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U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Taylor Okeson, 51st Maintenance Squadron (MXG) aerospace ground equipment technician, signals a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter during an integrated sling load training at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Oct. 13, 2022. U.S. Army 2-2 Assault Helicopter Battalion from Seoul Air Base, combined with 51st MXG Airmen to conduct Osan’s first joint sling load training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Dwane R. Young)
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U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Miles Euro, 51st Munitions Squadron munitions operations supervisor, reviews his notes before leading an integrated sling load training at Osan Air Base, Oct. 13, 2022. Euro completed his Sling-Load Inspector Certification Courses to become certified and lead the joint training launching the certification process for additional Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Dwane R. Young)
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U.S. Air Force 51st Maintenance Group maintainers practice how to properly secure an Internal Slingable Unit during an integrated sling load training at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Oct. 13, 2022. The 51st AMXS Airmen volunteered to receive the hands-on training in support of the USAF’s Agile Combat Employment plan to produce multi-capable Airmen who regularly perform tasks outside of their usual specialty in order to be more well-rounded. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Dwane R. Young)
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U.S. Air Force 51st Maintenance Group maintainers secure an Internal Slingable Unit (ISU-90) during an integrated sling load training at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Oct. 13, 2022. The 4,000-pound ISU-90 cargo was secured by a 10,000-pound sling kit and was hauled by a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Dwane R. Young)
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Senior Airmen Giancarlo Hernandez and John Millan-Irizarry, 51st Maintenance Squadron aerospace ground equipment journeymen, wait to secure an Internal Slingable Unit to a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter during an integrated sling load training at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Oct. 13, 2022. Sling load operations can be used for contingencies to disperse assets to smaller forward operating locations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Dwane R. Young)
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Staff Sgt. Brayken Bortolotti and Airman 1st Class Robert Pillsbury, 25th Fighter Generation Squadron crew chiefs, wait to secure an Internal Slingable Unit to a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter during an integrated sling load training at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Oct. 13, 2022. The crew chiefs volunteered for sling load training as part of the USAF’s Agile Combat Employment plan to produce multi-capable Airmen who regularly perform tasks outside of their usual specialty in order to be more well-rounded. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Dwane R. Young)
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A U.S. Air Force 51st Maintenance Squadron maintainer prepares to hook cargo to a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter during an integrated sling load training at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Oct. 13, 2022. Sling load operations can be used as a contingency to disperse assets to smaller forward operating locations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Dwane R. Young)
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U.S. Air Force Staff Sgts. Miles Euro, 51st Munitions Squadron munitions operations supervisor, and Shelbie Morris, aerospace ground equipment technician, secures cargo to a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter during an integrated sling load training at Osan Air Base, Oct. 13, 2022. During the training, Euro briefed Airmen on how to properly signal incoming aircraft and how to inspect cargo before prepping it to be loaded. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Dwane R. Young)
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Senior Airmen Giancarlo Hernandez and John Millan-Irizarry, 51st Maintenance Squadron aerospace ground equipment journeymen, run after securing an Internal Slingable Unit to a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter during an integrated sling load training at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Oct. 13, 2022. Airmen from the 51st Aircraft Maintenance Group received their first hands-on sling load training as part of USAF’s Agile Combat Employment plan to produce multi-capable Airmen who regularly perform tasks outside of their usual specialty in order to be more well-rounded. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Dwane R. Young)
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A U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter carries an Internal Slingable Unit during an integrated sling load training at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Oct. 13, 2022. The Blackhawk assigned to the 2-2 Assault Helicopter Battalion, Seoul AB, ROK, can transport up to 9,000 pounds of sling-loaded cargo and deliver it anywhere, including remote and austere locations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Dwane R. Young)
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U.S. Air Force 51st Maintenance Group Airmen pose for a photo with U.S. Army 2-2 Assault Helicopter Battalion Soldiers in front of a Black Hawk helicopter after an integrated sling load training at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Oct. 13, 2022. The 2-2 Assault Helicopter Battalion from Seoul Air Base, integrated with 51st Maintenance Group Airmen to conduct Osan’s first joint sling load training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Dwane R. Young)
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Osan’s 51st Maintenance Group (MXG) continued their full-press efforts to train Airmen to become multiple-capable by hosting its first integrated sling load training with the U.S. Army 2-2 Assault Helicopter Battalion from Seoul Air Base, Oct. 13, 2022.
Maintainers took turns running through the rigorous process required to hook up a 4,000-pound Internal Slingable Unit (ISU-90), to a hovering U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter to be carried away, simulating the rapid dispersal of U.S. Air Force assets across the Korean peninsula.
“Working at a main operating base, if an emergency occurs, we need creative ways to disperse our assets and still execute our mission,” said Capt. Tate Ashton, 51st MXG tactics officer. “Working with our Army counterparts and their helicopters to be more mobile made perfect sense.”
This training was the result of six months of planning and coordination with soldiers from Camp Humphreys to support the USAF’s Agile Combat Employment (ACE) plan to produce multi-capable Airmen who regularly perform tasks outside of their usual specialty in order to be more well-rounded.
Staff Sgt. Miles Euro, 51st Munitions Squadron munitions operations supervisor, embodies this concept as the only Osan Airman to complete his Sling Load Inspector Certification Courses (SLICC) and become certified.
“As maintainers we all consider ourselves to be a jack of all trades, so volunteering to learn a new skill that has a direct impact on our capabilities was an easy decision,” said Euro. “This was the first hands-on sling load training for the Airmen and the first time the 2-2 moved this kind of equipment, so we all received vital experience today,” said Euro.
Osan’s Maintenance Group plans to regularly hold integrated sling load training to increase the number of Airmen and Non-Commissioned Officers that are SLICC certified.
“We are always looking for opportunities to improve our Airmen and capabilities, so maintenance has really embraced the possibilities that ACE offers,” said Ashton. “Our ultimate goal is to be trained up and ready, if or when we are called upon.”
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