41st RQS aerial gunners tell warrior tales

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Brigitte N. Brantley-Sisk
  • 23rd Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  With a noble goal of "Attack, Rescue, Protect," Moody is responsible for worldwide close air support, personnel recovery and refueling missions.

The 41st Rescue Squadron play a part in this by utilizing the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter as part of personnel recovery efforts downrange on a frequent basis. Being an aerial gunner was previously a special duty only for those working with weapons, but is now its own career field.

Here are stories from two aerial gunners who have manned this aircraft during combat.

Senior Airman Taylor Cifuentes
"My last deployment was to Afghanistan from November of last year to March and my crew was credited with about 120 saves. One of the missions I most remember is when we were trying to evacuate some British forces that had been injured by an improvised explosive device. We were taking fire that came from a small compound. So we had to take off but then fortunately, the British were able to engage and return fire, giving us a chance to come back and get our patients.

"Being an aerial gunner means we're in the middle of the action and it just feels so real. I love our mission and it's very rewarding to get people out of harm's way. We're there to help not only Americans, but foreign troops and local nationals. It's all worth it once the saved person is on the helicopter and you see the expression on their face- they know they're safe now. I'm very glad I joined the Air Force and I can't see myself doing anything else. It's a very demanding career, but it's worth it."

Tech. Sgt. Eric Barker
"My last deployment to Afghanistan was my seventh time as an aerial gunner and my crew flew nearly 250 missions. Being an aerial gunner while deployed is an adventure- every day is different. Many of our missions include evacuating people from locations such as marketplaces that had been hit by an IED. But we got a completely different call one day. We were called to rescue a few local nationals that had been involved with tribal infighting. We got there and discovered that fighting had left two individuals with hatchet wounds to the head and one with a compound fracture in the arm.

"However, most of our mission troubles come when people choose to return fire. We'd come back from missions and our aircraft would have bullet holes all over it. Although it's a tough job, being an aerial gunner is an enjoyable one. Rescuing bent, burnt and broken people who wouldn't have made it otherwise makes being in scary situations worth it."

So far this year, HH-60G Pave Hawk air crews from the 347th Rescue Group are credited with completing 6,363 sorties and saving 1,578 lives.