57th Weapons Squadron training

Members of the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron out of McChord AFB, Wash., watch the landing of a C-17 in a dry lake bed. The Airmen were at Kirtland in support of the 57th Weapons Squadron's four-week Composite Mission Application phase training, part of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School curriculum. Six students tackled eight flying missions, including landing the aircraft in austere conditions. (Courtesy photo)

57th Weapons Squadron training

A member of the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron out of McChord AFB, Wash., look on following the landing of a C-17 in a dry lake bed. The Airman was at Kirtland in support of the 57th Weapons Squadron's four-week Composite Mission Application phase training, part of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School curriculum. Six students tackled eight flying missions, including landing the aircraft in austere conditions. (Courtesy photo)

57th Weapons Squadron training

Maintainers from McChord Air Force Base's 62nd Airlift Wing work on a C-17 Globemaster. The maintainers were at Kirtland to support the 57th Weapons Squadron's intense four-week Composite Mission Application phase training, part of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School curriculum. Six students tackled eight flying missions. (Photo by Capt. Timothy Goodwillie)

57th Weapons Squadron training

Students from the 57th Weapons Squadron spend 12-hour days preparing for a flying mission. About 40 members of the squadron were at Kirtland for an intense four-week Composite Mission Application phase training, part of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School curriculum. Six students completed eight different flying missions, everything from mountainous low level operations to high pressure altitude operations, including an air drop from 24,000 feet. . (Photo by Capt. Timothy Goodwillie)

Kirtland a C-17 training ground for 57th Weapons Squadron

Published Oct. 31, 2014
By Kendahl Johnson
377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- After a grueling four weeks of intense mission training, six students from the 57th Weapons Squadron left Kirtland Saturday equipped with the skills and knowledge to better lead Air Force C-17 missions.

The students, along with 33 other Airmen including maintainers, instructors and support staff, were here for Composite Mission Application phase training, which part of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School curriculum. The squadron is a geographically separated unit at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., assigned to the school at Nellis AFB, Nev.

While at Kirtland, the students were given a variety of mission scenarios and challenges designed to test their mettle and prepare them for what they could face in real life combat situations.

"The mission sets and problem sets we've been presented are unlike anything we've ever experienced," said Capt. Dan Naske, a student in the course. "It's been extremely challenging, but it's gratifying to know we are going home as the most capable crew force the Air Force has to offer in executing the C-17 missions."

And that's the goal of the program: to make the students combat capable C-17 tactical employment experts, prepared to execute any C-17 mission that might be thrown their way.

"The expectation is these Airmen will be the 'tide that raises all the boats,'" said Lt. Col. Shawn Serfass, the 57th WS commander. "They will take everything they've learned here and take it back to their units and make their units more capable in combat because of the experience they had. They will hold the line on readiness. They'll hold the line on our nation's combat capability and they'll make their units, and the Air Force, better."

The squadron holds just two classes each year with six hand picked students, "the best the community has to offer," Serfass said.

"It's a small course and an elite group of individuals who are here, but it's a big impact for the Air Force," Serfass said. "The skill sets they learn will benefit the Air Force for years to come and the impact will echo long after they are done with the class. This really is a big deal for us."

While at Kirtland, the students complete eight different flying missions, everything from mountainous low level operations to high pressure altitude operations, including an air drop from 24,000 feet. They practiced with four A-10s from the 355th Fighter Wing out of Davis Monthan AFB, Ariz., providing escort and close air support. They practiced landing in austere conditions, landing back-to-back-to-back aircraft in a dry lake bed in California.

"We provide so many different problem sets and operating environments," said Capt. Timothy Goodwillie, the CMA phase manager. "It helps us send these students home as subject matter experts in every facet of C-17 employment."

It's not only the students who are gaining knowledge. The maintainers, a group from the 62nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron out of McChord AFB, Wash., are also going home having gained tremendous experience.

"We pride ourselves in wanting to provide the best capable aircraft for these students and instructors," said Master Sgt. Tavious Huff, lead maintainer. "We work hard to ensure the students get the training they need to become better pilots and weapons officers. We won't stop at anything less."

Serfass said they hadn't lost a single student sortie do to maintenance issues, a testament to just how elite the team is who made the training possible. He said without the maintainers, or any of the other units or individuals who helped make the training possible, it wouldn't have been successful.

"It's such a big team effort to make this happen, whether it's the maintenance support, squadron support, support of the weapons school, or support from the 377th Air Base Wing," he said. "This training doesn't happen in a vacuum. Without everyone coming together as a team, these students don't get the quality of the training they need, and we don't get to make them the experts they need to be."