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Breaking Barriers: Sailor Becomes First Female Jungle Warfare Leaders Course Graduate

Monday, April 10th, 2023

OKINAWA, Japan — Deep in the jungle where venomous snakes outnumber people, survival is not for the faint of heart — it’s a matter of strength, skill, and mental fortitude. For decades, American service members across the globe have attended the Jungle Warfare Training Center (JWTC) in Okinawa, Japan, to hone their survival skills and learn the craft of jungle warfare. But until recently, no woman had ever completed the grueling Leaders Course — until a U.S. Navy Sailor broke the mold.

JWTC’s Leaders Course is a rigorous five-week program that tests service members’ physical and mental endurance to the limit. Teams are given minimal supplies and must rely on their training and resiliency to survive. Navigating 8,000 acres of dense, treacherous terrain is just one requirement for participants to demonstrate they can survive in the harsh conditions of the jungle.

The class endured 455 hours of instruction in a fast-paced, compartmentalized jungle environment where they were taught in a multitude of phases on everything from weapons and rope suspension techniques to combat tactics. Participants received intensive instruction on jungle mobility and Marine scouting and patrolling skills. The capstone was a substantial 120 hours of training on how to survive in the jungle.

Information Systems Technician 1st Class Nicole Kazyak (pronounced KAY-ZACK) has always gravitated towards challenging opportunities. A 28-year-old native of Midland, Michigan, she graduated from Michigan State University, majoring in Communication with a minor in Public Relations before joining the military in late 2017. After an initial assignment in Hawaii, she transferred to the Joint Communications Support Element (JCSE) at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, a joint tactical Airborne communications unit prepared to rapidly deploy at a moment’s notice.

JCSE serves as the “Voice Heard ‘Round the World” and has opened the door to incredible opportunities for Kazyak and others. In 2022, she earned her jump wings from the U.S. Army’s Airborne School, despite a tremendous fear of heights. “Every time I jump, I’m scared. But I feel like that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I feel like once you stop being scared, you should probably stop jumping. Because jumping out of a plane is not a normal thing to do in the first place.”

This experience came in handy at JWTC, which featured a rappelling course with a heart-stopping 75’ drop. “I was scared on that, too. But after a couple days of hooking yourself in and rappelling down, after 10-15 times you get a lot more comfortable with it, and it’s not as scary. It becomes a little more fun.”

Kazyak survived the training, but not without a major challenge from the outset. “For the first time in my life, I rolled my ankle — and it just happened to be on my first day in the jungle.” She pushed through her injury with the help of on-site medics, ibuprofen, and the support of her teammates. Her desire to complete the training overshadowed the pain of rucking a 30-pound pack, day in and day out. And her discovery that she was the first female to attempt the course motivated her even more.

“I didn’t know until after I arrived that I was the first woman to go through the course. There aren’t a lot of females doing infantry, so this was a learning experience for all of us.” Early on, participants embarked on a multi-mile ruck, up and down steep cliffs. “I ended up getting a decent time and keeping up with a lot of the guys. I think after that, we broke the ice. I felt like they could see I really wanted to be there, and I wasn’t going to ask for special treatment,” said Kazyak.

JWTC Commander, Lt. Col. Nathaniel R. Jones, added, “The survival phase these students went through was harder than probably any survival phase I’ve seen in the Leaders Course due to the weather and some of the terrain. The amount of growth that happened with this group was inspiring.”

Describing the team’s time in the jungle as “intense” would be an understatement. For the majority of the course’s survival training, rain and abnormally low temperatures were a constant battle. Okinawan jungles are notoriously hot and humid, so participants were presented with an unexpected hurdle. “I was born in Michigan, but for the past five or six years, I’ve lived in hot climates like Hawaii and Florida. I hate being cold, and I hate being wet. At one point, I was sitting there thinking, ‘I am not going to be able to do this.’ I kept asking myself, ‘Why did you volunteer to be here?’ We were all freezing and absolutely miserable.”

Adding to the unforgiving conditions, the team wasn’t allowed to have light at their campsite for the bulk of their training. It was pitch black at night. “We’d hear the wildest sounds creeping up to our camp. It was so dark you couldn’t see anything. Then you’d hear guys sit up in their bivy sacks, listening. Of course we were all thinking the same thing, ‘What the heck was that?’”

Kazyak was fortunate to avoid the deadly habu snakes, which are more active in the summer, but she encountered the largest spiders of her life. “One guy walked straight into an orb spider’s web. I had heard about the size of spiders on Okinawa, but I didn’t think they would be as big as they were. That spider was massive, the size of my fist.”

That same week, her team’s campsite washed out because of the constant rain. She relied heavily on her teammates. “We realized we had to take it day by day and that we were all in the suck together and had to embrace it. Now that we’re done with it, I realize I can push myself more than I ever thought I could.”

It was thoughts of her mom, dad, and brother that got Kazyak through the tough moments. “Growing up, my mom always told me, ‘Be comfortable being uncomfortable.’ Because once you get comfortable, that means you’re not learning. And you learn the most out of those situations.”

Kazyak’s infantry training was definitely far outside her comfort zone. Nevertheless, her expertise managing the Navy’s global satellite telecommunications systems set her up for success during the comms phase of the jungle warfare training. “I was able to teach these Marines the ins and outs of telecommunications after they had just shown me the ropes of their life in infantry. We all speak in different languages based off our ratings in the military, so this was a cool opportunity to coach one another on our specialties.”

Jungle warfare training is now more crucial than ever, and thanks to this opportunity, she has a greater perspective on the value of the region and the importance of training locally. “At the end of the day, if a conflict does kick off, having a baseline knowledge of this terrain is going to be super beneficial. We’re going back and teaching the troops in our home units. There are so many factors out here: the terrain, the cold, the heat, the location. This is definitely the place to train. It’s just a completely different ballgame for sure.”

Despite the physical and mental challenges, Kazyak and her teammates refused to give up. They ate berries, ferns, and lots of ginger — while staying hydrated by filtering drinking water from ravines. They spent time reminiscing on the comforts of home. “We were all so miserable, but kept pushing through together. I remember at one point, we sat there on the jungle floor, talking about foods we were craving. I couldn’t stop thinking about a place back in Florida that serves pepperoni pizza with hot honey on top. I lost about eight pounds while we were in the jungle, but gained it back once we were finally able to visit the chow hall.”

In reflecting on her time in the jungle, Kazyak was reminded of her mom’s wise advice. “She always tells me, ‘The only thing constant in life is change.’” Kazyak garnered wisdom of her own throughout the course. “You don’t have to be at the peak of everything; you just need to have the motivation and the willingness to actually move forward and complete your goal. I’m not the strongest or the fastest, but I know I can push myself enough to get through those crappy times. I think too many people get complacent and get so used to their day to day and they’re scared of change.”

Kazyak made history on March 31, 2023 — the last day of Women’s History Month — when she became the first female Leaders Course graduate of the U.S. military’s premiere training center on jungle warfare. “This wasn’t a comfortable scenario for me at all. But I feel like those are the situations you learn the most about yourself.”

In an era of change, the U.S. military has come a long way in recognizing and appreciating the contributions of women. Kazyak continues, “I just want to keep pushing and proving women can do anything and everything. I feel like we always have to work 10 times harder to prove ourselves. A lot of people don’t get the opportunities I’ve had, like becoming a jungle leader or going to Airborne School. I like to hold on to that. I’m grateful for it. It shows we can do the same things as the men.”

Story by Candice Barber, Commander, Fleet Activities, Okinawa

Photos by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jessica Hattell

Posted in Guest Post, Navy, Profession of Arms, Training | 10 Comments »

Warrior West 23 – Phokus Research Group Wound Club+

Wednesday, April 5th, 2023

The new Wound Club+ from Phokus Research Group combines the capabilities of the Wound Club and Wound Cube+.

It offers three training wounds that can bleed and is backed by Phokus’ lifetime guarantee.

Units and agencies can procure products seen at Warrior West by contacting ADS, Inc.

Posted in Advertiser, Medical, Training, Warrior Expo | Comments Off on Warrior West 23 – Phokus Research Group Wound Club+

CAL FIRE: Building on the Basics

Tuesday, April 4th, 2023

SUN PRAIRIE, WI – Steady and deliberate. That’s the approach taken by leaders at the CAL FIRE Training Center (CFTC) these days for providing a solid foundation for their firefighters. And, for the past 22 years, the Assistant Fire Chief training tower has been a cornerstone on their drill grounds, helping those trainers with their operational instructions.

“Our approach to training has simplified over the years,” says Battalion Chief Dave Semple with the Training Center for CAL FIRE in Ione, Calif. “We’re focusing on ‘back to basics’ that builds a strong base for our employees.”

Located in Amador County, 35 miles southeast of Sacramento, the Training Center sits on 420 acres and was established in 1967. Year-round training on structural firefighting based on California State Fire Training curriculum, emergency response, wildland command and control are all provided at the Training Center. The all-steel training tower from Fire Facilities is used to complement many areas of the training.

“The Assistant Fire Chief tower is used every month — and sometimes every week — in some capacity,” according to Semple. “During the past two decades it’s easy to calculate that several thousand firefighters have trained on the tower.”

Quality Training for All

At CFTC, Semple and Battalion Chief Brett Fucillo work for Division Chief of Fire Training Rob Wheatley. Together they create training scenarios that challenge firefighters and prepare them for what they’ll experience in their jobs throughout California.

“CAL FIRE provides extensive wildfire training to our employees,” says Semple. “However, most of the training involving the tower focuses on structural firefighting. We conduct search drills, deploy fire hoses, and raise ladders against the exterior of the tower. The annex section of the tower is used for burning. A big plus is that the tower has enough space to provide quality training to large group numbers.”

The Assistant Fire Chief has three separate areas: a four-story fire training tower, a residential section and a burn room annex. Multiple training scenarios are possible including rappelling, roof ventilation, high-angle rescue operations, forcible entry without penetrations and live fire burn scenarios.

“Overall, the Fire Facilities tower has held up well since its installation in 2001,” says Semple. “It wasn’t foreseen that the tower would experience this much use in 20+ years at CFTC. It’s currently in the process of some repairs, due to the high amount of use it’s been exposed to over time. However, we continue to use a large portion of the facility even during repairs. This tower is part of the backbone of our training program. We rely on it as a key element of training for our program participants.”

Fire Facilities, Inc. (FFI), founded in 1989 and an ISFSI corporate sponsor, manufactures a full line of steel fire training structures engineered to withstand real-life firefighting conditions. From mobile units to burn rooms to high-rise towers, FFI training models are available in a multitude of configurations. Our parent company, Trachte Building Systems, is one of the largest and oldest manufacturers of steel self-storage systems in the industry. For more information, visit www.firefacilities.com or call 800-929-3726.

Posted in Industry, Press Release, Training | Comments Off on CAL FIRE: Building on the Basics

1st Marine Division Enhances Lethality and Versatility with Innovative Infantry Training

Thursday, March 30th, 2023

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. —

1st Marine Division units conducted a series of training events in recent weeks to increase small unit lethality and versatility, with an emphasis on innovative weapon systems, warfighting concepts, and training programs.

1st Marine Division Marines and Sailors took part in a week-long multipurpose anti-armor anti-personnel weapon system program, as well as a multi-day Designated Marksman range. Both training events provided experience and familiarity with weapon systems and tactics necessary to compete in hostile, fluid, and challenging environments.

“The 1st Marine Division exists to fight and win our Nation’s battles,” emphasized Major General Benjamin Watson, the commanding general of the 1st Marine Division, in his Commanding General’s Intent. “We must be brilliant in the basics of combined arms warfighting; techniques that have long made us feared by our enemies.”

“…Marines assigned as Designated Marksmen have learned the necessary skills, demonstrated confidence and sustained proficiency in the M110 and MK13 in order to provide precision fires in support of rifle company operations.”

Gunner Tyler Maisey, the senior weapons and tactics expert for 2nd Battalion

General Watson took command of the 20,000 Marines and Sailors in the historic Blue Diamond last summer. Immediately, the commanding general emphasized the division’s ability to provide the most lethal and ready forces capable to compete in any environment, at any time. Division units consistently train with the most modern weapons, tactics, and techniques.

Marines and Sailors with the 5th Marine Regiment took part in a week-long MAAWS training event, first learning about the capabilities of the weapon system, and then taking their instruction to the field to test and examine its destructive strength. The MAAWS, also known as the Carl Gustaf, provides infantry squads the ability to neutralize and even destroy enemy armor and light armor assets at greater distances compared to the SMAW, LAW, and AT-4. The MAAWS also allows combat engineer units to breach obstacles and establish footholds in challenging objectives.

“The MAAWs recoilless rifle and family of ammo provide the service a capability that makes efficient what multiple weapon systems currently do. The ability to obscure objectives, fire HE/HEAT, illumination, and smoke missions, at ranges further than an organic rifle platoon can do currently with multiple systems is a capability enhancement,” explained 1st Marine Division’s lead weapons and tactics expert, Gunner Ray Browne. “For Designated Marksmen, DM training will ensure the capability gap in the squad is more effectively filled to employ these enhanced marksmanship skills with precision weapon systems that IBX30 allocates to the squad.”

Marines and Sailors with the 7th Marine Regiment spent multiple days out in the desert of 29 Palms learning and developing long-range precision rifle techniques and procedures. The Designated Marksman program allows sharp-shooting Marines to perform precision fire tasks in support of ground combat maneuver. The Designated Marksman training focused on the M110 and the MK13 rifles, capable of precision engagements of around 800 and 1200 meters, respectively.

“2/7 will move the long guns to the rifle company ‘arms-room’ and train 0311s to employ the precision weapon systems,” provided Gunner Tyler Maisey, the senior weapons and tactics expert for 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines. “Marines assigned as Designated Marksmen have learned the necessary skills, demonstrated confidence and sustained proficiency in the M110 and MK13 in order to provide precision fires in support of rifle company operations.”

MAAWS and Designated Marksman training are just two focus areas of the Infantry Battalion Experimentation 2030, or IBX30. One aspect of IBX30 is allowing infantry battalions, the bulk of 1st Marine Division units, to remain versatile in their capabilities through an arms-room concept. The arms-room concept allows infantry Marines to be well-trained with multiple weapon systems, instead of limiting them to one or two weapon systems at a time. Additional, ongoing training includes scout platoon integration, which will provide infantry battalions organic reconnaissance capabilities for distributed operations. The redundancy and versatility of our critical infantry community reinforce the highest levels of battlefield effectiveness and allow 1st Marine Division to provide any force or operation with significant lethality and the ability to win in any clime or place.

Capt Joseph DiPietro, 1st Marine Division

Posted in Guest Post, Training, USMC | 1 Comment »

White Stag Exercise Prepares AMC Airmen for Mobility Guardian 2023

Tuesday, March 28th, 2023

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. (AFNS) —

The 305th Air Mobility Wing conducted the first iteration of their annual training exercise, White Stag, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, March 8-9.

White Stag is a wing level exercise implemented as a self-evaluation, validating the wing’s Full Spectrum Readiness and ability to deploy, operate and sustain rapid global mobility in any contested environment. Additionally, White Stag serves as a training opportunity for the 305th Air Mobility Wing to prepare for Air Mobility Command’s largest exercise, Mobility Guardian 2023, later this year.

“We’re starting to push Airmen past their comfort zones with these training exercises and change their mindsets,” said Lt. Col. James Salazar, 305th AMW inspector general. “Future conflicts won’t be the same as anything we’ve previously been involved in, it’s going to be fast paced with less support from a main operating base.”

With rapid mobilization generation as a foremost priority, White Stag began with an engine running crew change, demonstrating how quickly and efficiently aircrews can swap roles while the aircraft is running, minimizing the possibility of maintenance issues. ERCC’s ensure units are always ready to go with presenting a consistent and sustainable mobility force, aligning mission priorities with the new Air Force Force Generation model.

“Once a KC-46A Pegasus tanker has landed, maintenance has several hours to service and fuel the aircraft,” said Maj. Gage Owens, 305th AMW chief of wing exercises. “With an ERCC, we plan for approximately 45 minutes from landing, to crew swaps, and takeoff, which mitigates the time the aircraft is on the ground.”

During White Stag, crews were also able to implement the use of Agile Combat Employment concepts which allowed operations to shift from centralized physical infrastructure to a network of smaller, dispersed locations that can complicate adversarial planning and execution, providing increased flexibility, sustainability and defense options for joint force commanders.

“We’ve taken the classic elements of a readiness exercise and enhanced it with high-end training that we don’t always incorporate,” Salazar said. “For example, the wet-wing defuel is a newer capability that we’ve been working utilize across the C-17 fleet. We’re incorporating some of the ACE concepts and simulating what it would be like if our crews were required to operate in an austere environment, with minimal resources, personnel and support.”

These elements enable allied forces to operate with varying levels of capacity and support to generate lethal combat capability.

“This iteration of White Stag focused on minimized ground times and building flexibility,” Owens said. “Dynamic re-taskings were a big factor for this exercise. We had wing inspection team members flying on the airplanes and they would toss inject cards to the crew that would divert the aircrews, forcing them to replan at the last minute to accomplish the mission.”

The use of inject cards was to simulate real-life situations air crews might face during conflict that may require crews to act with little to no planning.

The integration of complex operational capabilities like ERCC and the wet-wing defueling enabled the teams at JBMDL to build their proficiency, knowledge and comfort while operating in high threat environments. It also allowed the 305th AMW to incorporate the 87th Air Base Wing, enabling Total Force integration with plans to expand those relationships across the Department of Defense.

“This exercise has helped with facilitating and building a lot of key relationships,” Owens said. “With upcoming exercises, we’ll continue to build relations with our joint partners like the 87th ABW, Navy, Marine Aircraft Group 49, the 108th Wing, and the National Guard units out in Atlantic City. We’ll continue to capitalize on Joint Force integration as we increase the scope and scale of these exercises.”

Total Force mobility Airmen are the backbone of ACE, and the AFFORGEN model provides consistent training opportunities for the 305th AMW to develop and employ mobility Airmen to generate-fly-deliver worldwide.

Exercises like White Stag further empowers airmen to employ ACE concepts, deter the pacing challenge and project critical support to the Joint Force from the DoD’s only tri-service installation.

By Senior Airman Sergio Avalos and Senior Airman Joseph Morales

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Training | Comments Off on White Stag Exercise Prepares AMC Airmen for Mobility Guardian 2023

Team One Network Promotes Robert Cole to Director of Training

Thursday, March 23rd, 2023

Fredericksburg, VA, March 13, 2023 – Team One Network announced that Robert Cole has been promoted to Director of Training. Robert has been with Team One Network since 2015 and has served as the Training Coordinator since August 2018. “Robert has been a dedicated and valuable member of the team working as both Instructor and Training Coordinator providing cutting edge training programs,” said John T. Meyer Jr., President of Team One Network.

Robert has instructed and helped develop multiple Team One Network courses, to include: Shoot House Instructor, Low Light/ Laser Instructor, Pistol Mounted Optics Instructor, Mechanical Breaching Instructor, Tactical Ballistic Shield Instructor, & Counter Ambush Instructor. Robert is also a certified armorer for Benelli, CZ, Springfield Armory and Smith & Wesson firearms.

Before Robert’s time at Team One Network, he served in the United States Marine Corps for 10 years. He was an infantry Sergeant and deployed to multiple countries including Afghanistan, Japan, Philippines, Thailand, Guam, and Australia. He finished his USMC career serving as the Assistant Operations Chief for the Regimental Operations office aboard The Basic School at MCB Quantico Virginia training new Marine Corps officers. Robert oversaw logistical support for training. His personal awards include the Purple Heart, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with combat distinguishing device, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal 2nd award.

We look forward to an exciting future of Robert developing and expanding the training division of Team One Network.

www.teamonenetwork.com

Posted in Industry, Press Release, Training | 2 Comments »

New Training Course Offers Medics, Nurses Hands-on Experience in Austere Environment

Monday, March 13th, 2023

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas (AFNS) —

Army and Air Force personnel from Brooke Army Medical Center’s Department of Emergency Medicine recently established a simulation training platform to increase readiness and meet Joint Commission requirements for staff development and training.

The Tactical Trauma Reaction and Evacuation Crossover Course, or TTREX, is designed to test and validate Individual Critical Task Lists and the Comprehensive Medical Readiness Program for military medical personnel.

“The TTREX course was developed to familiarize military and civilian personnel with critical trauma skills relevant to both the hospital and the austere environment and to maintain mission readiness,” said Army 1st Lt. Jackson Goddard, registered nurse.

The eight-hour course at the Torch Training Site at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland incorporates battlefield trauma simulations, evacuation procedures, and trauma care in a Role 2 environment. Role 2, also known as forward resuscitative care, has the capability to manage more advanced trauma patients and continue more advanced resuscitative measures in an austere environment such as a combat support hospital.

“We have combined the point of injury with the Role 2 environment,” said Air Force 1st Lt. Marissa Vasek, registered nurse. “Our goal is to get people to understand the deployment setting and the challenges they might face while deployed including limitations with supplies, manpower or experience.”

Additionally, participants experience what it’s like to be on a C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft during a critical care air transport mission to see how a patient is transported to a higher echelon of care.

Army Spc. Wade Wolf, a combat medic, said he feels the training is beneficial because participants get to see how a patient moves from the point of injury to a stateside hospital.

“We’ve had more than 40 participants over the two-day exercise,” Wolf said. “I would say about half of them have never been deployed.”

Emergency nurse Army Capt. Megan Gross agreed.

“This has been one of my favorite courses I have attended in my 14 years in the military,” Gross said. “The course allows nurses and medics to test their trauma knowledge in a tactical environment and provides a realistic peek into the deployed setting. The teamwork and camaraderie among the attendees and the instructors are unique and foster a real esprit de corps.

“My favorite part was the Role 2 trauma lane and having the opportunity to work in a small team to assess, perform interventions, and prepare our patient for transport,” she added. “The autonomy aspect provided a unique learning opportunity we often do not get in the hospital setting. The instructors provided a learning environment that was challenging but collaborative at the same time. I loved it!”

The TTREX course will be offered quarterly and is open to service members, civilians, and contractors.

“The course is geared to medics and nurses, but it’s open to anyone who’s willing to learn or just wants to observe,” Vasek said. “We have even had a few physicians come through.”

“A part of creating this exercise was to help military nurses and medics gain the confidence they need to perform under high stress while downrange,” added Army Capt. Brianna Barkley, a registered nurse who helped create the course. “We have seen camaraderie built amongst BAMC teammates while also checking off required readiness skills. What made our exercise successful is the fact that it is a learning environment. Participants feel comfortable making mistakes and learning from those mistakes to build confidence during deployments.”

“This training is invaluable because it allows service members to maintain combat readiness,” Gross said. “We have Individual Critical Task Lists, which are required training tasks for our jobs. This training opportunity allowed me to complete all of my ICTLS for the year, which maintains my individual combat readiness.”

“I was so impressed with this course as a participant that I volunteered to become an instructor and look forward to being a part of the next TTREX course,” she added.

By Lori Newman, Brooke Army Medical Center Public Affairs

Army photos by Jason W. Edwards

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

Airborne Innovation Lab Presents Additive Manufacturing Course

Thursday, March 2nd, 2023

Last week, the AIL hosted a Basic Additive Manufacturing Course. This 40 hour course taught the basic concepts of Additive Manufacturing and how to efficiently implement it within the DoD.

Students came from various units across Fort Bragg including Division, 18th Fires, 3SFG, and 2SFAB. Students completed the course with a capstone project Highlighted here was a handcuff skeleton key which van be hidden in a boot lace.

AIL offers a variety of courses that can be found on our website:

www.army.mil/82ndairborne#org-airborne-innovation-lab

Posted in Disruptive Tech, Guest Post, Training | Comments Off on Airborne Innovation Lab Presents Additive Manufacturing Course