FOR RELEASE: Friday, Aug. 11, 2023
CONTACT: Air Force Tech. Sgt. Chance Johnson, 720-847-9435, 140wg.pa.org@us.af.mil
By 140th Wing Public Affairs
BUCKLEY SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. – The 140th Security Forces Squadron, 140th Wing, Buckley SFB, Aurora, Colorado, is executing their annual training period by participating in a combat readiness training exercise hosted by the 165th Security Forces Squadron, Georgia Air National Guard in Savannah, Georgia, Aug. 4-14, 2023.
Defenders will conduct annual combatives training, a Tactical Combat Casualty Care refresher, land navigation practice, counter small, unmanned aircraft systems awareness training, small arms weapons training, and squad and small unit tactics.
“Our goal with this annual training period is to evaluate and break down how ready we are to meet the new Career Field Education and Training Plan and prepare our defenders to meet challenges in an ACE environment,” U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. William Thompson, 140th SFS training non-commissioned officer in charge said. “This gives us the ability to tailor future training to meet the needs of the 140th SFS, COANG, and combatant commanders.”
A new Career Field Education and Training Plan for security forces began July 2023 with a focus more on air base ground defense and less on law enforcement operations. The choice to have the training held in a part of the country that has a different climate than Colorado’s was also a factor in the training.
Training consists of heavy weapons qualifications with classroom and live fire on the M240B machine gun, M249 squad automatic weapon, and the M230 40mm grenade launcher.
The week will culminate in a 16-hour agile combat employment-focused joint field training exercise at Fort Stewart, Georgia, with the 165th, where defenders will be evaluated on their ability to execute the 140th SFS mission essential tasks.
The training develops leaders at the squad level, while also using the opportunity to be more objectives-focused while in a different location where the primary focus is the training. This contributes to readiness as members stay up-to-date on air base defense and weapons qualification. Simulating an austere environment also allows for the employment of new defense strategies and communication capabilities.