Airfield Operations Officer Training Program Moves to the Air National Guard

  • Published
  • By Capt. Allen Alfred
  • 97th Operations Support Squadron
ALTUS AFB --  The Air Force's last active duty Airfield Operations Officer Training Program will transition to the Air National Guard with a graduation ceremony for the final class. Headquarters Air Force Flight Standards Agency made a decision in 2006 to begin realigning the training program under the Air National Guard to produce deployment-ready officers upon completion of their ANG training. During the 11 years of training at Altus AFB, 170 officers graduated from the program.

The final four graduates from the program will graduate in a ceremony, Oct. 22 at the Freedom Community Center on Altus AFB at 10 a.m.. The graduates are: Second Lieutenants Adam O. Campos, Laura L. Chighizola, Jeremy S. Gracy and Matthew J. Henfey.

This is one of the few career fields in the Air Force in which enlisted Airmen train officers. Junior airmen in the 97th Operations Support Squadron Airfield Operations Flight train officers in the complex duties of air traffic control and airfield management. The enlisted trainers will receive accolades during the ceremony.

Aligned under Headquarters Air Force Flight Standards Agency, Capt. John K. Waters established the program in August of 1996 and produced the program's first graduates. Now retired from the Air Force, Mr. Waters will be in attendance for the final graduation. The guest speaker will be Colonel Kevin D. Degnan, Commander, Headquarters Air Force Flight Standards Agency.

Prior to arriving at Altus AFB, students complete a 15-week course at Keesler AFB, Miss., learning the fundamentals of air traffic control. At Altus AFB, students begin the 40-week Airfield Operations Officer Training Program. The program curriculum exposes new Air Force Specialty Code 13M officers to many facets of the broad career field which include gaining air traffic control certifications in the control tower and radar approach control facilities; orientation to airfield management; Federal Aviation Administration air traffic and flight check orientations; exposure to deployed air traffic control and landing systems, and various management topics.

Upon graduation, students are equipped to perform airfield operations flight duties as either a systems or operations officer. After 18 months of upgrade training, the graduates can assume a flight commander position, responsible for oversight of a base air traffic control and airfield management office.

Airfield operations officers will now train at as many as 10 Air National Guard bases in a new two-year program. The ANG program will produce fully qualified officers without the additional 18-month permanent duty station training requirement that existed under the active duty training program.