You can understand why US military personnel, fighting a war in Afghanistan, might be wary of a National Geographic camera crew filming their every move.
Staff Sgt. Matt Blankenship, an Air Force Pararescueman featured on Nat Geo’s new series, “Inside Combat Rescue,” says he was initially taken aback to learn he’d be on a TV series — but says he’s glad that his “brotherhood” is getting the attention it deserves.
“I literally walked into work and Nat Geo was there and they were like, ‘Oh, hey, we’re going to follow you guys for two months,’ and I was like, ‘Who? What?’” says Blankenship. “There was some reluctance from some of our leadership who didn’t want [the show] to happen, but after we got to know the five Nat Geo guys who came out with us, they were all extremely professional dudes.
“And, on the flip side, it’s good to have our career field, which is very undermanned, get this kind of exposure on a national level,” he says. “It’s a big step for us . . . and hopefully we’ll get an influx of guys that want to be part of this brotherhood.”
That could happen when “Inside Combat Rescue,” a six-part docu-series, premieres Monday night on Nat Geo.
The series follows an elite group of Air Force Pararescuemen, or “PJs” — based out of Kandahar Air Force Base in Afghanistan — who chopper into the field to rescue soldiers (US and Afghani) wounded in combat, often performing lifesaving medical procedures while flying the men back to base.
It’s dangerous work and, until now, has gone undocumented — since “Inside Combat Rescue” is the first time cameras have been allowed to capture PJs in action on the battlefield.
In Monday’s premiere, Blankenship, a six-year Air Force veteran, is tasked with mentoring Barry, who’s just arrived in Kandahar and is teamed with Blankenship and veteran PJ Trevor to rescue fallen soldiers.
(Many of the soldiers are injured by IEDs, or roadside bombs, which often result in amputated limbs. Some of this is shown on “Inside Combat Rescue,” so be forewarned — this is not for the squeamish.)
Blankenship says it takes roughly three-and-a-half years to complete the grueling PJ training.
“We pride ourselves in our capability and skills,” he says. “It takes a lot of training — there are things we do over and over again to make sure we’re sharp. A lot of training is focused on riding in the helicopter and doing advanced trauma medicine — blood transfusions, administering narcotics to patients, etc.”
Blankenship was asked what he hopes viewers will glean from “Inside Combat Rescue.”
“I want people to know this stuff is still going on in Afghanistan — and how important that is,” he says.
“And I want people to know that PJs are not medics but combatants who are part of a rescue force — we fight our way in and fight our way out to save lives.”