An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Training center gets first Air Force Reserve commander

  • Published
  • By By Lt. Col. Bob Thompson
  • Air Force Reserve Command Public Affairs
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  For the first time in 22 years, an Air Force reservist will command the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center at Rosecrans Memorial Airport, Mo.

Col. Michael W. Hurst, AATTC vice commander, will become the commander of the joint Air National Guard-Air Force Reserve Command center in a ceremony March 6. An Air National Guardsman has always led the school.

“I worked closely with Maj. Gen. King Sidwell, the Adjutant General of the Missouri National Guard, and Col. Steve Cotter, commander of the 139th Airlift Wing, which hosts the AATTC, to select Colonel Hurst,” said Maj. Gen. Marty Mazick, director of operations at Headquarters AFRC. “We want to share leadership of this vital organization so we can be sure to capitalize on the strengths of both Guard and Reserve programs.”

A joint Air National Guard and AFRC operation, the school teaches students from every Air Force major command, as well as U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. Also, students from 12 foreign nations attend and two of these countries require their aircrews to graduate from the school before they are tactically qualified.

“I’m deeply honored to assume command of this world-class training center and the opportunity to lead this outstanding group of professionals,” said Colonel Hurst. “I sincerely appreciate the steps the Missouri National Guard and AFRC senior leadership took to propel our seamless working relationships into a new era. I humbly assume this responsibility and will strive to continue the traditions of the AATTC during these difficult times.”

The school has trained more than 1,500 aircrews from the United States and other countries. These crews learn combat tactics to survive and succeed in hostile environments like Iraq and Afghanistan.

In the classroom, the students study worldwide airlift operations, low-level dynamics, visual illusions, aircraft structures, tactical formations and infrared defensive systems and other topics. Then, they get hands-on experience by flying training missions complete with simulated anti-aircraft artillery fire, man-portable missile and surface-to-air missile attacks on the Missouri training range.

“This is leading-edge training that makes our pilots and aircrews the best in the world,” General Mazick said. “This is the first time AFRC will command this traditionally ANG-led organization, and I’m confident that we picked our best. Everyone that we coordinated with agreed that Colonel Hurst is the right guy to make this training better than ever.”

Colonel Hurst is a command pilot with more than 5,600 flying hours. He has been an instructor at the school since 1997. (AFRC News Service)