372nd TRS, Field Training Detachment 20: Anytime, anywhere, death from above

Unit: Field Training Detachment 20, 372d Training Squadron

Location: Dyess Air Force Base, Texas

Mission: Make Great Maintainers and Communicators Even Better.

Vision: Provide Field Training and Training Support That Makes A Lasting Difference.

Motto: Anytime, Anywhere, Death From Above

Detachment 20, located at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas provides B-1B maintenance training directly supporting the mission of the 7th Bomb Wing and associated tenant units, including the newly reactivated 489th Bomb Group (AF Reserve).  Master Sgt. Eduardo Velarde, the detachment chief, said, “This detachment has 20 instructors across nine AFSCs, whose efforts also contribute to C-130J maintenance and Air National Guard maintenance, as well as Faculty Development training for Security Forces, Maintenance Group Staff, and TDY Instructor personnel.  In FY15, Det 20 graduated 812 students, taught 277 courses, totaling 16,095 hours.  Dyess AFB is the training detachment of choice for B-1B Depot maintenance technicians stationed at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma.  Det 20 is also one of the two detachments that teach the B-1B Crew Chief Mission-Ready Airmen (MRA) course graduating an average of 30 new B-1B crew chiefs a year.”

Accomplishments:

Production Supervisor for the det, Tech. Sgt. Victoria Ruiz said, “Detachment 20 employs the only B-1B Egress Instructor who trains host technicians and has executed five Mobile Training TDYs to Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota.  The AGE Instructor is a regional asset and has been tasked to teach from coast-to-coast and all over the world.  In addition to his rigorous teaching schedule, this instructor has worked in conjunction with the Curriculum Monitor to develop and validate two brand new courses: one, which replaced the AGE 7-Level course, and another for a newly acquired air conditioner cart.  Det 20’s Trainer Development Team is one of the busiest around.  They recently executed a 3-day site visit to AMARG at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, to inspect two B-1B engine nacelles for conversion into Maintenance Trainers valued at $250K per trainer.  This team inspected and tracked over 200 parts, and advanced the acquisition process which was at a stalemate for more than five years.”

Section Chief Tech. Sgt. Joshua Burkhart said, “Det 20’s MRA Instructors are now transitioning the B-1B Crew Chief technical school from Sheppard AFB, Texas, to the two Main Operating Bases of Ellsworth, South Dakota and Dyess, Texas.  As a result, these FTDs get the honor of instructing and producing the entire MRA training curriculum for every B-1B Crew Chief in the U.S. Air Force.”