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188th Airmen boost readiness in expeditionary skills rodeo

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. John Suleski
  • 188th Wing Public Affairs
FORT SMITH, Ark. --  Silent as the grave, Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Ruehle, 223rd Intelligence Support Squadron cyber system specialist, lied down on a stretcher as his fellow wingmen secured him for transport. The "unconscious" Airman did not move a muscle as they strapped his arms, as per their instructor's guidance. When the task was done, the instructor lectured on the correct way to carry the loaded stretcher.

This scene was one of many different lessons learned as approximately 80 members of the 188th Wing participated in an expeditionary skills rodeo held on Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Fort Smith, Arkansas, Dec. 7.

The event consisted of required training including Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives survival and self-aid buddy care, said Chief Master Sgt. Ronald W. Redding, 188th Civil Engineer Squadron installation emergency manager. With Airman needing this training every three years, the goal of the rodeo was to refresh those skills necessary for a deployment anywhere in the world.

The SABC portion of the event was held in the hangar with eight individual stations set up to educate Airmen, said Capt. Susan Pelz, 188th Medical Group chief nurse administrator. These stations included airway management, patient transport and traumatic brain injury scenarios used to simulate real-world situations.

Each of the eight stations were set up with videos introducing the different aspects and medical equipment, such as tourniquets, to allow the participants to practice utilizing those skills, either on themselves or on mannequins.

The organization of the separate stations, as opposed to a single setting with an avalanche of information, improved the flow and retention of the information by breaking it up into smaller sections, said Ruelhe.

"It was interesting and a good refresher for medical [skills]," he said.

The CBRNE survival portion of the rodeo featured classroom instruction in the RED HORSE Training Center as well as hands-on training outside under the pavilion.
Senior Airman Keenan Wallace, 188th CES emergency management specialist, said the most important part of the training was making sure the Airmen knew how to don and doff the new M-50 gas mask. According to several students, including Senior Airman Tyler Sixkiller, 188th Security Forces specialist, the newer gas mask is much easier to put on and is more comfortable.

"That was the best part about this training," said Sixkiller.

Other skills reviewed in the rodeo included chemical detection, cordoning unexploded ordinance and cleaning off Mission Oriented Protective Posture gear from foreign contaminants, said Wallace.

"This training can and will save lives if needed one day," said Redding. "It should be that automatic reflex that comes from training, practicing and exercising."

The rodeo is scheduled to be held quarterly to refresh the skills of approximately 80 people per event. By training approximately 320 personnel per year, the squadron will keep all its members fully qualified in a three-year time period.

188th Airmen boost readiness in expeditionary skills rodeo

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. John Suleski
  • 188th Wing Public Affairs
FORT SMITH, Ark. --  Silent as the grave, Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Ruehle, 223rd Intelligence Support Squadron cyber system specialist, lied down on a stretcher as his fellow wingmen secured him for transport. The "unconscious" Airman did not move a muscle as they strapped his arms, as per their instructor's guidance. When the task was done, the instructor lectured on the correct way to carry the loaded stretcher.

This scene was one of many different lessons learned as approximately 80 members of the 188th Wing participated in an expeditionary skills rodeo held on Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Fort Smith, Arkansas, Dec. 7.

The event consisted of required training including Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives survival and self-aid buddy care, said Chief Master Sgt. Ronald W. Redding, 188th Civil Engineer Squadron installation emergency manager. With Airman needing this training every three years, the goal of the rodeo was to refresh those skills necessary for a deployment anywhere in the world.

The SABC portion of the event was held in the hangar with eight individual stations set up to educate Airmen, said Capt. Susan Pelz, 188th Medical Group chief nurse administrator. These stations included airway management, patient transport and traumatic brain injury scenarios used to simulate real-world situations.

Each of the eight stations were set up with videos introducing the different aspects and medical equipment, such as tourniquets, to allow the participants to practice utilizing those skills, either on themselves or on mannequins.

The organization of the separate stations, as opposed to a single setting with an avalanche of information, improved the flow and retention of the information by breaking it up into smaller sections, said Ruelhe.

"It was interesting and a good refresher for medical [skills]," he said.

The CBRNE survival portion of the rodeo featured classroom instruction in the RED HORSE Training Center as well as hands-on training outside under the pavilion.
Senior Airman Keenan Wallace, 188th CES emergency management specialist, said the most important part of the training was making sure the Airmen knew how to don and doff the new M-50 gas mask. According to several students, including Senior Airman Tyler Sixkiller, 188th Security Forces specialist, the newer gas mask is much easier to put on and is more comfortable.

"That was the best part about this training," said Sixkiller.

Other skills reviewed in the rodeo included chemical detection, cordoning unexploded ordinance and cleaning off Mission Oriented Protective Posture gear from foreign contaminants, said Wallace.

"This training can and will save lives if needed one day," said Redding. "It should be that automatic reflex that comes from training, practicing and exercising."

The rodeo is scheduled to be held quarterly to refresh the skills of approximately 80 people per event. By training approximately 320 personnel per year, the squadron will keep all its members fully qualified in a three-year time period.