UPDATE: To sign up for info about The PJ Ruck 2026, CLICK HERE.
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On Saturday, October 4, 11 pax + 3 cadre gathered in Louisville, KY for The PJ Ruck.
For 6 hours we rucked, swam, and rescued our way through a one-of-a-kind event designed to pay tribute to some of the U.S. Air Force’s most bad*ss special operators.
This year’s ruck was an homage to Air Force Pararescuemen, also known as PJs. What is a PJ? The USAF is glad you asked:
“PJs are an elite combat force whose mission is to rescue, recover, and return American forces in times of danger or extreme duress. Whether shot down or isolated behind enemy lines; surrounded, engaged, wounded, or captured by the enemy; PJs will do whatever required to deny the enemy a victory and bring our warriors home to fight another day”
Louisville itself is privileged to be home to a group of PJs (and other distinguished AFSOC operators) at the Kentucky Air Guard’s 123rd Special Tactics Squadron.
Following 4 months of meticulous planning by the cadre, The PJ Ruck was finally upon us. In order to successfully complete the event, F3 Louisville pax were strongly advised to arrive with the necessary equipment in their load out:
The event began at the Mary T. Meagher Aquatic Center in Louisville’s Crescent Hill neighborhood – coincidentally the very same pool where the 123rd STS operators keep their skills sharp.
Under the watchful eye of a 14-year USAF veteran and retired PJ (Hooyah, Cadre Tony!) pax entered the water for nearly an hour of grueling pool competency. Flutterkicks, doom-ups, merkins, 25m under-waters, and legs-only water treading were all on the menu.
Following pool comp, pax gathered outside for 60 minutes of valuable real-world basic first aid training (stop the bleed + tourniquet application) and rescue operation skills training (Sensitive Site Exploitation, Technical Rescue, and Medical)
Pax were privileged to receive hands-on training from our PJ and another long-time emergency medical professional (Hooyah, Cadre Focker!)
Next came the mission brief. An American F-35 pilot had been shot down nearby. It was up to us to rescue him from deep behind enemy lines in Cherokee Park. Relevant grid coordinates and authentication procedures to avoid a CSAR trap were communicated.
Maps were issued to team leads (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie) and our task force set out for the initial 2 mile ruck to the infiltration point.
Each man carried with him a laminated 5×7 photo of a fallen PJ or Rescue Squadron aircrew member who gave their life in the Global War on Terror. Never forgotten.
Entering the AO, light and noise discipline were instituted, with Cadre Focker providing a crash course in effective combat patrolling techniques. We proceeded to various rally points via the park’s extensive mountain bike trail system.
A few miles after infil, we arrived at rally point Charlie, the suspected crash site of the downed F-35. Alpha team sprung into action scouring the site for sensitive items, while Bravo and Charlie teams pulled perimeter security. Several items were recovered by the SSE team, however we were unable to locate the missing pilot. There was no body in the wreckage, indicating a successful ejection prior to the crash.
While collapsing the crash site, we received intel that a distress beacon had been picked up a few miles away in a heavily wooded area. Sensing that a technical rescue may be required in the near future, Bravo team took point for the next leg of the ruck.
Upon arriving at Objective Delta, the team located an aviator who was strung up in the tree canopy by his parachute.
Following authentication, Bravo team launched the technical rescue. This was our man. It was time to go to work.
With the pilot safely on the ground, Charlie team began their medical evaluation and quickly located a significant wound on the IP’s left thigh. A tourniquet was promptly applied along with a bandage to stop the bleeding.
As the med team worked, cadre received intel that a large enemy force was enroute. There was no time to waste. We needed to move immediately.
Pax from each team took turns carrying the IP on the litter. We still had several miles to transport our pilot who weighed in at more than 160 pounds.
Some time later, good news came in over the net. A local source friendly to the United States managed to requisition a set of wheels for us. We loaded our pilot and topped off water.
Despite this favorable turn of events, we weren’t out of the woods just yet. Our team was still behind enemy lines. We hustled another mile or so to a local pre-determined LZ just outside the confines of the park.
The team arrived at the LZ and took cover in a low-lying area. What was our next objective? Who would pick up our pilot? Cadre held their cards close to the vest.
Another vehicle would be arriving soon, the men learned. The team would lay low until we managed to make contact. Suddenly, the sound of distant rotor blades met our ears. A UH-1 Huey helicopter appeared on the horizon.
Cadre Focker popped smoke, signaling our position and the wind direction over the LZ to the inbound helo.
The crew of Columbus Indiana Huey executed a perfect landing on the LZ for a textbook casevac.
A fistbump and a thumbs up from Cadre Tony signaled a job well done.
Dustoff.
Mission accomplished.
A pair of cadre split off from the group enroute to a nearby airfield to retrieve our pilot from the helo crew while the rest of the pax rucked back to our final rally point at Mary T.
We ended the night with memorial pushups in honor of fallen PJ’s and Rescue Squadron aircrew from the GWOT.
PJ Ruck 2025 secured. Hooyah!
Your 2025 PJ Ruck Cadre.
Thanks to the generosity of participants and supporters, we raised more than $1100 for the Kentucky Special Operations Foundation. Well done!
UPDATE: If you would like to give, the fundraiser is still live. All money donated is automatically routed directly to the KYSOF Foundation via GoFundMe:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-pj-ruck-supporting-kys-123rd-special-tactics-squadron
Watch the PJ Ruck video here:
That Others May Live.
Until next year…
F3 Louisville 