LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Leaders from the 563rd Rescue Group collaborated ideas with other senior leaders in the rescue career field at the Guardian Angel Senior Leader Working Group in Louisville, Ky., Sept. 5-8, 2023.
“The Guardian Angel summit strengthens collaboration with commanders and senior enlisted leaders from the active, reserve, and guard components to tackle significant organizational, training, and equipping issues across the total force,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Jose Cabrera, 563rd RQG commander. “It’s how we achieve unity of effort for Guardian Angel units spread across seven major commands.”
Guardian Angels are combat rescue officers; pararescuemen; and survival, evasion, resistance, and escape specialists from joint, coalition, and combined operations who power together for personnel rescue and recovery.
Since the 355th Wing is one of the only active duty rescue wings dedicated to combat search and rescue, it characterizes the 563rd RQG with a unique perspective for the summit. Some of the topics examined were, cultivating technical skills, brainstorming ways for capability enhancement and discussing the most impactful way to build future combat search and rescue warfighters.
“The senior leader working group left all attendees with a baseline understanding of what priorities and initiatives are being pushed,” said Chief Master Sgt. Michael Reed, 68th Rescue Squadron chief enlisted manager. “[This way], rescue forces can adapt to the ever changing Air Force and ensure that we provide the appropriate combat capabilities for our commanders.”
Teaming together, Guardian Angel leaders also analyzed new methods to deliberately develop and strengthen the Department of Defense across all operational disciplines: weapons, precision parachuting, technical rescue, medical and communications.
Building connections, mentoring generations and making data driven decisions is how the 563rd RQG’s six combat and support squadrons continue—that others may live.