FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. -- A small unmanned aircraft system operator course was conducted here, Feb. 19-28.
The 10-day course is conducted by the 166th Regiment - Regional Training Institute and teaches Soldiers with various backgrounds, skillsets and military occupational specialties how to properly operate small drones.
“it's been a great course,” said Sgt. Stephen Scharf, a student from 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment. “It's a very evolving world, so there's a lot of new ideas coming out. A lot of things are changing very rapidly."
The course is structured to encourage students into a tactical mindset, understanding how the things they learn can be integrated in a large-scale combat operation, said Sgt. 1st Class Brandon Wahl, the sUAS operator course manager.
“One of my main goals here is to make it as realistic as we can,” he said. “So, it's important for everyone to know how to operate one, because at any point you could be tasked with operating it.”
Several members of the 111th Engineer Brigade, West Virginia National Guard, attended the course due to their unit deploying soon. They’ll be utilizing these drones on their deployment, said Spc. Simon Bertram.
“For infantry, it's very necessary for reconnaissance,” said Bertram. “Getting more drone operators will be very beneficial.”
Other attendees of the course simply came to learn a new skill. Scharf said the course has been very informative.
“It's an evolving world, and a lot of things are changing very rapidly,” he said. “The instructors are doing their best to stay on top of it and disseminating that info.”
Scharf mentioned how this course and the information it provides has been beneficial, not just for himself, but for the Army as a whole.
“It's something that as we develop this, more doctrine gets established,” he said. “It's going to be something that you're going to see more widespread throughout both the Guard and the Army.”
The course is open to National Guard members of all military occupational specialties.
“There are infantrymen here, some of them are engineers,” said Wahl. “One of the students is an intel guy. There's all kinds of jobs that come through.”
“All of these different jobs in the Army will be affected by sUAS's,” added Scharf. “Sometimes that might be that you have to figure out how, which is a great thing.”
Anyone who is interested in attending the sUAS Operator course can contact Sgt. 1st Class Brandon Wahl, mailto:brandon.s.wahl.mil@army.mil, for more information.