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From the flightline to the frontline: Air Force Expeditionary Center hosts community outreach tour

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Carolyn Glover
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  The United States Air Force Expeditionary Center demonstrated its capabilities during a community outreach tour for local civic and business leaders here July 21.

The tour gave the local leaders an understanding of the EC's mission and the role it plays in preparing Airmen to conduct air mobility and expeditionary support from the flightline to the frontline.

Community outreach activities such as these provide an opportunity to develop relationships between the center's leadership and community leaders.

"Our main goal in having an outreach tour is to inform area community leaders about the important role the Expeditionary Center plays in support of the Air Force and our national security," said Brig. Gen. Richard Devereaux, EC commander. "Our mission is dependent on community support; this tour was a way to say thanks and show the public how their tax dollars are being spent."

General Devereaux kicked off the event with a briefing in the center's Chief Master Sgt. Grace A. Peterson Hall, explaining the EC's history and significance.

"Everyone thinks of the aircrews when they think of the Air Force. They sometimes forget we actually have boots on the ground," he explained. "The training the EC provides is essential to enabling the ground support Airmen to build airpower from the ground up."

The morning continued with visits to various classrooms, where visitors learned about a few of the 97 courses the center offers. Visitors viewed maintenance and logistics operations simulators, witnessed online-learning capabilities and walked through interactive classrooms.

Participants spent the afternoon on the Dix ranges, where they witnessed first-hand the expeditionary training Airmen go through when preparing for deployments.

"Taking our guests outside the classroom into a simulated deployed environment was essential in explaining what we do here at the Expeditionary Center," said Col. Tip Stinnette, EC vice commander. "Our Airmen who went through our courses gave us positive feedback that the training conducted out here really does save lives."

The local leaders fired 10 live rounds from an M-4 Carbine, controlled an explosive ordinance disposal robot and witnessed the EC's security forces personnel break open doors during live military operations on urban terrain training.

"This training definitely gave me insight as to what our men are going through," said Judi Tapper, American Gold Star Mothers N.J. Chapter President and 305th Air Mobility Wing honorary commander. "I wish I could share this whole day with other Gold Star mothers."

The day proved to be a valuable lesson in the importance of readiness and teamwork to a few members in attendance, such as Dr. Michael Gorman, Pemberton Township Schools superintendant and the EC's Mobility Operations School's honorary commander.

"The one thing that translates most about this training is the importance of teamwork ... how [Airmen] must rely on each other," he said. "In schools we tend to work in individual concepts, but when we apply these [lessons learned today], we can achieve the teamwork concept."

The EC is the Air Force's Center of Excellence for advanced expeditionary combat support training and education. By partnering with Air Staff, Air Mobility Command, Air Education and Training Command and the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center, the EC provides a disciplined training process assuring the right skills are taught at the right time across the expeditionary enterprise.

The center has grown to be the Air Force's leader in expeditionary training and conducts the Combat Airman Skills Training course, several Air Base Opening Exercises, Air Force Security Forces Training Courses, an Advanced Study of Air Mobility Masters degree, Aerial Port Operations Course and more. Through all of the courses, whether in the classroom or through distance learning, more than 18,000 students are trained and graduate each year.

More information about the EC is available at www.expeditionarycenter.af.mil or by following the EC on the official U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center Facebook Page.