Total Force Package graduates Weapons Officers

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Greg Steele
  • 93rd Bomb Squadron
Barksdale AFB, La. --  Personnel from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., combined to form a Total Force Enterprise package in support of a Mission Employment exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., June 4-15, 2012.

This particular exercise is the final training phase of the United States Air Force Weapons School and is the capstone graduation exercise for soon to be Weapons Officers.

"It is a venue that integrates every platform involved in the weapons school," said Lt. Col. Kurt Schendzielos, 340th Weapons Squadron commander. "The ME phase culminates the learning for every weapons undergraduate student, proving their status as the USAF's most highly trained joint warriors skilled in the art of battle space dominance."

The 340 WPS at Barksdale is a geographically separated unit assigned to the 57th Wing at Nellis, which is also home of the USAF Weapons School. The school trains the Air Force's most advanced tactical experts in the employment of major weapons systems, and for the 340 WPS it's the B-52H Stratofortress.

"Our participation in the ME trains our aircrews in being tactical experts in the B-52," said Maj. Erik Johnson, 340 WPS director of operations. "It gives us the chance to show off the capabilities of the B-52 and the full range of firepower it can bring to the joint fight."

The students flying in the exercise were from the Air Force Global Strike Command's 2nd and 5th Bomb Wings, and the Air Force Reserve Command's 307th Bomb Wing. The 307 BW provided the three B-52s used in the exercise, along with 45 maintenance personnel comprised of both reservists and active duty.

"It is definitely one of the biggest TFE success stories out here, spot on, seamless, you can't tell these units operate separately," said Capt. Michael Maginness, 340 WPS ME phase manager. "Starting from the time we deploy until the time we step foot back at Barksdale, we operate as one unit, and that's a testament to the quality of the people."

A total of 14 B-52 sorties were flown during the exercise, consisting of seven Vulnerability Periods, which were times the B-52s were responsible for executing missions which simulated the employment of 10 different types of weapons ranging from long-range cruise missiles to very short range general purpose gravity bombs.

"We flew in very complex, tactical environments," said Capt. Matt Guasco, B-52 instructor pilot and senior ranking undergraduate officer. "As a member of the Blue Force, we'd have as many as 40 Red Force aircraft concentrating on locating and destroying us."
The aircrews also had to contend with surface-to-Air missile threats to their B-52s while coordinating bombing attacks with B-1 and B-2 bombers.

"The missions definitely keep us busy," said Guasco. "The experience was outstanding because we learn about tactics and integrating with other airframes, which is something we don't get to do often at home."

The B-52 maintenance personnel also experienced this integration by sharing facilities and equipment with B-1 bomber maintainers.

"It gives our people, especially the younger airmen, a chance to experience a combat type, deployed environment," said Senior Master Sgt. Dennis Mummery, 307th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "We're supporting a lot of sorties, so the tempo is high and our work hours have to be flexible."

"In the end, the mission employment phase was a huge success and we were able to graduate six of the USAF's newest weapons officers," said Schendzielos. "The knowledge gained by their experiences throughout the syllabus and culminating with the ME phase ensures that the B-52 will continue to help win the nation's wars and our aviators will be able to return home safely after accomplishing the mission."