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Brazilian Army Leadership Lauds Opportunity to Train with US Army

Monday, September 5th, 2022

FORT POLK, La. — Prior to his soldiers arriving to the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk to take part in a bilateral training exercise, Gen. Estevam Cals Theophilo, commander, Brazilian Army Land Operations Command, emphasized the importance of his troops being ready for the next conflict.

“Our mentality must be that are prepared to fight in combat,” Theophilo said. “We can go a thousand years without war, but we can’t afford one second without being prepared to fight when war arises.”

Theophilo, along with Brig. Gen. Lynn Heng, U.S. Army South deputy commanding general, were able to see firsthand the Brazilian troops train in the area known as the “Box” during a visit to JRTC, Aug. 24-26 as part of a Distinguished Visitors Day.

“This training for us is very important,” Theophilo said. “We know this kind of exercise replicates fighting in true combat and the realness of this exercise prepares us to be ready.”

The Brazilian Army, or Exército Brasileiro, participation in JRTC is the part of an agreed to activity which was included in a five-year plan developed between the Exército Brasileiro and U.S. Army South during annual Army-to-Army Staff Talks. The Staff Talks Program promotes bilateral efforts in order to develop professional partnerships and increase interaction between partner nation armies.

Having arrived at Louisiana in early August, a company element of the 5th Light Infantry Battalion (Air Mobile) integrated with the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment (White Currahee), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) as part of rotation 22-09 to conduct tactical infantry operations, exercise interoperability and strengthen their ability to plan and execute complex maneuver operations.

The mission of the JRTC and Fort Polk is to train Brigade Combat Teams to conduct large scale combat operations on the decisive action battlefield against a near-peer threat with multi-domain capabilities. JRTC Rotation 22-09 was the second time a Brazilian Army unit came to the Combat Training Center to train with a U.S. Army brigade.

Once on the ground, the Brazilian soldiers were praised for their professionalism, tactical skills and ability to embed with their U.S. Army counterparts. While training in the Box, the Brazilians were given after action reviews by the Observer-Controllers, where they were given feedback on what they planned to do, what actually happened, and engaged with the opposing forces to learn what they did well and what they could improve on.

“They’ve done an exceptional job of deliberate planning, conducting rehearsals and understanding the mission they have to accomplish and moving to that location to accomplish that mission,” said Maj. Micah Chapman, JRTC Operations Group Task Force 3 executive officer. “They’re really effective in terms of security — whether its short halts, long halts, securing themselves, securing an area and having an active mindset of understanding the situation and responding, when necessary, lethally.”

Although much attention during the bilateral training engagement was focused on kinetic and tactical operations at the company and platoon-level, a critical area the Brazilian Army wanted to improve was developing leaders at their combat training centers to be more realistic to train their soldiers for combat.

A small contingent, comprised of several officers and noncommissioned officers, embedded with the JRTC Operations Group and completed an abbreviated academy where they could capture and coach the best practices of combined arms maneuver.

“We put them right in where they were able to make decisions, do coaching and adjudicate fights that were taking place between friendly and enemy forces,” Chapman said. “There are some differences between the way the U.S. Army go about observing, coaching, and training, and they desire to move in our direction.”

After watching his soldiers take part in the blank fire rehearsal, Lt. Col. Attila Balczó, commander, 5th Light Infantry Battalion (Air Mobile), gleamed with pride in describing their actions upon seizing the objective.

“I am very proud,” Balczó said. “We had many exercises and spent more than 120 days in the field to prepare our soldiers for this training. When I saw our soldiers executing on the battlefield here today, it was gratifying to see that our preparation had great results. They put on a good showing in simulated combat and their performance allows us to have interoperability with our U.S. partners.”

Balczó added that JRTC allowed the best environment for his soldiers to improve their capabilities and they will return to Brazil with much experience and become better trained to fight.

Army South Deputy Commanding General Brig. Gen. Lynn Heng mentioned the United States is fortunate to have the caliber of soldiers the Brazilian Army possesses as our allies to protect mutual security interests in the Western Hemisphere.

“We need to do these types of exercises to build upon our defensive capabilities and we enjoy doing these types of exercises, especially with Brazil, which further enhances our interoperability,” Heng said. “Brazil has been a key partner for us in the U.S. Southern Command area of operations for many decades and will be for many to come.”

Heng added as part of Army South’s motto “Defense and Fraternity” that it is imperative the command keep strong the fraternity with Brazil so that both armies remain successful in meeting training objectives and strengthening partnerships.

Following three hours of continuous assault on the rough central-Louisiana terrain, Theophilo addressed the soldiers, where he commended their efforts and recognized the occasion of Dia do Soldado, or Day of the Soldier — a Brazilian national holiday on Aug. 25 commemorating the birthday of the Duke of Caxias, patron of the Brazilian Army.

He asked his sweat-drenched, muddied and exhausted soldiers on their impressions of the training and received responses expressing how it was a unique opportunity to work with U.S. Soldiers, gain new experiences and familiarization with aircraft, share best practices and tactics and train in a different climate.

“Our countries have always been friends in military matters,” Theopilo said. “We have conducted training in the jungles of Brazil and now we’re training together here at Fort Polk. At the end of the day, this is what matters. Being ready for war is only possible through much practice, adjustments and more practice. Without field exercises, conversations aren’t worth anything.”

Finally, the general reminded his troops, “The U.S. is our principal ally — we have no doubt about that.”

By Donald Sparks

Posted in Army, Guest Post, International, Training | 4 Comments »

US Army Reserve Officer Presents “Medical Care in a Radioactive Environment” to NATO Members

Sunday, September 4th, 2022

During his presentation at the Interallied Confederation of Medical Reserve Officers event on Aug. 3, 2022, in Athens, Greece, U.S. Army Reserve Capt. Eliot Fletcher, commander of the 491st Medical Care Area Support from Santa Fe, New Mexico, discussed the topic of radiation exposure in an increased global threat environment.

The CIOMR Junior Medical Reserve Officer Workshop provided North Atlantic Treaty Organization and partner nation junior Medical and Medical Support Officers a professional development program in a multi-national environment, focusing on NATO medical planning, civil-military negotiation training, and operation medical planning within a chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear environment.

Fletcher, an Army biochemist, holds a doctorate in genetics and conducted his post-doctoral research in Radiation Biology, so his knowledge of radioactive environments and radiation injury treatment made him a perfect fit to present at the conference.

“The issue of operating in a radioactive environment is more critical today than it has been since the end of the Cold War,” Fletcher said. “Since the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine in February, there has been increased rhetoric surrounding the use of nuclear weapons and increased risk of a radiological incident.”

Fletcher discussed how ionizing radiation damages DNA and the body’s ability to repair the damaged DNA and continue normal cell function. (Ionizing radiation provides enough energy to disrupt the normal structure of surrounding materials, like living tissue. Tissue damage occurs when DNA repair is overwhelmed). A person’s typical exposure to background radiation is 2.4 millisieverts, or mSv per year, and at 100 mSv, there is a slightly increased risk of cancer.

Fletcher then examined the biology of radiation through five historical exposures. Hiroshima and Nagasaki both experienced extremely high exposure due to the use of nuclear weapons.

“Detonating a bomb high enough that the fireball does not actually touch the surface of the Earth, is called an air blast. Conversely, a nuclear bomb detonated at surface level, land or water, is perceived as a surface blast,” Fletcher said.

Both explosions were surface blasts, pulling debris into the air, leading to radioactive fallout. These explosions resulted in large numbers of people being exposed to high levels of radiation. To date, thousands of people are still tracked for elevated rates of cancer. Survivors had a significantly elevated rate of cancer, while their offspring showed no signs of increased abnormalities, and no detected elevation of the mutation rate.

The study of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster (due to a reactor shutdown causing the Reactor 4 explosion) and the Fukushima nuclear accident of 2007 (due to an earthquake and ensuing tsunami damaging the cooling systems and resulting in a partial meltdown of the reactors and release of radiation) focused on increased health issues, acute radiation illness, and potential for cancer based on distance from the epicenter and exposure levels of radiation.

“The lessons learned from these radiological/nuclear incidents relate directly to the effects of specific doses of radiation on biology. They also taught us how hard it is to track people exposed to radiation and determine exactly their dosage,” Fletcher said. “This highlights the importance of being able to track how much radiation a Soldier is exposed to in order to treat that person specifically.”

Fletcher concluded the presentation drawing attention to the invaluable data gained from radiation during space travel and its applicability to the battlefield. Protecting against radiation in space is crucial, as some radiation particles can pass through the skin, damaging cells and DNA, and/or cause acute radiation sickness. However, unlike most environments, it is impossible to evade space radiation during space travel. Similarly, in a radioactive combat zone, it may not be feasible to rapidly escape from a radioactive environment.

“The Russian invasion of Ukraine has brought to the forefront at least two concerns, 1) an increased Global Threat of a radiological disaster and 2) that rapid ingress and egress will be difficult in large scale operations. When these two concerns are combined, it creates an environment for the warfighter in which we need to begin preparing to fight and operate for potentially prolonged periods in a radiological environment,” Fletcher said.

Fletcher received the CIOMR JMROW “Best Overall Presentation” award and will pursue a technical advisor position on the NATO CBRN working group.

Fletcher’s unit, the 491st MCAS, is currently assigned to the Command and Control CBRN Response Element-A, or C2CRE-A mission. When directed by the Secretary of Defense, the military CBRN Response Enterprise will conduct CBRN response operations within the U.S. and its Territories or outside the continental U.S. to support civil authorities in response to CBRN incidents in order to save lives and minimize human suffering.

The 491st MCAS conducts quarterly training exercises honing decontamination tactics and techniques and identifying and treating acute radiation syndrome and chronic radiation illness. Since 2019, the unit has trained in the Guardian Response exercise at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, Indiana, conducting a CBRN disaster in a controlled environment.

By SPC Ronald Bell, LTC Kristin Porter and MAJ Sherrain Reber

Posted in Army, CBRNE, Guest Post, International, Medical, Training | Comments Off on US Army Reserve Officer Presents “Medical Care in a Radioactive Environment” to NATO Members

Soldiers Test Integrated Augmented Reality Tech with Stryker Vehicles

Friday, September 2nd, 2022

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. — The Program Executive Office for Ground Combat Systems hosted a two-day demonstration event at JBLM August 24 and 25, highlighting state-of-the-art communications and visual augmentation technology integrated into U.S. Army Stryker armored vehicles as well as Soldiers’ individual combat gear.

The event was part of the ongoing development of the Integrated Visual Augmentation System — or IVAS — based on Microsoft’s existing HoloLens 2 technology that has been tested by Soldiers since 2019. The IVAS system is an augmented reality goggle that provides Soldiers with real-time battlefield information such as enemy and friendly locations, navigation information, and high-resolution night and thermal vision.

IVAS’ capability is being significantly expanded with the latest iteration, according to David Morris, Ph.D. and lead network engineer for MITRE Corporation’s Army Platforms Division.

“The major new technologies we’re experimenting with today are the Tactical Scalable MANET waveform, which is bringing data down to the forward tactical edge to the dismounted Soldiers and to the vehicles, and connecting those systems together so that everybody has awareness of where the others are,” Morris said. “You can send messages, lay down graphic overlays, mission data, et cetera, so that you’ve got better capability that previously was only available up at the command post.”

High-quality camera systems were also integrated into the Strykers and linked with IVAS, said Morris.

“The other piece we’re adding is 360-degree situational awareness,” said Morris. “We’ve added a variety of cameras to supplement the existing vehicle cameras. So instead of just having the gun camera and the relatively small forward and reverse cameras, now we’ve got high-end cameras all the way around the vehicle with both day and night vision. The Soldiers wearing the new IVAS technology are able to use those cameras and access them while they’re en route to mission. Instead of staring at a blank steel wall, they can keep up with what’s going on around the vehicle. They can also switch to a tactical map mode so they can see what’s going on around their broader mission area.”

The culminating event of the demonstration involved a platoon task force of five Stryker vehicles operated by 3rd Platoon, Blackhorse Company of 2-3 Infantry Regiment, 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team carrying infantry Soldiers on a movement-to-contact and urban raid mission to seize and clear a building in Leschi Town, a training range at JBLM.

An operation of this size previously would have been conducted with a larger company-sized force, but the new expansion of IVAS increases capability such that one platoon can carry out the mission, according to Phillip Landan, assistant program manager and product lead for Ground Combat Product Integration.

Putting new tech into Soldiers’ hands during the product development stage and conducting simulated combat exercises like these enables developers to reduce cost, schedule, and performance risks, validate prototype installation and interoperability, and capture Soldier feedback to improve future designs, according to Program Executive Office for Ground Combat Systems.

Soldiers were given several surveys to fill out following each training exercise along with conducting after-action review meetings, giving direct feedback to the various offices and companies who are developing the systems so that their input can be used to improve the final product.

The increased capability was generally well-received by the Soldiers testing out IVAS, who have been training on it for the past two weeks leading up to the demonstration.

“When all doors and hatches in the Stryker are closed, I can see 360 degrees around my vehicle to check for IEDs, check where my other vehicles are and check their movement, and all of that has been a huge asset to us these last two weeks,” said Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Williams, third platoon leader for Blackhorse Company. “The situational awareness that I’m able to gain at a leader level from being able to see the icons for where all my [Soldiers] are means I can do route planning, I can do mission planning, I can publish graphical overlays, I can navigate with literally a turn-by-turn navigation feature, and I can send messages back and forth to the members of the platoon.”

This means that every Soldier can better contribute to accomplishing the mission, said Williams.

“It greatly enhances our ability to operate.”

By SPC Chandler Coats

Posted in Army, Guest Post, Training | 9 Comments »

Kestrel KST1000 Shot Timer

Wednesday, August 31st, 2022

Kestrel Ballistics has long been known for their weather meters. They’ve expanded their line with a Made In USA shot timer, the KST1000.

Features:
• 5 Nameable setting presets
• 2 Easy-to-use screens from your hip or in your hand
• Compatible with dry fire and suppressed shooting
• Extra Loud Buzzer
• Waterproof and dust-proof
• Bluetooth Link Enabled
• Durable Drop-tested to MIL-STD-810G standards

kestrelballistics.com/buy-shot-timer

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Exercise Distant Horizon Validates Indo-Pacific Sustainment Functions

Tuesday, August 30th, 2022

PATRICK SPACE FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) —

More than 140 sustainment and operations Airmen from the 920th Rescue Wing established a temporary contingency location, or TCL, in less than 24 hours at Patrick Space Force Base to conduct the wing’s exercise Distant Horizon, Aug. 1-10, which validated the multi-capable sustainment abilities of a Personnel Recovery Task Force, or PRTF, in the jungle environments of the Indo-Pacific region.

Distant Horizon is an annual exercise that prepares the wing’s PRTFs for global, untethered access, war, contingency, humanitarian, and in extremis operations around the world. These readiness requirements support the wing’s mission to plan, lead and conduct military rescue operations and missions to deny competitors and adversaries exploitation of isolated personnel.

In less than one day, Airmen from every group in the wing were transported more than 4,700 miles to a remote island location that is part of the U.S. Army’s 25th Infantry Division training area. The PRTF loaded more than 130,000 pounds of aircraft, weapons, and equipment, and established a self-sustained encampment for a PRTF-Medium.

From the TCL, a group of sustainment, maintenance and operations Airmen established two separate initial contingency locations, or ICL, at geographically separated locations on another island where sites were established to support contingency activities. Using the wing’s organic intra-theater airlift, the team pushed advanced forces to four different geographically separated locations on multiple islands that covered more than 200-square-miles.

“When war occurs, the catalyst for battlespace success is our noncommissioned officers’ and company-grade officers’ ability to lead well in chaos,” said Col. John Dobbin, 920th Rescue Wing commander. “We conduct these exercises to test our wing leaders and maintain focus on the inevitables of war, which are: you will never have all the information, necessary resources, adequate manpower, nor enough money yet, fight you must.”

The PRTF structure distributes forces in light, medium and heavy configurations that can maneuver and sustain organically throughout all operating environments. In lockstep with the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment applications, the new PRTF structure utilizes multi-capable Airmen from across the wing to provide both offensive and defensive capabilities during personnel recovery, contingency location establishment and intra-theater airlift operations. The PRTF-Medium supported in this exercise is composed of four Guardian Angel teams, four HH-60G Pave Hawks, two HC-130J Combat King IIs, and a contingent of special mission personnel.

Three HC-130Js from the wing provided airlift into theater teaming with a C-5 Super Galaxy from the 512th Airlift Wing, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, and a C-17 Globemaster III from the 446th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The wing’s HC-130s and one HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter provided all the intra-theater airlift requirements between the ICL and TCL locations.

The lynchpin of the exercise was the sustainment team, made up of Airmen from the 920th Mission Support Group, where the logistics readiness squadron maneuvered 130 tons of cargo across multiple islands and four geographically separated locations while using organic airlift. They delivered more than 1,800 gallons of water and 500 gallons of fuel to sustain the TCL over eight days for more than 140 personnel. The force support squadron developed a new accountability system to track the position of all friendly forces and served 984 meals over six days from the Single Pallet Expeditionary Kitchen. The security forces squadron provided ICL and TCL defense to ensure all personnel and equipment were safeguarded 24/7 throughout the duration of the exercise. The communication squadron provided over-the-air reach back capability through multiple high- and low-tech systems where friendly forces mission-tracked forward operations while maintaining higher headquarters connectivity.

“These Airmen traveled 4,700 miles and found out what is required of them when they are pulled forward into a TCL or ICL in a combat environment,” said Maj. Traci Arnold, exercise and task force commander. “They stepped up to provide the four key elements for our forward deployed operations: food, ammo, fuel, and water. When we provide these for the PRTF, forward deployed operations don’t have to return to a rear location to resupply. They can continue the mission, which will save time and lives.”

There were three primary areas of training on the ground that included jungle survival, base defense tactics, and medical response to a traumatic event with additional training in the use of radios, repositioning the camp for a hasty exfiltration, and other group leadership challenges.

Medical personnel conducted training on Tactical Combat Casualty Care and patient movement and loading. They also trained on jungle survival techniques from survival, evasion, resistance, and escape, or SERE, specialists where they learned Indo-Pacific focused skills.

Airmen moved beyond their Air Force specialty codes while receiving specific training to support combat rescue operations. Security forces provided training on foot patrols, troop movements with contact to fire, reconnaissance, personnel detainment, search and interrogation, weapons handling, radio emission control discipline, and TCL security.

“We validated the capability to organically support our operational forces and to move cargo and personnel daily to and from an ICL. Each Airman is critical to the success of this mission and their AFSC does not matter. They are warfighters first,” Arnold said.

Story by Lt Col Ian Phillips

Photos SSgt Darius Sostre-Miroir

920th Rescue Wing

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Training | Comments Off on Exercise Distant Horizon Validates Indo-Pacific Sustainment Functions

New Tactical Training Systems Website Launched

Monday, August 29th, 2022

SUN PRAIRIE, WI – Tactical Training Systems, an industry leader in the design and manufacturing of pre-engineered steel training structures for a variety of tactical scenarios, has launched a new website at www.tacticaltrainingsystems.com. The enhanced site explores the different series of products available from the company, profiles of past projects and details on available financing.

Designed and manufactured specifically for law enforcement and military personnel, Tactical Training buildings feature structural steel framing, all galvanized and hot-dipped steel and flat decking systems. Facilities also include roof and floor decks rated 100 pound live load, sturdy welded stairs and custom features like elevator shafts, helicopter props and forcible door entries.

The new website highlights all products in the Series 1000 single-story Classroom and Residence structures; Series 2000 two-story Motel/Mall and Residence structures; Series 3000 three-story Residence structure with 22 moveable partition walls; and, the Series 4000 Tower/Residence with a 40-foot high tower and multiple floors. Accessories, color options and warranty/maintenance information are also included on the new website.

Started in 2004, Tactical Training Systems is a subsidiary company of Fire Facilities, Inc., manufacturers of American-steel live fire training towers, burn rooms and mobile training units. More than 65 customizable options are available from Fire Facilities, including ram-pry breaching doors, attic burn areas and confined space elevator shafts.

Based in Sun Prairie, Wisc., Tactical Training Systems and Fire Facilities, Inc. both manufacture training structures engineered to withstand real-life tactical and firefighting conditions. Our parent company, Trachte Building Systems, is one of the largest and oldest manufacturers of steel self-storage systems in the industry.

Posted in Press Release, Training | Comments Off on New Tactical Training Systems Website Launched

Core Vision Training: Teaching You To Be Ready For The Unknown

Wednesday, August 24th, 2022

An area of increasing concern for all of us is the occupied home invasion, which can be defined as an incident where the family occupies the house, and they are confronted with an imminent lethal threat by one or more intruders.

Recently, the number of reported violent encounters inside the home has increased. These violent encounters aren’t even limited to your home anymore. You could be thrust into a violent encounter when shopping at a mall or even walking to your car afterward.

This growing concern has prompted a surge of new gun owners who intend to keep that newly purchased firearm for the primary purpose of home defense. Additionally, many states have adopted constitutional carry where gun owners now don’t need to attend any training to carry concealed.

There is a void in the training industry regarding preparing for violent encounters, at least in the context of home defense. Core Vision Training has stepped into that void in a big way.

Why Spend The Money and Time on Training

Self-defense, home defense, and other preparedness training are necessary to effectively defend yourself, your family, and your home when targeted by crime or violence. There will always be criminals who want to take what isn’t theirs and predators who want to hurt the innocent. When you train to become more proficient in these skills, you gain the tools to stand your ground and live to see another day.

As with any training courses you attend, you want to ensure it fits your context of use and goals. However, many “tactical” training courses claim to train students in the art of fighting with a pistol and rifle, room clearing within your home, and a host of other “tacticool” courses.

Many courses people attend for the experience rather than for learning life-saving skills. Nevertheless, teaching these concepts takes days to execute correctly with the proper instructor cadre.

Core Vision Training employs instructors with proven operational experience, some of which are still operational, which gives you the most up-to-date relevant training available.

Why Choose Core Vision Training

Core Vision Training is the top self-defense training company and facility in the Pacific Northwest. Their instructors bring decades of relevant operational experience to provide their clients with the highest quality training possible.

In addition to their premier courses, they also offer a monthly membership program. By signing up for the recurring monthly membership, individuals who have taken any form of our Structure Assessment courses now have the opportunity for additional reps and recurring training to maintain and master the skills they acquired in our classes.

Recurring training covers medical, structure assessment, teamwork, land navigation, live fire, vehicle work, and several more.

Let’s take a quick look at a few of their premier courses.

Structure Assessment Active Defense Course

If you are unlucky enough to find yourself in a fight with an armed assailant, learning to load and clear a malfunction is far easier if you are familiar with that weapon or type of weapon ahead of time. This is something you won’t want to figure out on the fly.

Imagine fighting your attacker in a dark parking lot or inside your home, and gaining control of his loaded weapon, only to die because you didn’t know how to operate the safety.

When you become skilled with your primary defensive tool, learn to use other weapons. Clint Smith said it best “There’s nothing that says you are going to fight with just your gun.”

The Core Vision Training Structure Assessment courses prepare you for just that. The Active Defense course, which is a combination of the home defense course and trauma training, is tailored to the everyday citizen looking to sharpen their skills and better protect their family.

What’s Covered

• 1 & 2 person structure assessment
• CCW Pistol mechanics & manipulations
• Link up procedures
• Casualty assessment and treatment
• Call up procedures for 911
• Center fed, corner fed rooms & hallways
• Positive Threat Identification

Vehicle Escape Concepts

Let’s look at a different type of EDC; your Every Day Car. This is your daily driver, whether a Honda Civic or a Rolls Royce.

When you leave the safety of your home and get into your vehicle to take kids to school, pick up passengers, or go to the store, it becomes your mobile command center.

When you get behind the wheel of your vehicle, think of yourself as the Transporter. It’s not only an excellent movie but highlights some key points. Such as how he maintains driving the car and moves within and around the confines of his vehicle. Everything is done professionally and with a purpose.

The Core Vision Training Vehicle Escape Concepts course teaches you to be ready for a fight in and around your vehicle. Everything they teach you is done professionally and with a practical purpose.

What’s Covered

• Avoidance
• Preparation
• Movement within and out of a vehicle
• What is and is not cover on a vehicle
• Gear & Equipment Preparations
• Vehicle Considerations

Land Navigation

When many of us first enlisted, there was no handheld GPS to tell us where we were and how to reach our destination. Instead, we had to learn how to use a compass and protractor with our maps. Land Navigation courses were taught with the old school military issue Lensatic compasses and a map whether it was daytime or night-time.

The use of a compass is a perishable skill, much like shooting. It requires practice. Nowadays, we have wrist-mounted GPS units, handheld units, and smartphones that provide us with navigational aids. But what if the batteries run out or your GPS gets submerged and shorts out? Now what? How do you get back home? Do you have a backup method of navigation?

The Core Vision Training land navigation course teaches you how to read and orient a map and navigate using a compass so that you make it back home safely. The two available courses are Intro To Land Navigation and Basic Map Reading.

What’s Covered

• How to read and orient a map
• How to familiarize yourself with a map using a compass
• Individual Pace Count
• Dead Reckoning & Terrain Association
• How to identify significant terrain features
• How to identify minor terrain features
• How to read contour lines
• How to plot locations on a map

In the end, the time you invest in training for an event that may never occur is your responsibility. The flip side of that is if that event ever does happen, do you want to be the one who lets your spouse and children down?

We encourage you to reflect on the cost of your personal decisions and how you choose to spend your time and money. Remember, when seconds count, law enforcement is minutes away, and a lot can happen in that time. You can lose your whole world in those few minutes.

If you are ready to accept that risk, that’s on you. But, if you believe your life and the lives of your loved ones are worth every ounce of your effort, train like it. Train like they matter. Train with Core Vision Training.

For more information, you can find them on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Posted in Press Release, Training | Comments Off on Core Vision Training: Teaching You To Be Ready For The Unknown

CCAF Electronic Transcripts Now Available, Faster Delivery Time

Monday, August 22nd, 2022

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. —

Community College of the Air Force students can now order their transcripts electronically and have them processed within a week instead of what usually took up to 45 days.

CCAF has partnered with Parchment, a digital credentialing service, to deliver transcripts electronically.

To request their transcript, students register for an account with Parchment and add CCAF to their list of schools attended. They then order a copy of their transcript to send to the address of their choice: school, third party or home address. The transcript orders come into the CCAF Student Services section, where technicians will retrieve, verify and process the requests.

Parchment then processes the transcripts for delivery. Although CCAF does not charge a fee for providing student transcripts, Parchment does charge a small processing fee. The transcript request is usually processed within two to three days.

“We’re excited to offer this service to our students,” said Lt. Col. Kevin Pond, commandant, CCAF. “We’re always looking for new and innovative ways to streamline our processes while increasing customer satisfaction. I believe our new automated transcripts process does just that.”

To be the “College of Choice” for enlisted members, and to assist them in paving a way to success, CCAF continues to seek better ways through technology to improve its services. The electronic transcript request and delivery service through Parchment is but one example of current and upcoming improvements to the student experience at CCAF.

By Benny Seawright, CCAF Media and Outreach

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Profession of Arms, Training | Comments Off on CCAF Electronic Transcripts Now Available, Faster Delivery Time