MSAS air advisors complete first Joint Military Seminar in Guatemala

Published Feb. 27, 2014
By Tech. Sgt. Jesse Baehm
571st Mobility Support Advisory Squadron

LA AURORA AIR BASE, Guatemala -- The 571st Mobility Support Advisory Squadron concluded its first week of joint military training at La Aurora Air Base, Guatemala, with members of the Guatemalan air force, army, navy and marine corps.

The engagement, which began Feb. 15, was designed by Travis air mobility air advisors to build Guatemalan capacity to support U.S. Southern Command combatant command objectives. The 12th Air Force air advisors, representing the Air Force's sole Contingency Response Wing, will be complete March 15 after 28 days of joint military seminars.

The 571st MSAS mobile training team has relied on the common Airmen culture to train 51 partner nation students in the areas of communications, aircraft maintenance, intelligence and aircraft security using a variety of hands-on activities and classroom instruction. These courses, designed by the highly versatile mobility advisors, were engineered to increase interoperability between the United States and Guatemala to tackle shared regional security challenges.

This was the first joint MTT in Guatemala, and the occasion was commemorated with an opening ceremony officiated by Coronel de Aviacion P.A. DEMA, Air Force equivalent of colonel, Guillermo A. Orozco Rodas, La Aurora AB commander.

"The MSAS plays an essential role in the Air Force's core function of building partnerships," said Capt. Jarret Flexman, 571st MSAS mission commander. "These vital partnerships will be leveraged to create cooperative solutions and represent a sound investment for the American taxpayer."

One of the courses highlighted throughout the training was radio operations.

Tech. Sgt. Brian De Luca, 571st MSAS communications air advisor, worked closely with the Guatemalan air force, army, navy, and marines communication specialists on their radio proficiencies. He demonstrated how to effectively use the RF-5800 H-MP Harris high frequency radio to its full potential. Additionally, the hands-on training provided by De Luca and his coworker, Tech. Sgt. Claude Winfree, included a seminar on secure radio programming that will enable more effective joint mission command and control for the partner nation. The joint Guatemalan training was validated via demonstrations of their newly obtained radio programming skills.

"With this training, I'll be a force multiplier for my home unit at the strategic and tactical level," said Capt. Francisco Roberto Ruiz Cifuentes, Guatemalan Operations officer.

Aside from the communications seminar, the MSAS team helped the partner nation improve aircraft security, maintenance and intelligence analysis procedures. One of the MSAS recommendations implemented by the Guatemalan air force security element was to enhance force protection methods for key flying assets. Guatemala's newly acquired mobility skills will improve continuity and expand cooperation between U.S. and Guatemalan relations.

"This engagement was successful because we established a relationship of trust for a long-term partnership," said Master Sgt. Sidney De Leon, MSAS team sergeant. "While this is the first MSAS mission to involve all services of a partner nation, it represents a successful step forward for USSOUTHCOM's objectives in the region. MSAS air advisors are a key asset in the Air Force's enduring building partner capacity mission, linking each successive engagement with previous visits to achieve freedom, stability and prosperity in the region."