Team accomplishes multicapable Airman training during flyaway event

Published Nov. 15, 2023
By Tech. Sgt. Justin Norton

PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. --

More than 90 302nd Airlift Wing Airmen and three C-130H Hercules aircraft flew to Naval Air Station North Island, Nov. 3-5, to accomplish multicapable Airman training and gain greater awareness of where they fit into wing operations based on their job specialties.

During flight Airmen observed three different missions depending on which aircraft they were flying on before receiving additional training the following day on the ground in San Diego.

A C-130 takes off from a runway with Pikes Peak in the background. — A 302nd Airlift Wing C-130 aircraft takes off with Pikes Peak in the distance Nov. 3, 2023 at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. The aircraft carried a team of Airmen bound for Naval Air Station North Island to participate in a multicapable Airman training event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kevin Williams)

A man in uniform with C-130 propellers overhead pulls down a red object attached to a string. — Master Sgt. Jesse Zambrano, 302nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, removes the protective cover of a C-130 aircraft inlet at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, Nov. 3, 2023. Zambrano, along with the aid of other aircraft maintainers, prepared three C-130 aircraft to take off at once before climbing on board to depart for Naval Air Station North Island, California. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Justin Norton)

Two C-130 aircraft in the foreground with Pikes Peak in the background, one tail with an orange 5 and the other an orange 2. — 302nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron maintainers tow an aircraft out of the hangar in preparation to depart at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, Nov. 3, 2023. Maintenance crews spent a week preparing multiple aircraft to take off at once, bound for Naval Air Station North Island to participate in a multicapable Airman training event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Justin Norton)

“The idea was to involve multicapable Airman into a flyaway experience that wasn’t strained like an exercise,” said Col. DeAnna Franks, 302nd Operations Group commander. “We wanted to put Airmen from all different job specialties on separate aircraft, many who have never flown before, and give them the opportunity to see different mission sets they don’t usually get to be a part of.”

On one flight, 34th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron flight paramedics simulated patient transfer and care after working with ground medics at Luke Air Force Base during a short landing on the way to Naval Air Station North Island. Aboard another aircraft, Airmen experienced what it was like evading enemy fighter aircraft as aircrew engaged in simulated fighter interdiction operations with A-10 Thunderbolts and F-22 Raptors. Airmen aboard the last aircraft were meant to see an airdrop that resembled a downrange mission where the crew lands, onloads cargo, takes off again and airdrops it to a different location.

“We had an opportunity to show so many different folks in the wing what we do,” said Maj. Douglas Parrish, 731st Airlift Squadron C-130 aircraft pilot. “This is essentially what all wing personnel support when we go downrange or train in the local area. They get to see the muscle movement involved with taking aircraft off station, manage risk while protecting a C-130, transporting equipment, and administering high-level patient care.”

On the ground the next day Airmen divided into four groups that rotated to different training blocks each led by subject matter experts.

A team from the 302nd Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment shop demonstrated the various equipment Airman have available to them in the event of an aircraft emergency. Tech. Sgts. Kevin Merritt, Matthew Kenny and Chad Gouge, aircrew flight equipment specialists, explained the proper usage of signaling equipment, protective wetsuits, oxygen masks and the inflatable vests that Airmen use to stay alive in a 20-man life raft if they’re stranded.

A man wearing sunglasses on a beach holds up an oxygen mask as multiple people observe. — Tech. Sgt. Matthew Kenny, 302nd Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment technician, displays an oxygen mask during equipment familiarization training at Naval Air Station North Island, California, Nov. 4, 2023. Kenny trained Airmen on what type of equipment was available to them in the event of an aircraft emergency. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Justin Norton)

A woman wearing a life raft raises two arms in thumbs up on a beach with two other women nearby also wearing life rafts. — Senior Airman Jean Blackman Harlow, 39th Aerial Port Specialist air transportation technician, gives a thumbs up during water survival training at Naval Air Station North Island, California, Nov. 4, 2023. Blackman Harlow trained with a group of other Airmen to survive in a 20-person life raft in the San Diego ocean. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Justin Norton)

Master Sgt. Nathan Martinez, 302nd Operations Support Squadron survival, evasion, rescue and escape instructor, taught each group the basics of how to survive under such conditions before directing Airmen to inflate the raft and carry it out into the open water on the San Diego shoreline. After they all jumped in Martinez joined them and explained the basics of how to conserve resources, maintain the raft and take care of each other all while waves buffeted the crew. Airmen learned how to ration limited supplies of water and food as well as how to conceal themselves under a tarp secured within the life raft.

A man reaches out to grasp another man's arm in a life raft in the ocean surrounded by other people. — Master Sgt. Nathan Martinez, 302nd Operations Support Squadron survival, evasion, resistance and escape instructor, grasps the arm of an Airman during water survival training at Naval Air Station North Island, California, Nov. 4, 2023. Martinez taught groups of Airmen throughout the day how to conserve resources and stay alive while aboard a 20-person life raft for an extended period of time. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Justin Norton)

The 302nd Security Forces Squadron led another training block teaching Airmen basic weapons knowledge and tactics as well as Shoot, Move, Communicate skills used by security forces defenders. Tech. Sgt. Austin Putnam and Master Sgt. Trey Trotter, 302 SFS defenders, handed Airmen training rifles and tasked them with advancing through a series of sand dunes while protecting each other as they move to each point of cover. They practiced the same tactics in reverse order, simulating a retreat to the starting location.

A man in uniform with a San Diego pier in the background points at someone off-camera while smiling. — Tech. Sgt. Austin Putnam, 302nd Security Forces Squadron defender, gestures towards an Airman during a training event at Naval Air Station North Island, California, Nov. 4, 2023. Putnam taught multiple groups of Airmen the basics of the Shoot, Move, Communicate style of fireteam maneuvering tactics using sand dunes and cones on the San Diego shoreline. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Justin Norton)

A woman and man, both in uniform, lay on a sand dune while each hold an orange training rifle as two other uniformed individuals run through the sand in the background on the beach. — Tech. Sgt. Raijean Taylor, 302nd Maintenance Squadron sheet metal technician, and Senior Airman Anthony Magana, 21st Logistics Readiness Squadron logistics technician, practice fireteam tactics during a training event at Navy Air Station North Island, California, Nov. 4, 2023. They worked together with a second team advancing forward through a series of sand dunes towards an objective while simulating a hostile environment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Justin Norton)

Nearby, Tech. Sgt. Charles Motley, 302nd Communications Flight radio specialist, taught a segment on how to operate and communicate using a radio when coordinating rescue efforts in an austere environment. He showed Airmen how the radio antenna directs signals and how to best communicate with search rescue teams all while evading potential adversaries.

A man in uniform on a beach holds a radio with a long antenna. A pier in San Diego is in the background. — Staff Sgt. Charles Motley, 302nd Communications Flight radio specialist, teaches a course about proper communication techniques during a training event at Naval Air Station North Island, California, Nov. 4, 2023. Motley spoke to eight different groups of Airmen throughout the day and prepared them to use the radio to signal for help while evading adversarial forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Justin Norton)

At one of the parked C-130 aircraft on the flight line, Staff Sgt. Jacob Hillman and Capt. Bianca Barker, 34 AES flight paramedics, taught a group how their crews secure patients in flight and treat them while enroute to more stable care. Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Delp and Staff Sgt. Mitchell Fordred, 302nd Aeromedical Staging Squadron medical technicians, demonstrated how to implement tactical combat casualty care techniques to stabilize injured patients so they’re prepared for transport to a treatment facility.

A man in uniform wearing sunglasses looks off to the side with a parked C-130 aircraft in the background. — Staff Sgt. Jacob Hillmann, 34th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron flight paramedic, pauses momentarily while teaching a team of Airmen how to load patients onto a C-130 aircraft at Naval Air Station North Island, California, Nov. 4, 2023. Hillmann detailed how patients are secured and cared for in flight while enroute to more stable care. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Justin Norton)

A man in uniform stands on one side of a litter talking to another man in uniform on the other side of it aboard a C-130 aircraft cargo bay. — Staff Sgt. Jacob Hillmann, 34th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron flight paramedic, teaches Airmen how patients are secured to a C-130 cargo bay using a litter at Naval Air Station North Island, California, Nov. 4, 2023. More than 90 Airmen rotated through different training areas throughout the day. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Justin Norton)

A man in uniform kneels in front of another man in uniform laying down with a tourniquet around his leg. The first man is looking up speaking to onlookers. — Staff Sgt. Nicholas Delp, 302nd Aeromedical Staging Squadron medical technician, trains a team of Airmen on how to administer tactical combat casualty care at Naval Air Station North Island, California, Nov. 4, 2023. More than 90 Airmen rotated through different training areas throughout the day covering multiple job specialties. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Justin Norton)

Finally, 39th Aerial Port Squadron Airmen demonstrated how to properly operate a forklift while carrying a pallet. Staff Sgts. William Lipscomb and Philip Carver, 39 APS air transportation specialists, guided Airmen while they took turns navigating the forklift through a cone obstacle course set up in advance. Their goal was to weave through the cones without touching them and return to the starting location to set the pallet back on the ground.

A man in uniform holds his arm out while speaking to a group of other people in uniform. — Staff Sgt. Philip Carver, 39th Aerial Port Squadron air transportation specialist, briefs a group of Airmen during a training event at Naval Air Station North Island, California, Nov. 4, 2023. He taught and guided Airmen how to operate a forklift through an obstacle course made of cones. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Justin Norton)

A man in uniform stands nearby as another man in uniform drives a forklift carrying a pallet with a crate on it. — Staff Sgt. William Lipscomb, 39th Aerial Port Squadron air transportation specialist, guides an Airman driving a forklift through a cone obstacle course at Naval Air Station North Island, California, Nov. 4, 2023. More than 90 Airmen across multiple job specialties rotated to different training events throughout the day. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Justin Norton)

“They loved every bit of it,” said Chief Master Sgt. Kimberly Lord, 302 AW command chief. “They were ready to go and get in the fight! I had multiple Airmen telling me it was the best training they ever had. They’re ready to do it again. Not only did the training build the foundations for the multicapable Airman concept we’re trying to instill, but it built relationships and helped Airmen connect with people whose job may be a better fit for them in the future for potential retraining.”

The training also presented aircraft maintainers the opportunity to showcase their capability to generate multiple aircraft ready to go all at once. Airmen from various maintenance specialties worked together to accomplish required inspections and prepare more than half the fleet to launch at the end of the week.

“I think it was great seeing all of us come together,” said Master Sgt. Jesse Zambrano, 302nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron C-130 crew chief. “It’s like a deployment, in a sense, where we’re more of a unified force. When there’s a task at hand, stand aside because we’re going to get it done. It’s a challenge we all welcomed, we all know this environment and we’re ready to make it happen.”

Airmen from specialized maintenance career fields routinely stepped into to help fulfill roles they don’t normally fill. From supporting engine runs, securing armor, helping refuel or supplying tools to other maintainers, maintainers all banded together to contribute to the mass aircraft generation operation.

Three C-130 aircraft in a row taxi away from the camera. — A row of three 302nd Airlift Wing C-130 aircraft taxis toward the runway at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, Nov. 3, 2023. The aircraft carried teams of Airmen bound for Naval Air Station North Island, California, to participate in a multicapable Airman training event.

“Maintenance deserves a lot of credit because they were asked to launch almost every available aircraft we have and that’s an incredible amount of muscle movement, especially from a reservist respective,” said Parrish. “Three aircraft launched at once is an admirable accomplishment considering the work that was needed to make it happen.”

Planning for the training began as early as spring. San Diego afforded the wing a stable climate to train in, a nearby beach to conduct water survival and fireteam tactics training and a chance for Airmen to connect during downtime in an unfamiliar location.

“It would be great to do it again with different crews so more people can get exposure,” said Zambrano. “Out of uniform, you get a better idea of who you’re talking to. We’re all individuals with our own stories and getting to know each other better was one of the best parts about it. This helps to network and bridge the gaps between each other.”

A similar training experienced is slated to occur again in late 2024.

“Everyone was very excited about it,” said Franks. “It was a positive experience and it’s something we can duplicate. There were a few things we can do better, of course, but now we have a template we can work off and take it to next year.”

A group of people shoulder-to-shoulder in a life raft are hit by a wave in the ocean. — A team of 302nd Airlift Wing Airmen are buffeted by a wave during water survival training at Naval Air Station North Island, California, Nov. 4, 2023. More than 90 Airmen participated throughout the day as teams rotated through a variety of training scenarios. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Justin Norton)

Multiple uniformed Airmen stand on a beach wielding orange training rifles. — Airmen from the 302nd Airlift Wing participate in a firearms familiarization course during a training event at Naval Air Station North Island, California, Nov. 4, 2023. The group was part of a crew of more than 90 Airman rotating through multiple training exercises throughout the day. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Justin Norton)