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201st RED HORSE Airmen’s ability to survive tested in FTX

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Julia Sorber
  • 193rd Special Operations Wing

Airmen from the 201st RED HORSE Squadron, Pennsylvania Air National Guard, participated in a field training exercise Sept. 6 to 9. at Fort Indiantown Gap.

“RED HORSE field training exercises are to support our [Air Force Instruction] 10-209, which is a RED HORSE specific program that shows us all of the different training requirements that we need to accomplish,” said 2nd Lt. Nathaniel Curtis, force support officer, 201st RHS.

The first day of training covered individual and team movements, camp security, work party security, camouflage, cover and concealment techniques, defensive fighting positions, and use of force.

The second day of training consisted of specific Air Force Specialty Code training for services, electrical, water and fuel systems maintenance, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, structures, entomology, airfields, engineering, and command support staff.

The third day of the exercise consisted of post-attack reconnaissance sweeps, land navigation and night operations. The fourth and final day of training consisted of an ATSO exercise, which tested their ability to survive and operate.

These exercises happen about once a year, said Curtis. We have to fit a lot of training into a small amount of time, so everything is constantly moving and everyone is constantly learning.

Curtis also noted that the RED HORSE Airmen enjoy these trainings and look forward to them every year.

“The Airmen love these trainings and love what we do,” said Curtis. “Whenever we do AFSC trainings they get happy, [motivated] and excited to come out here, sleep in tents, [train] and to enjoy the camaraderie that the RED HORSE always has.”

While the Airmen do enjoy these exercises, they also believe trainings like these are necessary in order for them to play a successful role in the mission.

Field training exercises are beneficial because they provide us with the training necessary to perfect our jobs so that we are always deployment ready, said Staff Sgt. Leon Washington, communications administrator, 201st RHS.

In addition to these types of trainings, the 201st RED HORSE Squadron Airmen also provide a lot of humanitarian aid, which doubles as training, Curtis explained.

“We recently provided humanitarian aid in Guatemala and Guam with Habitat for Humanity. This training not only supports our mission to fly, fight and win but it supports our mission to help those in need in our local area and [overseas],” said Curtis.

Curtis added that RED HORSE supports many different types of domestic operations as well, some local and some in other states, which aid the community and also check-off some of their training requirements.