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Wild Blue Yonder to Ground Pounding

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Stacia Zachary
  • Editor
POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  Airmen learn combat skill for in-lieu-of taskings 

Some Airmen cross service lines to carry out joint mission objectives while working cooperatively with the Navy, Marines and Army. These Airmen typically are classed as "special ops" and until recently, have been considered "outside the norm." 

When the international community entered into a war against terrorism, peacetime missions gave way to wartime efforts. Airmen are entering into an era where they are now asked to perform jobs and carry out more missions on the frontlines of the battlefield as a direct result of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. The Army requires sister services to step into roles traditionally held by infantry and artillery units and be proficient at them. 

More than 800 Airmen are attending extensive training at Army bases because they will be performing duties outside their normal Air Force specialties. Commonly referred to as "in-lieu-of" taskings, Airmen, Sailors, Marines and Soldiers are temporarily augmenting critically needed career specialties. 

In order to provide better prepared Airmen, the Air Force has created a variety of expeditionary combat skills courses. Air Force chief of Staff Michael Mosley tasked 2nd Air Force to oversee the training and to ensure the needs of the Airmen preparing for deployment are met. 

"Our goal is to take care of our people as Air Force mission requirements continue to evolve," said Maj. Gen. Michael Gould, 2nd AF commander. "We want to ensure our Airmen can perform safely and effectively in combat alongside our sister services while maintaining their Air Force identity." 

The ILO training is designed to prepare Airmen for nontraditional combat environments while aiding or performing missions with the Army. The training will provide realistic combat scenarios for Airmen to maneuver and learn from prior to experiencing true-to-life scenarios. 

"The convoy training and Iraqi villages they built gave me a good enough idea about where I am going and I now know I need to be more aware of my surroundings," said Capt. Megan Normandin, 611th Air Intelligence Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. 

This training will be conducted at installations throughout the United States such as Fort Dix, N.J., and Fort Sill, Okla., to learn both the fundamentals of ground to ground warfare and the lifesaving techniques needed to survive any potentially fatal encounters. Air Force leadership has directed that all Airmen deploying in Army billets receive some form of combat skills training. 

Typical skills taught while in CST are combat weapons training proficiency, land navigation, communication operation systems, convoy training, urban assault and combat lifesaver training. 

Camp Shelby, Miss., is the latest base to be brought into the training fold. Their objective is the same as the 13 other Army bases: train Airmen tasked to augment certain Army missions as part of the Power Projection Platform. 

"We developed this training out of what is commonly referred to as 'theater immersion' -- the philosophy of taking an Airman and training him to fight in the same conditions and the same missions as he would see in-theater," said Army Col. John Hadjis, 3rd Brigade, 87th Division Training Support commander. "We need to get you mentally prepared for Army life and mission style and keep you alive when necessary. We need you to feel like one unit as we try and meld our services together for this centralized focus." 

With more than 250 Airmen having completed the CST course at Camp Shelby and often forward deploying from there, the training can mean the difference between making it home alive or mission failure. 

"This training is foreign to Airmen," said Tech. Sgt. Iain Morrison, 325th Civil Engineer Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla. "I know that there is a great possibility I will encounter some situations which will require me to think fast and react even quicker if I intend on walking out alive. This training will give me some of the skills necessary to keep me and the people I am with safe." 

Although the training adds on another five weeks to their deployment, many Airmen agree that the time spent away from their loved ones is a sacrifice they are willing to make. 

"I expect a lot out of this training," said Tech. Sgt. Tracey Johnson, 35th Security Forces Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan, who is filling an ILO tasking. "This is not my first deployment to Iraq and from what I saw last time, I am grateful the Air Force has seen the need to prepare us better for that environment. These countries offer none of the comforts of home, and they have no concern for our safety or even life. CST has the potential of making this war safer for many (servicemembers)." 

The U.S. military is committed to the OEF and OIF missions. More importantly, they learned their troops need more training to perform the mission in Southwest Asia and are committed to getting a sense of preparedness to them. 

"Today, more than ever, our Airmen are warriors," said General Gould. "I am proud to be associated with the Air Force people who are so devoted to defending our great nation while remaining true team players."