AVON PARK AIR FORCE RANGE, Fla. -- Approximately 200 battlefield Airmen from the 93d Air Ground Operations Wing enhanced their ground force combat capabilities when they participated in a readiness inspection during Spartan Warrior week at Avon Park Air Force Range, Fla., April 11-15.
With ‘Spartans’ as far west as Fort Bliss, Texas and as far north as Fort Drum, N.Y., the 93d AGOW’s Joint Terminal Air Controllers, Tactical Air Control Party specialists, base defenders and weather officers tested their readiness as a wing in a collective effort, while also competing for bragging rights.
“This week allows us to test our battlefield Airmen skills,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Joseph Locke, 93d Air Ground Operations Wing commander. “We get to see the big picture of our [deployed readiness]. We assess everything from checking items while they’re in-processing through the mobility line to self-aid buddy care, chemical warfare and land navigation skills.”
According to Locke, Avon Park is the ideal place to challenge the Airmen in a deployed training environment with scenarios geared toward improving tactics.
To improve their proficiency, 12 Airmen from each squadron were split up in teams of four to compete against each other. While performing various training scenarios, these teams targeted their expeditionary skills and functional-area knowledge while fighting fatigue and cadre-induced stress. A four-mile ruck-march, nighttime land navigation challenge, weapon disassembly and assembly, and an obstacle course were among these events.
One competitor looked forward to competing with other Airmen in his functional area to enhance his skills and test his combat mission readiness.
“It was good to compete with other TACP’s and also get a refresher on the training scenarios we do during our normal operations,” said 1st Lt. Greg Kloepfer, 20th Air Support Operations Squadron air liaison officer. “I enjoyed performing the long-range reconnaissance and land navigations. I felt like [in the past] we neglected our [weaponry] shooting [however], we emphasized that a lot here.
“This week helped show us what we had to do to make those improvements,” Kloepfer added. “We can go back to our unit now and show our improved effectiveness.”
Going back to Ft. Drum with more functional expertise and skills were at the top of Kloepfer’s list, but not too far behind was the bragging rights at stake – the chance of winning the competition.
“We’ve been training a lot and working as a team,” said Kloepfer. “We definitely did a little bit of [trash-talking] between the other teams and squadrons. It’s all about espirit de corps and getting everyone involved by trying to force that competitive nature.”
According to Locke, the competitive drive that Spartan Warrior breeds brings out
the best in the participants.
“The best part about [Spartan Warrior] is that these Airmen don’t have to train for anything other than the mission,” said Locke. “We designed it so that if they’re the best at completing their mission down-range, then they are going to win here. The hard part is that there are 17 other squadrons trained up and ready to do the same thing.”
While competition was stiff, the 20th ASOS from Fort Drum emerged victorious, winning the Spartan Warrior trophy. Locke commended their efforts and credited the wing as a whole for being proficient.
“From what we’ve seen last year to this year is a significant increase, not only in our deployment capability in the accuracy of their deployment folders to get them down-range, but also a big increase in their capability to be able to act and react to surprises thrown their way down-range,” said Locke.
Locke adds that Spartan Warrior is a unique Air Force asset that will continue be a staple for the 93d AGOW’s training mission.