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EOD Soldiers Clear More than 1,000 Items from US Air Force Training Range

Thursday, December 9th, 2021

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal Soldiers cleared the way for U.S. Air Force ground attack training by removing more than 1,000 ordnance items from Cannon Range at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

To support A-10 Thunderbolt attack aircraft bombing and strafing training, EOD Soldiers from the Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri-based 763rd Ordnance Company (EOD) managed an ordnance clearance project across more than 100 acres on the Air Force range.

It was the first range clearance operation the 763rd EOD Company has conducted since 2009.

Managed by the Missouri Air National Guard’s 131st Bomb Wing on Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, Cannon Range is the only aerial gunnery range in the state of Missouri and the range is used by all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Sgt. 1st Class John S. Neely, a platoon sergeant with the 763rd EOD Company, planned and managed the mission with nine personnel, including seven U.S. Army EOD technicians.

The other 763rd EOD Company members involved in the Air Force range clearance mission were 1st Lt. Frank A. Russell from Orange Grove, Texas; 1st Lt. Raylen L. Dupuis from Polson, Montana; 1st Sgt. Kevin J. Pisani from Lyman, Maine; Sgt. Adam D. Carter from Stafford Springs, Connecticut; Sgt. Robert B. Singleton from Blue Springs, Missouri; Spc. Scott A. Sartin from Kettering, Ohio; and Spc. Logan J. Sterner from Springfield, Illinois.

The EOD Soldiers recovered and cleared more than 1,000 practice 50-pound bombs, said Neely, and they ensured an additional 33 practice 500-pound bombs and 11 practice 40mm projectiles were free of explosive hazards.

“The mission was done to enable target replacement of vehicles and buildings on Cannon Range for A-10 close air support training,” said Neely, a 15-year U.S. Army veteran from Whiteland, Indiana, who has deployed to Afghanistan and Africa.

The 763rd EOD Company is assigned to the 242nd EOD Battalion, 71st EOD Group and 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command.

Part of the U.S. Department of Defense’s premier all hazards formation, Soldiers and civilians from 20th CBRNE Command deploy from 19 bases in 16 states to confront and defeat the world’s most dangerous hazards and threats in support of joint, interagency and allied partners.

Headquartered on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the 20th CBRNE Command is home to 75 percent of the Active Army’s EOD technicians and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear specialists, as well as the 1st Area Medical Laboratory, CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity, five Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordination Teams and three Nuclear Disablement Teams.

In addition to deploying for overseas missions, EOD technicians from the 763rd EOD Company also support explosive mitigation missions for any military munitions found in Missouri, Iowa and Minnesota.

Capt. Tarik B. Jensen, the commander of the 763rd EOD Company, said his EOD Soldiers highlighted their technical and tactical proficiency and expertise during the mission.

“The range clearance conducted by the Soldiers of the 763rd EOD Company enabled the lethality of the U.S. Air Force’s premier ground attack aircraft by keeping the range operational for the nearly daily training missions flown on the range,” said Jensen, a native of Liberty Lake, Washington. “Conducting the clearance imparted ordnance knowledge onto our EOD technicians who researched the various ordnance located on the range, showcasing the technical expertise of EOD technicians.”

By Walter Ham

Posted in Air Force, Army, EOD, Guest Post | 1 Comment »

Sword Athena Drives Change in Maternity Uniform Accessibility

Wednesday, December 8th, 2021

JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. (AFNS) —

Sword Athena is making strides toward greater accessibility to maternity uniforms for expectant Airmen across Air Combat Command.

Sword Athena is designed to identify, tackle and present solutions to female and family-centric barriers to readiness using crowd-sourced topics and a Mission Area Working Group (MAWG) model. During the outbrief to Gen. Mark D. Kelly, ACC commander, in May, they identified several discrepancies on the availability of maternity uniforms at ACC bases and ways the online purchasing could be improved.

In response, Sword Athena partnered with Army and Air Force Exchange Services executives to increase availability of maternity uniforms in stores and sizing guides online. Before these updates, expectant Airmen found it difficult to purchase the appropriate sized uniforms to wear during their pregnancies, often having to resort to alternative methods of acquisition and incurring extra costs.

“A lot of big bases have large military clothing sales. It’s the smaller bases and those in remote locations where it’s particularly challenging to find these uniforms,” said Master Sgt. Aubrey Woodworth, 97th Intelligence Squadron assistant superintendent, Sword Athena member and mother of five. “Usually there is a network of ladies who find other ways to acquire these items, but it is hit or miss. If you’re the first Airmen in your unit who’s been pregnant in a while, it makes it even more challenging.”

Woodworth recounted a time, while stationed overseas, when a colleague had to ask a friend stateside to purchase four different sizes because there were none available to try on or purchase on base.

“Her friend sent her all four uniforms; she tried them on and mailed back the three that didn’t fit,” Woodworth said.

With the help of Col. John Thorne, then a senior officer on the Air Combat Commander’s staff who assisted in translating Sword Athena initiatives into actionable staff packages, the team reached out to Andrew Weaver, AAFES vice president for community outreach. Weaver welcomed the feedback.

Weaver and the AAFES military clothing sales team reviewed inventory of Operational Camouflage Pattern and Service Dress maternity uniforms at locations across the command. This review helped flag clothing sales locations without enough sizing options. “Some locations were joint bases where the exchanges were run by another branch, so their inventory was not populating on Air Force lists,” he said.

To expand the program, the AAFES team worked with the Air Force Materiel Command logistics directorate. AFMC is responsible for setting the limits on inventory available in military clothing stores because the Air Force covers the carrying cost of inventory.

“All ACC bases, except Creech (AFB), had one maternity OCP try-on uniform per size. The intention was for expectant Airmen to then order the uniform from the AAFES website. After our review and working with AFMC, AAFES secured approval to stock two sets of maternity OCP uniforms at Beale (AFB), Creech (AFB), Davis-Monthan (AFB), Moody (AFB), Offutt (AFB), and Seymour Johnson (AFB). All other ACC bases will have 10 sets per size,” he said.

The bases selected for the expanded inventory were locations that sold at least 50 maternity uniforms over the last year.

According to Weaver, the service dress maternity uniform program was also expanded to all ACC bases, which now have at least one size available for fitting. A size chart has also been added to their online listings making sizing easier from any location.

Woodworth is proud of the progress Sword Athena has made to reduce readiness barriers and is already thinking about the next steps.

She noted the importance of forming connections with other Airmen. “The support network is there. Too often we feel like our problems as women should not be discussed in the workplace. If you can overcome that fear and reach out to the master sergeant or the major you saw in maternity uniforms, you’ll find that network,” she said.

Sword Athena uses that network to drive change.

“Many of us were raised to only bring up a problem if we had a solution as well,” said Thorne, 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing vice commander. “Sword Athena has demonstrated that sharing problems across a large group provides the opportunity for Airmen of different backgrounds to share their experiences and construct an actionable solution. One of us doesn’t have all of the answers, but all of us together do.”

By Capt Laura Hayden, Air Combat Command Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Clothing, For the Ladies, Guest Post | 2 Comments »

USAF Orders 15 Silent Arrow Precision Guided Cargo Delivery Drones

Monday, December 6th, 2021

World’s First Production 1-Ton Cargo Delivery Drone to be Scaled Down and Flown to Address New Humanitarian and Tactical Markets

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 29, 2021 — Silent Arrow today announced the United States Air Force, through the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), has awarded the company a contract entitled “Guided Bundle Derivative of Silent Arrow® for Side Door and Palletized Swarm Deployment at High Speeds and Altitudes” effective November 12, 2021.

Under this Small Business Innovation Research (“SBIR”) Phase II contract, the commercially successful Silent Arrow® GD-2000 (Glider, Disposable, 2000 pounds) platform will be scaled down and redesigned as a new product line called the Silent Arrow® Precision Guided Bundle (SA-PGB), which will initially be developed as an autonomous cargo delivery glider. The SA-PGB is specifically designed for side door and multi-unit (swarm) ramp deployment, compatible with a much-expanded fleet of delivery aircraft ranging from the civilian Cessna Caravan to the military C-17.

The SA-PGB will be designed and built at Silent Arrow’s headquarters in Irvine, California and 15 aircraft will be shipped to the company’s flight test center in Pendleton, Oregon for operational evaluations at the Pendleton UAS Test Range. Initial specifications include 500-pound max weight, 350-pound cargo capacity, 39 inches long and deployable from high altitudes and airspeeds.

“We’d like to thank the U.S. Special Operations community, the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Army and various other organizations who signed on to support this award for a new life-saving cargo delivery drone,” said Chip Yates, Silent Arrow’s founder and CEO. “We look forward to an exciting flight test program in 2022 and quickly getting this new capability into the hands of the warfighter and disaster relief organizations alike.”

Silent Arrow’s tightly integrated packaging with its patented spring-deployed wing system, industry-leading payload capacity, 40-mile standoff distance and low unit cost, has received enthusiastic reception from U.S. and foreign customers and is currently being delivered and operated to directly serve heavy-payload, autonomous cargo resupply needs throughout the world.

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, Contracts, Press Release, UAS | Comments Off on USAF Orders 15 Silent Arrow Precision Guided Cargo Delivery Drones

USAF Issues Update to AFI 36-2903 “Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel”

Monday, December 6th, 2021

The Air Fitce has updated AFI 36-2903 incorporating change 3 and Certified Current 3 December 2021.

Here are the changes. As far as I see it, none of them are bad.

This interim change revises DAFI 36-2903 by adding Chief of Staff of the Air Force-approved Air Force Virtual Uniform Board items, standardizing guidance for the maintenance duty uniform, re- publishing guidance from Department of the Air Force guidance memorandum for female hair standards, and incorporating other needed corrections identified in the DAFI. Specifically, it 1) allows hands in pockets while standing or walking and beverage consumption as indicated while walking; 2) changes male hair bulk standard to 2.5 inches; 3) authorizes female hair accessories up to a 2-inch width; 4) regulates female eyelash extensions to natural eyelash color, not to exceed 14 millimeters in length; 5) authorizes permanent cosmetics for men, scalp only; 6) authorizes commanders to allow tucking of Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) coat for duty as necessary and folding of cuff twice inward; 7) authorizes wear of Velcro® pen/pencil holders on OCP sleeves; 8) authorizes wear of morale patches on OCP and Two-Piece Flight Duty Uniform (2PFDU); 9) authorizes unit patch or organizational symbol on OCP t-shirt; 10) authorizes wear of tactical cap; 11) authorizes sew-on nametapes and insignia on OCP fleece; 12) authorizes wear of transparent piercing spacers; 13) authorizes a ring to be worn on the thumb; 14) authorizes use of cell phone while walking; 15) authorizes wear of beret while performing duties outside of Primary Air Force Specialty Code (PAFSC) for applicable beret-wearing AFSCs; 16) authorizes females optional wear of hosiery with dress uniforms; 17) authorizes wear of sweatband with physical training gear; 18) authorizes permanent wear of USAF Honor Guard badge for Airmen with an 8G000 and 85G0 AFSC; 19) authorizes foreign aviation, medical insignia and parachutist badge to be worn outside of conferring country; 20) grants commanders of 2A, 2F, 2G, 2M, 2P, 2S, 2T, 2W, 3E, 3D, and 1P AFSC members authority to allow wear of sage maintenance duty uniform; 21) adds wear policy for multi-domain warfare badge; 22) clarifies wear of Air Advisor tab; 23) authorizes wear of Inter-American Air Forces Academy badge; 24) authorizes physical training gear short and long sleeve shirts to be worn tucked or untucked; 25) Clarified instructions for beards allowed for medical reason; and 26) Clarified instruction regarding authorized male and female hair color. A margin bar (|) indicates newly revised material.

However, there are some odd things. Take for instance the Sage Maintenance Duty Uniform. It’s an authorized uniform for certain AFSCs but there are no photos of it anywhere; like it doesn’t actually exist.

The AFI says this:

A7.7.20. Maintenance Duty Uniform (MDU). Commanders of Airmen in these AFSCs, 2A, 2F, 2G, 2M, 2P, 2S, 2T, 2W, 3E, 3D, and 1P may authorize Airmen to wear the sage MDU. The sage color MDU will be unit funded as organizational clothing and equipment. MDU will be worn with nametape, service tape and rank along with the higher headquarters patch on the left sleeve and a subdued U.S. flag and organizational patch on the right sleeve. Note: Duty identifiers, as applicable may be worn on the left sleeve. The coyote brown t-shirt, OCP patrol or tactical cap, coyote brown or green socks, and coyote brown boots, are worn with the uniform. The MDU will not be utilized for office work environments, non-industrial or non- labor tasking. The MDU is authorized for wear when transiting from home to duty location, off base short convenience stops, eating at restaurants where people wear comparable civilian attire and all locations on installations. It must be worn in serviceable condition. Do not wear off base to eat in restaurants where most diners wear business attire or at establishments that operate primarily to serve alcohol. Local coverall variants are still authorized but only in work centers and on the flight line.

The same goes for the new ball cap, which they call a “Tactical Cap.” Naturally, it’s an issue because the supply chain is harder to establish than for a coverall. All clothing items procured by DoD must be Berry Compliant meaning Made in USA from US materials. Ball caps require special machinery to manufacture and there aren’t that many of those machines here in the US. The Defense Logistics Agency has to secure contracts. Sure, there are plenty of MultiCam (OCP) ball caps on the market, but few are configured the way the AFI requires and are made in the USA. Chances are good if you see someone running around with a Tactical Cap in AF uniform (issue or not), it isn’t Berry Compliant. Once that official is procured, all of those pretenders will have to go. It says so right in the AFI (para 5.2.10).

One improvement they could make in the next go around is to actually show everything; uniforms, headgear (including berets), badges, etc.

On an interesting note, here’s the new Multi-Domain Warfare Officer (AFSC 13O) badge mentioned.

With all of that stuff, tucked ACU coats, rolled under sleeves, untucked PT shirts, morale patches, all of it; this is the biggest one for me, even though I am retired. Finally…the USAF authorizes foreign aviation, medical insignia and parachutist badge to be worn outside of conferring country; I used to violate the AFI in both BDUs and Service Dress.

Get your copy while it’s hot and start wearing a T-shirt with your unit logo.

static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a1/publication/dafi36-2903/dafi36-2903

Posted in Air Force, Profession of Arms | 12 Comments »

‘Talk to me, Airman’: Minnesota Reservists learn to shoot, move, communicate

Monday, December 6th, 2021

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AIR RESERVE STATION, Minn. —

Two rounds to the chest and one round to the head.

934th Aeromedical Staging Squadron Airmen engaged their targets using this shooting method while working in two-person teams with M4 carbines at the new Shoot, Move and Communicate course at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Air Reserve Station, Minnesota, in October.

This close-quarter shooting method is called the Failure Drill. This technique isn’t a critique of a shooter’s performance or a countermeasure to succumb from a weapons malfunction. Instead, it is more of a failure on the engaging target’s ability to return fire after receiving two rounds to the chest and one round to the head. Furthermore, adversaries are now wearing body armor. Therefore, the final round is needed to permanently neutralize the danger.

Tech. Sgt. Charles Foster, 934th ASTS section chief of medical records, was invited to run through the new course with other ASTS Airmen. The lane structure and design were a complete mystery to him. “From word of mouth, what they had set-up here, I knew that it was out in the woods and they had a bunch of different targets with contact areas.” After going through the course five times, Foster said, “I didn’t know they had this amazing of a set-up.”

The 934th Security Forces Squadron spent most of the year building this course and making needed improvements to provide a viable training opportunity for Airmen. Before the SMC course was built, the area was a dense tree wood line with a lot of deadfalls. 934th SFS members used the base overlay to determine where the property started and ended before committing to this project.

Preceding the new course, Defenders used to maneuver between multiple 4 x 8 sheets of plywood to engage one target on a service road. The overall intensity of this course was limited due to its scale, aesthetics and allure. The SFS Defenders worked with what they had to conduct training; however, they wanted an attractive, resilient and motivating course. What they needed was an extreme course makeover, and they needed it right away.

“This whole plan fell on that cliché: design on a dime. Everything here was either from the forest naturally or donated wood from the Marines, Navy or actually from a stockpile here from pallets and things,” said Master Sgt. Kory Soderquist, 934th SFS chief of training.

Soderquist and a group of SFS Airmen and civilians volunteered to be the project managers and architects of the new course. The first thing that had to go was the flat single straight-lined lane. The new course would curve and have an upper and lower path for more Airmen to go through. Instead of engaging one single target, Airmen now have 56. Some targets were placed in plain view and others were camouflaged in a dense thicket. This forced Airmen to quickly scan their lane and rapidly react. To provide a sense of realism in an austere environment, the SMC was placed in a densely forested area. As a result, teams can’t see the course before they begin.

“My Defenders basically took a hopscotch board and added a roller coaster to it,” said Lt. Col. Charles Trovarello, 934th SFS commander. “I was incredibly impressed with how they utilized the space because when you first looked at it, you think you can’t possible do anything more from what we already had set up.”

“It is definitely one of those places we want to showcase because it’s so new,” said Soderquist. “It’s also really functional, easy to go through and easy to clean up. Basically, it’s zero maintenance when you have it up and running. You can run about 170 Airmen through it. It seems flawless and we have all the safety hazards out of the way. We haven’t had a single hang-up. It’s been good.” #ReserveReady

By Chris Farley

(Farley is assigned to the 934th Airlift Wing public affairs office.)

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Training | 4 Comments »

How an Air Force Recruiting Commercial Became a Popular VR Game

Sunday, December 5th, 2021

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) —

When Air Force Recruiting Service deployed its “Activate: Special Warfare” mobile tour in April 2021, the four-dimensional virtual reality, experience-on-wheels became the latest entry in an elite category of games.

Over the years, dozens of movies have made their way to becoming games in arcades and on portable devices. This genre includes commercial hits like Dune, a 1992-released game that is based on its namesake film.

Activate’s own story began in 2019 with the production of a commercial targeting special warfare recruitment.

“We were coming up with ideas to promote Special Warfare,” said Travis Waid, a writer and creative director for GSD&M. Waid’s employer is the Austin, Texas-based advertising agency for the U.S. Air Force. “We were also assigned with creating a new experiential tour to promote Special Warfare and it hit us. Instead of creating two separate things, what if they supported each other?”

Passersby examine a display case outside of Charlotte Motor Speedway in Conway, N.C., which featured tactical equipment similar to what Special Warfare Airmen might use. The display is part of the Air Force Recruiting Service’s Activate: Special Warfare mobile exhibit and gives guests a four-dimensional Air Force Special Warfare experience as depicted in an online Air Force commercial. (U.S. Air Force photo by Randy Martin)

A guest with virtual reality goggles and a replicated gun gets a four-dimensional Air Force Special Warfare experience at the Fanzone outside of Charlotte Motor Speedway in Conway, N.C., Oct. 9, 2021. Activate’s scenario is taken from an online Air Force commercial. (U.S. Air Force photo by Randy Martin)

An Air Force Recruiting brand ambassador at the Fanzone on Oct. 9, 2021, outside of Charlotte Motor Speedway in Conway, N.C., assists a visitor to the Air Force Recruiting Service’s Activate mobile exhibit. Virtual reality goggles are one of the tools that give Activate’s guests a four dimensional Air Force Special Warfare experience as depicted in an online Air Force commercial. (U.S. Air Force photo by Randy Martin)

So in late September of that year, a film production team of 53 and more than a dozen people from AFRS, GSD&M and other Air Force members representing several career fields, converged on a bombing range near Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. Filming required three days and involved Security Forces and Special Warfare Airmen, pilots, tactical wheeled vehicles, helicopters and airplanes from bases throughout the U.S.

For the commercial to look more realistic, the production company turned to Hollywood for delivery of movie-ready weapons.

“We couldn’t use the SF and SW Airmen’s weapons because they had red tips,” Waid said. “So, we relied on a prop house that we found in Los Angeles.”

In the final commercial, action-packed sequences show Airmen in a gunfight with an enemy force outside a walled compound. Viewers see a medevac while pyrotechnics create blast clouds with smoke enveloping a line of sand-colored vehicles on a desert road. An A-10C Thunderbolt II flies by as the video reaches its climax.

Two commercials from this production debuted in several variations on YouTube, Jan. 5, 2020. They were later posted to other Air Force Recruiting social media platforms. One, titled “Calm and the Storm,” has exceeded 18 million views. The other, titled “Join the Fight,” has been seen more than 17 million times.

For AFRS, attention turned to developing Activate: Special Warfare, the game.

Work started on the VR mobile tour with an intended launch date sometime in 2020, Waid said. However, COVID-19 struck in March and forced AFRS to wait until April 2021, for Activate’s inaugural tour.

Since its launch, people have flocked to Activate at venues such as NASCAR’s Fanzone outside Charlotte Motor Speedway, in Conway, North Carolina, Oct. 9-10.

There, among tents and trailers reminiscent of a traveling carnival, Activate was positioned on high ground where throngs of fans ambled about on a quest for souvenirs, free merchandise, food and pre-NASCAR race entertainment. Activate’s shining, black paneled trailer featured graphics to attract visitors from great distances.

Contracted attendants called “brand ambassadors” beckoned passersby to try their skills at no cost. The only condition being a minimum age requirement of 13 or older and registration on a tablet computer. Next came the anxious wait to enter the gaming booth along with other guests.

“The VR game is a real-life version of the commercial video and what connects them really is the story of how SW operators are able to remain calm under extreme pressure while engaging the enemy, calling in air strikes and rescuing others,” Waid said.

Once inside each player dons a vest and VR goggles, takes hold of a device that replicates a gun, and enters the scenario as one of the Airmen in the beleaguered convoy from the commercial.

Because participants wear special VR headsets and vests they hear everything in surround sound and they sense impacts on their over garments. Designers also engineered booths to generate hot air bursts and wind effects synched with explosions and landing of a helicopter for a full four-dimensional experience.

“Best game ever,” one woman said as she exited Activate.

Air Force recruiters were standing close by and greeted people. They talked to potential applicants about experiences and opportunities. Some visitors examined an all-terrain vehicle that was parked out front alongside a display case featuring gear like that used by Airmen in the film. The equipment leant a tactile experience to the VR one.

“The case and ATV are pretty effective in terms of generating interest and questions for recruiters who can step in and have a conversation with a lead or influencer,” said Tech. Sgt. Amos Parker, a recruiter for the 337th Recruiting Squadron at Shaw AFB in Sumter, South Carolina. “With most of the population under the impression that the Air Force only flies jets, it’s really eye opening to influencers and potential applicants.”

In 2021 the experiential tour went to 23 events in 15 states and had more than 12,000 people sign up to go through.

“Of those who signed up, 5,282 opted in to learn more and 1,453 turned into actual leads, which are all great percentages. Considering that the pandemic kept a lot of people home in 2021, those numbers are expected to increase as life begins to return to normal and more people come out,” said Maj. Jason Wyche, AFRS chief of national events branch, strategic marketing division.

Activate: Special Warfare is set to be part of AFRS’s mobile tours for at least five years.

By Randy Martin, Air Force Recruiting Service

Posted in AFSW, Air Force, Entertrainment, Guest Post | 4 Comments »

Advancing Cyber Warfare Training with Escape Room

Saturday, December 4th, 2021

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. —

Accelerating and changing the possibilities of learning, the 333rd Training Squadron implemented a new cyber escape room to test knowledge and sharpen the skillsets of cyber warfare students.

The students are put into a simulated hostile scenario, requiring them to think critically and apply their skills under pressure to “escape” the exercise.

“Our students approached this challenge with no plan,” said 2nd Lt. Kendra Perkins, 333rd TRS cyber warfare officer and escape room project manager. “This forces them to adjust to the environment, preparing our students for any complex or uncertain situations they might face.”

From decoding cyphers and packet tracing to programming and networking, the room provides students with a hands-on training experience. Throughout this cyber warfare class iteration, only one team was able to complete the challenge, which included 2nd Lt. Ethan Isaacson, 333rd TRS cyber warfare officer.

“Most of our tests have been in a controlled environment, focusing on the most recent concepts we learned,” said Isaacson. “The escape room required us to apply all of our curriculum we’ve learned. We had to put trust in ourselves and each other and we came out of this room more confident in our skillset.”

Capt. Luke Thornton, 333rd TRS cyber warfare instructor, provided his perspective as the class instructor, overseeing how the teams took on the challenge.

“We are able to test the team dynamics, communication and camaraderie of our students,” said Thornton. “Our students were put into a new situation with a lot of pressure and they had to really think outside the box. We were able to test our students to the best of their capabilities.”

Perkins said the inspiration for the escape room was derived from Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr. and his action orders to accelerate change across the Air Force through the direction of transforming the way we learn across all facets of Air Force education and training curricula including but not limited to professional military education to reflect renewed emphasis on competition and warfighting.

“Our goal was to create an environment that highlighted gamification to stray away from the initial Q&A or multiple choice and have something hands-on that was able to apply critical thinking, teamwork and communication as well as creating scenarios built on high standards for competition,” said Perkins.

By SrA Seth Haddix, 81st Training Wing Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, CEMA, Guest Post | 5 Comments »

Pushing to the Limit: Special Tactics Airmen Compete Together for Team USA Bobsled

Thursday, December 2nd, 2021

HURLBURT FIELD, Florida–For the first time ever, two Special Tactics Airmen assigned to the 24th Special Operations Wing competed together in a major competition for Team USA Bobsledding Nov. 28-29, 2021 at Park City, Utah.

U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Officer Maj. Chris Walsh and Staff Sgt. Matt Beach, a combat controller, competed together at the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation North American Cup for a chance to represent Team USA at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

As a Special Tactics Officer, Walsh is trained to lead teams of special operations ground forces for global access, precision strike and personnel recovery missions, however since August of 2019 he’s been training and competing as a full-time athlete in the Air Force’s World Class Athlete program. WCAP provides active duty, National Guard and reserve service members the opportunity to train and compete at national and international sports competitions with the ultimate goal of selection to the U.S. Olympic team while maintaining a professional military career.

“It’s great to be in the Olympic team picture at all,” said Walsh. “Competing with Team USA, USA Bobsled and the other athletes is a pretty big honor and to represent the Air Force on an international stage is awesome. You hope that you’ve done enough and things work out to where you end up making the olympic team, regardless of that outcome, to me the whole journey of learning a new sport and being able to compete and push myself to the highest level has been very rewarding.”

Beach, currently assigned to the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron at Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington, started his bobsledding journey in 2020 under the guidance of Walsh and fellow Air Force Special Operations Command teammate and bobsled athlete, Capt. Dakota Lynch, a U-28 pilot, who could not compete due to injury.

“Being introduced to the sport by a fellow ST member is an example of just how good the leadership in the community is,” said Beach. “Having people like Maj. Walsh and Capt. Lynch to coach me through the process has been pivotal to getting me to where I am. Very rarely does anyone come in and instantly master the push and load. It’s a process, but it’s a process I look forward to.”

Both ST operators are push athletes, who use their explosive strength and precision to accelerate a two or four-man bobsled. In order to excel in this role, the athletes have to conduct thousands of correct repetitions to make sure every hundredth of a second counts. Although the physical training for this process is different from the fitness training required for special operations missions, the mindset needed is similar.

“The biggest thing from Special Tactics that translates to bobsledding is the mindset that you gain from going through all the ST training,” said Walsh. “It’s that no-quit, figure out how to find a solution, figure out a way to be successful-type of mindset. There are days where it’s really tough and you have to do a lot of late-night work on the sled and then get up early the next morning to compete, so having that gritty mindset is very valuable.”

In addition to the “gritty” mindset, Special Tactics operators are accustomed to being in extreme pressure situations where high levels of precision are required in rescue missions, controlling aircraft or guiding bombs on targets, which in turn helps them as athletes compete at the highest levels.

“To compete at this level requires the same focus and attention to detail as pre-mission prep and mission execution,” said Beach. “[Bobsledding], believe it or not, has a lot of parallels with the ST community.”

Unlike Walsh, Beach is not currently part of the World Class Athlete Program and still works as a full-time combat controller continuing to train alongside his teammates at the 22nd STS.

“Competing at this level while maintaining all the currencies expected of us as operators is not an easy feat,” said Beach. “Scuba diving all day and jumping out of planes in the middle of the night is not the best recovery when having to race some of the best athletes in the nation, but I have found a way to make it work.”

In typical ST fashion, both athletes and operators are determined to continue to push themselves to the highest level in whatever they do. For example last year, Beach took on a popular internet fitness challenge back at his squadron in which he had to complete a sub-five-minute mile and squat 500 pounds in the same day. Not only did he complete the challenge, but made sure it was executed to the highest standard by using a certified professional running track and receiving official review from USA Powerlifting judges to verify the squat.

Meanwhile, Walsh also had his eye on professional car racing and became the first active-duty service member to compete in the TC America Series, a touring car racing series in Virginia earlier this year. He ended up placing third overall among some of the top car racers in North America.

Although the ST Airmen hope to represent their country on the Olympic stage, in 2022 for Walsh and 2026 for Beach, even more so, they love the thrill of a good challenge and encourage others to pursue their goals no matter what.

“The best advice I can give anybody to accomplish anything they want to do is, to just start it,” said Walsh. “There’s never a perfect plan from the beginning. I can wait until the moment’s right or I can jump when I’m at an 80% solution and see where I land. And if I fail, figure out how to fail better the next time and eventually succeed. Just begin to build whatever it is that you hope to do. Once you start, you can figure things out as you go.”

Walsh and Beach placed 6th overall in their most recent competition, despite some equipment issues. They will be competing once more before the 2022 Olympics in Lake Placid, New York Dec. 18-20, 2021.

Special Tactics is Air Force Special Operations Command’s tactical air ground integration force and part of the Air Force Special Warfare enterprise, trained to execute global access, precision strike, personnel recovery and battlefield surgery operations across the spectrum of conflict and crisis. Air Force Special Tactics is one of the most highly decorated communities in the Air Force since the Vietnam War with one Medal of Honor, 13 Air Force Crosses and over 50 Silver Star medals. The 24th Special Operations Wing is headquartered in Hurlburt Field, Florida with geographically separated units across the country.

By Capt Alejandra Fontalvo, 24th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs

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