ATSO Training: For maintainers, by maintainers Published Sept. 15, 2006 By Tech. Sgt. Vicki Johnson 43rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- More than 500 Airmen from the 43rd Maintenance Group participated in Ability to Survive and Operate training this week as part of an Operational Readiness Exercise. The ATSO training covered Mission Oriented Protective Posture/alarm levels, proper wear of the Battle Dress Overgarment/Chemical Protective Overgarment, Post Attack Reconnaissance route execution, and the Contamination Control Area. "This is a perfect timing for our desert rotation in 6 weeks. Everyone in the group is going through the training, but we are really focusing on those preparing to deploy," said Col. Bryan Bearden, 43rd Maintenance Group commander. There are many Airmen in the MXG that have only gone through the annual training at Civil Engineering Readiness section. We wanted to further that training and get our folks practical experience with some of the common problem areas while in a learning environment, said Capt Christopher MacAulay, 43rd Maintenance Operation Squadron This training was aimed at maintainers and specifically what they are expected to do in a flightline or shop environment, said Chief Jeffery Ivins, 43 MXG, Quality Assurance(title). The annual training taught by CE readiness is a basic, one size fits all training that targets numerous functional areas, while ours covers maintenance specific ATSO tasks, he said. The nose dock hangar was the site for this one-stop shop training. It combined all areas of ATSO training in a centralized location, complete with simulated unexploded ordnance and chemical contamination. The training was set up in stations with trainers at each stop going over the process and the correct procedures and then watching the Airmen complete the tasks. The trainers provided feedback at each station so that it was a learning experience for the Airmen, they were being evaluated but training was the focus. "It all boils down to making sure our people can survive. If we don't take the opportunity to maximize our training every chance that we get, we are not being good commanders. This is maximizing our time," said Colonel Bearden. "It refreshes what is in the Airman's Manual," said Staff Sgt. Will Taylor, 43rd Maintenance Operations Squadron. "It's realistic; it gives everyone a chance to participate in a PAR sweep and to go through a CCA. Instead of one person showing you how to do something, it's hands-on, everyone participates. It really helps you prepare for a deployment." "We have always done a good job of training the Ability to Survive portion of ATSO, but now we emphasize the "And Operate" portion," said Chief Ivins. "We simply have to be able to generate sorties in a NBC environment." CE Readiness and EOD Airmen trained our trainers and we're prepping our Airmen to deploy. Hopefully they won't need it, but if they do they will be more comfortable. If you know how to do it here, you can do it there. This training could potentially save an Airman's life, said Chief Ivins.