Marine to USAF PJ

WESTERN EUROPE – Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Diola, 56th Rescue Squadron pararescueman, directs a C-130J Hercules to a drop zone during an exercise, Oct. 25, 2011. 56th RQS pararescuemen jumped with other European Air Group forces as a part of the annual European Air Group Combined Joint Personnel Standardization Course 2011. Diola spent four and a half years as a Marine infantryman and decided to make the transition to Air Force pararescue after meeting some on deployment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Cory D. Payne)

Marine to USAF PJ

WESTERN EUROPE – Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Diola, 56th Rescue Squadron pararescuemen, directs a C-130J Hercules to a drop zone during an exercise, Oct. 25, 2011. 56th RQS pararescuemen jumped with other European Air Group forces as a part of the annual European Air Group Combined Joint Personnel Standardization Course 2011. Diola spent four and a half years as a Marine infantryman and decided to make the transition to Air Force pararescue after meeting some on deployment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Cory D. Payne)

Marine to USAF PJ

WESTERN EUROPE – Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Diola, 56th Rescue Squadron pararescueman, searches the tree line during a downed aircraft exercise, Oct. 26, 2011. The scenario was a search and rescue mission in which the goal was for the pararescue team to recover two military personnel who were involved in a plane crash and ended with European Air Group personnel extracting the pararescue team and their patients. Diola, a former Marine infantryman, joined the Air Force to become a pararescueman in 2004. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Cory D. Payne)

Marine to USAF PJ

Published Oct. 26, 2011
By Master Sgt. Dwayne Gordon
48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England- --
After Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Diola's father passed away, there was one important detail about the death that would later comfort him about one of his biggest life decisions.

Diola, now a Pararescue craftsman with the 56th Rescue Squadron was first a Marine infantryman.

"Two years after my father passed away on his boat out at sea, I joined the Marines," said Diola. "I spent four and a half years as a regular infantryman and decided to make the transition after meeting some PJs while deployed."

The transition he referred to is the unpopular move from Marine to Airman.

"The transition from the Marines to the Air Force was tough, but the transition from Marine to PJ was not that tough," he said. "PJs pretty much do what Marines do and more."

Although becoming an Airman was unpopular with his fellow Marines, he felt it was the right thing to do.

"After I graduated and became a PJ my mom tells me, 'Well did you know that PJs jumped in and tried to save your dads life,'No, I didn't know that," he informed his mom.

Diola now knows that while sailing out at sea, his father started having medical complications and called for assistance. Air National Guard PJs responded to the scene and descended onto the boat. Unfortunately they were unable to save his dadslife.

But that one important detail now provides Diola comfort with his decision to become an USAF PJ.

"It made me feel like I was doing the right thing with my life," said Diola.

Seven years into his PJ career, Diola will be leaving RAF Lakenheath in 2012 and will take his experience to Lackland A.F.B., TX where he will be a PJ instructor for the pipeline students.

Being an Air Force PJ is what he always wanted to do and it's their mission that he is most proud of.

"Our rescue capability extends way further than the combat zone for us," he states.
"We can help anybody that needs help and asks for it."