RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
The U.S. Air Force boasts more than 130 enlisted career fields, but on Monday, it will officially welcome one more when the first class of 10 enlisted Unmanned Aircraft System sensor operators begin their technical training here.
Future ground-based aviators mark the inaugural class of 1U0X1 sensor operators in the Basic Sensor Operator Training course.
"Basic Sensor Operator Training is a 3-level technical training certification for the newly developed Air Force Specialty Code, 1U0X1," Col. Jimmy Donohue, Detachment 1 commander said. "This training lays the foundation for developing our enlisted force in this new career field, which is critical to meeting the demands of emerging UAS operations."
He went on to explain that the training includes UAS flight characteristics, sensor capabilities and techniques. Additionally, it will provide a basic understanding of full motion video employment.
Following initial classroom instruction, the course will pair the UAS pilot and sensor operator tracks, Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Bobenrieth, Air Education and Training Command career enlisted aviator functional manager said. By doing this, they may start honing their crew coordination and situational awareness skills, which before now, was one of the major challenges for student's to overcome when they arrived at their field training unit.
"Once they successfully complete the training here, they will be certified as sensor operators," Colonel Donohue went on to say. "Although certified, they will still require specialized follow-on training before achieving a fully mission capable status."
In order to produce the future of the Air Force's unmanned aviators, however, first Randolph AFB needed to develop the space and facilities.
"With the recognized success of our UAS Fundamentals course, Randolph was asked to host this training," Lt. Col. Larry Earls, 12th Operations Group, Det. 1 sensor operator lead said. "We went to work planning to expand our curriculum to include a sensor operator 3-level course and blend these trainees into our existing UAS training."
Currently, this project is in its mid-term goal zone, where it is mainly focused on completing lodging, dining and classroom projects.
"There are three main parts to the campus, the classroom, dorms and dining facility," Francis Dinh, 12th Civil Engineer Division project officer said. "These are the most critical construction facility requirements and we have been working non-stop to reach our goal."
Typically, Mr. Dinh explained, a construction project from beginning to end takes several months. This one, however, was completed in three weeks.
"That time scale is nearly unheard of, but we were able to make it reality," he said.
Incoming students can expect to complete their classroom studies in temporary facilities set up adjacent to the Airman's Dining Facility. Pipeline students will arrive in late September, and will occupy a currently vacant dormitory building west of the dining facility.
While the classrooms are scheduled to open late this week, the dormitory and dining facility projects will take more time and with the addition of an enlisted technical school here, a renewed need for the dining facility became apparent.
"The dining facility was originally scheduled for demolition," Mr. Dinh said. "Project engineers were able to devise a way to rehabilitate the facility, while at the same time keeping it operational and saving the project money in the long run."
September marks the arrival of pipeline Airmen straight out of basic training and Mr. Dinh and his crew have their way ahead cut out for them. In the coming weeks, their crew will have to convert a former temporary lodging facility into a dormitory meeting Air Force technical school standards.
"We had to plan for everything from contracts to instructors and even down to the small details like common access card registration and the post office and barber shop's hours," Colonel Earls explained. "Every day we're getting closer to where we need to be to kick this program off."
Since Randolph began training Airmen some 70-odd years ago, it has primarily focused on training officer aviators. Now, with the advent of the enlisted sensor operator course, it will welcome training enlisted aviators.