Becoming a Combat Rescue Officer in Air Force Special Warfare

The weather is warming up, and we are just getting started with bringing some more of that muy caliente content you are used to. This week in the team room we bring on JMac. JMac is currently serving as a Combat Rescue Officer, is an ultramarathon completing, coffee and pizza-loving big party in a small box. We talk EVERYTHING, from his day to day life, his transition from active duty PJ to CRO, and his unique experiences from successfully completing Phase II and the pipeline and then running Phase II for CRO candidates later in his career.
If there was ever a time to pay attention to every word, this is it. I sincerely hope your socks are securely fastened because we are sure that this episode will knock them right off.
00:02:45 JMac's Story
00:20:33 Enlisted to Officer Transition
00:24:28 The Role Of A CRO
00:32:26 Desk = Glorified Box
00:35:57 A CRO's Team Time
00:48:05 Phase II
01:18:16 Piece Of Advice
Don't forget to subscribe to the Podcast on your favorite player! bit.ly/2OG2Olf
Need the show notes? onesready.com/episode/25
Have a question? Email us at [e-mail]
Follow us on Instagram bit.ly/2OeNoFI
Follow us on Facebook bit.ly/2OiJsUu
You can reach JMac on Instagram at cro_mc - if you have any questions, hit him up!
Video/Audio editing courtesy of [e-mail]
As always, THANK YOU for your support, we truly appreciate it.
The views and opinions expressed by the OnesReady team are those of the team and do not reflect the official policy or position of the DoD. Any content provided by our Podcast guests, bloggers, sponsors, or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign the DoD, any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything.
#CombatRescueOfficer #CRO #AirForceSpecialWarfareOfficer

[@mup8661]

Instantly recognize him. Its so cool to see him come full circle, from seeing him in the Pipeline Doc all the way to CRO.

[@VeritasPlus]

Oh wow, this was super encouraging! 1:21:32 is on point! Thank you for this episode!

[@noahisac4711]

A great listen before a morning run and swim, thanks again guys!

[@ablast24]

Awesome insight from one of the most fun guests to listen to yet. Great content as usual, gentlemen. The third shift grinds on ⚡️💪🏼. - Avery

[@StevieJPN]

JMac was the best leader I ever had, Miss you, Sir!

[@GergActual]

MY MAN JMAC! Good to see he’s doing well.

[@jorger643]

You guys are so appreciated thank u

[@OnesReady]

Our pleasure!

[@Josh-lr7pe]

Good stuff right here @Ones Ready and just what I needed to hear from @Jon McKenzie. Awesome insight and the brotherhood that you all have is motivating in itself.

[@adinballas5446]

Thank you Jmac 💯

[@JHillNC]

Excellent episode!

[@USUKDIK3y3SUCC33D]

This was sick, great insight

[@OnesReady]

Thanks!

[@vinceweber5101]

Best podcast out there! Thanks guys 👍🏽

[@NHoule12]

Good stuff. Like stuffed crust pizza good. 😂 Awesome to hear a CRO perspective.

[@TheChemist2412]

Finally!!!! Thank you One's ready, I greatly appreciate this video!

[@JD-dm1uj]

Great video, the USAF have stepped up their game tremendously in terms of their SOF capacity and expanded capabilities!

[@justelynnnjoelle]

Wooooooooooo LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOO

[@tkoathleticperformance7712]

Great content, much appreciated. Would you be willing to do an episode on battlefield airmen sponsorship program/civilian route to CRO, STO, TACP, or ALO? Is selection realistic for someone with no prior military experience? Percent chances? What selection boards are looking for from a civilian candidate? My previous inquiries have indicated that it is incredibly rare. Thank you for your time and expertise.

[@justinbranden5275]

I just did a deep dive and you better be asaucy candidate off the street ha. Go and try an IFT first and see how you compare with exceeding those expectations and then triple the distances for the swim and the run portion

[@JoshP81]

When people ask the question "What is a typical day like?", I feel like the answers given always revolve around "What does typical mean?". When answering the question in the future, I would love for someone to share what their months may look like. I think people want to know "What time do you get to go home at night when in garrison?" "How many days per year are you away from your family during training?" "What kind of tasks do you do while in garrison?", "What training opportunities are available as a CRO vs enlisted PJ?", etc. It would be awesome to hear a little more detail about the profession, not focusing on the day to day, but more details about what the job entails from month to month and what kind of effect does that have on the family/friends/social life, etc. Also, I would love to hear about job possibilities that are available such as SOLO (liaisons at the embassies), training supervisors, working with NATO, professional developments, professional school assignments, etc. Thanks for putting this out on a regular basis. I love the podcast and KZbin channel.

[@jonmckenzie1245]

Josh, just recorded another episode and dabbled into this question a little more...I think. Stay tuned.

[@hodlcro4dlife661]

CRO ARMY💪🏼

[@charlescross7868]

Hey! Can you guys bring in a 24th Special Tactics Squadron soldier to interview, I would love to hear more about them. :D

[@arisl8016]

I've heard before that "CRO is an abbreviation for 'Cannot Readily Operate"..JMac does not strike me as one of those type of individuals.

[@jonmckenzie1245]

Sick burn, but I appreciate the compliment nestled in there! Haha

[@arisl8016]

Jon McKenzie haha, can’t take credit. Heard that from a pj when we helped out some guys at the 83 ERQS at bagram.

[@zacharydavis4398]

Love these guys lmao

[@PaulSmith-vq5hf]

JMacs the adult haha. Love it!!! Go cuz!!!

[@jonmckenzie1245]

Can you say, “pot calling the kettle black?” Haha!

[@PaulSmith-vq5hf]

@@jonmckenzie1245 No comment... Haha

[@yasperrose3341]

I sure miss McKenzie yelling at me at OTS for fucking up my cadence. Has it been 8 years already?

[@jewkiller22]

where is SGT.Cherry? Awesome Drill instructor

[@charlescross7868]

Also! Bring in Ret. PJ Robert Disney.

[@hjhj6122]

Which month will he come back? I am at home now, not going back to work and cannot contact him.

[@bulletproofh2t]

Can yall get Mark Lauren on the podcast??? Former CCT!

[@jewkiller22]

I like your show.Thanks Guys

[@charliekoon3299]

Did any of you guys serve with any old PJ's from the end of Vietnam? I was at NKP during the closing events with some great PJ's.

[@gavinoday3113]

My great uncle was a pj in Korea and Vietnam

[@AveryLambdinMusic]

What happens if you SIE in prep or A&S? Would you get another shot at it later? Or does that disqualify you?

[@OnesReady]

If you SIE and wish to return later in your career it depends on if you got a "do not return" in your record. If you don't have that, then your chances of returning are there. With limited crosstraining slots though, I wouldn't risk it.

[@noahert1337]

46:11 Timestamp

[@Bmxmoose14]

i like the part where we get to learn about how he became a CRO.

[@thomasnewman9443]

How can one get a hold of you to get information and training to help with becoming CR??

[@RobinHood-re4ik]

I did pjr and SERE 2004

[@toojack9346]

Whats a mind bender?

[@ThePopcornBooth]

Can someone become a CRO in the reserves or guard? if so, is there an active duty commitment first or straight to reserves?

[@jonmckenzie1245]

Xavier, yes. The process is slightly different than going straight active duty. You'll have to find a guard/reserve unit that has openings and interview with them. If they want to hire you, they will sponsor you to attend Phase 2. Also, you will incur a service commitment, I just don't know what that is for the guard/reserves.

[@jacobivy2854]

I am curious as to how hard it would be to stumble into the CRO pipeline as a 46FX.

[@OnesReady]

As easy as talking to a recruiter and submitting your packet?

[@jacobivy2854]

@@OnesReady It’s certainly something I’m considering as they’re doing away with TCCET and scaling back the CCATT crews now.

[@jasonl890]

I just want to see what these guys can do in ultimate football.

[@jonmckenzie1245]

Oh, you already know the answer to that! Haha!

[@OnesReady]

Hahahahaha what up! You know those Friday games were 🔥🔥🔥

[@williamtannenbaum609]

I have 25 years in USAF. Currently drilling in Guard Unit. What is the oldest you can apply for CRO?

[@OnesReady]

Each ANG unit has their own policies when it comes to age. You'll have to decide which Guard unit you'd want to be a part of and contact them to see what their age limits are.

[@williamtannenbaum609]

@@OnesReady Thank you sir, great content wish you all the best stay safe.

[@SG-bb8pq]

@@williamtannenbaum609 Did you ever get your answer for the age limit?

[@MultiMetalHeart]

Could we get a current ALO?

[@OnesReady]

We would live one to come on! We will ask around.

[@angelchristopheralvarez5032]

Has an enlisted airman in combat control ever transitioned over to combat rescue officer or enlisted pararescueman ?

[@Ramon-du7jv]

When I was at Nellis I had a guy on my team that said “. I went to a meeting and met the deadliest guy in the room” today! Supposedly he was a Former CCT now PJ and from my memory even TACP prior to that! Seemed serious at the time! Guess it would be possible pipe lining straight from BMT! And if the stars aligned and there’s wasn’t a current Manning issue to prevent you from being able to get out of the career field! Especially since most of these career fields have very low Manning issues! He probably knew people with ties to the AFCFM that allowed him to go! Kinda like he was saying in this video about that chief letting him go! Long story short! AF Manning issues would be the only issue to cross train as well as the time you have in your current career field! I would say 4 years minimum per career field on average! Sorry for the Drawn out response!

[@hjhj6122]

Right now, I'm watching Frank.

[@rustincolesailors8419]

This sounds fantastic man, yo I’ll eat shit and run hills with you buddy.

[@trumanhw]

I'm a mid-90s Marine who's always respected SEALs as bad-asses. Was OBLIVIOUS to _THE MOST ELITE_ Special Forces..? In the AF. 2 YEARS of Training + THE HIGHEST ATTRITION OF ALL SPEC OPS. - Competent Combat Medics ... - AF Combat Dive Course - Army AirBorne Para-Jump _then..?_ - _Navy Free-Fall_ Jump school - Underwater egress (WATER CRASHES) - SERE (Ba. RUTAL!) Escape, Resist, Evade behind enemy lines. - Then? CROs do _Advanced SERE Training_ - Then? MARINE DIVING & PARACHUTE SCHOOL _Where 'Combat Readiness' means:_ • Sniper-Level long-range proficiency • SEAL-Level room-clearing close-range proficiency. As HARD as training is ... it's NOTHING compared to combat. So CRUSH it, bc training's just sees if you might be useful 'real-world'.

[@trumanhw]

For anyone doubting the badass-ery of this guy & this GROUP? Look at the comments to get a feel for how SMALL & the solidarity of this group.

[@hjhj6122]

Tell him. I miss you everyday.

[@ConnorCu]

Before watching: are CRO mostly TOC jobs and hardly go on the field?

[@lufin9997]

1. Great podcast 2. I have done a crazy amount of research but it is difficult to find honest (not propaganda) info and being an officer and spec ops. I totally hear about how some of the most influential and best times have been behind a desk. Having said that, which USAF officer spec ops path has the most fieldwork/actiony (sorry, I hate saying that and sounding stupid, but I do not know the correct term for that)? I read a lot about the enlisted duties and responsibilities, however much less regarding the officer path. People say it's just the officer version, however, I know that isn't true.

[@jrl95]

Im to ugly to be a PJ.

[@OnesReady]

False. Aaron is a PJ.

[@justelynnnjoelle]

@@OnesReady ouch.

[@hjhj6122]

I'm sorry, I'm Aöf. I want to know if an American soldier is Franketting. He is in Afghanistan or not.

[@hjhj6122]

Tell Frank, I don't have anyone. I love Frank. You trust me very much. I still love you.

[@saucyscrambler8710]

So this comment is a few years too late (hopefully not) but I was wanting to become a PJ because I love the aspect of saving my brothers in need but I also want to be in gaged in combat. Would PJs be the correct SOF for me or do you have another branch/ team I should look into?

[@kevinzhang6623]

You may want to be an 18D Ranger or SF medic if you want combat while still being a medic. Unless you fight alongside other forces like joining STS, you may never be fired at because I would think your job is to mitigate those circumstances as much as possible, avoid it even, when trying to locate, treat and evacuate your patient. In the interview with the PJ that rescued Marcus Luttrell on TNQ Podcast, he said he never technically saw combat besides manning a machine gun in a helicopter.

[@ga4350]

You guys should do a podcast on the 24th STS (Air Forces tier 1 unit) and what it takes to get there/their selection process.

[@OnesReady]

Sorry, but this isn't our lane. The SMU is the SMU. There are a couple pages out there you can follow, like the 724 STG RAS instagram page.

[@kazama850]

I see that Croatia flag 🇭🇷

[@alphadogfitness6072]

I’m gonna be a pj one day any advice?

[@justelynnnjoelle]

Commit to your decision, suffer in silence, and don't quit. Go to an AFSPECWAR recruiter and tell him you're interested in being a PJ and that you want a 9T500 contract for SWOE-V.

[@alphadogfitness6072]

Joel Del Rosario alright thanks bro

[@dennism103]

Dont quit

[@alphadogfitness6072]

Alexander ok 👌

[@williamphillips9381]

If CRO was a former PJ, can they still perform as one on a team when deployed

[@jonmckenzie1245]

Will, are specifically asking about to medical skills? Every situation/mission is different and there have been times that CROs have needed to be in the mix, but not as their primary role in a deployed setting. We’ll have to save the stories for another podcast!

[@hjhj6122]

Tell Frank, I'm not working at the bar anymore. I miss you very much.

[@hjhj6122]

Frank, he likes to talk like this. Self-willed. Wait and see. I will not love anymore.

[@lebeaulabuschagne9608]

Boring 😊 like Donals Trump

[@oscarwong1214]

I sure miss McKenzie yelling at me at OTS for fucking up my cadence. Has it been 8 years already?