6 AMW takes Gulfport by storm

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Patrice Clarke
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  More than 100 Team MacDill members traveled to Gulfport, Miss., June 24 for a week long "train the trainer" course to prepare for the upcoming Operational Readiness Inspection in October. 

The ORI team cadre was on hand throughout the training to steer Team MacDill members and the other wings present in the right direction. 

"They (the Battle Lab cadre) were there to show us what to expect during our ORI in October," said Lt. Col. Charles Howard, 91st Air Refueling Squadron director of operations. "We in turn bring the information back and teach it to the members who weren't present in Gulfport." 

Information was abundant during the trip to Mississippi. The first two days were in the classroom. Work focused on the basic ability to survive and operate, while the next two days were scenario based.
 
"The most important thing I got out of this trip was the military training aspect," said William Polson, 6th Air Mobility Wing historian. "All the training classes helped out tremendously with the scenario part of the course." 

The five-day course also showed many where improvement was needed. 

"This training allowed us to see the main areas we need to focus our training at MacDill," said Lt. Col. Patrick Gooley, 6th Communications Squadron commander. "We learned that we are on the right track; we now have a clear cut idea on what we need to learn and where we need to be." 

In the end Team MacDill walked away from the training with the tools needed to succeed. 

"What I learned, and will to continue to learn, is that communication is vital, with the ORI or with anything in the military," said Colonel Howard. 

"It was an excellent opportunity to exercise our war fighting skills with our sister wing (the 172 Airlift Wing, Allen C. Thompson Field, Jackson, Miss.) from Jackson where our ORI would be located," said Maj. Kingston Lampley, 6th Air Mobility Wing chief of wing plans. "What really impressed me was how our Airmen performed under pressure; I am very confident that we will have outstanding results in the actual ORI because of how hard our Airmen work."