So Others May Live wounded personnel unable to enter the water. Flight crews from HSC-28 and HSC-2 performed recovery operations from both the decks of two LCACs and the waters surrounding the craft. The focus of these evolutions was hoisting from the deck of an LCAC as neither the MH-60S crews nor the LCAC crews had any experience in the past performing such a maneuver. The day was divided into two operational windows, with two HSC-2 aircraft flying the first window and two HSC-28 aircraft flying the second. As the simulation began, aircrews were required to first locate the stricken LCACs. Once on scene, they assessed the situation and executed recovery operations as individual aircrews deemed necessary. Multiple casualties were located onboard the LCACs dictating the need for Rescue Swimmer and SAR Medical Technician insertion to the stricken craft for on-deck triage and recovery via multiple different rescue devices. While one aircraft performed recovery operations from a stricken LCAC, the second aircraft effected a simultaneous recovery of multiple in-water survivors and the transport of those survivors to a beach landing zone for patient turnover. Flight crews were required to perform inter aircraft
Photo by MCSN Marie Rosales, USN
de-confliction of recovery operations as well as keep track of a multitude of survivor injuries. Lessons learned from Day Two’s operations highlighted the need for a higher level of medical training for Naval Rescue Swimmers as well as the importance of training with units that we as a community do not train with as often. The likelihood of encountering people we know in wartime operations is low, and having multiple squadrons interacting with multiple LCAC crews increased proficiency in communicating with different units in the simulated high risk environment of survivors in the water.
Flight crews from HSC-2 & HSC-28 conduct simultaneous recovery of personnel from the deck of a simulated DIW LCAC and from the surrounding water. Photo by MCSN Marie Rosales, USN
Rotor Review #162 Fall '23
The sixth iteration of Tarpon Springs was a great success, both in the coordination and execution of the flight crews and supporting units and in the gathering of training points to be used in future exercises and deployments. The evidence of highly trained personnel throughout the exercise was apparent to all. Tarpon Springs proved itself to be an invaluable training experience, both for the flight crews involved and all of the personnel striving to make each iteration a relevant and increasingly challenging exercise. This exercise, with all of the lessons learned and skill development gained, would not be possible without highly motivated individuals across all enlisted paygrades focused on creating and executing Tarpon Springs. Hopefully, Tarpon Springs continues to be what it is, a quarterly exercise developed by Aicrewmen for Aircrewmen aimed at the development and refinement of skills needed in the next fight. With continued motivation and an ever expanding support structure, we truly hope to cement Tarpon Springs as a cornerstone of Naval Aviation training.
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