Photo By Tech. Sgt. Kentavist Brackin | Tech. Sgt. Anthony Guasti, NCOIC of Gulfstream Curriculum Development for the 89th...... read more read more
Team SAM Fox held a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating its two new Executive Airlift Mission Trainers (EAMT) on Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, Feb. 28, 2023.
“This day has been a long time in the making,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Gregory Adams, 89th Operations Group commander. “Perhaps most folks don't know, but the author J.K. Rowling went to 12 publishers before she found one that said ‘yes’ to her manuscript. Our building here might not be as magical as Gryffindor, but we certainly went through a long string of no's before getting to this point the EAMT became a reality.”
The trainers are the last piece of an approximately 30-million-dollar project spanning several years to secure and complete a dedicated facility for training communication systems operators (CSO).
CSOs operate and maintain senior leader command, control and communications systems on 89th Airlift Wing aircraft, ensuring DVs are connected with the rest of the world during flight.
“Each platform in the Air Force has its own area of responsibility…a capability they bring to the fight. The fighter jets have their weapon systems, refuellers deliver fuel and bombers have their payloads. The weapon system that we have on our aircraft is our communications systems, providing access to both unclassified and classified means of communication. We also provide our users with a certain level of schedule flexibility,” said Tech. Sgt. Anthony Guasti, NCOIC of Gulfstream Curriculum Development for the 89th Operations Support Squadron and EAMT ribbon-cutting coordinator. “For those reasons our users don't fly on Delta or American Airlines, they don't charter a private jet. They fly with us for the flexibility and the communications systems the CSOs operate onboard 89th AW aircraft. We keep senior leaders in contact so they can effectively execute the responsibilities of their office while in the air.”
The EAMTs are almost exact replicas of the communications equipment onboard C-32A Boeing and C-37B Gulfstream aircraft used during special air mission airlift of DVs. The new equipment addresses several recurring training issues including constant aircraft upgrades, jet availability and a lack of CSO training devices.
“Sometimes our CSOs first training mission is with an actual DV on board,” Guasti said. “Yes, there is an instructor there, but not an opportunity for CSOs to learn in a low stress environment. The EAMT doesn’t just provide a low stress environment, with the lack of aircraft availability it will at times provide the only environment. This device reduces our reliance on operational aircraft that are historically impossible to keep on the ramp for training."
The trainers are housed in Relocatable Simulation Shelters which are 2,000 square feet, or roughly the size of an average gas station, enabling CSOs to receive initial and recurring training at a dedicated location, eliminating training issues.
“For CSOs, it means a lot that the conversation for this project took place at more than one desk, inside more than one facility, inside more than one geographic location,” he said. “It's kind of humbling to know that someone somewhere in every corner of the federal government advocated for us and that's kind of special.”
| Date Taken: | 02.28.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.07.2023 21:53 |
| Story ID: | 439900 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE ANDREWS, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 1,360 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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