The Combat Readiness School at Andersen AFB, Guam, last month hosted its first combined course, bringing together Guam’s airmen with members of the Royal Australian Air Force. This was another milestone in the school’s evolution. Andresen’s 644th Combat Communications Squadron launched the school in 2008 to teach Guam’s combat communications airmen basic air base defense skills. Since then, 84 students have graduated, including three Navy personnel. “I didn’t receive much combat training before I first went down range. As a result, there were many times I could have been killed or wounded,” said TSgt. Ian Powell, a cyber transport systems craftsman and Andersen’s newest CRS instructor. He added, “Now, I have the proper training, and I am giving that training to my students so they never have to endure the same hardships that I did.” (Andersen report by TSgt. Charles Ruddek)
The lack of training ranges and airspace in Japan are making it difficult for U.S. aircrews to maintain readiness during the pandemic, the head of U.S. forces in Japan said. U.S. and Japanese aircraft and personnel need to leave the country for high-end training, often traveling to major exercise such…