One hundred New York National Guard airmen spent August 16-27 in Campo Grande, Brazil conducting combat search and rescue exercises with their Brazilian Air Force counterparts.
The airmen, most of whom are assigned to the 106th Rescue Wing, conducted missions simulating the recovery of downed aircrew, conducted aerial refueling of search and rescue helicopters, trained Brazilian parachute rescue personnel, and conducted on the ground security exercises.
This was the third year the New York Airmen took part in Brazil’s annual search and rescue training known as Exercise Tapio as part of the New York National Guard’s State Partnership Program with Brazil’s military.
“It was a great experience training with the Brazilian Air Force during Tapio,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Eury Villalona-Taveras, a security forces airman with the 106th Rescue Wing.
The U.S. security forces airmen conducted a variety of ground security missions together with Brazilian forces, he said.
“By the end of the exercise, we were able to exchange ideas, experiences and made a lot of long-lasting friendships and relationships,” he said.
The joint training and exchanges further interoperability between the U.S. military and their Brazilian counterparts, according to U.S. Air Force Colonel Jeff Cannet, commander of the 106th Operations Group, who led the mission.
“When we come into each other’s areas, we can work together seamlessly and help rescue people faster than we otherwise could have if we did not practice down here together,” Col. Cannet said.
The New York Air National Guard deployed two HH-60G Pave Hawk search and rescue helicopters, one HC-130J Combat King II search and rescue aircraft from the 106th Rescue Wing, and two C-17 Globemaster III airlifters from the 105th Airlift Wing.
U.S. participants helped train 40 Brazilian Para Search and Rescue personnel, known by the acronym PARASAR.
“Working alongside the Brazilian PARASAR and Air Force was a truly enlightening experience,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant John Kosequat, a pararescueman.
106th Security personnel also taught lessons in U.S. hand-to-hand combative training and learned Brazilian jiu-jitsu techniques in turn.
These skills are vital in denying an enemy access to an aircraft flightdeck, Staff Sgt. Kosequat explained.
The New Yorkers and Brazilians also hosted a visit from U.S. Army General Daniel R. Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau.
Gen. Hokanson got a tour of the base and the Brazilian and U.S. aircraft being employed and was briefed on the capabilities being tested during the exercise and the missions being conducted.