NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- The 99th Air Base Wing (ABW) facilitated Nellis AFB’s first Multi-Capable Airmen (MCA) initiative in a weeklong training event for rescue tenant units stationed here.
MCA is a program already established within the 355th Wing, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (DMAFB), Arizona. In partnership, the 99th ABW provided support and training agencies for the event, including the 99th Security Forces Squadron and 99th Civil Engineering Squadron.
“MCA is a series of training events designed to engage Airmen in developing a combat skillset outside of their primary Air Force specialty code” – said Senior Master Sgt. Russell Pry, 355th Fighter Wing Agile Combat Employment (ACE) deputy. “Because we’re working under an agile concept, we need the ability to be very mobile; and to be mobile, we have to have a smaller footprint. So were asking all of our multi-capable airmen to be fluent in expeditionary techniques and procedures.”
Nellis’ MCA event trained the Airmen to be a part of cross-functional teams and to be more survivable in a near peer-contested environment.
“This has been done in a small capacity broadcasted throughout the Air Force,” said Pry. “But this is the first time we’re bringing everything together in a training like this.”
Master Sgt. Corey Farr, 58th Rescue Squadron (RQS) chief of standards and evaluations, spear headed this first iteration of the program at Nellis AFB as the selected Nellis MCA Director.
“For this first iteration, the participants were primarily from 855th Maintenance Squadron, 66th RQS and 58th RQS support staff agencies,” said Farr. “MCA is secondary to ACE, which is an initiative for these Airmen to develop more enhanced expeditionary skills for future fights.”
The two wings accomplished the event’s goals through a weeklong series of dynamic training and a capstone exercise for the selected Airmen.
The curriculum consisted of law of war briefings, Self-Aid Buddy Care (SABC), heavy weapons familiarization, Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC), tactical movements, and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and high yield Explosives (CBRNE).
“Giving airmen a broader breadth of knowledge and experience in expeditionary combat skills is what Master Sgt. Farr was able to accomplish through this first iteration of MCA training,” said Maj. Lucas Gagliardi, 58th RQS director of operations.
Airmen participating in the MCA event put their new skills to the test in a mass casualty exercise at the end of the training week. Throughout the capstone, Airmen used the techniques taught during SABC, TCCC and CBRNE to showcase their competency under pressure.
“It was a great success,” said Farr. “Airmen were able to enhance their already combat mindset and their skills on more tactical maneuvers and employment than they normally would.”
“As tenant units, we wouldn’t have been able to accomplish this without the support of the 99th Air Base Wing,” echoed Gagliardi. “I think it’s an amazing opportunity for the two wings to continue working together to keep building up our Airmen.”