Joint training comes to Shaw

Published Dec. 11, 2007
By Senior Airman Holly Brown
20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- Army and Air Force members at Shaw gathered in the Carolina Skies Club Nov. 30 for Joint Professional Development training.

The Army's 4th Battlefield Coordination Detachment returned to Shaw in August, after being deployed to Southwest Asia for a year.

With their working knowledge of wartime operations, the 4th BCD is dedicating monthly training to senior NCOs and officer leaders at Shaw.

"Words mean something. This is the Team Shaw Joint Professional Development Program. Team Shaw means it includes the 9th Air Force, the 20th Fighter Wing, and 4th BCD. It is Joint Professional Development, which means not only Officers, but senior NCOs as well. It is a sustained effort monthly to bring Team Shaw leaders together formally to discuss topics of interest and relevance to the warfight, and socially to continue to build the team, said Army Col. Kevin Felix, the 4th BCD commander.

Each development session is planned through a joint working group a month ahead. The working group meets to develop ideas on the topics they would like to discuss at the next session.

"Whatever topics or ideas that are relevant to what's going on here, in regards to the war, we discuss," Colonel Felix said. "We also have two Staff Rides planned in the future," he added.

"The training will be diverse in nature, and the topics won't repeat themselves. Managing air space in Iraq and Afghanistan, for instance, is a huge topic for discussion and healthy debate," said Army Lt. Col. Dave Wellons, 4th BCD Plans.

The November training began with Colonel Felix giving an introduction to the training. Lt. Col. Wellons and Lt. Col. Chan Floyd, 609th Combat Plans Squadron commander, took over, briefing attendees on the process of joint missions, including the air tasking order process.

"I was the air planner for the 4th BCD while we were deployed last year," Lt. Col. Wellons said. "I worked on this process day in and day out as well as working on strategy."

"I volunteered because I've done this in the past, I taught this at Leavenworth, Kan.," Lt. Col. Floyd said.

After the formal briefings were complete, the floor was open for discussion. Army and Air Force members shared insights from their specific career fields and wartime experiences. After the formal session, the discussions carried on socially at the club between the members, continuing to build camaraderie between the services.

"I gained a new appreciation for the ATO process," said Capt. Jeff Naylor, 609th Air Intelligence Squadron.

"It's about creating a joint environment here at Shaw. It's about senior leaders -- getting them together to talk about these different issues, and to meet socially as well." Colonel Felix said.

The next event, Jan. 18, will be a Staff Ride and role-playing at Cowpens, S.C., referring to the historic Battle of Cowpens of 1781, known as the turning point of the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution, Colonel Felix said.