Waterproof: Missile retrievers not afraid to dive in

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Rachelle Elsea
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  When the weather channel reports tall waves, mean currents and high winds, the last thing anyone is eager to do is jump into open water.

But, for Ray Gallien and Chris Geradine, commercial divers aboard one of three 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron's Missile Retrievers, it sometimes becomes part of the job.

 The 82nd ATRS, a Tyndall tenant unit, is the only subscale aerial target provider in the Air Force, housing nearly 30 BQM-167A remote-controlled drones, which are water and land recoverable. The drones are a means to test and evaluate air-to-air weapons, the effectiveness of counter measures during sorties and the effectiveness of the weapons systems.

The men of the 133 ton-117.5 ft MR boats are responsible for the location and recovery of the BQM-167s in the Gulf of Mexico W151 Live-Fire Range.

"Usually, the recovery area is anywhere from 45 to 85 miles out ...for us to go pick up a drone it averages about a 10 and a half hour day," Gallien said.

With a crew of half a dozen, everyone is put to work.

"It's a six-man crew - a captain, an engineer, a wiper and three deck hands, two of which, double as divers," said Gallien.

Gallien has been a diver for 35 years and aboard the MR for 17, while Geradine just recently joined the team in January.

"He is the newest member of the team, but is very experienced for his age," Gallien said. "He is also a member of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, teaching others how to dive."

The 82nd ATRS is a geographically separated unit of the 53rd Wing headquartered at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.