Page 3 - Desert Lightning News, Nellis-Creech AFB Edition, December 4, 2020
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2   December 4, 2020  Commentary  Desert lightning news s. nevaDa  Desert lightning news s. nevaDa  news                               December 4, 2020    3
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 Developing a Resilient Warrior Mindset  Creech upgrades to HPCON Charlie







 by Lt. Col. Paul Fredin  cussions from combat veterans can help   Upon continuous assessment of CO-
 Scott AFB, Ill.  prepare our Airmen for deployments. The   VID-19 trends on base and within the
 Tactical Readiness Skills lane here at Scott   local area, Creech Air Force Base, Nev.,
 As a commander, one of my greatest   AFB creates this type of training environ-  has upgraded the Health Protection
 responsibilities is to prepare my Airmen for   ment. The TRS lane provides our Airmen   Condition to Charlie, and is effectively
 deployment in the service of our country. To   training against chemical, biological or   a RED installation in accordance with
 do this, it’s necessary that Airmen develop   nuclear weapons, along with Tactical Com-  DOD guidelines.
 and maintain a resilient warrior mindset.  bat Casualty Care and combat movement   Also, the installation’s Public Health
 Mechanical vs. mental combat skills  techniques all in one course here at our   Emergency is reactivated, but will ter-
 I’ve served in the Air Force for 19 years   Warrior Training Area.  minate automatically within 30 days
 and have deployed five times. My second   We need Airmen with a resilient warrior   unless renewed.
 deployment was to Iraq as part of an embed-  mindset in combat zones. These skills may   Airmen are also urged to abide by
 ded military training team. I was the team   be even more important after leaving the   the following, in-line with the latest
 leader and convoy commander for a Joint   battlefield. Given the level of psychological   State of Nevada guidelines:
 team of Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine   damage that returning veterans may have,   • Beginning Nov. 24, in accordance
 Corps members.  developing these skills early on may help   with the Statewide Pause, private social
  Although we traveled in three, up-  them to cope with their experiences for the   gatherings are restricted in Nevada to
 armored Humvee gun trucks, and received   rest of their lives.  10 people or fewer from no more than
 instruction for operations “outside the wire”   Resilient mindsets save lives  two households, whether it’s indoors
 through 60 days of combat skills training,   Helping Airmen develop resilient war-  or outdoors
 we could have used more training on the   Air Force photograph by Senior Airman Tara Stetler/Air Force illustration by Airman Isaac Olivera  rior mindsets can save their lives. If our   • Keep six-feet distances from people
 mental effects of direct personal engage-  Airmen engage in direct combat, they may   not within your immediate household
 ment of the enemy.  The human element of combat  els. This is not the kind of thing you see in  have lingering psychological issues from   • Wear masks inside and outside
 We trained extensively on the mechanics   I believe that the focused study of the hu-  the movies, let alone talk about.  It does not  the things they did and the things they   when around people not of your im-
 of engaging the enemy, but were we pre-  man element of combat is critical to ensure  make the Airman a coward, and knowing  did not do.  mediate household
 pared to engage another human in combat?  that Airmen know what to expect when  what to expect can help our Airmen prepare   Reconciling your personal beliefs be-  •  Wash  and  sanitize  hands  fre-
 That is the ultimate question and having  they get into a hostile situation.  Many of our  against devastating self-doubt and blame  fore enemy engagements can pay huge   quently  ing with family for the holidays, we  Travel, please act quickly to ensure  spread, to minimize this risk please
 this discussion with our youngest Airmen  Airmen have never seen combat up close,  that feeds post-traumatic stress disorder.  dividends, as even defending yourself from   • Take self-inventory of your well-  understand the importance of seeing  your movements are not impacted.   review the graphic.
 is tremendously important.  and yet we expect them to be able to make   Realistic training plus discussions  another human being who is actively trying   ness, don’t come to work if sick   family and recouping this holiday sea-  It is critical for every member of the   As always, engage with your chain of
 We are the best trained fighting force the  the split second decision to take the life of  about coping strategies  to kill you can be mentally destabilizing.   • Upon consultation with your chain  son. Personal travel is NOT currently  Hunter Family to stay safe and com-  command for unit-specific restrictions,
 world has ever seen. We train Airmen to hit  another human being if necessary.  Taking life, in any form, does not come  Extreme human aggression and violence   of command, telework when able  restricted for those who are healthy;  ply with CDC, state and command  and please keep up-to-date with the lat-
 the target with personal and crew-served   We train them to hit paper silhouettes  naturally. Any moment of hesitation could  based on two opposing forces and ide-  For more on the latest statewide-  however, if undergoing a TDY or PCS  guidelines before, during, and after any  est Creech COVID guidelines by visit-
 weapons, but we generally do not prepare  and pop up targets with their rifles, but we  cost an Airman his or her own life. How-  ologies is very different from the crime of   pause guidelines, please see the graphic.  you will have to engage with leader-  holiday gathering. Traditional holiday  ing: https://www.creech.af.mil/Home/
 them for the moment they need to engage  do not discuss the psychology of pulling  ever, proper preparation can be lifesaving  murder, and working with Airmen to think   For those who are traveling or meet-  ship to sign an Exception to Policy for  activities increase the risk of COVID  COVID-19/
 without hesitation.  the trigger when it is another human be-  in high-threat combat situations. Realistic  through these challenges before they are
 We teach Law of Armed Conflict train-  ing in their sights. Grossman said in these  combat training is critical for preparing our  engaged in them is the key.
 ing and brief on the rules of engagement, but  situations, Airmen may experience auditory  Airmen to fight.  Keep talking!  432nd WG firefighter saves life in-flight, awarded for valor
 we generally do not prepare Airmen on how  exclusion or visual impairment, they may   The Air Force offers intense combat   We need to continue to talk about the
 to handle the psychological damage that  have slow motion time sensations, or they  training using rubber bullets fired from  psychological rigors of combat, both before

 can result from direct, close range combat.   may freeze and be unable to act.  an M-4. These bullets, a third the size of  and after each deployment so they have a   by Robert Brooks  “Once I got to her, I could see, she
 Just-in-time training is great, but long   If Airmen know what to expect, they can  paintballs and traveling twice as fast, leave  variety of tools they can use to deal with   was in respiratory distress, with shal-
 term commitment to professional devel-  react faster than the enemy could in real  welts on any part of the body not covered by  any circumstance they may find themselves   Creech AFB, Nev.  low breathing, very short broken speech
 opment of resilient warriors is much more  combat. They will understand that even in a  protective gear. Needless to say, this train-  in.  While most Airmen may never have   It’s a firefighter’s day-to-day to answer  and low blood pressure,” Orosz said.
 effective. This will give our Airmen the  gunfight, they may not hear anything. They  ing provides motivation to move quickly as  to engage the enemy in direct combat, we   the call when an emergency hits.   “She was perspiring profusely as well as
 unflinching ability to engage in close com-  will be prepared for the possibility of tunnel  a team, with good tactics, and covering fire  still need to work to reduce the incidences   For John Orosz, 432nd Support Squad-  having a weak rapid pulse and massive
 bat, understand the physiological effects  vision and know they may not see enemy  to avoid getting shot. Although we cannot  of PTSD and suicide while making our   ron fire emergency services captain at  amounts of swelling in the feet.”
 that occur during combat, and allow them  soldiers coming at them from their flanks.  get everyone through this level of tacti-  Airmen stronger and more effective at the   Creech Air Force Base, Nev., it isn’t any   Orosz sat beside her and introduced
 to limit the psychological effects of close   They will know that if they train to put  cal training in the Air Force, we can talk  same time.  different. A firefighter and emergency  himself, aiming to keep her at ease while
 combat after the event.  an expended magazine in their pocket after  about the realities of combat and help our   Helping Airmen become more resilient   medical technician of 15 years, he has  he checked her vital signs.
 I recently completed a professional devel-  firing only three rounds in training at the  Airmen be prepared to shoot if necessary.  carries over to their daily lives and can help   been trained to be prepared for the un-  Next, he assessed the aisle. It would
 opment session with my CE officers, reading  range, they might well do the same thing in  The unfortunate loss of our Air Advisors  them deal with the stresses at home, as well.   expected.  be difficult to assist her, or make her
 and discussing the book, On Combat, by Lt.  a combat situation even though the enemy  in Afghanistan from an insider threat in  It is my belief that we can become even   However, emergencies don’t only hap-  comfortable, while she sat cramped in
 Col. Dave Grossman. He is a tremendous  is still advancing.  2011 is the clearest example of why this is  more effective through purposeful train-  pen while on-duty.    her window-seat; he decidedly requested
 scholar and his book goes into great detail,   Finally, a large proportion of combat  so important.  ing of our Airmen to develop a resilient   In March of 2020, Orosz and his fam-  nearby passengers to move to other seats
 but I will only touch on the main themes.  veterans report losing control of their bow-  Realistic training coupled with dis-  warrior mindset.  ily boarded a commercial airline flight to  to better control her care.
                                                                                     return home after visiting family.     “I motioned for the flight attendants
                                                                                       During the flight, Orosz’s attention was  to bring out medicine, oxygen, first aid
 Desert Lightning News, So. Nevada edition is   Department of the Air Force or Aerotech News and   For all submissions, a name and phone number   pulled by the sound of a shaky voice over  kits, as well as set up a bag valve mask
 published by Aerotech News and Review, a private   Review of the products or services advertised.   of a person to contact must be included in the event   the intercom. A flight attendant, audibly  to track the patient’s breathing in case
 firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force.   Everything advertised in the publication shall be   questions arise.  upset, was pleading for anyone onboard  her condition continued to get worse,”
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 Desert Lightning News Staff  are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed   without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national   and conformity to the Associated Style Guide, to   Air Force photograph by Senior Airman Lauren Silverthorne  with medical experience to come forward.  Orosz explained.
 Paul Kinison, Publisher, Aerotech News and Review  by, Aerotech News and Review, the U.S. government,   origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political   include military ranks and proper writing etiquette.  John Orosz, fire emergency services captain, center, stands alongside his family and   Without hesitation, Orosz and his wife,   However, before he took action, Orosz
 Stuart Ibberson, Editor  the Department of Defense or the Department of the   affiliation or any other non-merit factor of the   Corrections: Desert Lightning  News  staff   432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing leadership at Creech Air Force Base, Nev.,  Cassandra, a nurse practitioner, moved to  began to delve into her medical history.
 Tinna Sellie, Editorial Layout  members strive for accurac y each week .
 Sandy Bueltel, Advertising Sales  Air Force.  purchaser, user or patron.  If you notice an error in fact, contact the Desert   Oct. 2, 2020. During a commercial airline in-flight emergency, Orosz used his skills as a  the front of the airplane where flight at-  A travel companion was able to give
 The appearance of advertising in this publication,   The deadline for submissions to Desert   Lightning News staff at 334-718-3509, or e-mail
 CONtACt: editorial Staff at 334-718-3509  including inserts and supplements, does not constitute   Lightning News is no later than Monday, 4:30 p.m.,   trained fire emergency services technician to provide medical aid to a female passenger  tendants were gathered around a female
 For editorial staff: e-mail editor@aerotechnews.com  an endorsement by the Department of Defense, the   the week of desired publication date.   editor@aerotechnews.com, and we will consider   experiencing life-threatening cardiac arrest and hypoxic symptoms.  passenger.   __________ See vAlOr, on Page 7
 publishing a correction when appropriate.
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