War sharpens air traffic control mission's focus

  • Published
  • By Susan Griggs
  • 81st Training Wing Public Affairs
Operation Iraqi Freedom is providing students attending the Air Force's only air traffic control school real-world examples of how their training will be used after graduation.

The air traffic control school here trains about 1,000 airmen and international students each year, including new airmen, prior-service members and cross-trainees.

Since the war in Iraq began, "our pace here hasn't picked up, but our intensity has," said Capt. Jeffrey McLemore, air traffic control training flight commander for the 334th Training Squadron. "Our training has gained a sharper focus.

"Our students know why they're here -- they watch the news and hear about the number of sorties and say, 'Talking to the planes -- that will be my job,'" McLemore said. "They know that if they're good at their jobs, they'll help to move coalition aircraft out and bring them back safely."

The captain said students are curious about what to expect when they move out into the field. Keesler's 131 military and civilian instructors, about a third of whom have been deployed during their military careers, provide trainees with vast knowledge about their personal duty experiences, along with basic information about safe air traffic control.

"They get their basic knowledge here -- the really intense training takes place at their first assignment," McLemore said. "The apprentice controllers that leave here won't deploy immediately, but they're expected to get rated in their positions as quickly as possible so they can replace the more experienced controllers who are deployed."

All controllers go through 28 days of fundamental training here. Then they move into either tower or radar training, both 44 days long.

Tower training focuses on controlling aircraft in and out of airfields normally within a five-mile radius around the runway. Radar training, which focuses on controlling aircraft beyond the radius to about 60 miles away, involves coordination with adjacent facilities and airspace dealing with Air Force and host nation controllers.

Combat controllers also train at Keesler. They go through tower instruction and physical conditioning to prepare for the remainder of their two years of pipeline training in which they receive scuba, freefall, jump and survival skills training.

"One of the combat controller missions is to go into and secure airfields in a nonpermissive environment -- that is, potentially hostile," said Lt. Col. Greg Kesler, 334th TRS commander. "Once secured, the combat controllers move on, and the mission is turned over to air traffic controllers."

A 334th TRS detachment at Hurlburt Field, Fla., conducts tactical air command and control training.

"The tactical air control party's mission is to work with the Army to be the focal point for calling in air-strike missions and close-air-support missions in support of the ground commander," Kesler said. "Recent operations ... have highlighted just how important the mission of this specialty and combat controllers are."

"Although our primary goal is to instruct new apprentice controllers, we are still vital in current world situations," McLemore said. "Our active-duty instructors have stepped up to participate in deployments supporting operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and Anaconda."

Two instructors are currently deployed, the captain said, adding that the instructors have to keep current on changes in the field so they can pick up their bags and go when they are needed.

"Air traffic control is a close, tightly knit career field," he said. "Every single student and active-duty controller is a key element. It's a domino effect -- if there's a gap in training, we'll have a shortfall. We have to maintain a supply of high-quality, well-trained controllers to sustain the Air Force's needs." (Courtesy of Air Education and Training Command News Service)