Page 1 - Desert Lightning News, Nellis-Creech AFB Edition, February 19, 2021

vol. 5, no. 4 Serving Southern Nevada’s military community, including Nellis, Creech and NTTR Feb.19, 2021

An Aerotech news And review publicAtion • www.Aerotechnews.com
New weapons instructor course

trains experts to ready troops

by 2nd Lt. Nicolle Mathison Operations Center, which is enlisted leaders responsible for
battle management operations
Nellis AFB, Nev. a first.
To provide the highest qual- and train them to respond to
The newest Weapons In- ity of instruction, the US- rapidly evolving environments.
structor Course, Control Re- AFWS selects its best and “We teach students to be-
porting Center WIC, was brightest to return and teach. come technical experts in
activated at the United States The current instructors, who the entire weapon system
Air Force Weapons School at were chosen to teach the first that they’re responsible for,”
Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., CRC WIC course at the Weap-
Jan. 8, 2021. ons School, include Master Sgt.
The course is the next evo- Gustavo Bautista, Master Sgt.
lution of the oldest enlisted Rebecca Macfadden, Tech. Sgt.
Advanced Instructor Course Eric Dice and Tech. Sgt. Kayla
and now the second enlisted Sisson. Air Force photographs by
Tech. Sgt. Alexandre Montes
WIC in the Weapons School. “What I love about my job Tech. Sgt. Kayla Sisson, 8th
It is spearheaded by the 8th is getting to work with highly Weapons School Control
Weapons Squadron, which is trained individuals who are Reporting Center Weapons
responsible for command and very skilled and constant pro- Instructor Course instructor,
control and electromagnetic fessionals,” said 8th Weap- conducts a classroom training
warfare. ons Squadron Superintendent scenario for students at Nellis
The major difference from Bautista. “I get the unique Air Force Base, Nev., Jan. 14,
the AIC focus is that the WIC privilege of working around 2021. The CRC WIC is the next
completes the transition from high-speed performers all day evolution of the oldest enlisted
a technical weapons controller long. It’s definitely a leader- Advanced Instructor Course and
focus to a “total system” focus. ship challenge I look forward said Commander of the 8th cadre. They are armed with now the second enlisted WIC in
WIC graduates are responsi- to every day.” Weapons Squadron Lt. Col. the most recently developed the Weapons School.
ble, not only for their core skill In order to qualify to at- James Combs. “The end goal tactics, techniques and pro-
of weapons control, but also for tend the course, members is for our students to take that cedures taught, refined and
the max performance of the must be between the ranks weapon system and integrate it executed on the most advanced “Our students will begin
CRC itself, which includes all of E-4 to E-6, with no more into the larger force and mis- live training ranges and syn- integrating initially with the
weapons control, surveillance, than 12 years of Total Active sion sets.” thetic training environments fighter squadrons as they go
communications and data link Federal Military Service Time Due to the rapidly chang- the joint forces have to offer. about learning and perfecting
operations that it hosts. and extensive experience as a ing mission sets and global The CRC WIC is the natu- the weapons control portion
The CRC is integrated into Weapons Director. responses, the USAFWS hosts ral evolution of training that of our syllabus, but then very
the larger Tactical Air Control Throughout WIC, students the CRC. took place at the 8th Weapons rapidly, they will move into
System, both laterally with are exposed to a five-phase WIC students are provided Squadron and at the Weapons more advanced team control
other C2 agencies and verti- learning system, which can at with the most current and real- School, in order to progress and battle management mis-
cally with operational level any point run concurrently. It istic training possible through command and control battle __
C2 agencies such as the Air is designed to develop tactical squadrons of hand-selected management operations. See course, on Page 5

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