Key West Water Survival offers realistic training

  • Published
  • By Stacy Vaughn
  • 445th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio --  Fifty-five Airmen from the 89th Airlift Wing and the 445th Operational Support Squadron had the opportunity to go through a more intense, hands-on water survival refresher course than the wing has offered in the past thanks to some early planning and the Navy's cooperation. The 445th Operational Support Squadron's Aircrew Flight Equipment unit provided the training at the Key West Naval Air Station, Key West, Fl., Feb. 26 to Mar. 1, a new location for the wing.
"In the past, we've conducted water survival continuation training for our pilots, flight engineers and load masters by first going through a set of briefings in the classroom, followed by going out to Bass Lake on base in the summer," Lt. Col. Jim Couzins, Chief of Operations Group training, said. "Having it at the Key West NAS, we were able to use their marina to teach the water survival class. The students were able to board a 25-man life raft and have the instructors physically show them the different survival supplies that they can expect to find on a raft," he said.
Senior Master Sgt. Cass Tumblison, assistant superintendent aircrew flight equipment, said that by having the continuation training requirement in the Key West, the students received a much better hands-on training instruction than previously offered.
"The training went exceptionally well. During a regular unit training assembly, the student may have to complete other requirements that may distract him or her from focusing on the instructions given during the training class. By having the class at another location, there were no typical UTA distractions; therefore they got a lot out of the class."
Over the two-day period, four groups of students went through the training; two groups trained the first day and two groups trained the second day. Each day while the first group was in the water, the second group was going through land navigation training. Later in the day, the groups switched out. The same sequence was repeated the second day for the second two groups.
Two SERE (survival, evade, resist, and escape) instructors provided the training. SERE specialists train aircrew members in the proper use of principles, techniques, equipment, and procedures necessary to survive anywhere in the world.
"We have two SEREs [instructors] who have a vast knowledge of experience because they used to teach at the survival schools in Pensacola, Fl. and Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash. I'm very happy that they are now assigned to us," said Sergeant Tumblison.
Sergeant Tumblison said during the water survival portion, the group of students received a safety briefing before boarding the rafts. Some of the training the students learned while on the rafts included; raft care and maintenance, food and water procurement, first aid, protecting yourself from the outside elements, and signaling for help.
While the first group was in the water, the second group participated in land survival. They received a land safety briefing then practiced and reviewed signaling devices, such as using a whistle, strobe light and signal mirror. At the end of the lesson the group practiced flare firing.
Sergeant Tumblison said the wing chose the Key West because the Naval Air Station has conducted this type of training in the past for other reserve units. "We couldn't have found a better location. They have an understanding of our requirements and needs. Once we go through our feedback forms and decide that the training was successful, we can build on it for future classes," he said.
"The training was more realistic this time because we did not have to train in the base pool, which I've had to do in the past," said Lt. Col. Clay Pittman, 89th Airlift Squadron. "Getting to accomplish our water survival continuation training requirement in 80 degree weather with excellent support from the Navy, this just couldn't have been any better. It all came together perfectly and it was a lot of fun."