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Convoys, IEDs and low-crawling: Deployers train at Fort Dix

  • Published
  • By Capt. Jennifer Lovett
  • Air and Space Basic Course
FORT DIX, N.J. --  Green smoke flooded the air and ground bursts exploded as Fire Team Bravo maneuvered in a tactical V formation at Fort Dix recently as part of training required for every Airman deploying to the Central Command area of responsibility.

"Advanced Contingency Skills Training is for support personnel whose primary mission is not outside the wire," said Staff Sgt. Jon Tourville, ACST instructor. "If they ever find themselves in a convoy or on a patrol that is attacked, this training will provide at least the skills to take care of themselves and their buddies."

Groups of approximately 30 students from across the Air Force were broken into two squads of three-person fire teams, the core tactical element.

"[Fire teams] share a humvee, break in doors and attack close range targets together," said Army Sgt. Michele Vargas, Military Operations in Urban Terrain instructor. "They must be able to move as one unit."

Fire Team Bravo consisted of a photographer, an optometrist assistant, a fire fighter and the team lead was a chaplain's assistant. All are deploying to Iraq in the fall.

Learning how to low-crawl, high-crawl, rush and roll as well as field formations such as the file and the wedge was how the team started training.

"These formations help us advance on the enemy or retreat from a sniper," said Tech. Sgt. Matt Alanza, Fire Team Bravo team lead and chaplain's assistant from Scott Air Force Base, Ill.

The training continued with the team walking through wooded trails to find land marks and identify IEDs and driving the second vehicle of a humvee convoy.

"Convoys are important because more than likely some of us will be a part of a convoy once we deploy," said Staff Sgt. Joshua Garcia, a photographer from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. "Once the hummer gets hit, we have to move quickly to secure personnel and vehicles at the same time hitting the prone and watching for more enemy attacks."

One of the most crucial trainings at Fort Dix is combat first aid because it teaches Airmen how to defend themselves and move wounded.

"Combat first aid was probably one of the hardest days because the noise was deafening, the air was thick with smoke, and I'm trying to fire at the enemy while carrying a grown man," said Staff Sgt. Tanner Scanlan, fire fighter from McChord Air Force Base, Wash.

Advanced Contingency Skills Training is conducted by the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center located on Fort Dix and graduates more than 2,000 students annually.