Oklahoma National Guard trains with Altus AFB loadmasters

  • Published
  • By Airman First Class Jeremy Wentworth
  • 97 AMW/PA
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Air Force base has a long history of working together with other branches and bases to both train and accomplish the mission.

That training happened once again on an Altus AFB C-17 Globemaster III, May 9, 2018.

The Oklahoma Army National Guard 158th Field Artillery Brigade, who train at Fort Sill came to Altus AFB to practice loading and unloading vehicles into a C-17.

The training caught the eye of U.S Army Major General Michael Thompson, the adjutant general for the Oklahoma National Guard.

Thompson came out to see the training being accomplished on Altus AFB.

“This is a wonderful opportunity,” said Thompson. “The guard doesn’t frequently get a chance to work with the active component and having the ability to work with the Air Force is just a plus. Being able to load into actual aircraft with some of the best loadmasters the Air Force has to offer is invaluable.”

For many of the soldiers, this is their first time on a military aircraft, working with the actual tools they would see in the field.

“This helps us tremendously,” said Thompson. “There’s nothing that simulates how an aircraft looks, smells or feels. This is a great experience for us to get a head start when the time comes to do our job.

The Soldiers worked with two Altus AFB loadmasters to learn the basics of loading vehicles and properly hooking them to the aircraft.
One of the soldiers being instructed was Staff Sgt. Jack McComas, a launcher chief assigned to the 158th Field Artillery Brigade.

“This is the first time we’ve been able to go through the whole process,” said McComas. “We get to check suspension, weigh the vehicles and go through inspections. We had a lot of questions answered, so when we go through this next time, we’ll be able to learn more advanced things.”

Altus AFB also benefits from teamwork between bases, Altus Airmen go to the Fort Sill shooting range in order to train with heavier weaponry.

With the teamwork, there is a mutual benefit. When Airmen and Soldiers deploy downrange, they can perform better when they have more hands on experience. Giving Soldiers the opportunity to learn how to do their job more efficiently is just another way Altus AFB accomplishes its mission of deploying warriors; regardless of their branch of service.