Airmen take to the field for combat skills training Published Jan. 8, 2007 By Master Sgt. Shawn Sprayberry Air Force Print News SAN ANTONIO (AFNEWS) -- Taking an Airman out of his normal comfort zone and placing him in an environment where he is expected to practice ground combat skills can take time and patience for both the instructor and the student. Airmen at Osan Air Base, South Korea, went through a 19-hour Installation Arming Response course taught over two days by the 51st Security Forces Squadron. The course centered on basic defensive and offensive skills to protect Airmen in combat situations. "What we're doing is preparing them to delay the hostile threat," said Staff Sgt. Henry Perez, an instructor from the 51st SFS. "Then the mobile reserve can come in and do their job." Staff Sgt. Aneila Persaud is a chaplain's assistant at Osan. She said she didn't expect the training to be as hard is it was, but it "gives me the maximum strength to defend myself." The security forces instructors concentrated on personal skills such as low crawl, as the students drag their faces and their rifles along the ground. They also taught the basic hand-to-hand fighting techniques they may need to keep enemy forces from delaying the installation's ability to fly, fight and win. "We go out there and do it with them," said Sergeant Perez. "That way they know it can be done. We give them a little bit of motivation so they can complete what we're asking them to do." Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link) Click here to view the comments/letters page