Photo By Airman Justin Moore | U.S. Airmen measure a filled crater during Rapid Airfield Damage Repair training at...... read more read more
307th Bomb Wing Civil Engineer Squadron Airmen battled heat and humidity during Rapid Airfield Damage Repair training at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, July 29 – Aug 2.
The RADR course, taught by the 823rd Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers (REDHORSE), takes Airmen from different specialties within CES and assigns them a specific role that is necessary when repairing an airfield in a contingency scenario.
The methods used to repair the runway include Rapid Airfield Damage Repair, Expeditionary Airfield Damage Repair, and Crushed Stone Crater Repair. All methods are time-effective and can support many passes by aircraft. Airmen train on the proper techniques and knowledge to work as a team to perform repairs in any scenario.
“We realize that we don't have enough personnel to do it by ourselves, so we had to incorporate the rest of CE,” explained Tech. Sgt. Brandon Duquette, pavements and equipment contingency instructor. “We are talking about multi-capable Airmen, everybody needs to be ready to respond if needed.”
Crafts ranging from electrical systems and power production to water and fuels and pest management learned to operate machinery they would not use in their primary job.
During RADR training, Airmen are taken out of their career field comfort zones and taught new skills essential to the damage repair process.
Senior Airman Tanner Stewart, a structures specialist assigned to the 307th CES, primarily does woodwork, drywall, and welding at his home station.
At RADR training, Stewart trained on entirely different equipment and tasks. He learned to operate 10-ton dump trucks and how to backfill asphalt properly.
“It's definitely not an easy transition,” said Stewart. “We are doing things we don't usually do, like dealing with heavy equipment and driving these vehicles.”
Every craft participating in RADR gets a different experience, working with people from other units to learn new roles and responsibilities.
“As CE we have to constantly adapt to ever-changing threats, so should our training,” said Master Sgt. Alex Smith, non-commissioned officer in charge of 307th water and fuels maintenance. “The enemy knows that the airfield is crucial to our mission, so our CE forces need to be ready to get back into the fight with little delay.”
RADR training has 14 different sites across the globe and trains more than 2,500 active duty and reserve service members.
“I take training like this very seriously. It's important that we collectively, as a force, are on the same page, “said Tech. Sgt. Duquette. “Because the time to train is now before anything ever happens.”
| Date Taken: | 08.04.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.04.2024 15:33 |
| Story ID: | 477749 |
| Location: | TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 141 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Rapid and Ready: 307th CES handles RADR training, by Amn Justin Moore, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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