For an aircrew flight equipment specialist, the margin for error is zero. While full-time personnel manage the daily rhythm of the shop, the true test of unit resilience lies with the traditional Reservists, the citizen Airmen who must be ready to operate a unit training assembly alone at a moment’s notice.
To ensure this seamless transition from part-time to mission-essential, the 445th Operations Support Squadron AFE flight recently executed an internal evaluation based on the Air Force Occupational Competency Model, or AFOCM, shifting the focus from simple task completion to comprehensive, independent mission proficiency.
The 445th OSS AFE flight conducted a “TR-led” UTA weekend, evaluating their traditional Reservists at the 5-and-7-skill levels with six pre-determined objectives outlined in the Career Field Education and Training Program without pre-notification or pre-discussion of the objectives.
“The intent of this internal exercise is to begin the calendar year with a foundational understanding of where the Reservists are in their task competencies,” said Master Sgt. Diego A. Cancino, 445th AFE superintendent. “Ultimately, AFE technicians will be trained by focusing on being capable and competent versus individual tasks.”
Occupational competencies provide a clear roadmap for career progression, ensuring Citizen Airmen are matched with roles that maximize their expertise and improve long-term mission readiness.
“We focus a lot on our TRs during the UTA weekend,” said Master Sgt. Seth Ravert, 445th AFE flight chief. “This was an opportunity for us to measure our training and see what we need to approve on. In AFRC, we need to be able to deploy anybody in this shop at any time. That is why the OCM is important; it helps us measure who we can send down-range to make effective decisions.”
Retaining experienced Reservists is crucial for maintaining operational readiness, as their continuity ensures that key institutional knowledge remains within the unit. This experience allows units to autonomously manage complex training events during the UTA, a process that directly translates to enhanced mission effectiveness and a more capable force.
“As a TR, the UTA is meant for us to keep up with recurring training,” said Tech Sgt. Andrew Emmons, 445th AFE technician. “You train but then are off status for the month, making it easy to lose some of what you spent two days working on, so being put in this position is a good refresher to reinforce our training. It helps us remember what resources we have and gives us a chance to train each other as well.”
By refining these skills, the unit ensures every Airman is prepared to meet the rigorous standards established by the AFOCM. Concentrating on professional growth transforms theoretical training into a state of constant mission readiness.
“After this exercise, we will be able to determine points of weakness and develop training objectives to strengthen individual and shop competencies to accomplish the mission, producing technicians that can execute worldwide taskings, anywhere, anytime,” Cancino said.