KANDAHAR AIR FIELD, Afghanistan - The Afghan Air Force’s Kandahar Air Wing planned and conducted their third Field Training Exercise on Dec 8.
This was the first exercise that the Afghan Airmen planned and evaluated their own exercise performance. NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan advisors from the 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group led the previous KAW exercises.
Maj. Gen. Abdul Raziq Sherzai, the Kandahar Air Wing commander, chose a facilities fire response scenario to ensure they were ready to accept responsibility for $40 million in new facilities constructed by NATO.
Col. Khan Aziz, the Kandahar Air Wing’s Mission Support Group Commander, was the exercise director. He developed a series of criteria to assess the Wing’s response in the following areas of command and control, firefighters response, personnel accountability and medical response.
Field Training Exercise 11-02 started as the Security Forces spotted smoke and quickly initiated the command and control response, culminating with the arrival of an on-scene commander who directed the emergency response. Next, the KAW firefighters rapidly responded and extinguished the controlled training fire, demonstrating the proper use of their firet ruck, hose, and protective equipment.
During the exercise, the lead non-commissioned officer conducted a personnel accountability of the people in the building and correctly identified three people who might be in the building affected by the fire.
The firefighters removed the three simulated injured and the KAW Medical Team rapidly established a triage and transporting the casualties for advanced medical treatment.
The exercise gave the Kandahar Air Wing opportunities to improve past performances as well as highlighting their progress they have made. During the past year, the KAW has gone from never conducting an exercise to planning, executing and evaluating their own training.
This is an important step toward a creating a self-sustaining Afghan Air Force capable of independent air operations.