Lt. Col. Thatcher Cardon, 92nd Medical Group chief of medical staff at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., practices entry clearing techniques to apply when clearing a corner during training with the Spokane County Sheriff's Department Special Weapons and Tactical (SWAT) team in Spokane, Wash., on March 1, 2012. Cardon has over 400 hours of training in everything from search and seizure to effects that drugs have on people and has been a volunteer doctor on the SWAT team for almost two years. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Mary O'Dell)

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Lt. Col. Thatcher Cardon, 92nd Medical Group chief of medical staff at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., listens to a brief given by one of his team leaders during training with the Spokane County Sheriff's Department Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team in Spokane, Wash., on March 1, 2012. Cardon has volunteered as a SWAT doctor for almost two years now, starting in Pierce County, Wash., eventually leading him to Spokane. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Mary O'Dell)

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Lt. Col. Thatcher Cardon, 92nd Medical Group chief of medical staff at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., sits in a "Bear Cat" armored vehicle on his way to train with the Spokane County Sheriff's Department Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team in Spokane, Wash., on March 1, 2012. Cardon utilizes his skills as a doctor for the SWAT team in situations that they are needed. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Mary O'Dell)

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Lt. Col. Thatcher Cardon, 92nd Medical Group chief of medical staff at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., performs entry techniques used when clearing a corner while determining whether the suspect is a threat or not during training with the Spokane County Sheriff's Department Special Weapons and Tactical (SWAT) team in Spokane, Wash., on March 1, 2012. During the training, members of the SWAT team practiced their timing, pace and footwork while applying their skills during different exercises. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Mary O'Dell)

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Lt. Col. Thatcher Cardon, 92nd Medical Group chief of medical staff at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., along with other members of the Spokane County Sheriff's Department Special Weapons and Tactics team, practice performing 360 degree security around a perimeter during training in Spokane, Wash., on March 1, 2012. The team practiced their timing, pace and footwork while applying their skills during different training exercises. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Mary O'Dell)

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Lt. Col. Thatcher Cardon, 92nd Medical Group chief of medical staff at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., along with other members of the Spokane County Sheriff's Department Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, practice dynamic entry training in Spokane, Wash., on March 1, 2012. Cardon has completed over 400 hours of intense and rigorous training so that he can serve as a doctor on the SWAT team voluntarily. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Mary O'Dell)

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Lt. Col. Thatcher Cardon, 92nd Medical Group chief of medical staff, practices dynamic entry training with another member of the Spokane County Sheriff's Department Special Weapons and Tactics team in Spokane, Wash., on March 1, 2012. The training exercises were designed to help the team apply their tactical skills while focusing on their timing, pace and footwork. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Mary O'Dell)

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Lt. Col. Thatcher Cardon, 92nd Medical Group chief of medical staff at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., listens on as one of his team leaders discusses the importance of timing, pace and footwork while applying tactical skills during Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT) training exercises in Spokane, Wash., March 1, 2012. Cardon has volunteered as a doctor on the Spokane County Sheriff's Department SWAT team for almost two years with his journey beginning in Pierce County, Wash., where his interest first arose. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Mary O'Dell)

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Lt. Col. Thatcher Cardon, 92nd Medical Group chief of medical staff at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., performs training exercises practicing dynamic entry skills with other members of the Spokane County Sheriff's Department Special Weapons and Tactics team in Spokane, Wash., on March 1 ,2012. Cardon has put in over 400 vigorous and intense hours in training for everything from search and seizure to the effects different drugs have on people leading to his voluntary position as a doctor on the team. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Mary O'Dell)

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Lt. Col. Thatcher Cardon, 92nd Medical Group chief of medical staff, listens to a patients lungs in an exam room at the 92nd MDG clinic at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., on March 2, 2012. Cardon also volunteers as a doctor on the Spokane County Sheriff's Department Special Weapons and Tactics team in Spokane. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Mary O'Dell)

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Air Force "Doc" moonlights as Spokane "SWAT"

Published March 5, 2012
By Scott King
92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- He's dual-hatted, serving his country as an Air Force doctor and his community as a member of the Spokane County Sheriff's Department Special Weapons and Tactics team.

Simply known as "Doc" to his SWAT team colleagues, Lt. Col. Thatcher Cardon, a 92nd Medical Group doctor, has been a SWAT doctor for almost two years now.

"My interest in this started when I was stationed at McChord Air Force Base," Cardon said. "I had friends there who were police officers and I enjoyed listening to their stories, and was pretty impressed with how they served their community. I had heard of doctors being on SWAT teams so I thought I would try to get involved. My experience with battlefield trauma gained during a deployment working in the Balad, Iraq Hospital Emergency Department gave me the confidence that I could make a difference in extreme trauma situations."

In 2009, Cardon contacted the Pierce County, Wash. SWAT team and volunteered his services. They were receptive to his offer and signed him up for the Reserve Officer Police Academy in Fife, Wash. He then spent the next four months [300 hours] of nights and weekends away from his family training in everything from search and seizure to firearms to effects that drugs have on people. Following that, he attended a SWAT Basic Training Course in Richmond, Wash. where he completed [66 hours] of training in things like hostage rescue, active shooter approach and breeching. He also received Pierce County Sheriff's Department firearms training [8 hours] and attended a [60 hour] Prevention of and Response to Suicide Bombing Attacks course in New Mexico.

"To say the least, all the training I received was intense and rigorous, but has made me much more comfortable when responding to situations," Cardon said. "Though I practiced for more than a year with them I wasn't able to serve on an actual raid with the Pierce County Sheriff's SWAT team because of my assignment to Fairchild, which came right as I finished training, but am grateful to them for opening up the doors for me."

The training certificates Cardon received are valid in Spokane as well so once here, he contacted the Spokane Sheriff's Department and asked them if they were interested in bringing him on their team. With no doctor on their team currently, the answer for them was a resounding yes.

"The 'Doc' is a God-send to our team," said Jay McNall, Spokane County Sheriff's Department SWAT team sergeant. "The guy is absolutely squared away and fits right into our team during high-speed situations. It's unusual for him to be doing this for us and his community, it involves a lot of personal time and other guys get paid to do this. He selflessly volunteers to be in dangerous situations for the good of others - what a guy."

Cardon has responded to five situations with the SWAT team in Spokane. He's been on four drug raids and one hostage situation. So far, for him, everything has ended peacefully.

"The role of a SWAT Doc is to be on scene where there is the potential for someone to get hurt, whether it's a victim, a team member or even the bad guys," Cardon said. "I don't want anyone to get hurt, but if they do - I want be able to help them."

It was a lengthy process for the Air Force to get approval for Cardon to be a SWAT team member. His leadership backs him 100 percent in his endeavor.

"We are extremely proud of Lt. Col. Cardon's efforts in serving both the Air Force and his community," said Col. Thomas 'Chet' Roshetko, 92nd Medical Group commander. "He exemplifies our core values and reminds us that we have a great calling not only in serving our nation but to serve our community as well. "I'm extremely impressed with Thatcher's drive to bring his skill set to the SWAT team and in turn - his community."

Cardon was selected for promotion to colonel and will be relocating to Offutt AFB, Neb. where he hopes to continue serving with a SWAT team. He will be missed by the Spokane County Sheriff's Department SWAT team. During a training briefing March 1, McNall said to the team, "If you're going to get shot - get shot now before we lose our "Doc.'"