Osan Airman takes pride in command post career

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Allison Payne
  • 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

Airmen are tasked with supporting the overall mission objective of the Department of Defense while meeting the specific requirements of their current duty location.

 

Team Osan’s Senior Airman D’Eryka Corpuz, 51st Fighter Wing Command Post emergency action controller, is one of approximately 329,000 Airmen dedicated to defending her country.

 

“The command post is a hub for command and control operations on base,” said Corpuz. “We are responsible for being messengers to higher headquarters, commanders on base and the base populace regarding any situation that may be out of the ordinary, occurring on base.”

 

The career tasks of a command post Airman consist of operating equipment to control the launch of missiles, monitoring voice, data and alerting systems, compiling and maintaining entry authority list, directives and daily events logs, operating command and control facilities and keeping Air Force commanders advised on the status of all aircraft.

 

“Our mission at Osan involves posturing the base with protection measures in times of chemical or ground attacks,” said Corpuz. “It’s our responsibility to announce to base populace the status of protection levels. We are also involved in flight following, meaning we must be aware of when aircraft from different bases arrive and depart, as well as assisting the aircrew with any needs they have and initiating measures to locate an aircraft if they’re missing or delayed.

 

In order to earn the duty title of emergency action controller, members must complete Basic Military Training and attend Technical Training school specified for the career field. Additionally, to qualify for the job, members must have the ability to speak English clearly and distinctly, normal color vision and no record of emotional instability.

 

“We’re required to complete several months of training upon arrival to our new base because every base has a different mission that the command post must know how to support,” said Corpuz. “We also complete recurring training on a monthly basis that involves taking a written knowledge test and performing duties tasked in a written scenario for performance based examination.”

 

Corpuz added some examples of out of the ordinary situations may include active shooters on base or dangerous weather conditions.

 

“My favorite thing about my job is being able to help others,” said Corpuz. “Without the command post, the base populace would be unaware of current measures being taken in dangerous situations, commanders wouldn’t know important information to help with decision-making in crisis situations and the major command wouldn’t be aware of what’s going on with the base as well as means to support it. It’s rewarding to know that even though I’m not a first responder I’m in a position that can help and protect others by filling my role in the command post mission.”