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YARS Airmen take aim for inspection success

By Staff Sgt. Valerie Smock, 910AW/PA / Published March 07, 2012

Master Sgt. Karen Satterfield, 910th Civil Engineer Squadron pavements and equipment supervisor, fires an M4 rifle at the firing range, here, March 3, 2012. 910th Combat Arms Training Maintenance conducts weapons courses each Unit Training Assembly in preparation for the 2013 Operational Readiness Inspection and to meet training requirements. U.S. Air Force photo by Eric M. White.
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Master Sgt. Karen Satterfield, 910th Civil Engineer Squadron pavements and equipment supervisor, fires an M4 rifle at the firing range, here, March 3, 2012. 910th Combat Arms Training Maintenance conducts weapons courses each Unit Training Assembly in preparation for the 2013 Operational Readiness Inspection and to meet training requirements. U.S. Air Force photo by Eric M. White.

Air Force Reservist Senior Airman Josh Buckenberger, a 910th Combat Arms Training and Maintenance combat arms instructor, checks the target of a 910th Civil Engineer Squadron member after a round of M4 rifle firing here, March 3, 2012. 910th Combat Arms Training and Maintenance conducts weapons courses each Unit Training Assembly in preparation for the 2013 Operational Readiness Inspection and to meet training requirements. U.S. Air Force photo by Eric M. White.
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Air Force Reservist Senior Airman Josh Buckenberger, a 910th Combat Arms Training and Maintenance combat arms instructor, checks the target of a 910th Civil Engineer Squadron member after a round of M4 rifle firing here, March 3, 2012. 910th Combat Arms Training and Maintenance conducts weapons courses each Unit Training Assembly in preparation for the 2013 Operational Readiness Inspection and to meet training requirements. U.S. Air Force photo by Eric M. White.

Chief Master Sgt. Thomas Powner, a 910th Civil Engineer Squadron fire chief, comments on his experience with combat arms training during a 30-year career that involved five deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. 910th Combat Arms Training and Maintenance conducts weapons courses each Unit Training Assembly in preparation for the 2013 Operational Readiness Inspection and to meet training requirements. U.S. Air Force photo by Eric M. White.
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Chief Master Sgt. Thomas Powner, a 910th Civil Engineer Squadron fire chief, comments on his experience with combat arms training during a 30-year career that involved five deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. 910th Combat Arms Training and Maintenance conducts weapons courses each Unit Training Assembly in preparation for the 2013 Operational Readiness Inspection and to meet training requirements. U.S. Air Force photo by Eric M. White.

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YOUNGSTOWN AIR RESERVE STATION, Ohio -- Youngstown Air Reserve Station (YARS) Airmen participated in weapons training here Saturday, March 3, 2012, in preparation for an upcoming Operational Readiness Inspection. The training consisted of a weapons familiarization class and M16, M4 and M9 weapon qualifications.

Master Sgt. John Lovequist, 910th Combat Arms Training and Maintenance (CATM) non-commissioned officer-in-charge (NCOIC), said this training is helpful because it can be easy to forget the fundamentals.

"It's a good reminder and it helps reinforce what they wouldn't normally do on a day-to-day job," said Lovequist.

There are many different job fields in the military and with a number of them, firing a weapon is not one of those daily tasks. However, some Airmen must be up-to-par on weapon use on a regular basis, thus ensuring standards are met.

How often a Servicemember qualifies is dependent on his or her job field. Some qualifications are annual; some are every two years or when the mission dictates. If an Airman is getting deployed, then it depends on what weapon that individual needs to qualify for.

"It's a hot phone in here," said Lovequist. "The phone is ringing off the hook. The door opens up and you never know who is walking in saying they need to qualify."

Chief Master Sgt. Tom Powner, 910th Civil Engineer Squadron (CES) Fire Chief, walked through that door Saturday to qualify. However, it's now the end of an era as that weapons training was his last. After 30 years in the military, 27 here at YARS, he is retiring.

Before walking out to the range to qualify for the last time, Powner said he was appreciative of the CATM instructors.

"The instructors have good teaching techniques," said Powner. "They walk you through everything. People do well because of the instructors."

Powner said the training is something he kept in the back of his mind, even when not in use. Each nugget of information was extremely helpful to him when he had to call what he learned back up to the front of his mind when he deployed.

"I've deployed five times to Iraq and Afghanistan and have been outside the wire," said Powner. "This training made me ready for what I need to do and it's something you can't miss."

Just as Powner believed in training no Airman can miss, General Curtis E. LeMay, former Strategic Air Command commander, felt the same way. CATM dates back to the Korean War when General LeMay chose to pursue a course to change the way Air Force personnel received weapons training. It was his idea to ensure members of the Air Force were trained the best they could be with a weapon.

"Whether you're coming as a pilot, CES, Aerial Port Squadron or Communications Squadron, the weapons training is why we have this uniform," said Lovequist. "It's to defend your life and the lives of others."