Air Force reservists form elite Special Response Team

  • Published
  • By Ryan Ayers
  • 482nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. --  There is a tension in the air as a team of emergency responders prepare for a mission. It is not the usual nervous tension, but the kind of tension someone gets when they have trained for something and now it's time to use it.

A UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter warms its twin turbine engines as the unmistakable smell of the exhaust fills the air. The blades begin to thump as they cut the air, and the Special Response Team, or SRT, performs last minute checks before loading. Once loaded, the "Hawk" pulls a 200-foot vertical climb and darts towards the target location.

There is no turning back, and nervousness is not an option for the members of the team. The members begin to dismount and move towards the target. Once the target is secure, the members of the team are relieved, but know they have to be ready for the next call if and when it should come.

Here at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla. the 482nd Security Forces Squadron is ready for situations like the one described above.

For members of the SRT, the road has not been easy. After the idea to form the team was proposed to leadership, they began selection and training. Seems easy enough, but with budget constraints, the members had to be creative in carrying out development of the team.

This team is important because only six bases have active SRTs, none of which is in Florida, and this is the only active, all-reservist team in AFRC, according to SRT members at Homestead.

Being an exclusive member of the team involves physical training, mental training and sacrifice. A member can not just walk on the team; they have to meet the qualifications set out for team membership, including interview and acceptance by all team members. They must also train, train and train some more, and after they have trained they're on call 24-7.

"We are all volunteers and our training all happens during off-duty time," said one of the team members, who can not be identified for security reasons. "We have a mission that needs to be carried out as members of the Security Forces Squadron, and we can not let membership on the SRT affect that mission."

So far training has not been an issue for the team. Off days for the members are scheduled together so they can train for various missions ranging from hostage situations to escorting dignitaries.

The team can not go on missions with the agencies that help with training due to jurist diction requirements. However, this does not prevent the team from getting training advice and help from outside sources.

"We get most of our training from similar agencies; Immigration and Customs is one our biggest supporters, but we hope to work with other high-tempo units for training as we get up to speed," another member said.

Special teams need special equipment," one of the members said.

Members of the team have put together a pool of their personal money to buy the equipment needed for team success. Some of the bigger items are expensive, so they fulfill equipment needs as they can.

"The sacrifices of team membership mean nothing compared to the pride and honor of knowing we have the ability to protect our base and the people who work and visit here," a team member explained.