FORT CARSON, Colo. (10/9/11) – The Colorado Army National Guard and the U.S. Air Force Academy linked up Oct. 7-9 to participate in a rare joint force training opportunity.

It’s not often that an active duty military component calls on a National Guard or reserve component to train it, but that’s what makes the Colorado Army National Guard’s Pre-mobilization Training and Assistance Element unique.

The PTAE was sought after by the USAFA Cadet Shooting Team to train in various shooting techniques and exercises.

“We focused on things like static, slow aim shooting and more advanced things like walking and shooting, turning, moving and shooting,” said Sgt. 1st Class Norman Wagner, noncommissioned officer in charge of the PTAE South Team.

The cadet shooting team of 14 volunteered their own time on a holiday weekend to utilize the instruction of the PTAE.

“Their command team approached us to train our techniques to their team,” said Wagner. “Like any Army training strategy, we start slow and build up tempo and intensity; crawl, walk, run.”

“These guys (the cadet shooting team) have a background in shooting and are capable of going from very basic to advanced training at a lot quicker rate within a condensed timeframe,” said Wagner.

“The PTAE team is made up of infantry and artillery Soldiers, military police and medics,” said Army Lt. Col. Ottie Taulman, officer in charge of the PTAE. “We have the capability to provide a wide range of training and support.”

The training was beneficial to the cadets, said Cadet 2nd Class Sebastian Constable of the USAF Cadet Shooting Team.

“A lot of us would like to cross-commission into the Army and get into some special operations career fields, so this is great for us,” said Constable.

“As cadets, we’re trying to foster more of a warrior mentality. That’s exactly what they can bring to us,” said Air Force Cadet First Class Christopher Meade regarding the PTAE.

The PTAE was mandated in 2007 as the Army transitioned the responsibility of National Guard units and reserve components to complete certain individual pre-mobilization tasks prior to arriving at mobilization stations, said Taulman.

Typically, the PTAE trains in individual tasks like marksmanship, combatives and land navigation, that then integrates with the more collective training such as battle drills.

The PTAE has trained six units that have deployed in contingency operations since August 2010, with five more deploying units scheduled to be trained in the coming months, said Taulman.

“The real-world experience that they have, we’re hoping to apply it,” said Meade. “We hope to continue this relationship into the future.”

“These cadets are highly motivated, and the training went smoothly,” said Taulman. “We love training soldiers. This is what we live for.”