NVG training

Staff Sgt. John Lindner, an air delivery journeyman, with the 58th Operations Support Squadron, adjusts his night vision goggles before driving out to the flightline in a Humvee, March 11 at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. The aerial porters had trained on driving with NVGs at a drop zone the night before. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Phyllis Keith)

NVG training

Senior Airman Megan Lenz, an air transportation specialist with the 58th Operations Support Squadron familiarizes herself with night vision goggles during Phase I, the academic portion of the Aerial Port Night Vision Course, March 9, 2016, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. Two instructors from the 60th Aerial Port Squadron, Travis Air Force Base, California, traveled to Kirtland to teach the three-day course, March 9 to 11. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Leah Johnson)

NVG training

Airman 1st Class Brett Ritter, an air transportation rigger with the 58th Operations Support Squadron, practices securing a chain to a device for securing cargo to a heavy pallet, during Phase III of the Aerial Port Night Vision Course on March 11 at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. Phase III of the training includes uploading/downloading cargo In a real world no-light/low-light environment on an aircraft with the engines running. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Phyllis Keith)

Aerial porters qualify to use night vision goggles

Published March 21, 2016
By Master Sgt. Phyllis Keith
Kirtland Public Affairs

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Fourteen aerial porters with the 58th Operations Support Squadron and two from the 27th Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, completed a three-day aerial port night vision course here on March 11.

The certification was a first for the 58th Special Operations Wing, a new requirement handed down by Air Education Training Command, said Maj. Pete Shelton, chief of group aerial delivery with the 58th OSS.

"AETC is adding this to their curriculum, so we're teaching these young people how to operate their core competency at night, which means they can turn aircraft in high threat situations," said John "Buck" Buchanan, a lead instructor from the 60th Aerial Port Squadron at Travis AFB, California.

Staff Sgt. Leah Johnson, a special handling supervisor with the 60th APS, said their goal was to teach the aerial porters to use NVGs safely and effectively. She said all deployable personnel would eventually need to be trained on their use.

The training involved loading a Humvee and a Type 5 heavy pallet onto a C-130 running on full throttle, and then unloading them. The night before, the class had practiced driving a Humvee on the drop zone.

"One hour of work with those NVGs is the equivalent to three hours of physical and mental work on your body," said Buchanan, adding that the NVGs could cause headaches if the Airmen didn't drink water, eat well and avoid smoking.

Staff Sgt. Israel Martinez, delivery supervisor with the 58th OSS, said the NVGs made it challenging because it altered depth perception and field of view.

"When your field of view is limited to 40 degrees, you have to pay close attention," said Staff Sgt Michael Senn, air transportation journeyman with the 27th SOLRS.

Martinez added, "For the rolling stock, we tied it down with chains and devices. You really have to rely on your spotter, your secondary spotter and then trust your driver to follow your signals."

Senn and Senior Airman Patrick Jones, also an air transportation journeyman with the 27th SOLRS, a unit under Air Force Special Operations Command, said they would become instructors and program managers at their unit. Jones said they had just set up AFSOC's first air terminal at Cannon.

At the end of the night, Buchanon praised the aerial porters for a job well done. He said the Air Force was no different than the Army in fighting better at night than during daylight hours.

Shelton said operating with NVGs was a highly perishable skill and the aerial porters would need to continually train to stay qualified and be "mission ready."