Photo By Senior Airman Edgar Grimaldo | U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Cory Dodge, 435th Contingency Response Squadron operations...... read more read more
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For the first time in the unit’s history, Airmen assigned to the 435th Contingency Response Squadron hosted U.S. Air Forces Special Operations Command to validate their landing zone surveyor course at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, May 12-21, 2025.
After months of planning and development, the course was officially aligned with AFSOC standards, thus enabling the 435th CRG’s training plan to sync with the lead major command. This course ensures synchronization with Department of the Air Force regulations while bolstering readiness for real-world missions.
“This is a cornerstone capability for the 435th CRG,” said Tech. Sgt. Joshua Griffith, 435th CRS lead cadre of training and air traffic controller. “We’re the sole surveyors for U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa. Without this training, we can’t legitimately execute one of our most critical tasks, which is opening landing zones during contingency environments.”
Students learned to conduct comprehensive landing zone surveys by applying both classroom instruction and hands-on fieldwork over eight days. The curriculum included identification of suitable landing zones, glide slope analysis, obstacle clearance, and terrain assessment to safely accommodate a variety of aircraft.
Once students acquired the necessary skill-set, they applied their knowledge by surveying and establishing a landing zone in response to a simulated earthquake scenario at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.
“The hands-on training was definitely my favorite part,” said Staff Sgt. Joseph Nealon, 260th Combat Airfield Operations Squadron radar airfield and weather system technician. “I came into this with zero experience in landing zone operations. Now I have a strong foundational understanding of aircraft requirements, ground integrity, and real-world mission application.”
Master Sgt. Cory Dodge, the course administrator and 435th CRS operations flight chief, spearheaded the course development after he recognized and identified a gap in compliance.
“We realized that we had been operating out of compliance with the governing regulation for years,” said Dodge. “Rather than ignore it, we brought it to leadership and AFSOC’s attention. This was about doing things the right way, even if that meant calling ourselves out first.”
Handpicked for their diverse backgrounds, the cadre consisted of engineers, air traffic controllers and airfield managers, each bringing specialized knowledge to the course. Griffith, described by Dodge as “the most tactical air traffic controller in the Air Force,” played a vital role in translating complex airfield operations into digestible training modules.
“This course teaches not just compliance; it teaches precision,” said Griffith. “Whether for humanitarian relief following a disaster or forward-deployed operations in hostile environments, accurate landing zone data ensures aircraft can arrive safely and efficiently. That’s the foundation of our mission.”
Now validated by AFSOC, the landing zone surveyor course represents a pivotal change for the 435th CRG. It will serve as the official training pipeline for members of the USAF’s sole Contingency Response airborne airfield assessment team, responsible for being the first boots on the ground for contingency response airfield opening.
“This isn’t just a checkbox for us,” said Dodge. “This is the difference between being mission capable or not. Now, when our team is called upon to open an airfield in a war zone or a disaster-stricken region, they’ll have the training, validation, and confidence to do it by the book and at the highest standard.”
Looking forward, the 435th CRS plans to keep the course internal to train its replacement personnel but remains open to expanding it to operationally relevant units within the theater for professional development and interoperability.
“This course sets a new standard,” said Dodge. “We’ve invested in the future of this wing and the safety of the missions we support. The validation isn’t the end, but the beginning of a stronger, smarter, and safer way to project airpower anywhere in the world.”
| Date Taken: | 05.21.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.28.2025 05:01 |
| Story ID: | 499007 |
| Location: | RHEINLAND-PFALZ, DE |
| Web Views: | 58 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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