Photo By Staff Sgt. Devin Rumbaugh | U.S. Airmen assigned to the 621st Contingency Response Wing pose with Mr. Alan...... read more read more
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Maintenance Airmen assigned the 621st Contingency Response Wing were the first Department of War members to accomplish the International Civil Aviation Organization TRAINAIR Crash Recovery Manager Course, held at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, Oct. 21-24, 2025.
The course was instructed by Mr. Alan Cleminson, Member of the British Empire, Royal Air Force Reserve warrant officer and cadre attached to the Joint Aircraft Recovery and Transportation Squadron, European Union Crash Recovery Team cadre, KUNZ Aero aircraft recovery instructor, and developer of the course.
The 14 maintenance Airmen who attended the course were from units across the 621st Contingency Response Wing, including the 621st Contingency Response Group, 821st CRG, 321st Contingency Response Squadron, 521st CRS, 621st CRS, 621st Air Mobility Operations Squadron, and the 818th Mobility Support Advisory Squadron.
“We wanted this course to be seen and scrutinized by a higher level organization to make sure we deliver information based on ICAO publications and procedures developed by ICAO,” said Cleminson. “The course is designed primarily for commercial airliners, but it transfers over to the military side because a lot of the aircraft the military flies are derivatives of commercial airliners.”
The course focused mainly on aircraft recovery, unlike U.S. Air Force crash, damaged, disabled aircraft recovery principles, which primarily focus on moving the damaged or disabled aircraft from the runway to allow air traffic to continue moving.
“The ICAO Crash Recovery Manager course is the only course in the world certified by the International Civil Aviation Organization,” said Cleminson. “The course was accredited last year. This is the fifth time it has ever been instructed, and the first time it was taught to a U.S. Military unit.”
The course was designed to instruct civilian first responders, maintenance, and engineering staff.
“This course is more about spending time to calculate and plan, so we don’t damage the aircraft, so the aircraft can be repaired easily and put back into service quickly,” Cleminson said. “It’s about not causing secondary damage, and not injuring people. If you recover an aircraft incorrectly, the aircraft will have to be scrapped. It’s about spending time thinking and changing mindsets on how to recover the aircraft properly and safely.”
The course enhances the diverse mission sets of the 621st CRW, which includes advising, command and control, and air base operations, and ensures contingency response Airmen can support civil airline recovery in theater during hub and spoke operations.
“This training provides an opportunity for our maintenance members to put more tools in our toolbox, specifically for our rapid base opening and closing operations,” said Master Sgt. Anthony Macy, 621st CRG quality assurance chief inspector. “If civilian or partner nation aircraft are involved in our operations, the potential for an aircraft incident is high. This training allows CRW Airmen to provide an on-scene recovery manager anywhere in the world to recover any aircraft.”
Along with providing capabilities to training or real-world operations, the course builds upon experiences from the attendees, and allows for Air Advisors to present the information to partner nations.
“As an air advisor, I am able to leverage this certification to assess and evaluate partner nation’s aircraft recovery operations, identifying any shortfalls and offer recommendations for improvements,” said Master Sgt. Eugene Chong, 818th MSAS aircraft maintenance air advisor. “It also provides me with an understanding to help establish a basic foundation for partner’s who do not have an established program in place.”
The course builds upon the 621st CRW’s mission set of global air mobility support, reinforces the commitment to safety and preparedness, while improving operational readiness.
“As a Joint Task Force – Port Opening Commander, having ICAO Crash Manager Recovery certified Maintenance Airmen translates into a tangible and significant advantage for Rapid Global Mobility,” said Col. John Foy, 621st CRG commander. “This team can now swiftly assess, respond, and execute safe, internationally standardized recovery procedures ensuring continued mission success in the event of an unfortunate incident. Additionally, the specialized training in hazard assessment and mitigation dramatically improves safety and risk assessment and reduces potential dangers associated with aircraft recovery while safeguarding personnel and the environment. Lastly, the ICAO certification ensures seamless coordination with other military branches, civilian agencies, and international partners, facilitating clear communication and a shared understanding of recovery operations. Ultimately, this translates into a more efficient, safer, and credible JTF-PO operation, bolstering the commander's ability to rapidly establish a functioning port and effectively support the mission's objectives.”
| Date Taken: | 10.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.03.2025 12:24 |
| Story ID: | 552830 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NEW JERSEY, US |
| Web Views: | 10 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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