Airmen graduate Air Assault course with Soldiers

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Carolyn (Viss) Herrick
  • Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Public Affairs
WAHIAWA, Hawaii --  Three Airmen graduated the Army Air Assault course here May 11, after 11 days of grueling training.

Of an original five Airmen from the 647th Security Forces Squadron from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and 309 Soldiers, many from the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, about half of those who began the course successfully finished. Tech. Sgt. Pablo Gonzalez, Staff Sgt. Shawn Cecere, and Senior Airman Jordan Miller distinguished themselves and the squadron at JBPHH.

"They're doing something highly regarded in the Army," said Staff Sgt. Brett Lafreniere, NCO in charge of training for the 647th SFS. "When we go downrange and do joint operations, whether it's in a deployed environment or a training environment, showing other services we're stepping out and conducting difficult training like this really sets us apart."

Air Assault school is extremely tough, he said. There are a lot of challenges set before the students, both physically and mentally. There are written tests and field practicals, many of which are timed.

"When you combine all those in an 11-day period, it really gets difficult because you're constantly on the move, you're working 18-hour days in many cases, and you constantly have to adapt and overcome the challenges of the course," Sergeant Lafreniere said.

In order to graduate, these Airmen and Soldiers had to learn about combat assault operations; complete two long road marches, a run, and an obstacle course; sling load cargo; and rappel out of UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from 90 feet in the air, among other things, he said.

"In terms of real-world application for security forces, there have been Air Force units that have conducted air assault missions, and there's always that possibility of being attached to an Army unit," said the Lake Forest, Calif., native, who has completed Sniper and Air Assault schools and is also a Pathfinder.

Air assault is very significant in modern-day operations in Afghanistan, said Army Sfc. Daniel Wade, Bravo Company, Air Assault NCO in charge.

"Rappelling operations were just used by the forces that went in and got Osama bin Laden," said Sergeant Wade, an Atlanta, Ga., native who's been in the Army since 1995 and deployed to perform convoy operations in Iraq in 2008.

He was impressed by how well the Airmen in attendance performed alongside their fellow Soldiers. The Air Force usually gets only two percent of the available class slots, but they come in shape and ready and are prepared prior to even attending the course, he said.

"This is not your average Soldier who completes the course," Sergeant Wade said. "It's a Soldier who not only meets, but exceeds standards; has self motivation; and wants to do more than the norm - and that's just to get into the course. To succeed, it's someone who's put in a lot of work and stayed physically fit and mentally tough on a day-to-day basis."