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Expanded airfield systems training takes students to new heights

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  • By Susan Griggs
  • 81st Training Wing Public Affairs
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  Airfield systems apprentice students in the 338th Training Squadron are scaling new heights ... literally. 

Last week, trainers began to incorporate climbing instruction into the course to prepare Airmen to safely perform periodic and corrective maintenance on equipment mounted on the towers, according to Terry Campbell, airfield systems training manager. 

"Previously, airfield systems personnel with a climbing mission had to attend a three-day climbing course at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas," Mr. Campbell said. 

To make this possible, six instructors from the 338th TRS' special training and technology flights and four climbers from the 85th Engineering Installation Squadron were trained by Sheppard's mobile training team earlier this month. About $8,000 was saved by doing the training at Keesler instead of sending the 10 climbers to Sheppard. 

Staff Sgt. Seth Stanko from the 85th EIS provided initial climbing training for Tech. Sgts. Daniel Wilburn and Staff Sgts. Richard Oliver, Geoffrey Gagnon, Maranatty Martin, Jonathon Ghahary and Adam Runquist from the 338th TRS and Staff Sgts. Ben Green and Jose Rodriguez and Tech. Sgts. Michael Hoelzer and Jeffrey Zabawa from the 85th EIS. June 11, they were certified by Tech. Sgts. James Norton and Matt Cagle from Shep-pard's 364th TRS. 

Students do their academic training in Jones Hall and are transported to Maltby Hall to climb the 85th EIS' 53-foot tower.

Even though the additional training is being added, the revised course is actually nine days shorter than the previous 110-day course. 

"Other items were removed from the course last July during a utilization and training workshop under the direction of Chief Master Sgt. Jeffrey Nelson, our career field manager," Mr. Campbell explained. "All course changes need to be validated to ensure we can meet the training requirements. 

"We validate courses by running three classes through the course, keeping meticulous notes on what does and doesn't work well," he continued. "If any changes are required at the end of the validation period, the training development element and training manager make changes and finalize the course. This course won't be validated until December, based on the graduation date of the third class." 

Mr. Campbell said 166 students pass through the course in fiscal 2008, with an increase to 173 the following year. "We train Air Force, Air National Guard and foreign students," Mr. Campbell said. "With this addition to their training, our graduates will be more mission-ready than in the past." 

Future plans call for construction of a 40-foot tower in the bay area of Matero Hall to provide an all-weather climbing training facility. 

"A lot of folks have worked really hard to get this training for Chief Nelson off the ground -- no pun intended," Mr. Campbell pointed out. "Mr. Ken Powell and Tech. Sgt. Billy Landreneau put in a lot of hours to get all the equipment and handle the coordination with base transportation, the 85th EIS and the climbing school at Sheppard, and the climbing instructors put a lot of effort into the preparations."
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