Photo By Tech. Sgt. Maria Ruiz | Civil engineers experience the stresses of working in a simulated deployed combat...... read more read more
WICHITA, Kan. - Silver Flag exercise provides Civil Engineer Airmen the opportunities to prepare for the workload and stress which may be experienced in a deployed environment.
Ready anytime, anywhere. This proved to be the response the 184th Civil Engineer Squadron exemplified during Silver Flag’s seven-day training exercise at Detachment 1, 823rd Red Horse Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, Aug. 9-15.
Fifty-one members from the 184th CES participated in the exercise. The units included Operations Management, Engineering; command and control; Emergency Management; Heating; Ventilation; Air Conditioning and Refrigeration; Electrical Power Production; Electrical Systems; Water and Fuel System Maintenance; Pavements and Construction Equipment; and Structures shop.
Silver Flag is mandatory training for CES Airmen, which is required every 36 to 48 months depending on their job title, and helps measure a unit’s deployable readiness.
A total of 190 Reserve, National Guard and active-duty Airmen, representing 38 world-wide bases, trained in a joint mission to build and maintain a bare-base operation at a forward-deployed location.
Supporting units included Manpower, Personnel Support for Contingency Operations, Services and Comptroller. Other CE units were Fire Protection and Pest Management.
“The more we train, the better we get. If I get deployed next year, I have an idea of what I’m supposed to do,” said Airman Khanh Phung, 184th CES electrical systems, first-time Silver Flag participant.
Silver Flag participants operated in a bare-base training environment with housing in Alaskan small shelter system tents and meals cooked by Services or ate Meals Ready-to-Eat.
Airmen used a variety of combat and survival skills, such as repairing bomb-damaged runways and responding to bio-hazard contaminations. Additional Air Force specialty code specific training was given to units to supply the combatant commander with expeditionary emergency responses.
Many of the noncommissioned officers had gone through Silver Flag and were able to guide first-time Airmen through the training
and exercise.
"A lot of the equipment here is not available at home station or is seen very often except for special temporary duty assignments like this one,” said Tech. Sgt. Adrian Arzate, 184th CES structural engineer. “It is really good hands-on training for the young Airmen. It is vital information to know for deployments and NCOs can guide the Airmen and keep a positive attitude.”
After five days of training, participants tested their knowledge during a one-day mock deployment scenario to a forward operating base where they opened an airfield surrounded insurgent dangers.
Airman 1st Class Bryce Schroeder, 184th CES structural engineer, said, “We were unloading the fiberglass mat and saw two canisters come flying out of nowhere with purple smoke, then the explosions started. Adding the pressure of focusing on more than just our job helps us get ready for those surprises through a deployment.”
The 17-hour exercise tested participant’s resiliency through different scenarios such as an in-flight emergency landing, fire suppressions, insurgent attacks and equipment malfunctions.
Master Sgt. Mark Rush, first sergeant, 184th CES, summarized the exercise, as sweat beads down his face, “Spirits were kept high and everybody was doing their jobs while still having fun. It was a challenge but, it was also rewarding.”
| Date Taken: | 10.03.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 01.11.2015 09:40 |
| Story ID: | 151731 |
| Location: | WICHITA, KS, US |
| Web Views: | 87 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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