Reserve unit will enhance Total Force aircrew training

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Kevin Chandler
  • 507th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Instructors at Altus Air Force Base, Okla., have one of the most crucial missions in the Air Force, training the world's best aircrews for global reach missions.

Those instructors will soon have partners in that mission when a small Reserve unit is activated at Altus in the 2010 fiscal year.

In FY 2008, Altus instructors trained 8 KC-135 Stratotanker boom operators and 38 pilots for Reserve units. Additionally, 49 loadmasters and 91 pilots were trained for Reserve units flying the C-17 Globemaster III. Incorporating reservist instructors will give these Airmen greater insight into what their unit environments will be like.

While the Reserve instructors will give the schoolhouse more of a Total Force atmosphere, the core curriculum will remain unchanged. "Today, our curriculum is designed to provide high quality mobility crew members across the globe," said Lt. Col. Jim Dittus, 97th Training Squadron commander. "Changes in the curriculum are not necessary because Air Force Reserve Command instructors provide the same high quality instruction as our active-duty instructors and are just as capable of training students with the current curriculum."

According to Lt. Col. Brian Ede, 58th Airlift Squadron commander, reservists will provide several benefits to the training process. "The instructors in either squadron will be interchangeable and the instruction students will receive will be seamless," he explained. "A reserve squadron brings a plethora of experience and continuity to the schoolhouse that an active-duty squadron cannot provide due to the continual PCS cycles."

This continuity will allow the reservists to make an immediate impact, relieving the active duty manpower requirement and allowing more aircrew members to serve in operational wings. And their experience, said Colonel Ede, will continue to ensure that the students receive the best training possible.

"It is important to all parties to ensure the active-duty and reserve personnel find a balance between training and flying operational missions," he said. "It is the only way we can continue to provide the best training possible to our students. They deserve nothing less."

Colonel Ede will rely on the experience of others to help ease the transition period for the incoming instructors. "I have not been through this type of transition, however many bases in Air Education and Training Command have. I fully expect to be calling Vance and Laughlin Air Force Bases to see how they did their transitions and get their lessons learned," he said.

The new instructors will enter a rewarding but very demanding job. "Instructors need to have excellent ability to fly the aircraft, while simultaneously providing instruction on their maneuvers," Colonel Dittus explained. "This requires great technical knowledge, strong flight skills and exceptional situational awareness. They also must be able to closely supervise student performance to anticipate errors and prevent dangerous inputs. On top of this, I expect unquestionable professionalism to set the right example and champion the Air Force story."