Photo By Senior Master Sgt. Jennifer Shirar | U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagles from the 173rd Fighter Wing, Oregon Air National Guard,...... read more read more
The 173rd Fighter Wing out of Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, Ore. has been in the fighter training business for nearly 40 years and is the sole F-15C training base for the U.S. Air Force. And for two weeks in August, Team Kingsley took that experience down to Marine Corps Air Station
Miramar to act as Red Air for fledgling Marine Corps fighter pilots.
Major Tom McGee, Miramar TDY Project Officer and F-15C Instructor pilot, said “It’s been great flying-- nice over the ocean--and the base has been supportive of everything we need.”
The Oregon Eagles flew against two airframes—the F/A-18 Hornet from Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 101 (VMFAT-101) and the F-35B Lightning II from Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 502 (VMFAT-502). Both squadrons operate school houses, similar to the 173 rd FW, training brand new fighter pilots known as B-coursers.
“Ultimately we’re trying to train to the same type of idea, albeit a different weapons systems than us, we’re all looking to give the B-coursers the same experiences so that when they leave here and they go on to their next squadron they’ve had a level of experience that they are able to think outside the jet and adapt to different environments,” said McGee.
McGee said the training has been fantastic and they have integrated well with their Marine counterparts.
“Some things are exactly the same in working through a student’s first flights and trying to choreograph the training they need,” he said. “The biggest thing is, having been in the Navy myself, is that it kind of
comes down to--sometimes we use the same words and it means the same thing…but then sometimes we use the same words and it can mean something completely different.”
McGee, who served in the Navy as an F/A-18E Super Hornet pilot prior to joining the Oregon Air National Guard and becoming an Eagle Driver, referred to himself as the “translator” for the unit having worked in both worlds. “We also have a couple of maintainers who have that Marine background so they helped as well; it helped having someone speak the language.”
He emphasized that this was a good challenge to have to build communication skills overall. “The challenges of operating with someone you are not used to, whether it be maintenance or operations, is that it sometimes takes a lot more communication to make sure we get the same desired end result.”
Integrating with other units, as well branches of service, in a training environment is extremely important noted McGee. “The big thing for us, when we are deployed nothing is going to happen stove piped in our own little world, we are always going to be integrated together as different services, so this is a good introduction to remind people what it’s like to work with someone else.”
Off station training such as this is not only beneficial for the pilots, but the maintainers and support personnel as well.
“The TDY has gone great,” said McGee. “We have had a couple of maintenance challenges but that’s helped a couple of shops flex their muscles and use their knowledge to kind of figure out how to fix the jets. But that happens at every TDY--it seems like whenever you go somewhere the jets start to get cranky being as old as they are.”
Senior Master Sgt. James Dreyer, 173rd Miramar TDY Maintenance Chief, said off station trainings such as this are important to developing and enhancing the skill sets of the maintainers who keep the jets in
the air. He says it makes for “A well rounded maintainer.”
One of the ways this is accomplished is by bringing shops that typically do not work on the flightline every day, referred to as the back shops, and allowing them to assist the crew chief’s with launching the
jet as a “b-man.”
“A ‘b-man’ is basically the alternate crew chief that is launching and recovering a jet,” said Dreyer. “They are assisting the primary crew chief with putting the chalks in the tires, putting the pins in, refueling…all
that kind of stuff. They are really helpful for the primary crew chief.”
Dreyer says this is essential to creating a cohesive maintenance team. “Just the understanding of what else outside of their career field goes on I think it is very helpful.”
He adds that being at different unit, especially a different branch of service is helpful. “We see how the Marines do their thing here, learn from them. We also get to fly with a different unit….Jacksonville is here; we are working side by side with them.”
F-15s from the 125th Fighter Wing out of Jacksonville, Fla. are training with the Marines as well.
Staff Sgt. Sergio Galvez-Ramiriz of the non-destructive inspection shop shared how these off-station trainings allow for important connections and relationship building. “When I first arrived here I had no idea where the NDI lab was located….or even if there was an NDI lab. I wasn’t sure where I would be able to accomplish the testing I have to do every day.”
Galvez-Ramirez said he was able to talk to his counterpart from the 125th FW who had already established a relationship with the local Marines and gained access to the machines they needed. “It is awesome to have that connection; I know someone in Florida now if I need something,” said Galvez-Ramirez.
This event also translates to stronger inner-unit connections. One of the ways this is done is through giving a select number of personnel familiarization flights in the backseat of the F-15.
“We tried to work it so that each shops put in a few people in, and on this trip we are able to get a variety of different areas…it’s be a great trip for that,” said Dreyer, noting that they were able to put 14 Airmen in the backseat. “It is so important for morale building…people love it,” he added.
Staff Sgt. Colton Oates of the 173rd FW engine shop had the opportunity to fly in the backseat of the F-15 during the first week of the trip. “Worst, best experience of my life,” he said with a laugh.
Oates says this experience gave him a better appreciation for what the fighter pilots do up there. “They are super knowledgeable...very capable. It is so much more than just pulling G’s.”
“I also now have a better understanding of what our engines go though and what their capabilities are,” said Oates.
As the Wing prepares to pack up their equipment and head back home following two weeks of training, McGee said he is grateful for all the hard work from Team Kingsley. “I really appreciate everything everyone has done to make this TDY a success.”
| Date Taken: | 08.23.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 08.23.2022 19:07 |
| Story ID: | 427900 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 190 |
| Downloads: | 5 |
This work, 173rd FW trains with Marine counterparts at Miramar, by SMSgt Jennifer Shirar, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
