EC remains focused on expeditionary combat support after SF training consolidation

Published Aug. 7, 2014
By Capt. Matthew Chism
Air Force Expeditionary Center Public Affairs

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Security Forces deployment training has transitioned away from the Air Force Expeditionary Center, but expeditionary combat support remains a keystone for the EC.

The 421st Combat Training Squadron's Phoenix Warrior course held its final graduation in conjunction with a ceremony to end the program's tenure on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst on June 27.

"This served as a sendoff for the graduates preparing to deploy and a thank you to the past and present instructors for their hard work," said Lt Col Brandon Casey, 421st CTS commander. "They poured their heart and soul into developing this training because they care about the warfighter. They take pride in the safety of the men and women they serve."

Transitioning the deployment training course is due to the Air Force consolidation of SF regional training locations to Fort Bliss, Texas. Centralized training is expected to create manpower and fiscal efficiencies, maximize curriculum standardization, improve training quality, and ensure SF Airmen are given opportunities to complete varying training objectives.

"It also provides the career field the flexibility to quickly change required curricula to meet Combatant Commanders' training requirements and changing enemy tactics, techniques, and procedures while still maintaining standardization and oversight of required training," said Michael Glunk, Air Force Security Forces Command Operations Division chief. "Once we complete our consolidation, SF can proudly claim they attended the Desert Defender Readiness Training Center and be confident they are ready for any worldwide deployment."

The EC continues to provide expeditionary combat support in three distinct venues. The 421st CTS maintains six courses dedicated to expeditionary skills. The 422nd Joint Tactics Squadron controls and refines all ECS TTPs for expeditionary ground forces and conducts training for deployed leadership of ECS Airmen. The EC-led Eagle Flag exercise is the testing ground for ECS training; it develops, tests, and rehearses the AF's ECS library of capabilities.

"The EC transitioned the Phoenix Warrior course to Fort Bliss," said Maj. Gen. Rick Martin, EC commander. "We remain focused on the ECS training of not just Airmen, but service members from all branches of the Department of Defense. With programs like Eagle Flag, Phoenix Raven, Combat Airmen Skills Training and our development of TTPs for the field, the EC will continue to enhance our force's expeditionary capabilities."

Instructors at the EC continuously seek ways to enhance their teaching skills and the information they provide. The 421st CTS instructors teach different courses throughout the year that increase their knowledge of different specialties and increase the overall quality of the training programs.

"This squadron operates on synergy," Casey said. "Our instructors are exposed to broader skillsets so they can relate them across disciplines. Having experts move between different courses makes us more adaptable when customers have new requirements."

Master Sgt. Keith Tartaglia, 421st CTS CAST course director, said instructors embrace the adaptive nature of the instruction and are devoted to deliver up-to-date material.

"These instructors give 100 percent," said Tartaglia. "There is a sense of personal leadership and responsibility to make sure we provide the best training, because we know it saves lives."

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