MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Moody’s Multi-Capable Airmen program developed and equipped 110 Airmen from 17 different Air Force Specialty Codes with expeditionary, command and control, and mission-generation skills to go from securing the perimeter to refueling aircraft, decreasing the footprint needed downrange.
Mosaic Tiger 21-1 was a culmination of nearly two years of planning to prove the skills of the MCA as part of the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment concept to provide more well-rounded and proficient Airmen.
“Mosaic Tiger 21-1 was Moody’s first attempt at executing agile combat employment at the wing level, implementing Air Combat Command’s concept of operations,” said Maj. William Piepenbring, 23d Wing Integration and Training Office director. “During Mosaic Tiger, MCA conducted mission planning, secured and defended the area, established means of communication, provided Tactical Combat Casualty Care, and refueled and reloaded aircraft.”
“The implementation of the 23d Wing’s MCA program encompasses all four of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force’s action orders: Airmen, Bureaucracy, Competition, and Design Implementation,” said Piepenbring. “All four deal with preparing our force for the future and that is what we’re trying to do here at Moody. These Airmen are ‘key enablers’ that will provide combat support to aviation force elements in a contested environment. We’re not claiming success but we believe we have set a base line to build off to organize, train, and equip MCA.”
To prepare for Mosaic Tiger, Airmen went through a 34-lesson qualification course, where they learned tasks outside of their AFSC.
“The MCA training is a two-week course, where the Airmen are expected to learn command and control, base operating support, and mission generation skills,” said Senior Master Sgt. Michael Coad, 23d Wing Integration and Training Office superintendent. “We have trained five iterations of Multi-capable Airmen courses and evaluated their performance through multiple small- and large-scale exercises.
For one multi-capable Airman, Mosaic Tiger was the first time his training was put to the test in a simulated downrange environment.
“Training was a little intense for some, but not for me because I like that kind of stuff,” said Tech. Sgt. Sancoyus Justice, 23d Force Support Squadron personnel specialist and multi-capable Airman. “Overall, we’re all pretty well-versed in what everybody does, which makes it easy when someone needs a helping hand. We even get airfield management briefs to drive on the airfield and get passengers off the plane.”
“It’s been a great experience, and the Air Force is moving in the right direction,” Justice continued. “[Mosaic Tiger] has been testing our ability to adapt, and these guys and girls have been rocking it.”
As the MCA program gained momentum, innovation funds were used to acquire the appropriate equipment needed for more advanced training opportunities.
“The training executed [during the course] advanced from minimal venues, rubber weapons, and stationary equipment to using airsoft weapons, incorporation of the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape play area and HC-130J Combat King II airlift for personnel and equipment,” said Coad. “Also, MCA received fully-kitted gear to assist with self-sustainment, a prototype contingent refuel system was employed, and approval was granted to allow non-security forces Airmen to train with blank ammunition as well as non-maintenance personnel to perform hot pit refuel operations during integrated combat turns. It was pretty impressive how the wing came together to provide advancement [for] the MCA program.”