Photo by: Airman 1st Class Elijah Chevalier
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57th RQS trains to save lives in Exercise Ares Shadow
A member of the Italian armed forces performs a static line jump from a 37th Airlift Squadron C-130J Super Hercules during exercise Ares Shadow, Aug. 10. This exercise marked the first time the 57th Rescue Squadron jumped with the Italian armed forces. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Eli Chevalier)
Photo by: Airman 1st Class Elijah Chevalier
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57th RQS trains to save lives in Exercise Ares Shadow
A Guardian Angel team from the 57th Rescue Squadron perform a freefall jump during exercise Ares Shadow near Aviano, Italy, Aug. 9. A Guardian Angel team consists of both pararescuemen and combat rescue officers, both specializing in personnel recovery operations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Eli Chevalier)
Photo by: Airman 1st Class Elijah Chevalier
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57th RQS trains to save lives in Exercise Ares Shadow
An Airman assigned to the 57th Rescue Squadron prepares to land after a freefall jump during exercise Ares Shadow near Aviano, Italy, Aug. 9. During the exercise, RAF Lakenheath pararescuemen and combat rescue officers recovered a simulated downed pilot and participated in multiple jumps. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Eli Chevalier)
Photo by: Airman 1st Class Elijah Chevalier
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57th RQS trains to save lives in Exercise Ares Shadow
Airmen assigned to the 57th Rescue Squadron regroup after a freefall jump during exercise Ares Shadow near Aviano, Italy, Aug. 9. The 57th RQS is scheduled to move to Aviano Air Base in the summer of 2018. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Eli Chevalier)
Photo by: Airman 1st Class Elijah Chevalier
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57th RQS trains to save lives in Exercise Ares Shadow
An Italian Air Force HH-101 Caesar extracts a team of Guardian Angels assigned to the 57th Rescue Squadron, and their simulated rescued pilot, during exercise Ares Shadow near Aviano, Italy, Aug. 9. The exercise marked the first time the 57th RQS worked with the Italian air force. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Eli Chevalier)
Photo by: Airman 1st Class Elijah Chevalier
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy – Jumping out of an airplane flying 10,000 feet in the air isn’t on everyone’s daily to-do list, but for the Guardian Angel teams of the 57th Rescue Squadron, it’s their bread and butter. That’s exactly what they did during exercise Ares Shadow at Aviano AB, Aug. 8-11.
Ares Shadow is a 48th Fighter Wing-led personnel recovery exercise involving Airmen from the 86th Airlift Wing, the 352nd Special Operations Wing as well as members of the Italian armed forces.
“Exercises like Ares Shadow improve interoperability and improve the relationship with our partners here in USAFE,” said Lt. Col. Jose Cabrera, 57th Rescue Squadron commander. “It gives us a chance to work together, which we don’t have often since we train usually on our own. It’s only in exercises like this where we train together.”
During the exercise, 57th RQS pararescuemen and combat rescue officers performed static-line and high-altitude, low-opening jumps, as well as jumps with the Italian navy. During one jump, a Guardian Angel team practiced rescuing a downed pilot.
“It was unique in the sense that it gave us an opportunity to employ our long-range rescue capabilities,” said Cabrera.
“We launched from Lakenheath on a C-130 and parachuted in a Guardian Angel team in Aviano to execute the recovery of downed Airman. That team and the survivor were recovered by an Italian HH-101 helicopter. It gave us an opportunity to work with the host nation here, compare and contrast our [tactics, techniques and procedures] and work on our interoperability to be able to perform personnel recovery in the USAFE [area of responsibility].” Exercise Ares Shadow gave the rescue squadron a taste of what’s to come in the summer of 2018, when they are scheduled to move to Aviano AB.
“Being able to come out here and train with the Italians a year ahead of time gives us the opportunity to figure out how the ranges here in Italy work, how the procedures for airdrop operations work and also what capabilities are out here that we can share with the Italians and the army paratroopers,” said Cabrera. The squadron hopes this was the first of many jumps involving the Italian armed forces.
“This is the first time we have executed a jump with any Italian unit,” said Maj. Nick Morgans, 57th RQS Detachment 1 commander. “As the 57th Rescue Squadron transitions from Lakenheath to Aviano, we will continue to pursue further jump operations and other training operations with the Italian air force
