Iraqi delegation visits Keesler

Published Sept. 28, 2011
By Capt. Gregory Haney
338th Training Squadron

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Last week, Keesler hosted an Iraqi Ministry of Defense communications delegation. The visitors included six senior Iraqi military and civilian leaders, along with two U.S. Army advisers and a Department of the Air Force representative.

The delegation was interested in Keesler's cyberspace training. They looked at several aspects of how the 81st Training Group builds training, qualifies instructors and produces Airmen. During the two-day visit, the delegates met with Brig. Gen. Andrew Mueller, 81st Training Wing commander, and toured squadrons in the 81st Training Group.

The Iraqi delegation was interested in how the U.S. military trains, so as the premier cyberspace training group in the Department of Defense, Keesler was chosen to showcase training in avionics, radio frequency transmission, ground radar, airfield systems, cyber transport, and soldering; use of circuit simulators; undergraduate cyber training; and commercial network certification.

Additionally, the instructional systems development process was explained to show how classroom material is created and tested. The visitors learned how instructors are trained beginning with the basic instructor course with follow-on faculty development courses, and how the checks and balances for quality instruction are implemented through instructor evaluations and subject matter testing.

One highlight of the tour was a visit to the 338th Training Squadron's air expeditionary force training area. To the passerby, this area may simply look like tents set up adjacent to the Triangle running track, but this is where the final block of instruction for the RF transmissions course is taught. This capstone event allows the students to put together all the blocks they have learned over a seven-month course and stand up initial communications just as they would be expected to do during a deployment.

"Successfully completing this block is a huge confidence builder to our Airmen," said Master Sgt. Albrecco Jackson, RF transmission systems flight chief.

The 81st Training Support Squadron's trainer development team demonstrated how models and simulators are built to support the instructors and schoolhouses with classroom and lab instruction.

The delegates were also interested in how the U.S. Air Force takes individuals and develops them into Airmen, so a two-prong approach was explained by Lt. Col. Trevor Wall, 338th TRS commander.

"Both military training and technical training are used to produce Airmen that are ready to hit the ground running once they leave Keesler," Wall pointed out. "Military training includes basic military training and the continued training they receive here from our military training leaders. The second half of training is technical and is provided by our classroom instructors. The synergy of both military and technical training -- the collaboration between our instructors and MTLs -- allows us to produce high-quality Airmen that I'm proud to send out the door to squadrons around the world."