A rescue force for the world.

As a rescue professional and advocate myself, I agree with everything said in the article "A Rescue Force for the World: Adapting Airpower to the realities of the Long War" (Fall 2007), but I want to speak to one point that is missing. the article refers to potential new rescue-squadron locations and hints at the importance of properly managing rescue forces. none of these proposals could possibly become reality without a much larger rescue force than we now have. Our current small force is already heavily tasked around the globe. sure, we as rescue professionals will jump at the chance to uphold our motto "That Others May Live," but mostly at the cost of our family relationships due to a constant deployment schedule. Regardless of the rescue force's willingness to participate in new initiatives, senior rescue leadership cannot ignore the impact on our low-density/high-demand forces when volunteering them around the world to do more. If we had the force structure today that we had in the glory days of the old Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service, there would not even be a debate on this subject.

Lt Col John "JT" Taylor, USAF

Langley AFB, Virginia