JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Airmen from the Puerto Rico Air National Guard attended Fieldcraft Contingency Response training Sept. 13-20, 2020, at the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey.
Following the establishment of the newly assigned contingency response mission to the transitioned 156th Wing in April 2019, PRANG Airmen attended a mass training event to qualify them for the 156th Contingency Response Group. The USAF Expeditionary Center condensed FCCR from a 15-day training course to eight days due to training restraints posed by the COVID-19 global pandemic and established the first unit dedicated FCCR class for over 40 156th CRG Airmen.
“The first couple of days we go over baseline knowledge with the students, use of force, escalation of force and rules of engagement,” said Staff Sgt. Emil Garza, Fieldcraft Contingency Response instructor assigned to the 421st Combat Training Squadron. “Then we have specialized training where the students learn tactical combat casualty care, building clearing and live fire.”
During the eight days of training, FCCR will expose Airmen to the basics of the contingency response mission through classroom lectures and hands-on training. On the last day of training, the students take the cross utilization career field skills they learned and apply them during a field training exercise that will better prepare them to be CR multifunction Airmen.
“Before the conversion, we were able to provide airlift to CRG units. Now, we are going to be on the receiving end,” said Master Sgt. Edgar Morell, weather forecaster superintendent assigned to the 156th Contingency Response Group. “The 156th CRG will be preparing ports of entry to provide aircraft support so other units can accomplish the airlift mission. Our wing has come full circle in our mission set.”
Upon completing this FCCR class, the 156th CRG will have over 60% of their assigned personnel CR category I qualified.