Photo By Master Sgt. Rebecca Imwalle | Members from the 138th Fighter Wing and the Seward Military Resort take a group photo...... read more read more
Training and the welfare of service members are just two of the vital aspects of keeping the 138th Civil Engineer Squadron, and the Air Force, mission ready. Recently, the 138th CES participated in a Deployment For Training in Seward, Alaska, that helped facilitate both of these things.
The Squadron sent more than 25 Airmen from seven career fields to kick off a new project for the Seward Military Resort, a Morale, Welfare, and Recreation facility, enhancing their ability to provide much needed support to Military members and their families while in Alaska.
Master Sgt. Cory Freeman, 138th CES structural craftsman, has been in the Air Force for over 13 years and has participated in several trips like this.
He explained that the primary objective for the trip was to provide more adequate housing and facilities for people visiting Seward, but their goal with the project was to also provide quality training opportunities for our Airmen.
During DFT’s, Airmen from Wings across the country work in rotations in support of a larger project. The work in Seward is an ongoing renovation project aimed to enhance the experience and well-being of service members and their families.
“Training like this increases our squadron’s capabilities in numerous ways,” Freeman said. “There are always unexpected challenges to overcome which makes us better and more effective in the end. These types of scenarios also get Airmen accustomed to things they might face downrange.”
Airman Antonio Castillo, 138th CES engineering assistant, graduated from technical school less than 6 months prior to participating in the DFT.
“This is my first DFT, and it was a great experience, he said. “Having a real hands on experience gave us the opportunity to identify issues that we had to solve through trial and error which really helped me understand the job more in-depth.”
While Castillo is traditionally an engineering assistant, trainings like this allowed for him to widen his skillsets and learn more about other career fields including structures, heavy equipment, and electrical.
“I had some great teachers and learned other skills outside of what I’m used to,” he explained. “Trips like these are important because they allow you meet and work alongside Airmen in other career fields.”
Learning skills outside of Airmen’s primary duties allow them to be multi-capable Airmen and can be vital to mission success not only during trainings like this, but also downrange and at home station.
“Trips like these provide Airmen with a comfortable environment for them to learn and grow in their careers without the fear or pressure that they might experience elsewhere,” he said.
Freeman explained that DFT’s don’t only benefit younger enlisted Airmen by learning job skills and putting their knowledge to the test, but that members of all ranks can walk away with truly invaluable experiences.
“DFT’s have impacted my career in ways I didn’t expect,” Freeman explained. “What I feel I've been affected by the most is learning leadership skills. These types of trips give us an opportunity to showcase different leadership styles and show that not only do we trust the Airmen we’re working beside, but more importantly, they trust us.”
| Date Taken: | 05.08.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.08.2025 18:05 |
| Story ID: | 497451 |
| Location: | SEWARD, ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 29 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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