MSOS concludes week-long training summit at JBMDL

Published July 24, 2020
By Tech. Sgt. Luther Mitchell Jr.
621st Contingency Response Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --

The 621st Mobility Support Operations Squadron held its biannual training summit at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, July 20-24.

The summit is a mission-essential event that brings together Air Mobility Liaison Officers and Expeditionary Air Ground Liaison Element Airmen from across the world for training.

AMLOs are experienced air mobility pilots and navigators who embed with Army and Marine units in-garrison and while deployed. EAGLEs are career enlisted aviators and aerial port members who provide operational air movement support.

“The 621st MSOS is comprised of 20 geographically separated units and relies on these summits to conduct readiness training requirements, unit type code equipment, hands-on familiarization, cross-talk, and unit integration,” said Lt. Col. Jay Weaver, 621st MSOS commander.

With most units currently teleworking from home, this event accomplished much-needed training.

“As COVID-19 put many units into a three-month pause, we are using this time to conduct key combat skills training related to our duties,” said Lt. Col. Curt Haase, previous 621st MSOS commander, who will go on to the Air, Space and Information Operations directorate at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.

Airmen also continued training on the recently purchased Android Tactical Assault Kit, designed to help AMLOs conduct landing and drop zone operations quicker and more efficiently.

“ATAK represents the future of joint force planning and integration,” Weaver said. “It is now incorporated into AMLO quality control and it provides situational awareness and planning tools for drop zone and landing zone operations.”

DZ and LZ refresher training was also accomplished, which AMLOs regularly conduct worldwide.

Trainers went over the Air Mobility Command deployment process and the support provided by the host wing’s 87th Logistics Readiness Squadron.

“The ability for AMLOs and EAGLEs to obtain first-hand feedback from JBMDL agencies that coordinate their contingency, exercise and deployment orders for deployment is critical for crisis action,” Weaver said.

Training and sharing lessons learned is also a benefit of the summit, Haase said. This ensures Airmen can perform their mission with confidence in the most difficult environments.

Capt. David Chan, 621st MSOS AMLO, on the heels of a combat deployment that found him manning a defensive fighting position, shared lessons learned related to setting up personal protective equipment.

“PPE tactics, techniques and procedures have historically been shared at the MSOS summit as the unit has gradually added tools for survivability, but only recently added sufficient training to AMLO quality control on employment techniques,” Weaver said. “This event will flow into other events to increase realism and to ensure equipment is worn properly, safely, and does not impede use of radios, night vision goggles, access to first aid, and the ability to shoot from the prone position.”

Other training included self-aid and buddy care, chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive training, combat arms training and aerial delivery training, which are all needed to deploy for full-spectrum operations.