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 Kirtland AFB NCO Academy |
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| The Kirtland AFB Noncommissioned Officer Academy, operated by Air Education and Training Command, is the longest continually operating professional military education school in the Air Force. In January 1955, the doors opened to the first class of students. Since then, the Academy has provided thousands of noncommissioned officers the opportunity to develop their professional skills. |
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| Emphasis in the Academy’s curriculum is placed on communicative skills, leadership principles, the profession of arms, and Drill and Ceremonies. |
| The Noncommissioned Officer Academy conducts seven classes per year, each lasting six weeks. Each class has approximately 93 noncommissioned officers, the majority of whom are assigned to bases throughout the Southwest. |
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| 505th Distributed Warfare Group |
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| The 505th Distributed Warfare Group’s mission is to provide high-fidelity theater synthetic battlespaces and world-class exercise control to support joint distributed warfighter training, testing and experimentation across the operational and tactical levels of war. |
| This training is accomplished through Blue Flag exercises executed by the 505th Combat Training Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla. and Virtual Flag exercises at the 705th Combat Training Squadron here. |
| The Blue Flag exercise trains the team and warfighters at the operational level of war and provides professional exercise control for joint training and a realistic synthetic environment. Blue Flag also provides professional exercise planning and support conducted for Air Force, joint and combined exercises. |
| The Virtual Flag exercise is accomplished by linking geographically separated live, virtual, and constructive entities in shared |
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| joint and coalition synthetic theater environments to create a very realistic, virtual campaign. |
| The 505th DWG is an Air Combat Command organization reporting to the 505th Command and Control Wing, Hurlburt Field. The 505th CCW reports directly to the U. S. Air Force Warfare Center, Nellis AFB, Nev. |
| The 505th DWG is a critical component for the future of Distributed Mission Operations. The facility housing the 505th DWG and 705th CTS provides battlespace integration of geographically separated live (real-world weapons systems), virtual (human-in-the-loop simulators) and constructive (human/computer-driven simulations) assets. The DMO approach to Air Force and Joint training, mission rehearsal, testing and evaluation, experimentation, range integration, decision support, and acquisition, saves time and infrastructure costs, and provides realistic combat theater training. |
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| 705th Combat Training Squadron |
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| The 705th Combat Training Squadron, otherwise known as the Distributed Mission Operations Center of Excellence brings the goal of virtual combat training and research to realization in a unique $250 million Modeling and Simulation facility for American and coalition warfighters. |
| DMOC is an Air Combat Command organization and is managed by the 505th Command and Control Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla. The 505th CCW reports directly to the U. S. Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis AFB, Nev. |
| The USAFWC M and S facility is a critical component for the future of Distributed Mission Operations. The facility provides battlespace integration of geographically separated live (real-world weapons systems), virtual (human-in-the-loop simulators) and constructive (human/computer-driven simulations) assets. The DMO approach to Air Force and Joint training, mission rehearsal, testing and evaluation, experimentation, range integration, decision support, acquisition, saves time and infrastructure costs, and provides realistic combat theater training. |
| The DMOC links Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps assets across the U.S. and eventually to overseas locations, to provide DMO opportunities to coalition and forward-deployed U.S. military members. |
| In 2000, DMOC launched the Desert Pivot series of exercises that employed live, virtual and constructive assets to provide |
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| highly realistic, weeklong training events. DP was a joint services activity; the number and types of weapons systems engaged in the events contributed to an increasingly complex representation of modern warfare. |
| The DP series of exercises, in its inaugural year, gained recognition as the best Air Force Modeling and Simulation Training Program. The conceptual capabilities have grown to the point that DPs became Virtual Flags beginning in fiscal 04. |
| DMOC’s in-house infrastructure includes representations of over one hundred and seventy five computers, 20 local and 15 wide area networks. These are combined to support an immersive combat synthetic battlespace that models thirty-two different weapons, command, control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and space reconnaissance, detection and CSAR capability. |
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| Air Force Safety Center |
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| The Air Force Safety Center develops and manages Air Force mishap prevention programs and the Nuclear Surety Program. It develops regulatory guidance, provides technical assistance in the flight, ground, weapons and space safety disciplines, and maintains the Air Force database for all safety mishaps. It overseas all major command mishap investigations and evaluates corrective actions for applicability and implementation Air Force wide. It also develops and directs safety education programs for all safety disciplines. |
| There are approximately 130 personnel assigned to the Air Force Safety Center, divided between military, civilians and contractors. |
| The Air Force Chief of Safety, who also holds the title of commander, Air Force Safety Center, heads the organization. The Air Force Safety Center is composed of seven divisions, including a Safety Issues Division at the Pentagon. |
| The Aviation Safety Division manages Air Force flight mishap prevention programs for all manned aircraft. It furnishes technical assistance, information and analysis for flight safety issues, and manages the flight mishap investigative process. In addition, it provides comprehensive flight engineering expertise, guidance in the human factor and life support arenas, and oversees both the Air Force Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard Program and Mishap Analysis and Animation Facility. The Aviation Safety Division also provides Operational Safety Assessments from unit to wing level, helping to identify potential safety issues. |
| Ground Safety develops Air Force Ground Safety Programs and Procedures. In addition, Ground Safety develops and maintains current Air Force Occupational Safety and Health standards. It performs oversight, conducts Ground Safety Program evaluations and provides staff assistance. |
| Ground Safety maintains liaison with governmental and non-governmental agencies as an Air Force member or a consultant representative to national consensus standards and mishap prevention committees and organizations round Safety also performs mishap final evaluations and provides lessons-learned and analyses to Air Force units. |
| The Weapons and Nuclear Division establishes and executes mishap prevention programs for all weapons, reactor and nuclear systems. It provides nuclear systems design certification, explosive safety standards development, space and weapon safety consultation, as well as system inspection, oversight, education and staff assistance in its areas of responsibility. |
| The Education and Media Division publishes three Air Force special publications: Flying Safety, Road and Rec and Weapons Journal. In addition, the Media Branch is responsible for producing videotape presentations on relevant safety issues in support of mishap prevention programs. The Education Branch manages, administers and sponsors 11 different courses that encompass the safety disciplines: aviation, ground, weapons, space and missiles. Periodically, the Education Branch does distant learning safety courses via live satellite broadcasts. It also manages and operates the Air Force Crash Laboratory used as a hands-on training facility in conjunction with aviation safety courses. |
| The Resource Management, Manpower and Career Programs Division establishes policy and manages Air Force safety civilian and enlisted career fields. It is the functional manager for the Air Force safety manpower standard and variances. It also establishes policy and manages Air Force Safety Center military and civilian personnel actions. In addition, it is responsible for (^top of section) |
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| AFSC manpower requirements and managing the Air Force Safety Center budget. |
| The Analysis and Integration Division ensures proactive mishap prevention guidance for all safety disciplines. It is responsible for the Air Force Operational Risk Management Program and the Air Force Safety Awards Program. Additionally, the division manages, and administers the Air Force Safety Database for all mishaps, responds to customer requirements for mishap data, and oversees the development and management of the Safety Automated System, providing the Air Force with an internet-based mishap-reporting data entry and retrieval system. |
| The division utilizes this database to conduct epidemiological and psychological research on mishaps and injuries and uses analytical models to provide feedback on documented hazards and risk mitigation control measures to prevent future mishaps. Finally, the division is responsible for all local area network administration, electronic mail system administration, dial-in/out access, and personal computer support and administration for both AFSC and AFIA. |
| The Space Safety Division develops, manages, and evaluates Air Force space and directed energy weapons mishap prevention programs to preserve national space assets through Technical and investigative space and DEW mishap expertise, policy that supports risk management principles, partnership with DOD and federal space safety agencies, and interagency Nuclear Safety Review Panel membership as required by presidential directive |
| The Safety Issues Division, a detachment in the Pentagon, provides a direct interface with members of the Air Staff. They facilitate responses to questions on safety related issues raised by the chief of staff and members of the staff. They also represent the chief of safety at Air Staff meetings and boards. |
| The Staff Judge Advocate provides legal advice and general counsel on all aspects of mishap prevention programs and safety investigations. In addition, the office is responsible for maintaining and managing the Air Force Safety Center mishap report library and responding to requests for mishap investigation data. |
| After the Air Force became a separate department, the Air Force Chief of Staff designated the Office of the Inspector General to oversee all inspection and safety functions. These functions were consolidated in an Inspector General group at Norton AFB, Calif., in the 1950s. On Dec. 31, 1971, the Air Force Inspection and Safety Center was activated, replacing the 1002nd Inspector General Group. |
| The center was divided into the Air Force Inspection Agency and the Air Force Safety Agency in August 1991. Both agencies moved to Kirtland AFB in July 1993 due to the closure of Norton AFB. The Air Force Safety Center was activated on Jan. 1, 1996, when the Air Force Chief of Safety and staff moved from Washington to consolidate all safety functions at Kirtland AFB. |
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| Air Force Operational Test & Evaluation Center |
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| The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center is a direct reporting unit under Headquarters, U.S. Air Force. It is the Air Force independent test agency responsible for testing, under operationally realistic conditions, new systems being developed for Air Force and multi-service use. The commander of the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center reports directly to the Air Force Chief of Staff. |
| The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center is the Air Force agency responsible for planning, executing and reporting independent operational tests and evaluations. The agency determines the operational capabilities and limitations of Air Force and joint systems to meet warfighter mission needs. It provides operational effectiveness, suitability and evaluation expertise from concept development to system employment in support of Air Force, DOD and other government agencies. |
| The origin of the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center can be traced to problems experienced by the U.S. military during the Vietnam Conflict where the hot and humid jungles of Southeast Asia took their toll on American weaponry. All but one of the 22 weapon systems examined suffered from major deficiencies in the field. Some critics attribute this to the fact that only three had undergone operational test and evaluation prior to production. |
| By the early 1970s, pressure on the armed services to prioritize their operational test and evaluation functions proved overwhelming. The Air Force in response activated the Air Force Test and Evaluation Center at Kirtland AFB. The word “operational” was added to the center’s |
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| name in April 1983 to indicate more clearly its mission and to avoid confusion with developmental test and evaluation. |
| “The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center employs more than 1,000 military and civilian personnel, including contractors, at its headquarters on Kirtland AFB and six detachments that include locations at Kirtland, Edwards AFB, Calif., Eglin AFB, Fla., Nellis AFB, Nev., Peterson AFB, Colo. and more than 20 operating locations.” |
| Test teams conduct tests at selected sites; collect, analyze and evaluate the data; and prepare formal reports. The teams are managed by the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center and include personnel from the operating and supporting commands who will eventually employ these systems. |
| The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center’s independent and objective evaluation of how well systems will meet operational requirements provides a vital link between the developer and user. They are key elements of the system acquisition approval process. |
| Operational tests are designed to address critical issues regarding a system’s performance in combat-like environments when operated by field personnel. They seek to answer questions about how safe, effective, reliable, maintainable, compatible and logistically supportable new Air Force systems will be. |
| The results of the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center’s tests, normally conducted on prototype and pre-production models, play an important role in Air Force and DOD acquisition decisions. Test results also identify deficiencies requiring corrective action. |
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| Det. 1, 342nd Training Squadron, Pararescue & Combat Rescue Officer School |
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Mission
Providing the highest quality pararescuemen and combat rescue officer personnel capable of worldwide deployment for rescue and recovery operations. |
Pararescuemen
Air Force pararescuemen, also known as PJs, are the only DOD specialty specifically trained and equipped to conduct conventional or unconventional rescue and recovery operations. PJs are the force of choice for assisted survivor recovery. |
| A pararescueman’s primary function is as a Personnel Recovery specialist, with emergency medical capabilities in humanitarian and combat environments. They deploy in any available manner, to include air-land-sea tactics, into restricted environments to authenticate, extract, treat, stabilize and evacuate injured personnel, while acting in an enemy-evading, recovery role. PJs participate in conventional or non-conventional recovery, combat search and rescue, recovery support for NASA and conduct other operations as appropriate. |
| Pararescuemen are among the most highly trained emergency trauma specialists in the U.S. military. They must maintain a National Paramedic certification throughout their careers. With this medical and rescue expertise, along with their deployment capabilities, pararescuemen are able to perform life-saving missions in the world’s most remote areas. |
| Their motto “That Others May Live” reaffirms the pararescueman’s commitment to saving lives and self-sacrifice. Without pararescuemen, thousands of service members and civilians would have been unnecessarily lost in past conflicts and natural disasters. |
Training
Pararescuemen complete the same technical training as EMT-Paramedics plus the following physical and specialized training: |
| Indoctrination Course, Lackland AFB, Texas - This 10-week Indoctrination Course recruits, selects and trains future PJs through extensive physical conditioning. Training accomplished at this course includes physiological training, obstacle course, rucksack marches, dive physics, dive tables, metric manipulations, medical terminology, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, weapons qualifications, PJ history and leadership reaction course. |
| U.S. Army Airborne School, Fort Benning, Ga. - Trainees learn the basic parachuting skills required to infiltrate an objective area by static line airdrop in a three-week course. |
| U.S. Army Combat Divers School, Key West, Fla. - In Key West, trainees become combat divers, learning to use scuba to infiltrate areas undetected in (^top of section) |
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| the four-week school. This course provides training to depths of 130 feet, stressing development of maximum underwater mobility under various operating conditions. |
| U.S. Navy Underwater Egress Training, Pensacola Naval Air Station, Fla. - This course teaches how to safely escape from an aircraft that has ditched in the water. The one-day instruction includes principles, procedures and techniques necessary to get out of a sinking aircraft. |
| This course teaches how to safely escape from an aircraft that has ditched in the water. The one-day instruction includes principles, procedures and techniques necessary to get out of a sinking aircraft. |
| U.S. Air Force Basic Survival School, Fairchild AFB, Wash. - This two and a half-week course teaches basic survival techniques for remote areas. Instruction includes principles, procedures, equipment and techniques, which enable individuals to survive, regardless of climatic conditions or unfriendly environments and return home. |
| U.S. Army Military Free Fall Parachutist School, Fort Bragg, N.C., and Yuma Proving Grounds, Ariz. - This course instructs trainees in free fall parachuting procedures. The five-week course provides wind tunnel training, in-air instruction focusing on student stability, aerial maneuvers, air sense and parachute opening procedures. |
| Paramedic Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M. - This 24-week course teaches how to manage trauma patients prior to evacuation and provide emergency medical treatment. Upon graduation, an EMT-Paramedic certification is awarded through the National Registry. |
| Pararescue Recovery Specialist Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M. - Qualifies airmen as pararescue recovery specialists for assignment to any pararescue unit worldwide. The 20-week training includes field tactics, mountaineering, combat tactics, advanced parachuting and helicopter insertion/extraction. |
| Call 505-853-4160, DSN: 263-4160. |
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| Space Development Test Wing |
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Mission Statement
The Space Development and Test Wing develops, tests, and evaluates Air Force space systems, executes advanced space development and demonstration projects, and rapidly transitions capabilities to the warfighter. |
Space Test Group
The Space Test Squadron (STS) operates two Satellite Operations Centers, SOC 96 at Schriever AFB and SOC 97 located at Kirtland. STS prepares and conducts on-orbit operations of DoD, USAF, Research & Development (R&D), and post-operational satellites. The Space Test Operations Squadron (STOS) consists of an on-orbit communications satellite test site, mobile telemetry systems, and the wing’s space |
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| DT&E experts. STOS performs space vehicle Developmental Test & Evaluation, supports launch and on-orbit operations around the world. The Launch Test Squadron (LTS) utilizes retired Minuteman II and Peacekeeper rocket motors for government Research & Development space launches and missile defense tests target vehicles. Averaging over 8 flight tests per year, LTS has maintained a 100% success rate for the past 10 years for LTS managed launches. |
Space Development Group
The Spacecraft Development Squadron (SDS) provides spaceflight for DoD Space Test Program payloads, develops, integrates, tests, and launches experimental technologies and prototypical space systems. The Responsive Satellite Command & Control (RSC2) Division develops, integrates, tests, fields and maintains telemetry, tracking, and control (TT&C) systems, data processing and distribution systems, and operations support equipment for experimental and prototypical spacecraft and other unique spacecraft as assigned. The Responsive Space Squadron (RSS) integrates, tests, launches, fields and supports operations of an Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) capability for the DoD. They directly interface with the organizations responsible for commanding, controlling and using ORS capabilities in support of Unified Command Plan-defined operational missions. The Human Spaceflight Payloads Division (SDSG/WR) provides spaceflight for advanced DoD R&D experiments and prototype operational systems aboard human rated space-based platforms and provides for integration, launch, and on-orbit operations of DoD operational and R&D satellites in the Space Shuttle and International Space Station. |
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| Space Development Group |
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Mission Statement
Provide spaceflight for DoD Space Test Program (STP), research and development (R&D) payloads, experiments, risk-reduction demonstrations, and Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) systems. Builds, tests, integrates, launches and operates R&D and ORS systems. Integrates, launches and operates all DoD payloads on Space Shuttle and International Space Station. Provide development support to other Space Development & Test Wing programs. DoD lead for auxiliary payloads on Air Force expendable launch vehicles. Demonstrate technology for future space warfighting systems.
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Mission Planning and Engineering Division
Mission Planning and Engineering Division identifies spaceflight opportunities for Department of Defense research and development experiments and reimbursable customers consistent with the DOD Space Test Program, Space Development Group, and Space Development and Test Wing mission, vision, and funding. They optimize payload selections for best use of launch vehicle performance margins, establish procedures for reviewing and selecting DOD research and development payloads for spaceflight, and evaluate experiment results and lessons learned to provide best practices for the national security space community. Mission Planning and Engineering Division is the DOD lead for auxiliary payloads on Air Force expendable launch vehicles.
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Spacecraft Development Squadron
The Space Development Squadron provides spaceflight for DoD STP payloads. They develop, integrate, test, and launch experimental technologies and prototype space systems. SDS supports risk reduction activities for other DoD space programs, integrates experiments as secondary payloads on DoD spacecraft, and demonstrates technology for future space systems.
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Responsive Space Squadron
The Responsive Space Squadron develops, integrates, tests, launches, fields, and supports operations of an Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) capability for the DoD. They execute other missions required to support and field ORS capabilities and directly interface with the organizations responsible for commanding, controlling, and using ORS capabilities in support of Unified Command Plan-defined operational missions.
Responsive Satellite Command and Control Division
The Responsive Satellite Command and Control Division develops, integrates, tests, fields, and maintains telemetry, tracking, and control (TT&C) systems, data processing and distribution systems, and operations support equipment for experimental and prototype spacecraft and other unique spacecraft as assigned.
Human Spaceflight Payloads Division
The Human Spaceflight Payloads Division provides spaceflight for advanced DoD R&D experiments and prototype operational systems aboard human rated space-based platforms utilizing US civil, foreign, and commercial launch vehicles. They provide for integration, launch, and on-orbit operations of DoD operational and R&D satellites in the Space Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) and develop long-range plans for DoD’s exploitation of future human-rated launch capabilities in support of global military objectives.
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| Space Test Group |
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Mission Statement
Provides the expertise, infrastructure, and processes necessary to accomplish Developmental Test and Evaluation of space assets, to include scientific, technology demonstration, and developmental systems, while enabling rapid migration of space capabilities to the warfighter. Accelerates mission design and integration, launch operations, and ground system development to provide reliable, low-cost access to space.
Space Test Squadron
STS is the Air Force Test and Evaluation center of excellence for research and development space missions. The cadre of space test professionals provides responsive support for all space T&E needs through flexible management of space test activities; planning through execution. The STS operates two Satellite Operations Centers (SOC) that serve as the Air Force’s test centers for space RDT&E for program mission control, technology demonstration, and evaluation of transformational space operations concepts. Through residual satellite operations at SOC 96 in Colorado Springs, CO and next-generation on-orbit demonstrations at SOC 97 in Albuquerque, NM, STS supports the rapid prototyping, evaluation, and activation of space capabilities.
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Space Test Operations Squadron
STOS utilizes a blend of military, government civilian, and contractor personnel to provide responsive support and needs-based space T&E using a flexible management process from planning to execution. STOS’s three core competencies are satellite telemetry/communications support, space test program management and execution, and space DT&E training and policy. Using highly mobile ground systems, or specially designed maritime platforms, the Mobile Range Flight provides telemetry, tracking, and commanding from locations worldwide. The Communications Test Flight in Dublin, CA can provide satellite radiometric calibration, anomaly resolution, on-orbit testing, or routine satellite |
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| operations. The Satellite Systems Test Flight conduct and support space system programs through active management, engineering, and test operations.
Launch Test Squadron
LTS provides scaleable launch support services including program management support, engineering support, payload integration, and post-test evaluation for space systems. LTS’s goal is to be the “one-stop shopping” source for solid propellant rocket motors and launch service needs within the Government. LTS, teamed with its industry launch service providers, works hard to ensure maximum reliability at minimum costs. The Space Launch Flight provides Government customers with cost effective, highly reliable launch services using excess Minuteman and Peacekeeper boosters mixed with commercial assets. The Target Launch Flight provides government customers with multiple target vehicle configurations by reutilizing decommissioned ICBM boosters that meet all treaty requirements.
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| New Mexico Veterans Affairs Health Care System |
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Albuquerque is home to an historic model for DoD sharing. The New Mexico Veterans Affairs Health Care System (NMVAHCS) and the 377th medical Group are partners in a joint venture, unique within the Veterans Affairs system, providing referral of specialty care by the Air Force to VA physicians.
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| The New Medical VA Health Care System is a TRICARE contractor. Under VA and Air Force established sharing arrangements, the NMVAHCS may provide specialty care to active duty and TRICARE Prime patients that are referred by Air Force physicians. |
| The 377th Medical Group and Dental Squadron building are located on the NMVAHCS medical campus; a common walkway between the main VA hospital and the 377th Medical Group provides easy access for air Force patients referred for radiology and laboratory examinations. |
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| Under a joint venture sharing agreement, VA emergency room services are also available for those eligible DoD beneficiaries that are active duty or TRICARE Prime patients with a PCM within the 377th Medical Group. The VA emergency department does not have pediatric or obstetric capabilities. |
| The NMVAHCS endeavors to provide superior primary, secondary, and tertiary health care to its beneficiaries through a compassionate, inventive health care systems, education and training of health care professionals, and effective use of available resources. |
| The NMVAHCS is a Level 1 tertiary referral center with 223 operating beds. This includes a 26-bed Spinal Cord Injury Center. The NMVAHCS’ mission is to improve the health of the served veteran population by providing primary care, specialty care, extended care and related social care support programs in an integrated health care delivery system. |
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