Photo By Capt. Jessica Cicchetto | Yvonne Batts, Air Mobility Command Civic Leader representing Dyess Air Force Base,...... read more read more
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Eighteen Air Mobility Command Civic Leaders visited Little Rock Air Force Base to experience the mission, Airmen and culture of the world’s largest C-130J Super Hercules base, June 14-16.
The visit was a culmination trip for eighteen active members of the AMC Commander’s Civic Leaders Program who have spent nearly four years learning about and advocating for the Mobility mission.
Hand-selected for their demonstrated track record of support for Mobility Airmen, families and missions in communities near AMC installations, these Civic Leaders advocate for and provide support to help advance the command conduct Rapid Global Mobility.
The multi-day trip provided the Civic Leaders insight into how AMC and Air Education and Training Command Airmen are innovating and accelerating change in the tactical airlift and training missions they execute daily at LRAFB.
“When I think of Airmen that have shifted their focus toward the great power competition, there is no better place than Little Rock Air Force Base,” said Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost, Air Mobility Command commander. “This installation has set the conditions for the culture change that we need for the high-end fight, and that is precisely the type of environment we want to expose our Civic Leaders to.”
During their visit to LRAFB, Civic Leaders delved into the AMC mission. They were introduced to initiatives the 19th Airlift Wing has aggressively pursued in recent years to better prepare Mobility Airmen for relevant real-world security challenges and future conflicts.
This included the wing’s advancement of Agile Combat Employment concepts, its focus on full-spectrum readiness capabilities to operate in a radiologically contaminated environment, and the current Block 8.1 upgrade to the C-130J fleet.
The group was also exposed to the 34th Combat Training Squadron, where the 19th AW experiments with new warfighting concepts during its Green Flag Little Rock exercises, AMC’s only joint-accredited flag level exercise.
“Our Civic Leaders continue to prove to be the best advocates for our Airmen and the Air Force,” said Col. John Schutte, 19th Airlift Wing commander. “This visit not only provided an opportunity to strengthen our partnerships with community leaders, it allowed them to be immersed in our proud Herk Nation culture and see how the Airmen from across Team Little Rock remain at the leading edge of operational excellence.”
Following their time on the flightline, the Civic Leaders shifted their attention to Airmen-focused resiliency discussions with the Airman and Family Readiness Center and hands-on, mission-related activities at various locations around LRAFB.
Attendees stopped at Camp Warlord, the installation’s realistic training area, where they participated in expeditionary skills training, including bare base buildup, small-unit tactics and CBRNE training.
The Civic Leaders were also familiarized with key cornerstones of Herk Nation such as the installation’s robust Total Force Integration and innovation initiatives.
This included the group visiting the vehicle maintenance facility, where active duty and Air National Guardsmen work side-by-side to service the entire installation’s vehicle fleet. Moreover, the Civic Leaders received the opportunity to pilot a C-130J in the 314th AW’s full-motion simulators and try their hand at aircraft maintenance using the base’s new virtual reality hangar.
During their time with the 314th AW, the Civic Leaders were educated on the wing’s premier C-130 Flying Training Unit, which serves as the final stop in the pilot training pipeline for all students before they check into their operational C-130 units.
Their time at the FTU was an opportunity to learn more about the pilot training pipeline prior to their follow-on visit to Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, to witness firsthand where the Air Force and allied nations conduct undergraduate pilot training to train and develop the next generation of pilots.
Lastly, one highlight in particular was the chance to sit down each morning for breakfast with Airmen, spending time with both a group of junior enlisted Airmen and company grade officers.
“From my personal experience, the Civic Leader Program has not only been very rewarding but also very informative,” said Troy Hogue, Henderson State University’s Aviation Department director and LRAFB Civic Leader. “We have been given the opportunity to learn about the different aspects of the AMC bases, their varying mission sets, and how Airmen train. We've also seen how innovative the Airmen are by coming up with ways to better maintain the fleet.”
Hogue added that serving as LRAFB’s Civic Leader has been “particularly impressive.”
“It's remarkable to see the magnitude and impact the base has not only on defending our nation but also on training C-130 crews,” he said. “Seeing the global reach Little Rock AFB has is truly impressive — and the support of the community for the base is inspiring.”
The three-day tour culminated with the Civic Leaders boarding two C-130Js to conduct a tactical training mission on their way to Vance AFB.
As these Civic Leaders near the end of their active tenure within the program, they were able to observe Mobility Airmen from the ground up, from trainee to deployment. With that knowledge and hands-on experience, they now better understand the Mobility Air Forces’ mission, and are able to go back to their communities and inform, influence and promote change for the better.
“Serving as an AMC Civic Leader has been a distinct honor and privilege,” Hogue said. “To see the awesome capabilities of AMC and of LRAFB and its Airmen and its leadership has been both inspiring and humbling. As my tenure comes to an end it will still be my honor to tell anyone about our great Air Force and AMC.”
| Date Taken: | 06.22.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 06.22.2021 11:10 |
| Story ID: | 399414 |
| Location: | LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, ARKANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 123 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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