1-24-2014 The Patriot (Joint Base Charleston)

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Joint Base Charleston, S.C.

Vol. 5, No. 3

Patriot Team Charleston – One Family, One Mission, One Fight!

Friday, January 24, 2014

Combat exercise at North Field

U.S. Air Force photos / Senior Airman Dennis Sloan

Airman 1st Class Jacob Albers, 1st Combat Camera Squadron photojournalist, fires his M-4 carbine rifle with a suppressor on the front at enemy forces during the night tactical potion of the Ability to Survive and Operate exercise Jan. 14, 2013, at North Auxiliary Air Field, S.C. The 1st CTCS, located at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., hosted the ATSO exercise from Jan. 6 through 17. See more photos, Pages 8.

Combat Camera Squadrons participate in ATSO exercise By Airman 1st Class Clayton Cupit Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs

The 1st Combat Camera Squadron at Joint Base Charleston - Air Base, S.C., hosted an Ability to Survive and Operate exercise Jan. 6 through 17. This year, the 1st CTCS, along with the 2nd CTCS from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and 3rd CTCS from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, participated in the two-week long exercise. The exercise is designed to sharpen Airmen's skills and their ability to operate as combat documentation specialists while deployed. The first week of the exercise consisted of intense classroom training taught by experienced combat documentation specialists who have been on multiple deployments as combat cameramen. After the first week of training was complete, more than 90 Airmen from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd CTCS were transported to a nearby camp at North Auxiliary Air Field, S.C., their simulated deployed location for the duration of the exercise. The Airmen were separated into four groups of approximately 24 Airmen. Each 24-man group was further divided into two teams of 12 Airmen each. Each group would eat, sleep and train together as one cohesive unit throughout the week. "I learned how to be more effective in a team, so that when I deploy I am not a liability to myself or others," said Senior Airman Roswell Sartwell, 3rd CTCS combat broadcaster. "The three combat camera squadrons worked as one to accomplish the same goal of being better combat documenters as well as more efficient combat Airmen." Each group would spend an entire day learning about vari-

ous battlefield threats including: Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape as well as Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and high-yield Explosives. Other portions of the training included Tactical and Convoy operations and Self Aid Buddy Care. "This training has a lot of value to me," said Sartwell. "It's something I can take back and show the rest of my squadron what I've learned here." The Airmen started each day at 6 a.m. and trained until 8 p.m., and sometimes beyond. There was also a set time for documenters to edit photos or video when training was done for the day. The SERE portion of the training consisted of hand-to-hand combat skills, disarming an Capt. Jonathan Simmons, 1st Combat Camera Squadron photo flight comenemy, navigation and surviving in the wild. The CBRNE portion of the training tested mander, has a tourniquet wrapped around his arm after receiving a simulated gunshot wound. Medical personnel administered the Self-Aid Buddy Airmen and their ability to quickly gear up Care portion of the Ability to Survive and Operate exercise Jan. 15, 2013, at head to toe with protective clothing and masks North Auxiliary Air Field, S.C. to prevent contamination such as biological, radiological or airborne toxins to themselves and their equipThe tactical portion included weapons familiarization, ment. Airmen also had to thoroughly document a hazardous team tactical movement and close quarters battle. waste scene in a short amount of time. The Airmen went on numerous patrols where they were Medical specialists from the 628th Medical Group trained met by small arms fire from role players. Shoot houses were the Airmen on Self-Aid Buddy Care and how to treat real also set-up where the Airmen were trained on close-quarter world medical concerns. The medics spent the entire week in battle and proper procedures for clearing buildings. the field with the Airmen. There was also convoy training which required individuals Aside from the SERE and self-aid buddy care, the Airmen to enhance their voice communication skills and alertness. trained on tactical procedures with experienced combat documentation specialists from morning well into the night. See ATSO Exercise, Page 8

It's your career ... own it!

Story and photo by Senior Airman Ashlee Galloway Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs

INSIDE

Senior Master Sgt. Michelle McMeekin, 628th Force Support Squadron Career Assistance Advisor at Joint Base Charleston - Air Base, S.C., answers common career questions Airmen may have about retraining program requirements, making informed decisions on what path to take for a career, re-enlistment questions, and now, questions about the force management downsizing.

YOUR TEAM

Who’s on it? Can you ensure it’s strong?

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Voluntary separation, retention boards, roll backs, TERA, early retirements, chief master sergeant retention boards ... if these words don't grab your attention, then you've been hiding from the truth. In a letter to Joint Base Charleston Airmen, Col. Jeff Devore, Joint Base Charleston commander and Col. Darren Hartford, 437th Airlift Wing commander, said, "... the Air Force has announced several new programs to help reduce manning by approximately 25,000 Airmen over the next five years." Twenty five thousand? Paying attention yet? So how can any young Airman, faced with all this uncertainty, be sure to get the correct information he or she needs in order to make the right decisions regarding their futures? "We are here to give Airmen an opportunity to make informed educated decisions for themselves," said Senior Master Sgt. Michelle McMeekin, 628th Force

USNS POMEROY JB leadership tours Navy cargo ship

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NEW COLONELS

Four 315th AW officers selected for 0-6

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Support Squadron Career Assistance Advisor. Career Assistance Advisors help answer common questions that Airmen may have, such as retraining program requirements, making informed decisions on what path to take for a career, re-enlistment questions, and now, questions about the force management downsizing. "Now is the perfect time to have a Career Assistance Advisor; with all the Force Management programs underway - it can be very confusing for our Airmen," said McMeekin. "Having additional resources available to walk through the criteria and options is very valuable and can alleviate some of the stress of the situation. Information truly is power in this case." There are many different agencies on base Airmen can utilize to find out more information about Force Management; they include the Military Personnel Flight, Veterans Affairs and the Air Force Reserve recruiter located in the MPF building, the Airmen Family Readiness Center and the Education office. See It’s Your Career, Page 3

WEEKEND WEATHER UPDATE for Joint Base Charleston, SC Mostly Sunny

Sunny

Friday, January 24

(0% precip)

High 36º Low 25º

Saturday, January 25

(0% precip)

High 53º Low 30º

See Joint Base Charleston on Facebook! - Follow Discussions, Connect With Your Base! CYAN-AOOO

MAGENTA-OAOO

YELLOW-OOAO

BLACK 01/29/08

Mostly Cloudy

Sunday, January 26

(0% precip)

High 57º Low 44º


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