Photo By Tech. Sgt. Alexis Wade | Airmen of the Ohio Air National Guard, 200th RED HORSE Squadron, conduct a multi-day...... read more read more
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A convoy filled with Airmen made its way through the woods, following the gravel road. The Airmen in the convoy remained alert to their surroundings for any threats as they arrived at their destination; an empty field that would become their home for the next four days. Wearing kevlar vests and helmets with weapons slung across their chest, they completed a careful sweep of the land to ensure safety of the area. Once complete, they got to work, planning and executing the construction of the base camp that could house approximately 400 Airmen. For those assigned to the 200th Red Horse Squadron, this was only the beginning of their five day Field Training Exercise (FTX).
The 200th RHS conducted a FTX August 1-5 on Camp Perry in order to train and prepare Airmen on special capabilities in order to support worldwide contingency operations.
RED HORSE stands for Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers and is a self-sustaining unit that focuses on building bases from the ground up.
This year’s FTX was specifically designed to ensure the Airmen involved were set up for optimal success by training for real world situations they may encounter while deployed, said Major Jeffery Zetzer, logistics flight commander at the 200th RED HORSE squadron.
One aspect that plays a major role in preparation for mobilization is Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive training.
The Airmen assigned to RED HORSE go through annual training to ensure they are knowledgeable on the procedures in the event a CBRNE attack occurs, said Airman Justin Lang, emergency management specialist assigned to the 200th Red Horse Squadron.
“It is really important that all of our Airmen are prepared for CBRNE attacks, because it is a real threat out there,” said Lang.
Along with annual training, the FTX included simulated Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) levels, requiring Airmen to put on their MOPP gear with a sense of urgency, practicing for real world situations they may be faced with in the future, said Zetzer.
The training that Airmen receive through the FTX enables them to effectively carry out their responsibilities within the special capabilities they are assigned to.
One special capability they provided was the Direct Relief Mobile Kitchen. (DRMK).
“The DRMK was tasked with feeding all nearly 300 people out of the kitchen based upon the food ordering process they went through in the past two months, to make sure they're prepared to mobilize to the field situation and have everything they need at hand,” said Zetzer.
The Mobile Aircraft Arresting System was also mobilized during the FTX, and tasked to go pull a machine out and across a dirt area on the training site in order to prepare for situations where they may be needed when deployed.
Metal hardened structures, known as K-SPANs, were built with help from the concrete mobile team preparing a footer cap in order to build a solid storage facility.
The asphalt paving team was tasked with putting down stone, and were then evaluated on the tasks required to successfully complete their job.
The demolition team was tasked with conducting a base denial, which included them having the opportunity to train on creating a bug out plan, determining what critical assets would be immobilized and unable to use by the enemy in the event that the assets were unable to be moved.
The revetment team was placed in a scenario where they had an F-16 revetment barrier they had to set up and then were critiqued and graded as a whole, which was another RED HORSE capability required to be trained and managed accordingly in preparation for any mobilization.
Conducting a FTX allows hands-on experience for all involved in order to reach optimal success when the time comes to mobilize.
“The training that is involved, on top of the special capabilities that we have, is to get the people prepared for what is to come,” said Zetzer.
| Date Taken: | 08.08.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 08.09.2018 08:28 |
| Story ID: | 287865 |
| Location: | CAMP PERRY, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: | 88 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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