New radio course ties old with the new Published Jan. 12, 2010 By Angela Cutrer Keesler News staff KEESLER AFB, Ms. -- Keesler started off the new year on a high note with the introduction of another new course. The 338th Training Squad-ron's new radio frequency transmission systems apprentice maintenance course began Jan. 5 and includes remnants of the legacy ground radio and satellite, wideband and telemetry systems courses. The change aligns with the Air Force's desire for cyber transformation in light of the constant alterations working with technology presents. The first-ever 3D133 radio frequency transmission course encompasses capabilities and competencies from several former Air Force courses, including satellite/ wideband/ telemetry, ground radio, visual imagery and intrusion detection, radio communication systems, and network integration communications and information Air Force specialty codes. But it wasn't effortless for the 338th TRS Dark Knights to get to this point. "Merging different aspects of each career field posed unique challenges," said Senior Master Sgt. William Hawkins Jr., chief of the 338th TRS ground radio systems flight. "But since most of the 2E schools were already based at Keesler, merging most of the career fields was straight forward." The unique challenges faced in the merging of five communication and electronics 2E career fields included the biggest challenge of all: moving the 2E131 satellitecCommunications course from the 338th TRS Detachment 1 at Fort Gordon, Ga., back to Keesler. "The satellite communications course, which was based at Keesler until it moved to Fort Gordon in 1997, involved numerous processes," said Sergeant Hawkins. "Teams at both locations had to maintain their 2E courses while the detachment coordinated, dismantled, inventoried, packed and shipped 14 tons of satellite and support equipment more than 500 miles to Keesler. Meanwhile, the 338th TRS ground radio flight staff renovated 20 rooms, accepted and then unpacked, inventoried, set up and tested the 7 tons of satellite equipment received from the detachment." Sergeant Hawkins also noted that the 338th TRS's command staff and training resources flight played major roles in coordinating all the efforts to make the launch of the new course successful. To accommodate satellite training, the 338th TRS had to install a 15-foot by 70-foot satellite terminal testing pad complete with single-phase and three-phase power outlets. They also installed a 100-foot tower that houses two satellite simulators. This means that instructors will be able to train more than 690 students annually on satellite terminals as they transmit RF energy without using an actual satellite though getting the same results of satellite use. "This negates the need to spend millions of dollars on satellite-access time, allows transmissions at hours conducive to training and frees us from using high demand satellite time, which is needed by war fighters in the field," said Sergeant Hawkins. He added that as assets from the satellite training at Fort Gordon begin to migrate to Keesler, most of the detachment instructors were close to their mandatory move dates. "This put the 338th TRS in dire need for instructors who could teach the 3D133 course and train the Keesler instructors on satellite theory," he said. "Fortunately, the 338th TRS devised a plan to have instructors go to temporary duty assignment to Fort Gordon to get initial training until enough assets were moved from Fort Gordon to Keesler. Then seven detachment instructors volunteered to forego their highly coveted assignments to take a permanent change of station to Keesler." "With the demise of the old ground radio course and the old satellite, wideband and telemetry systems course comes a new age," said Charles Maggard, the course's training development chief. "This course was developed over a period of three years to incorporate the primary functions of both of the legacy courses. To simply combine the two courses would have meant a new course of more than 150 days. This was discussed and obviously determined to be too lengthy, too costly and simply, in today's world, not necessary. Thus, a new course was developed to present the most important of the efficiencies and methods of both of the old courses. "The cyber age is driving tremendous changes in how we do business as communications maintainers in the Air Force." Mr. Maggard said that the earlier courses had been taught at Keesler since the early '60s. "Way back then, there was a ground radio transmitter that technicians had to actually step inside of to tune," he said. "The voltages, and thus the dangers, were tremendous. We didn't have electrostatic discharge mats (that absorb static electricity) back then. We had long poles with hooks on the end to pull technicians off the equipment should they make a costly mistake and get zapped. With the new technologies that have been developed over the last 50-plus years, equipment is more reliable and easier to use and repair, but not much cheaper, Mr. Maggard said. "The rapid advancement of computers has pushed us into the cyber age," he added. "We have to weigh the advantages of rapidly advancing equipment against the cost involved with completely switching over to new equipment and technology."