Photo By Victoria Molinar | Lt. Col. Jeff McLemore, commander, 602nd TRG(P) traveled from Keesler Air Force Base,...... read more read more
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MCGREGOR RANGE, N.M. – Leaders of the 602nd Training Group (Provisional), Second Air Force, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, recognized the exceptional work of Airmen assigned to Detachments 3 and 4, 602nd TRG(P). The service members streamlined the pre-mobilization training process for Airmen, and during joint forces training, presenting them with medals Oct. 6 at the mayor cell, McGregor Range.
“This team has made changes that are going to be felt by the Air Force for as long as the 602nd is around,” said Lt. Col. Jeff McLemore, commander, 602nd TRG(P). “They make me proud to be their commander.”
The 602nd TRG(P) Detachment 3 is at Fort Polk, Louisiana, while Detachment 4 is assigned here. Both detachments are in charge of facilitating the training the Army conducts for service members in the Air Force and before deployment. Since April, more than 600 Airmen have trained here before deploying overseas in support of Operations Freedom’s Sentinel and Inherent Resolve. Since the Army provides training for Air Force and Navy service members in consolidated classes, the 602nd TRG(P) Detachment personnel work with the Navy and help facilitate Sailors with housing, transportation, equipment and training requests, McLemore said.
“When you have a small team of individuals coming together for a common purpose and they are not located within an Air Force installation, you worry about their well-being; I didn’t worry about these guys,” McLemore said. “I’d work with them all again in a heartbeat.”
As each Air Force member walked up to receive his or her medal, Chief Master Sgt. Melvina Smith read his or her accomplishments. They were recognized successfully resolving deployment and equipment discrepancies, restructuring training modules for time efficiency and reducing labor hours, redundancies and informational errors.
On behalf of the Department of the Air Force, Air Force Commendation Medals were presented to two Airmen from Detachment 4: Master Sgt. Mark S. Douglas Jr., noncommissioned officer in charge of Personnel Support for Contingency Operations, and Tech. Sgt. Eric M. Piar, noncommissioned officer of the Logistics and Material Management Section.
Meritorious Service Medals were awarded to Capt. Ashley L. Swansiger, director of operations for the Expeditionary Training Operations Center, Master Sgt. Thavadech Srikoon, superintendent for Detachment 3, 602nd TRG(P), Detachment 4 Superintendent Master Sgt. Zackary R. Lampkin and Lt. Col. Robert L. Redding, commander, Detachments 3 and 4.
“Lt. Col. Redding to me has been the consummate professional,” McLemore said. “He’s been the one who’s kept this team together through either issues of Airmen deploying without their gear, Red Cross notifications, sicknesses [and] everything that’s gone on. He’s been able to work hand-in-hand with the Army and do a phenomenal job.”
While primarily stationed here, Redding visited Fort Polk a few times throughout his term and said he is proud of both the work at Fort Polk, where Master Sgt. Thavadech Srikoon is the only Airman of Detachment 3 other than Redding, and his time here.
“I simply couldn’t ask for anything better with the teamwork we have,” Redding said. “We tell each class that we manage, lead and supervise the classes as if we were going through the training ourselves and we’re going to deploy.”
602nd TRG(P) leadership also presented commander’s coins to Lt. Col. Bradford Shaw, commander, 2206th Mobilization Support Battalion, Command Sgt. Maj. Jane P. Baldwin, command sergeant major, 2206th MSB, Lt. Col. Rachel Humphrey, commander, and Master Sgt. Mark Myers, acting sergeant major, both assigned to 2nd Bn., 290th Regt., 5th Armored Bde., and media specialist Adam Holguin, a Tatitlek Training Services Inc. employee who works for Mobilization and Deployment under DPTMS.
The Air Force members attached to Detachments 3 and 4 come from different locations within the Air Force and are assigned to their respective stations at roughly 180-day rotations. As their assignment nears completion, some reflected on their unique mission.
“[These are] some of the best partnerships I’ve seen in my 24-year career,” Redding said. “It’s just been first-class from beginning to end.”
| Date Taken: | 10.06.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 11.03.2015 16:32 |
| Story ID: | 180785 |
| Location: | MCGREGOR RANGE, NM, US |
| Web Views: | 121 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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