Photo By Senior Airman Jeffrey Withrow | Tech Sgt. Derwin Wilson, 434th Air Refueling Wing command post controller, reviews...... read more read more
GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then one Air Force base is looking to pay Grissom a huge compliment.
The 914th Airlift Wing, located in Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, New York, recently sent two command post controllers to train at Grissom as part of their ongoing conversion to the KC-135R Stratotanker mission.
“We first found out about Grissom from one of our officers who came here as part of an inspector general team,” said Senior Airman Alexis O’Connell, 914th AW command post reports manager. “She went back and told our commander, ‘Wow, you seriously have to see this place!’”
After being a C-130 Hercules wing for over 40 years, the 914th AW is currently in the process of becoming an air refueling wing, and has been sending personnel from various fields to learn from their counterparts at Grissom.
“They’ve come here to learn how a KC-135 command post operates, which is surprisingly very different from a C-130 command post,” said Senior Airman Jesse Crow, 434th ARW emergency actions controller. “For example, they mostly rely on automated software at each base to tell them where their aircraft have landed and when they arrived.
“At Grissom, we have to track exactly where our aircraft are at all times,” he explained.
Tech. Sgt. Derwin Wilson, 434th ARW command post controller, was also heavily involved in training the Niagara Falls Airmen during their visit of the base.
“Flight following is the biggest difference between our two command posts,” said Wilson. “When we have a sortie going out, it’s typically not the aircrews that are coordinating with each other. We call the receiver that we’re refueling, and we’re periodically checking with them to make sure the mission is still on track. If anything changes, we can let our aircrew know and adjust for that.
“They’re used to a more passive operation, where ours is very much active,” he added.
O’Connell was accompanied to Grissom by Tech Sgt. Kristina Burke, 914th AW command post training manager, who met with Tech. Sgt. Milita Hopkins, the 434th ARW command post training manager.
“Hopkins’ training program is amazing,” said Burke. “Nobody in our command post really has much experience in running one at the speed of Grissom’s, so being able to come witness it firsthand has been invaluable.”
Though there are some key differences between Grissom and Niagara Falls, ultimately the biggest change for the 914th AW is the operational tempo, said Burke.
“We do a lot of the same things,” she said.
“We just do them at a smaller scale,” O’Connell added.
Cooperation between the 914th AW and the 434th ARW isn’t going to be limited to this one exchange, said Burke. Additional coordination is planned leading up to and following the beginning of the refueling mission at Niagara Falls, including sending Grissom mechanics to Niagara to help them prepare for their new aircraft.
“We’re developing a very strong working relationship with Grissom, and it’s one that will last for years to come,” said Burke. “It’s been a great experience and everyone is very pleased to have a strong partner to rely on in this transition.”
The 434th ARW is the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. Men and women from the Hoosier Wing routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission.
Stay connected with the 434th ARW on Facebook and Twitter.
| Date Taken: | 03.27.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 01.30.2018 09:20 |
| Story ID: | 263812 |
| Location: | GRISSOM AIR FORCE BASE, INDIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 39 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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