Heavy Training - military training at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma

Altus provides vital link in America's global reach.

Standing in the shadow of one of the free world's largest airplanes, Kyle Melaas is in shock. Eyes wide, mouth agape, this 20-year-old airman basic ogles the plane like it's a Lamborghini. This is his first up-close look at the jet he'll call home for at least the next four years -- the C-5 Galaxy.

"I could fit my whole hometown on it," Melaas says, only half joking. "I didn't realize it had an upstairs."

The young man stops talking and turns to watch another C-5 lumber down Altus Air Force Base's runway. A sly smile creeps across the airman's face as he watches the "big bubba" claw its way into the southwestern Oklahoma sky. The ground trembles under his feet. Melaas likes what he sees.

"I can't wait to be a part of it," he said.

But first he'll have to make his way through Atlus' two-month C-5 loadmaster course. This kid, just a month removed from basic training, who couldn't pack his suitcase before he left home, will leave Altus ready to pack up that C-5 and travel around the world.

Turning youngsters like Melaas into combat ready crew members is Altus' mission. It's heavy training.

The base, tucked in the bottom left corner of Oklahoma, churns out more than 2,900 aircrew members a year. Students include pilots, navigators, flight engineers, loadmasters and boom operators. Stroll down the flight line and it's a "who's who" of heavies -- C-5s, C-17s, KC-135s and even a few, soon to be extinct, C-141 Star-lifters (See "No More Stars," Page 22).

"We run 57 aircrew training courses ranging from initial qualification to senior officer training," said Brig. Gen. Quentin L. Peterson, 97th Air Mobility Wing commander. "We're the hub that trains combat ready aircrews for America's strategic air mobility."

The wing, which belongs to Air Education and Training Command, is big business on the Oklahoma plains. Its five flying squadrons have some of the most experienced instructors in the Air Force, and Team Altus knows its mission and takes pride in its product.

Critical link

"Without us, the line shuts down," said Staff Sgt. Al Davis, a C-141 flight engineer instructor with the 57th Airlift Squadron. The "line" Davis refers to is Air Mobility Command's constant, massive effort to move cargo and people around the world. In Air Force speak, it's known as global reach or rapid global mobility.

Davis knows the demands and rigors of the line. He spent seven years flying the line at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., before volunteering for instructor duty at Altus.

"We take pride in what we do," Davis said. "The questions I always ask myself before a student graduates are, 'Do I want this guy to go fly with my friends? Is he going to get them killed?'"

Davis' questions cut to the core of the wing's diverse training mission.

How do you train the crews needed to fill Air Force vacancies and still fly safe? Simple. Hire the best instructors the Air Force has to offer.

"We put a lot of responsibility on our instructors' shoulders," said Col. Michelle Johnson, 97th Operations Group commander. "They take these big planes out there and fly them at 270 mph, practicing with student operators, boomers and loads, and they respond to the challenge. They're amazing."

More amazing is the wing's safety record. The wing flies 29,000 hours a year -- about 6,000 sorties. Yet, it maintains one of the best safety records in its command. This is possible for several reasons, but the biggest is the wing's reliance on its time-tested, three-phase training process: books first, simulators next, and flying last.

By the numbers

Before wanna-be crew members ever set foot in an aircraft they must master the textbooks and "sims." Contractors provide the first two phases of training. Boeing trains C-17 crews and FlightSafety Services Corp. trains the wing's other aircrews.

Students spend an average of 30 days in the books. Boom operators have the longest course -- 105 days, 36 of which are spent in the books. And the senior officer training course is the shortest -- just four days.

After peeling their noses out of the books, students move on to state-of-the-art simulators. The wing has 12 contractor-operated static and full-motion simulators. Step into one of these trainers and you'd swear you're on a flight deck. These puppies are cool -- complete with computer generated visual systems they feel like the real deal.

Simulators play a big role in training. They're cheap to run and cost much less than flying real missions. Why? No fuel and low maintenance costs. They're also a great way for students to get familiar with the airplane and learn emergency procedures.

"The sims can't replace flying, but they're close," Johnson said. "Students can learn lessons in the simulator and not get killed."

Not dying is a good thing, and is a prerequisite for students to move on to the final phase -- check rides. Flying training belongs to the active duty instructors. Students fly a number of training flights and then must pass an evaluation flight to qualify in the aircraft.

Capt. Mark Boyd, a C-17 student pilot, is just two flights away from completing the aircraft commander initial qualification course. He's enjoyed his time learning to fly the Globemaster III.

"It's a great jet, and I can't wait to qualify on it," Boyd said. "It's been a long, tough course. I miss my family and I'm ready to head to McChord (his next assignment)."

For Boyd, the check ride is fast approaching. Airman 1st Class Shyla Gordon isn't so lucky. Gordon is in day 35 of the KC-135 boom operator course. She's almost finished with her academic block and freely admits coffee and caffeine are the only reasons she's made it this far.

"I don't consider myself mechanically inclined," Gordon said. "The book work is intensive, and it's been a challenge. But things are starting to click."

Making it click

Turning that light bulb on, or making things click, like in Gordon's case, is what motivates the instructors.

"I thought I was a good instructor before I got here," said Capt. Erik Oliger, a C-5 instructor pilot. Oliger has 3,200 hours in the C-5 and was a standardization and evaluation pilot at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., before moving to teach at Altus. "I'm a rookie. Some of these guys have 6,000 hours. To listen to them, watch them, and learn how they work has been great. It's made me a better pilot and a better instructor."

That attitude -- finding better ways to teach -- permeates the base. Team Altus equips crew members for their first operational missions.

"We give 'em the basics," Oliger said. "When they leave here they know how to fly safe, and know what's going on. We tell them it takes time to learn the AMC system. Stay in the books, find people who know the system and learn everything you can from them. That's how they become better." Sound advice.

Melaas will get the same advice when he finishes loadmaster school and heads off to Travis to fly the world. Who knows, maybe after a few years on the line he'll make his way back to the heartland. And it'll be his turn to greet wide-eyed airmen and show them the ins and outs of being an aircrew member. It would be his chance to carry on the Altus legacy of heavy training.

No more stars

The nameplate on Lt. Col. Richard Walberg's desk is ominous. It's got his name on the top line and underneath in bold block letters it says: "the last commander."

Walberg isn't alone. Walk the halls of the 57th Airlift Squadron and the nameplate thing is obvious. The secretary, the director of operations and even the life support chief have nameplates that say "the last (insert job title here)."

Walberg and his troops have the dubious honor of closing the doors and kicking the tires on the last C-141 Starlifter at Altus Air Force Base, Okla. Instructors at the 57th have been training crew members for the venerable C-141 for 32 years.

The squadron will graduate its last student in June and close its doors in July.

"It's sad, but I do think it's time," said Lt. Col. Mark Cioffi, director of operations for the squadron. He's spent a lot of time on C-141s and is on his second tour with the squadron.

The decision to retire the C-141, once the Air Force's core airlift aircraft, was based on recommendations from the 1994 Scientific Advisory Board. The secretary of the Air Force convened the board in response to Congressional direction to examine service life extensions of the C-141 fleet.

As a result, the Air Force began drawing down the active fleet and transfering the training pipeline to an Air Force Reserve Command unit at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

"It's a strange thing to have to do," Cioffi said, "but I'm proud of the way the people in the squadron have handled it. Our heads will be high even as we put the lock on the door."

You can bet they'll take their nameplates with them.

Pity the tool

When airmen at Altus call on the A-TEAM they aren't referring to the 80's action heroes of primetime television. They're requesting aircraft maintenance and support from a group of civilian experts.

Altus Team Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance was the largest privatization and outsourcing venture in the Air Force when it started in 1996. The project converted 1,444 C-5, C-141 and KC-135 military maintenance positions to 790 civil service jobs.

Despite cutting their workforce in half, the experience level increased significantly. The director of maintenance and his deputy share more than 60 years of maintenance experience. There are 15 retired chief master sergeants, and an impressive 92 percent of the civilians have served in the military. The average A-TEAM maintainer has 15 years of experience while the active duty average is just under nine years.

Although they had the knowledge, many of these gurus hadn't turned a wrench in several years. As active duty airmen, superintendent positions kept them away from the toolbox. The unit went through an uncomfortable year-long retraining transition, but the A-TEAM has earned respect through efficiency and productivity. And for good reason. Not only has the transition saved the Air Force more than $22 million annually -- mostly in personnel costs -- but their dedication became evident when a dozen A-TEAM civilians voluntarily deployed to support Operation Allied Force from Royal Air Force Mildenhall. And the enthusiasm doesn't stop in the back shop.

"If the Air Force gave me a chance to put my uniform back on to go to Bosnia for a year, I'd jump at it," said retired Col. Michael Bradley, director of maintenance.

Bradley's led the team since the initial conversion and is eager to share the unit's accomplishments. From the 1998 Air Education and Training Command Maintenance Effectiveness Award, to a handful of 2000 Rodeo awards, the A-TEAM has proven itself. Even though the team doesn't have the mohawked, gold-laden Mr. T. on their side, they may just be the "action heroes" of Air Force maintenance.

1st Lt. Carie A. Seydel

COPYRIGHT 2001 U.S. Air Force, Air Force News Agency
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group