49th SFS conducts Fire Team Leaders Course

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Antonio Salfran
  • 49th Wing Public Affairs

Nine Airmen from the 49th Security Forces Squadron completed their first Fire Team Leaders Course at Holloman Air Force Base, March 3, 2023.

As the mission and the world continue to change and evolve, the 49th SFS is working day-in and day-out to provide fast and efficient ways to curate an environment of excellence and lethality.

This course was the first of its kind for the 49th SFS and has proven to be a beneficial and useful resource for Defenders who are looking to improve readiness.

The course included exercises such as small-arms marksmanship fundamentals, operations in urban environments, small unit tactics, breaching and night operations. On the last day of the course, the Airmen were put through a field training exercise putting into practice all the leadership and tactical knowledge gained over the seven days.

“The Fire Team Leader’s Course is a locally developed, low-cost/no-cost solution,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jacob Brown, 49th SFS weapons and tactics chief. “This helps to deliberately develop the junior Defender leadership toolbox and increases combat capability against a near-pear/peer adversary.”

Throughout the course there were four cadre overseeing all training sessions whilst providing effective instruction and demonstration. Collectively, instructors shared approximately 60 years of experience to share with the Airmen.

“The other instructors and I hope to pass on knowledge we have learned to prepare the future generation of Defenders so that they don’t make the same mistakes many of us have,” said Brown.

The years of experience the instructors shared were instrumental to transforming Holloman’s Defenders into more proficient and confident leaders for the future. Participants varied in rank, providing a solid base of teamwork and mission planning across the board.

“I feel confident in saying that the training improved all the graduates’ abilities,” said U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Brock Southwick, 49th SFS officer in charge of logistics and readiness. “This training helped grant me a greater understanding of what is required of our NCOs and Airmen in a combat environment.”

Both the cadre and the students hope to see this initiative reach other agencies, and ultimately, the Air Force.

“I personally would like to see this course benchmarked throughout the AETC,” said Brown. “Depending on the data over time, I could foresee this course as an option for all local Security Forces commanders to play at their duty stations.”

All parties involved have taken this course in stride, working to not only fine-tune their own skills, but also the culture of the 49th SFS.

“All the feedback is overwhelmingly positive,” said Brown. “One of our students said, ‘I’ve been stationed here for almost six years and this is the best and most beneficial training I’ve received’ and that’s how I know we’re taking a step in the right direction.”