Curriculum Advisory Committee held at Hancock Field

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Barbara Olney
  • 174th Attack Wing
Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, NY --  

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Subject matter experts from the MQ-9 community attended a Curriculum Advisory Committee (CAC) held at Hancock Field Air National Guard base, Syracuse, NY in March.

The purpose of the committee was to investigate, analyze and educate the most cost effective and efficient method to satisfy MQ-9 training requirements. Experts ensured the Field Training Detachment (FTD) had the most current updated training curriculum. The CAC also charted future FTD requirements.

The FTD is responsible for providing MQ-9 maintenance training to Active-Duty Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, Space Force, and International Military Students. Currently, there are 3 FTD’s: Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, New York, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico and Creech Air Force Base, Nevada.

“If a need is identified, a CAC is held to allow subject matter experts from the field to meet and decide the type of training required, the proficiency level of the training, and where it will be provided (e.g. FTD or home station).” Chief Master Sgt. Ian Tucker, Senior Enlisted Leader, Field Training Detachment said.”

45 subject matter experts from various Air Force and Air Guard MQ-9 reaper bases who were very knowledgeable at maintaining the MQ-9 reaper attended the CAC.

“We wanted senior airmen to master sergeants to be part of this because they are the experts who work on the MQ-9 every day, “Tucker said.

“There was a lot of information as to where the direction of the program is headed and what to expect in the future,” Master Sgt Patrick Gracey, FTD MQ-9 instructor said. “It was informative to interact with experts at a higher level who have much more peripheral vision on the platform then we do.”

Once the CAC determines training requirements, the changes are captured and sent to ACC. ACC reviews and approves or disapproves the changes, then forwards a tasking to Air Education and Training Command, who tasks one of the three MQ-9 FTDs with implementation of the curriculum changes.

Additionally, attendees were given a tour of the main hangar and were escorted out to the flightline where they were able to witness a live MQ-9 launch.