CRO Selection Takes Place at Fairchild

Published April 5, 2007
By Staff Sgt. Larry Carpenter
92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- The Combat Rescue Officer career field held phase two of their selection process the week of March 26 - 30 at Fairchild. The purpose of phase two is to narrow the field of trainees invited to attend the CRO career field training pipeline.

Phase two is a rigorous week of intense physical, mental and psychological training that pushes the candidates to their breaking points, testing their leadership abilities under extreme conditions.

The selection process was established to trim the number of applicants placed into the 13 month CRO training pipeline.

Due to the 60 percent wash out rate, it would be nearly impossible to put everyone into the pipeline that wanted to become a CRO without this selection process, said Capt. Chadwick Sterr, the Combat Rescue Officer selection program manager.

Before candidates get to phase two, they must first be invited by making it through phase one of the selection process. During phase one, all of the individuals' records are reviewed to ensure the applicants are medically qualified, they meet the physical training test standards, etc.

Phase two is generally a 25-person class with 20 active-duty and five reserve or guard members. The classes are typically filled with a mixture of officers, enlisted, and AF ROTC cadets.

There were 25 applications submitted for this class, of those 25, 24 were invited to attend the course. Only 18 showed up for the challenge.

When the candidates first arrived, they completed a PT test consisting of a 3-mile run, 1500 meter swim and some calisthenics. Candidates who fail are immediately dropped from the class. Then they accomplished the first water portion of the class.

This is the crawl portion of the crawl-walk-run concept, said Captain Sterr.

"I think this is the hardest course you can go through," said Captain Sterr. "From first hand experience, one week of phase two was the hardest thing that I've ever done in my life."

Phase two is a crucial process in making sure the right people are placed into the training pipeline.

"This course will see if they can deal with the stressful situations they will be put in," said Captain Sterr.

Once someone completes CRO training, they are granted much responsibility. That responsibility could be the life of someone they are rescuing or the lives of their men.

"Once they get all of their training accomplished, they will know first hand what they are putting their men into," said Captain Sterr.

The phase two selection is 100-percent voluntary. The students have the right at any time to decide that this career field is not for them and leave at their will - with one stipulation: the students are briefed on all the class policies the morning of the first day. The quitting policy is the student has say "I quit" and then "ring-out" by blowing the air horn.

As tough as the course is, the selection board does have a heart. Students can fail out of the course and return to try again, but if someone quits, they are never allowed to return. Further, if someone is injured, they are medically withdrawn from the course, and they can re-submit their package for the next available class.

So what would make a person want this type of job?

"One trait that everyone has is the Type A personality," said Captain Sterr. "The type of guy that will go the distance to get the job done."

"It's the best job in the world," he said. "I would definitely do it all over again, I can't imagine doing anything else."

The students who make it through the Phase two process will get an invite to the CRO training pipeline.

"If they are already commissioned, they will receive a direct invite to Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M." said Captain Sterr. "If they are currently in a commissioning program, they will receive permanent change of station orders to Kirtland once they complete their commission."

"The CRO career field is essential because the Air Force has a moral and ethical obligation to save people in our military and the CRO has to be the subject matter expert," said Lt. Colonel Chuck Metrolis, 31st Rescue Squadron commander at Kadena Air Base, Japan, and board president for the selection.

"It's a very dangerous job and we have to make sure we are doing it the best way possible," said Colonel Metrolis. "The selection process tries to make sure the students are mentally prepared by putting them under a lot of physical and mental stress."