Aircrew instructors execute proficiency training over holidays

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Phyllis Keith
  • 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Twenty-five instructors from the 58th Special Operations Wing and two from the 150th Special Operations Wing here executed full mission profile training, Dec. 28-29, utilizing five aircraft--an MC-130H Combat Talon II, an MC-130J Commando II, an HC-130P Combat King, and two HH-60G Pave Hawks.

With the schoolhouse on hiatus for the holidays and the students on leave, the instructors took advantage of the time to do continuation training to stay proficient.

Lt. Col. John "J.P." O'Dell III, director of operations for the 58th Operations Support Squadron, said the FMP gave instructors the chance to enact a personnel recovery scenario while maximizing combat capability and Total Force Integration with the 150th SOW of the New Mexico Air National Guard.

The first day involved 12 hours of planning and coordination, O'Dell said. He said they interfaced with seven different agencies to include the Army at White Sands Missile Range for scheduling air space.

Maj. Pete Shelton, chief of group aerial delivery with the 58th OSS, ran the execution portion of the FMP. When they launched aircraft on the second day of the training, Shelton, an MC-130J combat systems officer, boarded an MC-130J to monitor the scenario and provide injects at appropriate times.

Shelton said that when the aircraft reached White Sands Missile Range they encountered ground fog and had to return to Kirtland, cutting the mission short.

"The flying portion would have served to validate how well they contingency-planned, but just to get everyone in the same room to do that amount of planning is a win in itself," O'Dell said.

In addition to the instructors, 37 members from the 58th Maintenance Group and the 377th Security Forces Group flew as passengers, a reward for their outstanding work maintaining aircraft and securing the base. 

In 2015, the 58th SOW trained and graduated 1300 aircrew students.