102nd conducts expeditionary skills training

Master Sgt. Tim Tremarche, 101st Intelligence Squadron signals intelligence element supervisor, demonstrates how to use a nasal flange to 102nd Intelligence Wing Airmen March 6, 2015 at Otis Air National Guard Base, Mass. Approximately 350 Airmen from the 102nd IW participated in hands-on training which covered self-aid buddy care and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense. (Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Jeremy Bowcock)

102nd conducts expeditionary skills training

Maj. Travis Nels, 102nd Air Operations Group command and control planner, practices inserting a nasal flange in a simulated non-breathing victim with help from his training instructor, Master Sgt. Tim Tremarche, 101st Intelligence Squadron signals intelligence element supervisor, March 6, 2015 at Otis Air National Guard Base, Mass. Approximately 350 Airmen from the 102nd Intelligence Wing participated in hands-on training which covered self-aid buddy care and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense. (Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Jeremy Bowcock)

102nd conducts expeditionary skills training

Master Sgt. Timothy Moore, 102nd Intelligence Wing emergency manager, demonstrates how to transition between contaminated zones during an expeditionary skills rodeo March 6, 2015 at Otis Air National Guard Base, Mass. Approximately 350 Airmen from the 102nd IW participated in hands-on training which covered self-aid buddy care and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense. (Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Jeremy Bowcock)

102nd IW conducts hands on expeditionary training

Published March 8, 2015
By Staff Sgt. Jeremy Bowcock
102nd Intelligence Wing Public Affairs

OTIS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Mass. -- Approximately 350 Airmen of the 102nd Intelligence Wing conducted a hands-on expeditionary skills rodeo here which covered self-aid buddy care and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense.

The training event was designed to give Airmen a more tactile training to build upon computer based, slideshow and video training they have previously received.

The rodeo is an initiative downward directed by National Guard Bureau and has been in the planning stages for the past four months.

Maj. Ken Nunley, 102nd Logistics Readiness Squadron operations officer, has overseen the event since the planning stages.

"This training is important to prepare our Airmen for all possible situations when they deploy," stated Nunley. "Training like this gives them an understanding of these programs and how to react if and when the situation arises. "

The Airmen in training this weekend are a mixture of those assigned to non-deployable positions and those that deploy frequently. This training is required for all service members, regardless of if they will deploy soon or not, every three years.

"Next year we are planning to have three to four times as many Airmen from the 102nd IW," stated Nunley.

Plans are to have this event happen have every two years, though another event is planned for next year to cover the majority of the 102nd IW.

Senior Airman Adam Sines, 267th Combat Communications Squadron ground radio transmissions technician, attended the training.

"The training was a lot better than sitting through a power point slide show," said Sines. "We got to have hands-on training and touch the equipment. The instructors had great demonstrations and were open to any questions we had. This training has been much more involved than any other similar training I've had in the past."

It's taken more than 30 people to plan and execute this training event.

"This is the first time we've put a training event together like this that has a lot of moving pieces," said Nunley. "We've received a lot of good feedback and I'm proud of those who made this a possibility."