Pararescue

America’s special operations roots stretch back to ragtag patriots who fought dirty and thought fast—long before “unconventional warfare” became a buzzword and SOCOM had a command patch.

From Spartan warriors to Viking berserkers and stealthy ninjas, history’s most fearsome fighters laid the ideological and tactical groundwork for the elite special operations units we rely on today.

The Pararescuemen’s green footprints may have started as a drunken dare in a dingy tattoo parlor near the Mekong, but they’ve become an enduring symbol of PJ grit, pride, and valor that spans battlefields from Southeast Asia to the War on Terror.

Steeped in a history of valor and tactical prowess, the 24th Special Tactics Squadron epitomizes the elite capabilities of the U.S. Air Force in executing the most challenging and critical special operations across the globe.

US Air Force pararescuemen from the 83rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron are shown in Afghanistan

An Air Force Pararescueman fast ropes from a Pave Hawk helicopter.

US Air Force Pararescue man jumps out of an HC-130J Combat King II onto Palau International Airport.

24th Special Tactics Squadron, the Air Force equivalent of SEAL Team 6 or Delta Force, is ready 24/7 to fulfill its mission across the globe.

Behind every successful Air Force rescue operation is a combat rescue officer (CRO). Find out what makes these men unique.

Editor’s Note: Geo’s memoir, Brothers of the Cloth, a true account of special mission unit soldiers, is now available for pre-order. You can purchase it here.  No shite, there I was. That is how this sort of story typically unfolds. There’s no moral to it; no special message. Perhaps the message is that when it […]

Combat medics and corpsmen embody a unique form of ‘egotistical utilitarianism,’ a trait that has tremendous benefits for the collective.

This dramatic footage of the rescues highlights the incredible skill and bravery on display from the Coast Guard crews.