Air, ground mobility teams work together, conduct low-cost training

by Staff Sgt. Gustavo Gonzalez
621st Contingency Response Wing Public Affairs

9/16/2013 - JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- 

The 621st Contingency Response Wing trained with familiar faces for upgrade training at a discount price, Sept. 2 to 9.

The 143rd Airlift Wing from Quonset Point Air National Guard Station, R.I., hosted 63 members 818th Contingency Response Group, stationed here, and members of the 689th Rapid Port Opening Element based at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.

The week-long training event included aircraft loading and unloading, day and night engine running offloads, night vision operations, combat offloads, maintenance familiarization, drop zone recovery training, command and control, and full-spectrum communications.

According to Maj. David Gaulin, chief of tactics, training and readiness for the 818th CRG, by training at Quonset Point ANGS, they were able to receive the training at a reduced price at a time when budget cuts are a fact of life throughout the military.

"We didn't have to fly any aircraft in here because they're already on-station with the 143rd AW," Gaulin said. "We didn't have to pay airline tickets because we flew military air, and we didn't have to pay any line-haul costs, which would have probably cost us around $50,000.

"We managed to train 63 members of the CRW, and we only spent about $20,000," he added. "The vast majority of that amount was for was food and lodging."

Lt. Col. Joseph Francoeur, commander of the Rhode Island Air National Guard's 143rd Airlift Squadron, indicated the opportunities for realistic combat training are extremely useful as they prepare for deployments.

"The C-130J mission is a world-wide combat mission," Francoeur said "It's firmly rooted in airland and airdrop operations, anytime, anywhere, in all weather and in some of the most austere locations in the world, which is also the wheel house of the CRW. So our working partnership makes a lot of sense from that standpoint."

Tech. Sgt. Phillip Horton, 818th Global Mobility Squadron maintenance lead technician, agreed that the 143rd AW's professionalism and knowledge stood out during the training.

"Some guard units don't have as much experience with austere bare base operations," Horton said. "But the 143rd is a busy unit and they've been around the block a few times, so our guys were able to integrate very well with them."

Additionally, the 689th RPOE received joint forces experience while training along-side the CRW.

"This is a great opportunity," said 1st Sgt. Daniel Colon, 689 RPOE senior enlisted advisor. "We are getting a better understanding of how the Air Force thinks and how we can integrate to make one cohesive team. To be able to meet with the CRG and the Airmen we will be working with down range is a great training opportunity for us."

Gaulin added CRW Airmen were able to accomplish additional training, while loading and offloading KC-10 Extender air refueling aircraft.

"Working with the KC-10 is huge for us because they have a hard time getting training due to operational requirements," Gaulin said. "For them to be able to come here to do on-loading and offloading, that's at least two boom operators per mission that received good training." The 621 CRW is highly-specialized in training and rapidly deploying personnel to quickly open airfields and establish, expand, sustain, and coordinate air mobility operations. From wartime taskings to disaster relief, the 621st extends Air Mobility Command's reach in deploying people and equipment around the globe.