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Expeditionary Center courses build combat-ready ‘first responders’

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center Public Affairs
FORT DIX, N.J. --  Airmen assigned to contingency response groups and similar units have a pair of courses at the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center here to build their skills for the combat environment.

The Contingency Response Formal Training Unit Basic Course and the CR FTU Advanced Course are taught mainly by the Center's Mobility Operations School, but joins with the Expeditionary Operations School for one module in each of the courses. They are designed to provide Airmen newly assigned to contingency response wings, groups and airlift control flights with a firm understanding of the "contingency response" mission," said Lt. Col. Richard Elkins, course director for both courses.

The target audience is broad, Colonel Elkins said. It includes all ranks from airman basic through colonel from more than 35 different Air Force specialties. They include Airmen from Air Mobility Command, Pacific Air Forces Command, U.S. Air Forces in Europe Command and Air Reserve Command.

"These courses prepare them for rapid deployment and equip them with the basic expeditionary skills needed to function across the full spectrum of military operations and in a wide variety of bed down and operating environments," Colonel Elkins said.

Both courses last 22 days each, are built in four modules and run simultaneously, said Master Sgt. David Oliver, instructor for the courses. The first of the modules is prerequisite Web-based training and the second is contingency response academics. Students begin their 22-days of in-resident training on the second module.

"This includes 46 hours of instruction ranging in subjects from CRG fundamentals, logistics and command relationships to air base assessment and operations in a joint and combined environment," Sergeant Oliver said. "Our instructors are deployment-tested and experienced CR Airmen who have been in the field and can provide that real-life experience. Relaying experiences is especially beneficial to Airmen new to the CRG attending the courses."

The third module for the courses involves 10 days of training in the Advanced Contingency Skills Training Course taught by EOS and its 421st Combat Training Squadron. In this block of training, contingency response Airmen receive advanced training in combat patrolling and tactics, convoy operations, troop leading and urban tactics.

"ACST gives our students that combat skills training they'll need when they hit the ground in deployed environments," Sergeant Oliver said.

In the fourth and final module of the CR FTU courses, students get CR-specific field training.

"This is the area of training where our students can go into the field and get hands-on training with the lessons they learned in module two as well as train on some new subjects such as Alaskan shelter construction, verbal judo and night vision driving," said Tech. Sgt. Chris Leonard, also an instructor in the course. "Through all the modules, we want the students to get a well-rounded idea and understanding of how CRGs and other Global Mobility Forces operate in a deployed environment."

In the most recent set of CR FTU courses, students said the training has been very beneficial.

"When the majority of us showed up for this course, we had no idea exactly what we'd be doing," said Staff Sgt. Tyler Marks, a load planner and Air Transportation Operations Center information controller for the 123rd Contingency Response Group of the Kentucky Air National Guard at Louisville. "Our course taught us everything we needed to know to set up and operate our CRG unit."

Senior Airman Charles Woods, a maintenance crew chief from the 123rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, also from Louisville, said he gained insight on CRG capabilities and its mission.

"I think everything that was taught has potential to benefit me in future deployments," Airman Woods said. "In particular, I think the night vision training will definitely be helpful."

Whether it's learning to operate a CRG at night or just gaining the basic understanding of the unit, the course is doing what it was designed to do, Sergeant Oliver said.

"Contingency response Airmen are often the first to respond to a war zone or a humanitarian crisis," Sergeant Oliver said. "This training gets them in the frame of mind for being ready on a moment's notice to go anywhere in the world and be a leading unit for Air Force operations."