JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
It’s Mission Monday. Meet Master Sgt. Tanisha Chaney, Combat Arms Training and Maintenance Program manager at the Air Force Security Forces Center headquarters in San Antonio.
Chaney and the CATM team establish small arms and light weapons qualification training criteria and standards, develop qualification training programs and courses of fire, and author and approve relevant lesson plans, handbooks and instructor guides for formal training courses at readiness training centers and other training sites.
They also assist career field managers with training development to support career field proficiency and sustainment training.
We asked the Clute, Texas, native to tell us more about herself and the work she does for the Department of the Air Force.
What do you love about your job?
Our team is making great, positive impacts to the CATM enterprise, as well as the realistic training that we’re building to provide to all warfighters. We have the ability, right now, to shape the next 20 years of firearms training for the Air Force and that’s something that will live long past my Air Force life. That’s exciting!
When it comes to your job, what keeps you motivated?
Internal motivation mostly, to do a good job and to ensure we’re leaving a legacy for all CATM instructors to follow. Also knowing that the projects I lead will impact real people performing the real mission in a location where we know they’re going to need the training the team and I develop.
Why are you and your team important to the Air Force and Space Force enterprise and your customers?
Our team provides all training, range, Automated Readiness Information System management and continual evaluation for the CATM Small arms/light weapons program across the enterprise. Our mission touches every Airman and Guardian who fires a weapon, which as we move into Air Force Force Generation is going to be nearly everyone. Our reach is global and the impact is invaluable.
Describe a project or event you and your team worked on recently that gave you a great sense of accomplishment:
We’re currently building the formal and informal training plan for all skill levels of CATM instructors which hasn’t been done in over 30 years. Additionally, we’re continuing to develop the ARIS platform which CATM uses to track weapons training to also include ranges, instructor evaluations and a variety of other CATM roles.
How does what you do support AFIMSC’s strategic priorities?
Our mission set is to train warfighters to engage the enemy in offensive and defensive roles with their small arms. Our current goal is aligned with AFIMSCs priority to provide hard and realistic training to increase the lethality and readiness of all warfighters and give them a better training platform to hone their skills.
Is there anything else you’d like to add that might help people understand the importance of what you do for the Department of the Air Force?
The Air Force's mission and objectives are changing to align with the ever-evolving threats we encounter. Our job is to ensure we’re staying up to date and provide our weapons-carrying members with the tools and training they need to ensure their safety as well as the nation's.