Commando Warrior Prepares Airmen

[USMCRET6391]

Air Force Print News | Brok McCarthy | June 12, 2006

Osan AB, South Korea - Weapons tactics. Night operations. Improvised explosive devices and convoy training. Knowledge of all four areas is important. That knowledge aids in the survival and victory of a combat unit. But that knowledge isn't inherently known by everyone in the military; it has to be learned.

That's where 7th Air Force's 607th Training Flight comes in. The flight's schoolhouse, Commando Warrior, offers three courses including the Ground Combat Skills course, or GCS.

"The GCS is an 18-day course that is designed to prepare Airmen to fight and win in hostile environments," said Staff Sgt. Thomas Williamson, air base defense instructor. "Security forces is the largest group to (attend this course); however, we have trained everyone from supply troops to first sergeants."

Since the schoolhouse is a regional training center, more than 1,000 Airmen a year come from all over the Pacific Air Forces area of responsibility for training.

The Airmen who attend the course will be attached to a security forces unit deployed in support of operations Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom. The course is divided into ground combat sections for flight, headquarters, military working dog, radio telephone operators and heavy weapons.

Vehicle training on all standard security forces vehicles, the M-113 armored personnel carrier, and other vehicles such as buses and forklifts is provided.

"Most of the other major commands in the Air Force have schoolhouses similar to ours," Sergeant Williamson said. "But we are unique in the fact that we prepare troops for two scenarios: going to war in the Middle East and in Korea."

One recent change to the way the GCS course is taught is the inclusion of real world intelligence instead of a generic version of the same information. This has increased the effectiveness of the course and allows the students to experience real world scenarios, Sergeant Williamson said.

"Each and every one of our instructors is hand picked and has been deployed a few times at least, so they know what's going on in war zones right now," said Maj. James Damato, 607th Training Flight commander.

After 16 days of class work, students attend a field training exercise that runs at least 48 hours and includes everything that was taught during class.

"The last class we just graduated did well overall, which is the trend," Major Damato said. "Over the last few years, we have seen an increased skill level in the individuals who have come through."

During the field training exercise, the class works in a 24-hour-a-day environment. They are moved in shifts from a tent city to a "forward operating location."

"Every part of this portion of the training is kept as real as possible including weapons firing ... well, almost, Sergeant Williamson said. "We used to use a laser system but we have switched to a system called simunitions."

Simunitions require only minor modifications to standard military-issued weapons. The bullets that are fired are more like high-tech paintballs. When people are hit, they feel the impact of the "bullet" which puts a biodegradable detergent mark wherever it hits, letting the individuals know they have been hit.

"The training we provide here is more important now than ever because we as Airmen, especially security forces, are an expeditionary force," Major Damato said. "We deploy, come home, recuperate and then head back on another deployment."