By Senior Airman Hunter Hites Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Thirty-four U.S. Air Force noncommissioned officers participated in Security Forces-focused Mission Ready Airman training Feb. 6, a first-of-its-kind program in the Pacific Air Forces that aims at increasing lethality and readiness across the force.
The training, conducted at the 673d Security Forces Squadron warehouse, was integrated into the NCO Foundations 500 course and led primarily by Security Forces instructors. The initiative is a PACAF-level first and is currently unique to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
“Our training was mission ready airmen,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Taylor Davis, 673d SFS counter-small unmanned aerial system noncommissioned officer in charge. “It brought together a couple topics from security forces, like use-of-force, combatives, land navigation, communications with land mobile radios, and also some c-sUAS awareness and active shooter training.
“The MRA training gives the framework for these key leaders, our NCO corps, to think strategically and then apply that at a tactical level,” Davis continued. “And that flows directly into lethality because it’s not just [security forces] that carry weapons systems that need to be able to support the fight.”
The training placed Airmen in scenarios that typically fall outside the normal scope of their primary career fields, exposing them to warfighting skills they may not routinely practice in day-to-day duties. By reinforcing foundational combat, communication and decision-making skills across diverse specialties, the program ensures Airmen can operate effectively in hostile environments.
Participants said the training reinforced the importance of shared responsibility across the force. U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Vincent Ruiz, 673d Logistics Readiness NCOIC of heavy equipment, said the experience helped break down career field barriers.
“I think it’s great to come back together and realize we’re one fighting force and how that plays a huge factor when you go into a theater [of operations],” Ruiz said. “The training sharpened skills not often practiced in daily duties. I think we’ll be much more lethal after this training and more trainings like it.”
U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Brandi Jordan, the Professional Development Center superintendent, said the program bridges the gap between professional military education and operational execution.
“The MRA training directly enhances the lethality and readiness of the force by translating classroom concepts into tactical proficiency,” Jordan said. She emphasized that offering the same training across enlisted tiers strengthens the force. “Whether it’s a first-time introduction for a junior member or a refresher for a senior leader, this continuous cycle of training ensures the entire team can operate effectively.”
Mission Ready Airman training is now embedded in all Professional Development Center Foundations courses at JBER, including Junior Enlisted Foundations 300, NCO Foundations 500 and Senior NCO Foundations 700, reinforcing the installation’s focus on Ready Airmen, Ready Base and a lethal, prepared force.
“I do hope to see other bases take this on,” Jordan said. “I’m sure with more resources and ideas we can all come up with a better way forward for future classes.”