EC prepares senior leaders with expeditionary mission support training

by Tech. Sgt. Zachary Wilson
U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center

5/28/2013 - JOINT BASE McGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J.  -- A class of 17 commanders and superintendents recently completed the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's three-day Expeditionary Mission Support Group Senior Leaders Course here.

The EMSG course is designed for mission support group commanders and superintendents who are tasked to deploy to various geographic combatant commands across the world, said Pat Refsdal, EMSG course director from the Center's 422nd Joint Tactics Squadron.

"The course discusses the issues and challenges these leaders expect to face in the expeditionary environment," she said.

The course is held two times a year but the ultimate numbers of classes and students are based upon the needs and requirements of ongoing operations across the globe. Students attending the course will continue on to assume leadership positions in several combatant commands around the world such as U.S. Central Command, U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Pacific Command.

A main feature of the course is the inclusion of mentors; EMSG leaders who supported the expeditionary combat support mission directly and are available to discuss their lessons learned and offer advice to the incoming leaders. This month's course mentors were Col. Erik Rundquist, who previously served as the 455th EMSG commander at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, and Chief Master Sgt. Larence Kirby, who previously served as the 451st EMSG superintendent at Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan.

The leaders come to the course with decades of experience within the mission support areas of the Air Force - force support, civil engineering, communications, security forces and logistics -- but face added mission requirements due to the deployed missions they are tasked with, such as leading aerial port operations, Refsdal said.

"We tweak each class based upon what's happening and where the students are headed," she said. "Right now we are focusing on logistics, contracts, airlift and incident management. The drawdown (in Afghanistan) is a significant mission right now."

One of the main benefits the course provides is to allow members of a unit leadership team to meet and bond over the three days prior to taking on the mission. Group commanders, deputy commanders and superintendents attend together to build the relationships that will prove to be vital, said Refsdal, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel who served as a senior logistician in the U.S. Central Command area-of-operations prior to arriving at the Center several years ago.

"The course began (in 2006) focused on commanders, but we have now opened it up for the superintendents and deputy commanders as well," she said. "This really allows the teams to come together."

The course features a unique blend of classroom-based instruction on topics ranging from organizational roles and responsibilities, the roles and missions of Joint Expeditionary Tasking and Individual Augmentee Airmen, insider threats, command and control and casualty affairs. Additionally, the course mentors share their specific experiences with the group and lead discussions.

"The class also reviews established Air Force Tactics, Techniques and Procedures publications for their specific missions and work through and discuss real-world case studies," Refsdal said.

Expeditionary missions have changed dramatically over the last several years and more changes are coming, but Center officials stress that expeditionary operations for the Air Force are a continuing requirement and the Center stands ready to continue offering world-class training opportunities as the Service's expeditionary combat support center of excellence.

"Though operations have significantly drawn down in Iraq and we are continuing drawdown operations in Afghanistan, growing uncertainty in the world mandates a continued focus on rapid expeditionary basing. It is imperative we continue to refine and educate future leaders supporting expeditionary combat support operations through programs like the EMSG course," said Brig. Gen. Martha Meeker, Expeditionary Center vice commander. "This is a skillset that is very much a part of the Air Force's core mission in today's operating environment and will continue to be as vital in the future as it has been over the past 20 years."