Washington Air Guard logistics unit trains in Aviano

Photo By Senior Airman Timothy Tweet | Airmen from the 194th Logistics Readiness Squadron assigned to the 194th Wing, Camp Murray, WA, train at Aviano Air Base, Italy. More than 30 Airmen from the Washington Air National Guard’s 194th Logistics Readiness Squadron based at Camp Murray took part in annual training at Aviano Air Base, Italy for several days in November.  

AVIANO AIR BASE, ITALY

11.18.2018

Story by Senior Airman Timothy Tweet 

194th Wing

AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy – More than 30 Airmen from the Washington Air National Guard’s 194th Logistics Readiness Squadron based at Camp Murray took part in annual training at Aviano Air Base, Italy for several days in November.

Members of the 194th LRS traveled from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. to Aviano following their November drill weekend. After an eleven hour flight on a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 117th Air Refueling Wing, Alabama, the 194th LRS Airmen were in Aviano, 7 time zones away.

A climate survey earlier in the year revealed that the Airmen of the 194th LRS wanted to be given the opportunity to do an annual training overseas. The younger Airmen of the 194th LRS had never been given the valuable experience of picking up shop and training in a new environment.

Maj. Tyrone Clark, commander of the 194th LRS, is confident that the annual training in Aviano, was the right choice.

“It is a win-win—training objectives getting complete and providing our Airmen with an experience of a lifetime,” said Clark. “Our squadron wins by having the opportunity to train in a deployed-like environment and the camaraderie that comes with it, while the 194th Wing [the 194th LRS’s parent organization] wins by providing a valuable experience that our Airmen will remember fondly, a memory of the Air National Guard to share with their friends and family back home.”

In Italy, members the 194th LRS trained with the 31st Logistics Readiness Squadron, which is assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano, Italy. The 31st LRS is no stranger to training. Over 60 percent of the squadron are first term Airmen according to Lt. Col. Sharonda L. Graham, commander of the 31st LRS. Training objectives fresh in the mind of the NCO’s and plenty of work to be done, the Airmen of the 194th and the Airmen of the 31st formed a working partnership.

“The 194th LRS Airmen have been focused on training from the beginning, easy to work with, asking questions, being hands on and willing to learn,” said Staff Sgt. Semarria Shoulders, aircraft parts store supervisor, assigned to the 31st LRS. “From our perspective it has been very productive for our parts store, and they of course would be welcome back!”

“The Airmen from the 194th LRS lending a hand has helped out a lot. Between today and yesterday we have put away over 500 parts, and that is more than double the amount we usually would process,” said Shoulders.

NCO’s from across the 31st LRS echoed Shoulders’ sentiment. Tech. Sgt. Dawaughn Washington of the 31st LRS complimented vehicle maintenance Airmen from the 194th who “came in and took on a vehicle that had a slew of parts to fix and problems, and they got it done in a day. Without their help I don’t think we could’ve gotten it out in that short time period. It doesn’t matter if I have a crazy job for them, they just say, ‘Ok, we’ll do it.’ It is nice to see.”

The Airmen of the 194th were complimentary of their hosts as well.

“They are respectful, they are nice, they are friendly and most of all they are professional,” said Staff Sgt. Rebecca Boles, an equipment manager assigned to the 194th LRS. “The training I have received in Italy has been very valuable. In a deployed in environment I may be working in a flight service center, and I have gone from basically not knowing anything a flight service center does to having a basic understanding of what to do and what kind of roles I may be tasked with.”

The reason the 194th LRS went to Italy is straightforward, with a clear objective of training, said Clark.

“I have received nothing but accolades and kudos from the 31st LRS,” said Clark. “I couldn’t be happier or more pleased with our guys here, everything I’ve seen has pointed towards our men and women absolutely knocking it out of the park. The trip has been a success and the folks here at the 31st LRS have been absolutely fantastic in making us feel welcome.”

• Date Taken: 11.18.2018
• Date Posted: 11.22.2018 14:17
• Story ID: 301043
• Location: AVIANO AIR BASE, IT