Center of Excellence Reservists

Tech. Sgt. James Grove, Career Enlisted Aviator Center of Excellence Basic Loadmaster course instructor supervisor, oversees student Airman 1st Class Garrett Wong as he practices one aspect of proper cargo restraint on the C-141 tie down trainer housed in the center on Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland June 23, 2014. Grove is a reservist administratively assigned to the 733rd Training Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Lindsey Maurice)

Center of Excellence Reservists

Master Sgt. Kathleen Disney, Career Enlisted Aviator Center of Excellence Basic Loadmaster course NCO in charge, discusses cargo restraint with students on a C-141 tie down trainer housed in the building June 23, 2015 on Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. Disney, one of seven 733rd Training Squadron reservists working at the Center of Excellence, was recently named the Air Force Reserve Command Senior NCO Aircrew Member of the Year for 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Lindsey Maurice)

Center of Excellence Reservists

Senior Master Sgt. Marc Gibson, 433rd Training Squadron Career Enlisted Aviator Center of Excellence operations superintendent, quizzes Senior Airman Brandon Patterson, Special Missions Aviator course student, on the GAU-2C 7.62mm “Mini Gun” during a class break June 23, 2015 at the center based on Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. Gibson is one of seven Reservists working alongside active duty Airmen at the Center of Excellence, which trains about 2,000 students in nine different aircrew specialties per year. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Lindsey Maurice)

Reservists train Airmen for worldwide duty

Students train in their initial skills (3-level) course on aircraft communication trainers at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas on June 23, 2015 at the 344th Training Squadron. They are learning how to properly report an aircraft's latitude and longitude and estimated time to the next position. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech Sgt. Carlos J. Trevino)

Center of Excellence Reservists

Tech. Sgt. Travis Bright, Career Enlisted Aviator Center of Excellence Aircrew Fundamentals course instructor, briefs students on aircrew training and supervision June 23, 2015 at the school house located on Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. All enlisted aviators must attend the Aircrew Fundamentals course, before advancing to their specialty-specific training. Bright is a reservist administratively assigned to the 733rd Training Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Lindsey Maurice)

Center of Excellence Reservists

Tech. Sgt. James Grove, Career Enlisted Aviator Center of Excellence Basic Loadmaster course instructor supervisor, discusses palletized load planning with students aboard a C-130 Hercules cargo trainer housed in the building June 23, 2015 on Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. Grove is one of three Reservist course instructors working alongside active duty Airmen. Students of the school are also a mix of active duty Airmen, reservists and guardsmen as well as international military members. Grove’s most recent class includes two students from the Netherlands and one from Saudi Arabia. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Lindsey Maurice)

Reservists train Total Force Airmen

A1C Blake Clements, a student at the 344th Training Squadron, reviews the .50-caliber machine gun with Senior Master Sgt. Marc Gibson on June 23, 2015 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Gibson, operations superintendent at the 344th Training Squadron, supervises Aircrew instructors and students at the Center of Excellence. (U.S. Air Force Photo/ Tech. Sgt. Carlos J. Trevino)

Reservists prove vital part to Center of Excellence

Published Aug. 16, 2015
By Tech. Sgt. Lindsey Maurice
433rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas -- A small patch on their uniforms is the only distinguishing difference between the seven Reservists working at the Career Enlisted Aviator Center of Excellence and their active duty counterparts.

The Reservists, assigned to the 733rd Training Squadron, work as part of the active duty 344th Training Squadron team, training an average of 2,000 active duty, Reserve, Guard and foreign national students in nine different specialties each year. The Reserve Airmen include the center's deputy commandant, operations superintendent and five instructors who teach courses as expert loadmasters, flight engineers and special mission aviators.

"Our team members integrate seamlessly with their (regular Air Force) partners, making it almost impossible to tell who is a Reservist and who is RegAF," said Lt. Col. Kenneth Evans, 733rd TRS commander. "They do excellent work and provide much needed continuity to their RegAF partners due to their 3-4-year tour lengths."

The Reservists have been part of the total force integration construct at the school house since its inception in December 2009, securing their seven positions within the cadre.

Senior Master Sgt. Marc Gibson, Career Enlisted Aviator Center of Excellence operations superintendent and 733rd TRS Reservist, was part of the schools' initial standup and has witnessed the importance of a total force presence first-hand.

"In many aspects it doesn't matter if you are active duty, Guard or Reserve -- we are a seamless, integrated team and we're all fighting the same fight," he said. "However, we do have some differences and with about 40 percent of the students passing through being Reserve and Guard, it's important to have some representation on the cadre."

Tech. Sgt. James Grove, Basic Loadmaster Course instructor supervisor and 11-year Air Force Reserve veteran, said it's not unusual for Reservist students to approach him with Reserve-related questions.

"They ask me everything from what life in the Reserve is like to more specific questions about balancing civilian life with military life," he said. "I think they really value getting advice from someone who has been there."

Grove, who has been at the schoolhouse just shy of three years, said working at the Career Enlisted Aviator Center of Excellence has been a highlight in his military career.

"This is such a big change from what I was doing at Dover (Air Force Base, Delaware) flying missions on the C-17 and C-5," he said. "Working in a school house, making sure I'm always on my A game and setting the right example for these young Airmen brand new to the Air Force is so different -- not to mention working alongside active duty. I have learned so much from my fellow cadre and the students and have really valued my time here."

The Dover, Delaware, native added that while there is occasional friendly ribbing between the active duty and Reserve cadre, they are equals in the eyes of one another and in the eyes of their students.

"We all command the same respect," he said. "We (Reservists) don't get any special treatment either. We all attend commander's calls; we all participate in student activities like health and welfare dorm inspections; we are all equals."

In addition to their instructor duties with the 344th TS, the Reservists also have additional duties within the 733rd TS. During unit training assembly weekends they do everything from running the unit safety program to processing awards and decorations.

"Expectations for our Reserve Airmen are set very high," said Chief Master Sgt. Matthew Priser, Career Enlisted Aviator Center of Excellence deputy commandant and 29-year Air Force Reserve veteran. "In essence, our Reserve instructors wear two hats between the two units and they do an incredible job."

"Our Basic Loadmaster Course has the highest student throughput, graduating more than 450 students this fiscal year and both the NCO in charge and the instructor supervisor are Reservists," he said. "They wouldn't hold this level of responsibility if they weren't superior performers. Not to mention all the unit and command-level awards they have garnered this past year, including Master Sgt. Kathleen Disney who was named Air Force Reserve Command Senior NCO Aircrew Member of the Year for 2014. They are all impressive Airmen within an impressive team."