First Lieutenant Joel Christopher Gentz, BSAAE'07, killed in action

25, of Grass Lake, Mich., assigned to the 58th Rescue Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, NV.

The faculty and staff of the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics extend their sympathies to the family and friends of First Lieutenant Joel C. Gentz BSAAE'07, who was killed in action near Forward Operating Base Jackson, Afghanistan on Wednesday June 9, 2010.

Insurgents attacked the U.S. Air Force HH-60 Pave Hawk rescue helicopter which was responding to a NATO medical evacuation in the Sangin district of Helmund province. Three airmen also died and three others were injured. Joel was a Combat Rescue Officer assigned to the 58th Rescue Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, NV, and had more than 50 hours of combat time.

As a Purdue Air Force ROTC student, he was noted as being an outstanding leader and he became the first Purdue ROTC graduate to become a Combat Rescue Officer, which is an Air Force speciality created to strengthen personnel recovery abilities. Joel was one of the most highly trained airmen in the Air Force and led a crew of pararescuemen on search and rescue missions who often rappelled from helicopters or jumped from aircraft to save injured service men and women. Along with commanding a small team of pararescue personnel in enemy territory, the officers advise battle staff units in recovery operations. Lt. Col. James McElhenney, deputy commander of the 563rd Rescue Group was quoted as saying "all seven airmen involved in this incident embodied their rescue motto 'That Others May Live' and were serving their country with distinction."

The Combat Rescue officer training is some of the toughest training offered by the Department of Defense and Joel was trained in Special Forces operations and as an EMT/paramedic. He would have completed the Army Airborne School, dive school, Air Force survival school and completed a rotation at a trauma hospital.

In 2005, Joel was chosen to be part of Iron Key, a senior honorary service organization in which students work anonymously each year on a service project that would benefit Purdue. He both enjoyed and excelled in class and had excellent grades throughout his career at Purdue. Joel was very active with his academic work and student organizations and was a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. He also volunteered for many external organizations from the Indiana Veterans Home to the Lafayette Humane Society.

Dr. Dan DeLaurentis was Joel's advisor for AAE 490 and made these comments:

"Joel was part of team with four other students and they continued the project in fall 2006 to earn their Senior Design Credit. It was really the best experience I ever had working with a student design team, and in looking back at my emails Joel said "Thanks for the opportunity to do this semester. It was the most valuable and enjoyable class I've taken at Purdue". And no wonder, this team of students (William Fredericks was lead, along with Joel, Ben Jamison, Phillip Wagenbach, and Cynthia Fitzgerald) epitomized the kind of students we strive to develop- intelligent, self-motivated, dedicated (lots of hours in ASL doing fab and test, and the flight testing, crashing, rebuilding, and in the end succeeding). And over two semesters, I NEVER detected any evidence of team cohesion problems, and Joel no doubt was integral to all of this."

Originally wanting to be an astronaut, Joel found his desire to serve was stronger and the career as a USAF Combat Rescue Officer would fulfill that desire and would give him the opportunity to help America's military behind the front lines.

Ultimately he wanted to teach and he believed that Purdue engineering paved the way for this wish. During his time at Purdue, he learned the value of teamwork, leadership, and organizational skills and always received compliments on his resourcefulness, organization, and competence.

Joel met his wife Kathryn (nee Sullivan) BS'07 School of Management, at Purdue, their second wedding anniversary was on Monday June 7th. Joel served with the most elite Special Forces our country has in supporting Operation Enduring Freedom and is a true hero who made the ultimate sacrifice. Our thoughts are with Kathryn, his parents Judy and Steven, family and friends. He will be missed by all who knew him.