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    SFS Airmen hone skills during training exercise

    SFS Airmen hone skills during training exercise

    Photo By Senior Airman Abby Richardson | 48th Security Forces Airmen train on clearing a village during a training exercise at...... read more read more

    BRANDON, SFK, UNITED KINGDOM

    05.10.2017

    Story by Airman 1st Class Abby Richardson 

    48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

    ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- 48th Security Forces Squadron Airmen participated in a training exercise at Stanford Training Area, England, April 21 to 22.

    The exercise gave SFS Airmen the chance to practice combat skills, enhance unit morale and hone their leadership abilities.

    “The goal of this exercise was twofold,” said Lt. Col. Tara Opielowski, 48th SFS commander. “The first objective was to receive some combat skills training that most Security Forces members don't receive until their pre-deployment training. It is still an annual requirement for us to train on some of these skills, but it becomes difficult to do that with all of the other home station training requirements that must be met in order to successfully be proficient at day-to-day tasks.”

    Throughout the two-day exercise, Airmen practiced skills that they can utilize while deployed as well as at their home station, including patrolling, clearing buildings and improvised explosive device familiarization.

    “The second objective was to focus on morale,” Opielowski said. “The squadron is busier than ever and it was good for us to take a knee, go out to the field, sit around a fire and enjoy each other's company without distractions. I am extremely pleased that we were able to achieve both objectives and that everyone seemed to be in great spirits.”

    Additionally, the training also allowed junior noncommissioned officers and Airmen to have the opportunity to refine their leadership skills, the 48th SFS section chief of training operations said. The experience allowed Airmen to see how chaotic it can be to be a squad leader and how timeliness is an important factor in the decisions they have to make.

    "Ultimately,” the section chief of training said, “they're making the call, and—good, bad or indifferent—the decision is on them. They would have to answer why they made those decisions."

    The exercise, which included approximately 30 participants, was the result of over 150 hours of planning by 48th SFS training staff.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 05.10.2017
    Date Posted: 05.16.2017 11:20
    Story ID: 233455
    Location: BRANDON, SFK, GB

    Web Views: 62
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN