Combat Search and Rescue in Desert Storm

: In this book, Darrel Whitcomb provides a wonderfully objective accounting of combat search and rescue as we performed it during Desert Storm. He accurately discusses the decisions being made and their results. This work gives those who will do these missions in the future the chance to see things and ask the types of questions which, when answered, may lead to their success: What is the command and control arrangement? Who does the search part of search and rescue? Who makes the launch decision? What are the launch criteria for a rescue attempt? Will these arrangements speed up or slow decision making? Have we adequately rehearsed getting the launch decision passed to the alert crews? Have we adequately rehearsed the combat link between the search aircraft and the rescue aircraft? Do we have the right equipment in the hands of potential survivors? Are the potential survivors trained for the role they must play in their rescue? As Darrel Whitcomb examines these questions and much more in writing this book, we get the chance to learn and to become the rescue guys we would all like to be or would like to have standing alert in case we get into trouble.