DREST training program starts on Peterson, replaces 'Red Devil'

  • Published
  • By Corey Dahl
  • 21st Space Wing Public Affairs
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --  The dozens of Airmen running around near Peterson's baseball fields Feb. 26 and 27 weren't practicing their line drives or scrambling for fly balls.

They were instead rehearsing for something much more important than baseball - their upcoming deployments.

The 37 students were part of Peterson's first Deployment-Ready Expeditionary Skills Training, a three-day program that runs here monthly for Airmen preparing to deploy. The classes will replace Peterson's yearly Red Devil training at Fort Carson.

"Instead of going all the way out to Fort Carson, we're using Pete North and getting assistance from our local resources, like security forces," said 1st Lt. Justin Rowe, DREST program manager. "We want to make sure when [Airmen] get to the area of responsibility, wherever it is, they have as much training as they need."

The 19-hour training is broken into one day of classroom time and two days of field work. The Airmen learn about topics such as air base defense and self aid and buddy care inside; they then venture out to Pete North to test what they've learned as well as practice combat skills, rifle fighting and weapons maintenance.

The program will be mandatory for all deploying Airmen, and Lieutenant Rowe said he expects it will eventually train 100 to 140 Airmen per class from the 21st Space Wing and Peterson's tenant units. The classes will largely be taught by a cadre of trainers assigned from various units here, with assistance from the units that helped develop DREST, including security forces and the explosive ordinance disposal team.

Second Lt. Josh Killian, with the 21st Logistics Readiness Squadron, will be a member of that teaching cadre. Attending DREST as part of his training for the role, Lieutenant Killian said he's not scheduled to deploy anytime soon but was still grateful for the extra practice, just in case.

"Unless you're security forces or something, this stuff isn't part of your everyday job," he said. "It's good to know the basics, what will help you in the field. You never know when you're going to deploy."

 

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