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188th Services Airmen hone skills alongside active duty counterparts during deployed field training

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Josh Lewis
  • 188th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
FORT SMITH, Ark. --  With its serene sandy beaches, warm sunny weather and the smell of salt in the air, Hawaii sounds like an ideal vacation spot. But Airmen from the 188th Mission Support Group learned that temporary duty at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is hard work during deployed field training Sept. 11-25, 2013.

During the two week temporary duty, 188th personnel worked side by side with their active duty counterparts in the base fitness facilities, flight kitchen and readiness office. A nine-person services team as well as a two-person Personnel Support for Contingency Operations team augmented active duty forces and assisted the base with preparation for an upcoming Operational Readiness Inspection and Unit Compliance Inspection.

"I think the benefit of this TDY was the experience that each member obtained in their specific area and the opportunity to use their skill in an active duty setting." said Master Sgt. Brian Vinsant, 188th Sustainment Services Element kitchen non-commissioned officer in charge.

With an ORI/UCI on their horizon, the Pearl Harbor-Hickam Force Support Squadron relied on 188th Airmen to handle daily tasks such as out-processing deploying personnel or publishing orders. Senior Master Sgt. Lisa McCurdy, 188th Force Management NCOIC, assisted Hickam personnel as an Exercise Evaluation Team member performing a staff-assisted visit for the military personnel flight.

"The members worked different shifts with some members reporting to work at 4:30 a.m.," McCurdy said. "This was the first time in my career that I spent that amount of time in an active duty MPF. It was a good experience for me, because it allowed me to see the nuts and bolts of how active duty works."

The three 188th Airmen working the fitness center folded laundered towels, worked in the Fitness Assessment Cell and even helped install new flooring. They also performed fitness evaluations for up to 20 Airmen at a time. Their dedication and skill on the job garnered coins from Hickam's Sustainment Flight commander.

"They were going through an inspection when we arrived, so it was a little hectic. We just went with the flow and let them put us where they needed us." said Staff Sgt. Sasha Gray, 188th Force Support Squadron fitness evaluator.

Six 188th Airmen worked in the dining facilities, providing an opportunity for the Guardsmen to gain some valuable on-the-job training while providing training to the active duty personnel. The kitchen staff served approximately 300 people per day. Additionally, two 188th airmen worked in the flight kitchen serving meals to flight line maintainers and aircrew.
 
"The training provided useful insight into the daily activities of an active duty unit," Vinsant said. "This also provided alternatives for future menus in our own dining facility at home."

This deployment allowed Air National Guard and Active Duty personnel to work in conjunction with each other, which is what they will do in a deployed environment. 188th Airmen also participated in team-building activities such as physical fitness training with their active-duty counterparts. PT on the Hawaiian beach was an experience of a lifetime for the 188th Airmen.

"As a squadron they had great camaraderie," McCurdy said. "[PT] was brutal, but it was pretty fun. You were crawling through the sand with weights, dragging and carrying people around the beach. You took a rope with a weight and ran about a mile down the beach in a group. You even took a weight with you on one side and a partner on the other and crawled down through cones and back."

188th Services Airmen hone skills alongside active duty counterparts during deployed field training

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Josh Lewis
  • 188th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
FORT SMITH, Ark. --  With its serene sandy beaches, warm sunny weather and the smell of salt in the air, Hawaii sounds like an ideal vacation spot. But Airmen from the 188th Mission Support Group learned that temporary duty at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is hard work during deployed field training Sept. 11-25, 2013.

During the two week temporary duty, 188th personnel worked side by side with their active duty counterparts in the base fitness facilities, flight kitchen and readiness office. A nine-person services team as well as a two-person Personnel Support for Contingency Operations team augmented active duty forces and assisted the base with preparation for an upcoming Operational Readiness Inspection and Unit Compliance Inspection.

"I think the benefit of this TDY was the experience that each member obtained in their specific area and the opportunity to use their skill in an active duty setting." said Master Sgt. Brian Vinsant, 188th Sustainment Services Element kitchen non-commissioned officer in charge.

With an ORI/UCI on their horizon, the Pearl Harbor-Hickam Force Support Squadron relied on 188th Airmen to handle daily tasks such as out-processing deploying personnel or publishing orders. Senior Master Sgt. Lisa McCurdy, 188th Force Management NCOIC, assisted Hickam personnel as an Exercise Evaluation Team member performing a staff-assisted visit for the military personnel flight.

"The members worked different shifts with some members reporting to work at 4:30 a.m.," McCurdy said. "This was the first time in my career that I spent that amount of time in an active duty MPF. It was a good experience for me, because it allowed me to see the nuts and bolts of how active duty works."

The three 188th Airmen working the fitness center folded laundered towels, worked in the Fitness Assessment Cell and even helped install new flooring. They also performed fitness evaluations for up to 20 Airmen at a time. Their dedication and skill on the job garnered coins from Hickam's Sustainment Flight commander.

"They were going through an inspection when we arrived, so it was a little hectic. We just went with the flow and let them put us where they needed us." said Staff Sgt. Sasha Gray, 188th Force Support Squadron fitness evaluator.

Six 188th Airmen worked in the dining facilities, providing an opportunity for the Guardsmen to gain some valuable on-the-job training while providing training to the active duty personnel. The kitchen staff served approximately 300 people per day. Additionally, two 188th airmen worked in the flight kitchen serving meals to flight line maintainers and aircrew.
 
"The training provided useful insight into the daily activities of an active duty unit," Vinsant said. "This also provided alternatives for future menus in our own dining facility at home."

This deployment allowed Air National Guard and Active Duty personnel to work in conjunction with each other, which is what they will do in a deployed environment. 188th Airmen also participated in team-building activities such as physical fitness training with their active-duty counterparts. PT on the Hawaiian beach was an experience of a lifetime for the 188th Airmen.

"As a squadron they had great camaraderie," McCurdy said. "[PT] was brutal, but it was pretty fun. You were crawling through the sand with weights, dragging and carrying people around the beach. You took a rope with a weight and ran about a mile down the beach in a group. You even took a weight with you on one side and a partner on the other and crawled down through cones and back."