178th Support Group trains in realistic training environment

BUTLERVILLE, Ind. -- Over 150 Airmen from the 178th Wing and Mission Support Group performed training in a simulated deployed environment at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center in Butlerville, Ind., April 8 to10.

Muscatatuck Urban Training Center is a State of Indiana and Department of Defense collaborative facility focused on creating and operating a highly realistic environment where agencies can train for deployments both homeland and overseas.

The different units conducted specific training to prepare them for their war time missions.

Firefighters conducted urban search and rescue training. Their scenario was a rescue effort after an earthquake. People were trapped inside a partially collapsed building that the firefighters had to safely rescue.

"We respond in the first few hours of an incident," said 178th Fire Chief, Master Sgt. Mark Ray, "we go in to assist local communities with any type of structural collapse or rescue technical activity."

The civil engineers trained on removing heavy debris from a roadway. They used both heavy equipment and hand tools to accomplish this.

"Our civil engineers are practicing their debris removal mission which is a homeland defense mission," said Col. Ann Coghlin, 178th Mission Support Group commander.
Services flight trained their search and recovery mission.

There were various scenarios presented to include insider threat, active shooter and mortar attacks. Airman were required to respond appropriately and perform self aid buddy care on injured victims.

Classroom training was conducted between events and exercises. The classes ranged from specific AFSC training to active shooter response training.

"The training was a cross section of deployment readiness, AFSC specific and integrated base defense training," said project officer and Mission Support Group Deputy Commander Lt. Col. Justin Chapman.

"This has been a great training environment that our team has brought amazing attitudes to," said Coghlin. "We were able to walk away with a lot of valuable learning that we can take forward as we prepare for our deployments."