USAF EC provides 'JET' to West Point Cadets

by Capt. Matthew Chism
U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center Public Affairs

5/8/2015 - Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst -- Cadets from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point took part in Judgment-based Engagement Training hosted by the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's Office of the Judge Advocate here, May 2 through 3.

The 18 Cadets, currently enrolled in a Combat Leadership class at West Point, took part in lectures, Firearms Training Simulator scenarios, and learned group tactics for use in hostile situations.

JET is a combination of Rules of Engagement and Rules for the Use of Force training, which familiarizes students with the effects that life threatening confrontations have on decision making.

"We're teaching students to understand the tactical dynamics of high stress deadly force encounters and to help them hone the ability to make sound split-second judgments in circumstances that are tense, uncertain, and rapidly evolving," said Maj. Ryan Hoback, 177th Fighter Wing deputy staff judge advocate and a guest instructor for the training.

Lt. Col. Daniel Smith, an assistant professor in the USMA Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership who teaches the Combat Leadership class, reached out to the USAF EC's JA to incorporate this hands-on experience into his class's curriculum.

"The training provides an opportunity for the cadets to experience making decisions in real-time and it allows them to immediately learn from their classmates' experiences in the simulations," Smith said.

The USAF EC legal team normally provides JET to deploying members of the USAF Judge Advocate General Corps over four days as part of the JA Functional Training Course. Airmen receive training in subjects including law, culture, counter insurgency concepts, and field training. The JA FTC prepares personnel with the skills necessary to effectively operate in today's contingency environments.

During the Cadets' modified training the legal team covered topics such as ethics, self-defense laws, wound ballistics, body trauma, as well as the psychological and physiological reactions people experience in high-stress situations.

"This was an outstanding cross-service training experience," Hoback said. "The entire judgment-based training team was honored to help Lt. Col. Smith provide a unique learning opportunity for the Cadets and help build a solid foundation of knowledge in this critically important area for our next generation of Army leaders."

Members of the 621st Contingency Response Wing, New Jersey Army National Guard's Joint Training and Training Development Center, and civilian professionals familiar with escalation of force tactics, techniques, and procedures also supported the JET course.