Lt. Col. Koaalii C. Bailey is a United States Air Pressure Fight Rescue Officer presently serving because the Commander on the 308th Rescue Squadron, a place he has held since July 2022. His job is actually to Command and lead warriors to avoid wasting lives when referred to as upon.
“Being in command means I’ve a possibility to serve extra individuals. My job is to guide, arrange, practice, and equip, Pararescue Warriors to be their greatest when issues couldn’t worsen for a service member in want Rescue”
Clearly, the husband and father of three should keep prepared and in prime form to carry out his job to the very best of his skill, which requires him to be “Able to Combat Tonight”. Thankfully for him, that’s one thing he has cultivated right into a behavior and life-style.
“In case you’re going to name your self a warrior– health shouldn’t be non-obligatory,” stated the previous school soccer participant. “Demanding your absolute better of your self will make the distinction when chaos and uncertainty encompass you in fight. As Aristotle stated, ‘We’re what we repeatedly do. Due to this fact, excellence shouldn’t be an act however a behavior.’”
There was an excellent likelihood that Bailey would discover his approach into service ultimately as a result of it runs in his blood of his forefathers. He shared that he had males in his household service in our nation’s conflicts going again to the Civil Conflict.
“It’s undoubtedly one thing that’s valued and appreciated in my Tribe.” His identify Koaalii actually interprets within the Hawaiian language to Royal Soldier. In a roundabout way form or type Koa was going to serve, shield, struggle, and rescue others.
Upon school commencement, he was in search of a brand new problem and he discovered it in Particular Operations of the army. There was a pararescue crew in his dwelling state of Alaska the legendary Rescue Staff 212 Rescue Squadron, which is what led him down the trail he has been on since. In Alaska he and his teammates have been all the time prepared to depart in a second’s discover to rescue each army pilots and Alaskan out of doors fanatic that discovered the ragged fringe of the place life and dying can rely straight on Pararescuemen being prepared and match to reply.
“I wish to assume I’d keep in form, even when I wasn’t within the army, however the reason for Freedom and Love for nation provides an depth to my exercises which may not be there to the identical diploma if I didn’t know that I had teammates relying on me being prepared.”
This ardour for excellence has been helpful as a result of he’s been in difficult, horrible fight conditions throughout his a number of fight deployments the place he has performed a essential function in saving American and Associate Nation lives in hurt’s approach who have been all experiencing their most painful, horrifying, scary day of their lives. In Bailey’s eyes, health is about greater than lifting weights and operating. “When you are able to do one thing by your bodily preparation or psychological capability that resulted in saving a human life it’s a tremendous feeling”. In each sense of the phrase, army service members are fighters and combating (hand handy) is probably the most visceral a part of struggle. Bailey devotes numerous
focus and dedication to combatives, he believes the going through the concern of being knocked out or choked out elicits a cathartic expertise that’s essential in molding a Warrior Ethos. Combat, flight, or freeze generally is a aware Response and Selection as people; if we take time to develop the talents required to behave not simply be acted upon. To perform his combative primarily based coaching session targets along with his crew he incorporates downside fixing whereas below stress situations, anaerobic exhaustion, and a eradicate that straight faucets right into a airmen’s need to by no means quit Resiliency.
“The aim is time environment friendly, price efficient, sustainable coaching, that helps each teammate grow to be a stronger warrior and higher choice maker.”
Bailey leads by each instance and instruction. That’s why he’s been striving to create for each airman in his squadron, Particular Operator or Help Airmen to have a deep reference to the rescue mission and on a weekly foundation. His technique to do all of the above is what he calls “Dilemma Targeted Warfighting,” or DFW for brief. Bailey described it as dynamic downside fixing whereas going through stress.
“Expertise shouldn’t be the reply to every part sooner or later struggle—sure critically vital however in the event you’re going to name your self a warfighter you need to in all probability know tips on how to struggle and shield your self and your loved ones.”
Bailey works with Pararescuemen, who’re warfighters in each sense of the phrase. Their ability set is world-class. He additionally works with many different individuals in supporting roles whereas they’re on missions. The possibilities of them participating with a enemy is actual. The aim is to have a spectrum of choices to guard and defend freedom and love. Fight and hand handy abilities are simply an possibility we don’t need to neglect.
“A human primarily based weapon system is what It might come all the way down to.”
For these causes and extra, Bailey’s DFW system is one thing he’s growing and constructing on so the individuals he leads can shield themselves and one another by fixing issues below these nerve-racking situations. He cited the artwork of JIU Jitsu combating as a key part in serving to teammates perceive tips on how to successfully and effectively acquire micro advantageous over an enemy till you’ll be able to basically take their will to withstand or struggle again leading to them tapping (quitting), napping (getting choked out, or snapping (breaking a bone). Any transfer or technique that may exploit a weak point of that opponent to make your state of affairs higher and theirs worse—It turns into a human primarily based chess match that in a really possible way ends in checkmate. Being match and ready to struggle can even assist enhance self-confidence as a result of the warfighter is aware of they did all they might to be prepared.
“That idea of health in relation to fight and utilizing it frequently is what I’m so enthusiastic about, not simply in my army profession, however on the whole.”
Bailey hopes that the work he’s finished and continues to do will affect youthful Individuals to think about the Air Pressure of their futures. Other than having the ability to serve their nation. Bailey feels they’ll profit themselves in some ways.
“On the finish of the day, it comes all the way down to freedom and love. If in case you have the will to protect freedom and have a love in your fellow Individuals, having these idea means serving within the Air Pressure is an absolute possibility for you, whether or not you need to serve a full profession or do a tour. It’s one thing which you can look again on and worth the expertise. Contributing to one thing higher than your self that hopefully helps you grow to be a extra succesful and resilient human is a win/win state of affairs. I hope anybody who chooses to serve will expertise that.”