Weapons, tactics course improves skills

  • Published
  • By Wayne Bryant
  • 37th Training Wing Public Affairs
LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) --  About 30 security forces Airmen from around Air Education and Training Command were here recently to improve their skills.

Some of the skills the students learned at the AETC Combat Weapons and Tactics Course included tactical pistol skills, long-gun skills, low-light movements and missions, physical conflict resolution, and tactical rifle skills.

Developed by the command’s security forces directorate, the course is similar to those already taught to Soldiers, Sailors and Marines.

“This is training our people need in today’s world,” said Master Sgt. Domingo Ortega, an AETC security forces specialist. “The other services are already training their people for this type [of] mission, and we can’t afford not to do the same thing.”

Officials said they expect those attending the course to take what they learn and share with people at their home base.

“The purpose of the course is to prepare our security forces people to plan and execute missions in an urban environment,” Sergeant Ortega said. “This is a high-intensity course that we hope will develop and test their proficiency, leadership, teamwork and marksmanship.”

The course also included urban-terrain operations, close-quarters combat and physical-fitness evaluations.

“This is a very physically demanding course,” Sergeant Ortega said.

“This kind of close-contact combat training is very realistic and is training we can use when we deploy to a forward area,” said student Tech. Sgt. John Fox from the 56th Security Forces Squadron at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.

“(It gives) us a better understanding of (using) weapons and to be victorious,” said Staff Sgt. Jack Gilbert, a combat arms training and maintenance instructor from the 342nd Training Squadron here. “We all know how to use the weapons, but this isn’t just shooting at static paper targets.”

The training offered students plenty of practice. They spent a majority of their time on firing ranges here or at nearby Camp Bullis, using Army live-fire ranges for their tactical weapons training.

Part of the training included two-person teams fighting against each other armed with paintball guns. Students had to eliminate their opponents while maintaining communication with their partners.

Several reservists who work at the San Antonio Police Department also attended the training.