Air crews, maintainers, defenders hone critical skills

Published Oct. 27, 2011
By Airman 1st Class Katrina Heikkinen
341st Missile Wing Public Affairs Office

MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- More than 50 members combined from Team Malmstrom's 40th Helicopter Squadron, 341st Missile Maintenance Squadron and 741st Missile Security Forces Squadron participated in Road Warrior IX at Camp Guernsey, Wyo., Oct. 17-23.

The Road Warrior course, now in its ninth year, is a convoy security training course in which 150 participants from F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., Minot AFB, N.D., and Malmstrom experience one week of tactical weapons training that includes live-firing training, small-unit tactics and convoy force-on-force exercises.

"Together, with the National Nuclear Security Administration, the Mighty Guardian exercise first identified the need for more training for Airmen [in regards to the transportation of ICBMs], and that's how Road Warrior was born," said Dave Lycan, 90th Ground Combat Training Squadron deputy commander.

With wide-open spaces, rugged Wyoming terrain and 55,000 acres to train on, RW IX provided Airmen with more facilities to train in than the isolated areas at their home stations.

"Here, there are no limitations," Lycan said. "This exercise is our biggest muscle movement we do here because there are aircrew members, convoy and tactical response forces. Participants fire every weapon system they utilize while in a convoy."

F.E. Warren participants were called Op For and acted as an enemy, while Malmstrom members were called Blue Four, and their primary goal was to successfully and safely secure the resource; the resource was located inside a payload transporter, driven by missile maintainers.

"The purpose of Road Warrior is to test the nuclear convoy capabilities of each missile wing," said Staff Sgt. Ronald Wood, 90th GCTS nuclear training instructor. "They'll be using all the typical weapons used on convoys. Airmen are evaluated on battle skills, leadership skills and special operating procedures. Op For's main goal is to just be a training tool to test Malmstrom's weaknesses and make sure they have 360 degree security set up at all times."

The unpredictable events that followed each scenario are closely viewed by cadre from F.E. Warren, Camp Guernsey and Malmstrom.

In a typical scenario, the cadre disable the PT van carrying the resource with a simulated improvised explosive device; this forces the Airmen to provide containment around the resource.

"The Road Warrior exercise provides a realistic training environment," said Staff Sgt. Chris McCory, 90th GCTS nuclear training instructor. "We make the Airmen react, then they must deploy out, utilize their individual team tactics and depend heavily on the young troops to make their own decisions and run their own fire teams to do what they need to in order to secure the resource."

With the help of tactical convoy commanders, the Airmen and NCOs receive basic orders for where they need to be located, but it's up to each individual team to assess the situation to determine the proper security operating procedures.

"[After an attack], we have procedures in place to counteract the opponent, then we execute those orders and neutralize the threat in a timely manner," said Tech. Sgt. Aaron Frederick, 741st MSFS assistant flight chief. "[The Airmen] learn they are going to have to move in a very aggressive manner. They can't be timid."

For one senior airman, the chance to observe the opponent's tactics was a great help.

"Coming down to Camp Guernsey has helped Malmstrom members learn how to tactically integrate and fight against an enemy," said Senior Airman Nicholas Kirschbaum, 741st MSFS convoy response force member. "Some people have been down here and know how to do it, but there are a lot of new troops here and it gives them an idea of what we're doing on a more realistic scale. It's a good experience to have other eyes, because when the enemy breaches the PT van, we can see what they're doing."

For Airman 1st Class Alberto Sevilla, 741st MSFS CRF member, this was his first time participating in Road Warrior.

"I'm learning a lot more small team tactics than I expected," Sevilla said. Sometimes things don't go the way you think they will and that's when we have to switch up what our standard operating procedures are. Road Warrior IX is helping me perform better at my job because I knew on paper how to accomplish the mission, but now I know that when the adrenaline starts pumping, I don't always think as well as I do as when I am calm.

Senior Airman Jeffrey Robey, 741st MSFS security forces memberechoed Sevilla's sentiments.

"The Road Warrior IX course at Camp Guernsey has helped me by giving me a real world feel. We can actually use the terrain instead of simulating in an isolated area. Here, we also have blanks," Robey said.

For a missile maintainer transporting the resource, Senior Airmen Cory Carlson, 341st MMXS missile maintenance technician, Road Warrior IX course has been an eye opener.

"We're here to support and drive the PT van during convoy operations," Carlson said. "My primary job is maintenance, however, when we are rolling in a convoy, technically, we would be augmented to be security forces and that's about five percent of my job. This is extremely out of my typical job duties, so I'm learning a lot."

Airmen from the three missile wings come to Camp Guernsey for the annual Road Warrior course oftentimes timid and unsure, but by the time they leave, there are significant changes in attitude and job skills.

"This course has taught me to utilize everyone and work together," said Senior Airman Brandon Ellison, 741st MSFS CRF member. "Everyone has to take charge because each individual is a leader here."

The Road Warrior course may only be seven days, but the growth in confidence and job skills is exponential.

"When the Airmen arrive, they're a little tentative at first and they don't know what to expect," Lycan said. "After one or two scenarios, their mind is in a totally different mindset and thinking is tactical: 'Where is the enemy? What is the terrain going to be like?' There is a difference in them. By the time they roll out, they have a lot more spring to their step and they're a lot more confident in the job that they're doing."