110th Attack Wing Service Airmen train with 143rd Airlift Airmen

RAYMOND, ME, UNITED STATES

05.04.2016

Story by Airman Tiffany Clark 

110th Wing

Services Airmen from the 110th Attack Wing, Battle Creek, Mich., and the 143rd Airlift Wing, Quonset Point, R.I. attended Innovative Readiness Training with the 110th Civil Engineering Squadron at Camp Hinds, Raymond, Maine. The Airmen were accompanied by Marine Reservists as well as a medic from the 110 MDG. From April 24th to May 8th, 2016, the Airmen received hands on training and real world job applications, culminating with a project to improve facilities at a Boy Scouts of America camp.

Airmen from the 110th teamed up with their counterparts from the 143rd to provide hot meals for the CE members working with heavy equipment.“We don’t have the kitchen trailer, so it is good to see the new equipment in the field and how it is utilized,” said Master Sgt. Craig Madden, Services manager for the 110th ATKW. “If there is a natural disaster, the 110th Services airmen will be prepared to go down there and get to work because they have already trained on the equipment.”

The kitchen trailer is authorized by the National Guard Bureau during Stateside disaster recovery situations and is able to serve about 2400 meals daily. The Bureau has sent out a request that Airmen be trained on the equipment, a rare commodity in the Air National Guard.

“We are the only unit that has a trailer,” said Staff Sgt. Anthony Hammond, a shift leader from the 143rd Airlift Wing. “The 110th airmen dove right in. They learned quickly and have helped us prepare the meals every day." In addition to the application of valuable technical skills, this cooperative experience simulates the interpersonal dynamics that are possible when teams assemble in deployed settings."You don’t always work with your own unit," said Madden. "Being able to mesh cohesively with another unit is a good experience for our young Airman.”

At IRT, Airmen of the 143rd and 110th Services Flights strengthened the already close ties between the career fields of Services and Civil Engineering. "Of all the relationships on every Air Force base, CE and Services work together the most," said Madden. "We rely on them to set up our sites and they rely on us for nutrition and food.”

• Date Taken: 05.04.2016
• Date Posted: 05.05.2016 14:45
• Story ID: 197332
• Location: RAYMOND, ME, US