HOW THE LIFE SUPPORT
Program Got Started
Reference: AF Manual 64-4, dated Oct 1954
Before 1943 the United States Air Force had little need for a specialized survival training and personal equipment program. After 1943, however, personal, survival, and emergency equipment, as well as aircraft themselves, became diversified to such an extent that regulations were issued to accomplish an over-all program of supervision.
To effect this, the Air Force commands in the European Theater found it necessary to assign to each Air Force echelon one or more non-flying officers whose specific duty it was to monitor the handling of flying equipment. These officers assumed responsibility for the custody, maintenance, servicing and issuing of all items of personal equipment. They were also responsible for instructing aircrews and maintaining aircrew discipline in the use and care of personal equipment.
Several years after the war, mainly because of a MOS reduction, the survival training and personal equipment responsibilities were assigned to the air supply officer as a secondary duty.
However, because of the continuing development of new, complex equipment and more advanced emergency procedures, the survival training and personal equipment program was revived as a principal duty in 1951. Individual commands were made responsible for the formation and administration of formal training courses for prospective survival training and personal equipment officers.
An airman's career field has meanwhile been approved by USAF Headquarters and has been implemented by AFR 35-492. This field consists of two ladders: para-rescue and survival training and personal equipment.
Thus the continuing development of the program now has its airmen technicians on one hand and officers in charge on the other. The program itself is increasing in importance, especially as a help to well-established flying safety programs.
Probably the biggest factor in the continuance of the program is the need for proper training and discipline on the part of aircrews and ground maintenance men in handling personal equipment. Naturally, shortcomings have existed in organizations, which have had no positive program. During such times injuries and fatalities, resulting from aircraft crashes and ditching, have pointed directly to an uncontrolled survival training and personal equipment program. Incidents have been reported in such cases where life rafts were found overdue for periodic inspection, and where life vests have incorrectly weighed CO2 cylinders. Also, survival equipment aboard aircraft had been insufficiently checked. Crew training in survival and emergency procedures, such as ditching and crash landing was found generally inadequate and directly responsible for fatalities and serious injuries.
Such fatalities prove that the survival training and personal equipment program is of highest importance and would require specialized, formal training of personnel in the program. Equally important is the proper screening of personnel being considered for on-the-job or formal training. Previous training and experience gained through active participation in the Boy Scout outdoor training indicates interest in survival type activities. Persons entering the program should have above average mechanical ability and, most important, physical fitness and an interest in this type of activity.
Some comments about the Life Support Career Field
Gary entered the career field right after basic training and spent his first Christmas (1971) in the military at Chanute AFB, Illinois . He still refuses to discuss the excitement he must have felt as he visit nearby Rantoul during the Holidays. One rumor he heard in 1971 was the base was named after an Eskimo found frozen to death at the front gate in January some years before, but he has voiced how cold the place was at that time of the year and believes the Eskimo could have in fact died there easily enough.
His training at the time consisted of learning how to repair and build aircrew helmets, disassemble and repair oxygen masks, how to inspect parachutes and other aircrew protective equipment (PE), and some basic survival information. As a matter of fact, some of the old timers around at the time still called the field PE and not Life Support.
Each base usually had a few Life Support troops who were qualified as instructors. These instructor duties included a wide range of aircrew related subjects; parachuting procedures, bailout, egress and ejection, survival equipment operation, and survival procedures. Some lucky Life Support technicians were sent to various survival schools as unit funds would allow, and the information learned was taken back to the unit to improve training (and it did). All Life Support personnel were taught how to write a lesson plan, prepare visual aids, and to give a good sound lecture on one of the above subjects.
As the years pasted the mission of Life Support changed but little, but there were new aircraft (thus new equipment) and the mission of the Air Force changed a great deal. At U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Base, Gary was assigned to the 307 th BW and his day consisted of loading, unloading, preflight and post flight inspections of equipment onboard the B-52 aircraft. He also conducted classroom training on equipment usage and basic survival.
Finally, after completing Mountain Survival (basic survival course), Water Survival, Jungle Survival, and Arctic Survival, Gary noticed a positive change toward better classroom and field training for aircrew survival. Most Life Support personnel were qualified in many different aspects of the field, i.e., some were jump qualified (parachuting), some were given a prefix to identify them as full recognized Air Force instructors, and the list goes on. It was a positive step in the right direction.
One of the most satisfying things a Life Support technician can ever professionally experience is talking to an aircrew member who has used the equipment, the training, and safely returned from an ejection or survival situation. It is very rewarding if you were the technician that inspected the equipment or conducted the training.
As they say in Pararescue, "That Other May Live"
I salute all of my comrades from the Life Support Field, hold your heads up high and be proud of your accomplishments, for you are the saver of lives.
