Combat Leader Course 2023: Titan Missile Silo Rescue

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class William Finn V and Airman 1st Class Devlin Bishop
  • 355th Wing Public Affairs
GREEN VALLEY, Ariz. --  

A photo of a U.S. Airman, acting as a simulated casualty for the 68th Rescue Squadron’s Combat Leader Course, is lifted via rope system during a training exercise at the Titan Missile Museum.

Combat Leader Course TITAN missile silo rescue

A U.S. Airman, acting as a simulated casualty for the 68th Rescue Squadron’s Combat Leader Course, is lifted via rope system during a training exercise at the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley, Ariz., Aug. 21, 2023. The casualties were strapped to sleds and hoisted via rope system to the second-lowest level to receive medical treatment before being lifted an additional four stories to the decontamination station. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Devlin Bishop)
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A photo of a U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, enters the staging area during a Combat Leader Course training exercise at the Titan Missile Museum.

Combat Leader Course TITAN missile silo rescue

A U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, enters the staging area during a Combat Leader Course training exercise at the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley, Ariz., Aug. 21, 2023. The 68th RQS instructors used a fog machine to obscure the students’ vision and add an additional layer of difficulty to the exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Devlin Bishop)
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A photo of a U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, is lowered into the deepest section of a missile silo during a Combat Leader Course training exercise at the Titan Missile Museum.

Combat Leader Course TITAN missile silo rescue

A U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, is lowered into the deepest section of a missile silo during a Combat Leader Course training exercise at the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley, Ariz., Aug. 21, 2023. The student who descended to the lowest level had a limited amount of oxygen which required him to manage his time effectively while rescuing the simulated casualties. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Devlin Bishop)
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A photo of a U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, prepares to be lowered over 20 feet into a simulated low-oxygen environment to perform rescue operations during a Combat Leader Course training exercise at the Titan Missile Museum.

Combat Leader Course TITAN missile silo rescue

A U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, prepares to be lowered over 20 feet into a simulated low-oxygen environment to perform rescue operations during a Combat Leader Course training exercise at the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley, Ariz., Aug. 21, 2023. Instructors and safety personnel stood by to ensure the exercise was conducted properly and without injury. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Devlin Bishop)
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A photo of U.S. Airmen, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, monitor their teammate’s oxygen level as he conducts rescue operations in a simulated low-oxygen environment during a Combat Leader Course training exercise at the Titan Missile Museum.

Combat Leader Course TITAN missile silo rescue

U.S. Airmen, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, monitor their teammate’s oxygen level as he conducts rescue operations in a simulated low-oxygen environment during a Combat Leader Course training exercise at the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley, Ariz., Aug. 21, 2023. The simulated low-oxygen environment required the student who descended to the lowest level to breathe from an oxygen tank which effectively simulated a possible real-world scenario. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Devlin Bishop)
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A photo of U.S. Airmen, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, prepare a rappelling rig during a Combat Leader Course training exercise at the Titan Missile Museum.

Combat Leader Course TITAN missile silo rescue

U.S. Airmen, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, prepare a rappelling rig during a Combat Leader Course training exercise at the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley, Ariz., Aug. 21, 2023. The exercise required the students to lower one of their teammates to the lowest level of the silo to rescue the simulated casualties. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Devlin Bishop)
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A photo of U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, discusses a plan to rescue simulated casualties during a Combat Leader Course training exercise at the Titan Missile Museum.

Combat Leader Course TITAN missile silo rescue

A U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, discusses a plan to rescue simulated casualties during a Combat Leader Course training exercise at the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley, Ariz., Aug. 21, 2023. The exercise involved rescuing three simulated casualties from the lowest level of the silo and hoisting them vertically over 50 feet to be decontaminated before extracting them via helicopter. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Devlin Bishop)
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A photo of U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, checks oxygen levels during a Combat Leader Course training exercise at the Titan Missile Museum.

Combat Leader Course TITAN missile silo rescue

A U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, checks oxygen levels during a Combat Leader Course training exercise at the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley, Ariz., Aug. 21, 2023. The exercise required students to descend to the lowest level of the silo and recover three simulated casualties before taking them to a simulated decontamination station. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Devlin Bishop)
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A photo of the view of the Titan Missile Museum.

Combat Leader Course TITAN missile silo rescue

The view of the Titan Missile Museum from below at Green Valley, Ariz., Aug. 21, 2023. The 68th Rescue Squadron used the Titan Missile Museum as a staging ground for high-angle casualty rescue training during the Combat Leader Course. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Devlin Bishop)
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A photo of U.S. Airmen, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, recover a simulated casualty from the lowest section of a missile silo during a Combat Leader Course training exercise at the Titan Missile Museum

Combat Leader Course TITAN missile silo rescue

U.S. Airmen, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, recover a simulated casualty from the lowest section of a missile silo during a Combat Leader Course training exercise at the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley, Ariz., Aug. 21, 2023. The 68th RQS partnered with the Arizona Customs and Border Protection Agency during the exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Devlin Bishop)
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A photo of a U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, communicates with his teammate at the bottom of the Titan Missile Museum.

High Angle Rescue

A U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, communicates with his teammate at the bottom of the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley, Ariz., Aug. 21, 2023. The Airman assisted the team member by lowering down equipment to treat simulated casualties. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class William Finn V)
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A photo of a U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, searches for simulated casualties at the bottom of the Titan Missile Museum.

High Angle Rescue

A U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, searches for simulated casualties at the bottom of the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley, Ariz., Aug. 21, 2023. The Airman and his team were tasked with rappelling down to the bottom of the missile silo, treating the casualties, and escorting them to safety. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class William Finn V)
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A photo of a U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, adjusts his gas mask before entering the bottom of the Titan Missile Museum.

High Angle Rescue

A U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, adjusts his gas mask before entering the bottom of the Titan Missile Museum during training in Green Valley, Ariz., Aug. 21, 2023. In order to provide the most realistic training, the Airmen were required to wear the gas masks and navigate through heavy smoke to locate and rescue simulated casualties. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class William Finn V)
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A photo of a U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, checks his notes during the Combat Leader Course at the Titan Missile Museum.

High Angle Rescue

A U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, checks his notes during the Combat Leader Course at the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley, Ariz., Aug. 21, 2023. During the training, the Airman coordinated with his team to rescue simulated casualties from the bottom of the silo. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class William Finn V)
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A photo of a U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, checks a simulated casualty at Titan Missile Museum.

High Angle Rescue

A U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, checks a simulated casualty at Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley, Ariz., Aug. 21, 2023. The Airmen took part in the Combat Leader Course, which trained them in a variety of rescue skills to include traversing high angle rescue scenarios and providing care to casualties. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class William Finn V)
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A photo of a U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, rappels down the Titan Missile Museum.

High Angle Rescue

A U.S. Airman, training with the 68th Rescue Squadron, rappels down the Titan Missile Museum during the Combat Leader Course at Green Valley, Ariz., Aug. 21, 2023. The Airman went to the bottom of the silo to locate and treat simulated casualties before having his team hoist them out. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class William Finn V)
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