Alaska National Guard ‘makes the cut’ on Discovery Channel

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Bernie Kale
  • Alaska Air National Guard
CAMP DENALI, Alaska --  A cable show aimed to take viewers into the intense world of military elite forces training will highlight the Alaska Air National Guard's 210th, 211th and 212th Rescue Squadrons.
A camera crew with the Discovery Channel's "Surviving the Cut" series filmed the Guard members performing water rescue and in-air refueling operations this week near Homer.

"'Surviving the Cut' shares the personal quest of men committed to making it into the military's most coveted and elite units including Special Forces Divers, Marine Recon, Air Force Pararescue, Navy EOD, Marine Snipers and Army Rangers," according to the show's website.

Here in Alaska, the Discovery Channel is featuring the Alaska Air National Guard's rescue squadrons' unique ability to perform rescue operations in adverse Alaskan conditions, according to Michael Graber, "Surviving the Cut" videographer.

"It's hard not to get exciting video," Graber said. "What they do by nature is pretty extreme and high-speed. The hard part is to be aware of all the moving pieces and not get in the way but also to be there when things happen."

While Graber finds the training exciting, for pararescuemen like Tech. Sgt. Shane Hargis, it's the real-world missions here in Alaska that they enjoy the most.

"I like having the alert mission and know we're helping the community twenty-four- seven," said Hargis, a Guardsman from the 212th Rescue Squadron. "That's why pararescuemen like to come up here - because we are the busiest unit."

"I think that if the people of Alaska don't realize it yet, they should appreciate the fact that a phone call away they have absolutely the highest trained and most skilled rescue personnel on the planet," Graber said.

The camera crew is scheduled to leave Saturday after a week of filming with the rescue squadrons. "Surviving the Cut" premieres on the Discovery Channel July 11.