Combat lessons every Airman should know before deploying

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Lee Watts
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. (AFPN) --  There I was, deployed in the war on terrorism, when I found myself under attack, again! I am not a pilot or a security forces troop; I do most of my work in an office; but while in Iraq, I had to repeatedly face enemy fire nonetheless.

If you are in the military, you can expect to deploy. It is what we train for. Whether you work in an office, on the flightline or have some other job, training with a warrior's mindset here at home can keep you alive when you are under attack.

When you literally see the rockets' red glare and bombs bursting in air, there is no time to think. Your training, or lack thereof, will take over.

During exercises, do you ever grumble about having to wear the helmet or flak vest for hours? Are you one of those Airmen who takes it off when no one's looking? Yes, it is uncomfortable; but let me stress why we all need to train the way we fight.

A few weeks ago I was in Baghdad and was headed to the gym, which was a short walk from the trailers where we slept. I will admit, it looks ridiculous wearing a t-shirt, running shorts and sneakers with body armor and a helmet. But while outdoors, orders were to always wear your protective gear.

It was a quiet night, but halfway there, four rockets broke the silence. They came without warning; no alarms sounded until after the explosions began. That night, I chose to put on the uncomfortable armor. A guy 50 yards to my right did not. Today, I am safely home with my family; he is not. His family must now go on without him.

Orders are for a reason. Following them saved my life, and not following them cost another man his.

Train the way you fight! We are all given orders to go to training. The military provides the training, but your mindset determines its effectiveness. Have you trained for war or just checked a box? Whether it be self-aid and buddy care, chemical warfare or small arms, treat your training as if your life depends on it. It may.

Right now, if the bullets started flying, could you quickly clear a jam in your weapon and get it operational again? This "office" Airman had to do that. Could you treat someone going into shock? When car-bomb shock waves hit my building, that scenario became real.

During a Phase II exercise, when you're showing new Airmen how to do unexploded-ordnance sweeps, are you showing them exactly the way you want them to check around your tent when it really counts? There were more than 100 sweeps in the short time I was there.

During attacks, your training will take over, and so will the training you have provided to others. When mortars begin to fall, it is too late to prepare. Whatever preparations you make now will be all you have then.

In Baghdad, it was obvious who was fit to fight both physically and mentally. They had trained with a warrior mindset and came to the fight combat-ready.

In this war, fear is the enemy's greatest weapon. The terrorists want us to be afraid: afraid to fly, afraid to visit our own monuments, afraid the costs will be too high to see this fight through to the end.

The way to defeat our enemy is clear. In the fight against terrorism, Thomas Paine once said, “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.”