Pa. Airmen complete Air Assault Course at Fort Indiantown Gap

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Zane Craig | U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Thomas Reno (center), Tactical Air Control Party specialist with the 148th Air Support Operations Squadron, 193rd Special Operations Wing takes part in Fort Indiantown Gap’s inaugural Air Assault course July 20, 2017. Sgt. Patrick Rex, Air Assault instructor with the Warrior Training Center, Fort Benning, Ga. Ensures Reno and Sgt. Giovanni Morales, Information Technology noncommissioned officer with Eastern Army Aviation Training Site perform the rappel test safely. Tactical Air Control Party Airmen work closely with Army units and need to acquire the skill sets of the Soldiers they support, such as insertion, evacuation, and pathfinder missions that require the use of multipurpose transportation and assault helicopters. Fort Indiantown Gap is one of only eight training sights to offer Air Assault School. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Zane Craig)  

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PA, UNITED STATES

07.26.2017

Story by Sgt. Zane Craig 

Fort Indiantown Gap

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – Four Air Guardsmen with the 193rd Special Operations Wing’s Tactical Air Control Party, along with approximately 200 Soldiers participated in the first Air Assault Course offered at Fort Indiantown Gap July 10-21, 2017.

Army Air Assault School is a 10-day course designed to prepare Soldiers for insertion, evacuation, and pathfinder missions that require the use of multipurpose transportation and assault helicopters.

“For us, the goal of this course is to learn more about helicopter operations, especially sling loading, and incorporating whatever we can in terms of rappelling into a combat zone,” said Capt. Nathan C. Agent IV, air liaison officer with the 148th Air Support Operations Squadron, 193rd Special Operations Wing.

Rappelling techniques and sling load procedures are skills that involve intense concentration and a commitment to safety and preparation, making the Air Assault Course extremely challenging.

“We’re generally attached to our Army counterparts in combat scenarios, so we need to able to do all the things the Army can do,” said Agent.

He added that Air Assault training will help his unit to mirror the combat operations of the Army units they support and that there is a range of capabilities the Air Force has, including intelligence, UAV, and electronic warfare they provide that facilitates Army operations.

Fort Indiantown Gap has begun hosting Air Assault courses to expand its offering of training courses and make Air Assault training more readily available in the Eastern Region. Only seven other military installations in the nation offer Air Assault courses.

Agent said having this training at Fort Indiantown Gap has been extremely beneficial to his unit.

• Date Taken: 07.26.2017
• Date Posted: 07.26.2017 14:13
• Story ID: 242657
• Location: FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PA, US