First, historic Total Force weapons class graduates 193rd SOW Airmen

Photo By Thomas Savoy | USAF Weapons School teaches graduate-level instructor courses, providing advanced training in weapons and tactics employment to officers of the combat air forces. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Joseph R. Stahl/RELEASED)  

MIDDLETOWN, PA, UNITED STATES

09.13.2015

Story by Airman Julia Sorber 

193rd Special Operations Wing

MIDDLETOWN, Pa. – Two Airmen from the 193rd Special Operations Wing here graduated from the first-ever, combined E/MC-130J Weapons Instructor Course at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., this summer.

Capt. Jared Davis and Capt. Todd Campbell, both instructors with the 193rd SOW, became two of the first E/MC-130J weapons officers in Air Force history to graduate from the course, driven by Total Force Integration.

“Initially the course is about understanding E/MC-130J surface-to-air threats, along with air-to-land and air-to-air missiles and bombs,” said Campbell. “You then progress to the integration piece. At the end of the course, you are flying with potentially 20 to 30 planes, knowing their capabilities and plan, including the intercontinental ballistic missile – both space and cyber.”

Air Force Special Operations Command, the Air National Guard and Air Combat Command all played an integral part in the success of the first graduating E/MC-130J class.
AFSOC contributed flying hours and funding to support aircrew man days and temporary duty expenses for 193rd SOW Special Operations Force Mobility Support. As a result, the force multiplied and the skills gap was averted, according to weapons system officials.

The ANG provided aircraft and maintenance support, also augmenting the aircrew necessary to support forward operations. This resulted in a greater depth of skills for a new, robust mission set.

This endeavor would not have been successful without all the support the ANG provided during this mission, said Maj. James Bauer, 193rd SOW weapons instructor pilot.
ACC provided expertise and instruction, as well as contributing to new asset integration and expanding weapons officer networks.

“The 193rd staged aircraft to support every single weapons school mission out of Harrisburg. The course was accomplished primarily at Hurlburt Field (Florida) and at Nellis AFB for one month,” said Bauer. “That's 20 missions supported away from home station with a 95 percent success rate. The logistics and operations support for that level of success away from home is incredibly remarkable.”
Overall, the course was very difficult, Campbell pointed out. Teamwork was vital; everyone in the course had their ups and downs and it was up to others to help get them through.

The support and coordination brought this program to life, said Bauer. It exemplifies how the Total Force can operate seamlessly to execute programs that are mutually beneficial, serving the greater good. “I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to help out, and I hope we can use the experience to replicate future successes.”

• Date Taken: 09.13.2015
• Date Posted: 09.13.2015 13:02
• Story ID: 175895
• Location: MIDDLETOWN, PA, US