Airmen protect a different environment

  • Published
  • By Dan Hawkins
  • 82 Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  The environment around you is all about perspective. Just ask the students and staff of the Electrical and Environmental Apprentice course conducted by the 364th Training Squadron at Sheppard. Responsible for producing electrical and environment systems technicians for every airframe in the Air Force inventory, the training broadens the view of what most people would think of as the "environment."

The electrical portion of the course deals with every aspect of the aircraft's electrical system, from instrument panel lights to the ejection seat. The environmental aspect focuses on both the pilot's cooling and heating systems inside the cockpit, along with the weapons system cooling equipment.

The course is currently scheduled to graduate approximately 720 students in fiscal year 2012, with classes programmed for a typical capacity of eight students per class and a maximum number of nine students per class.

Training is broken down into three major sections and 11 blocks during 91 academic days and 17 weeks total of training.

In fundamentals, Airmen learn basic terminology, how to use certain tools and read Air Force technical orders. In the electrical portion, students learn to apply technical knowledge such as reading currents and using capacitors for in real-world situations involving aircraft.

The final phase is environmental, where the Airmen are taught the ability to inspect, repair and maintain the weapons systems cooling units and cockpit environmental systems.

Staff Sergeant Eric Ta, 364 TRS instructor, loves the opportunity he has to shape the future of the career field.

"I get the chance to mentor younger Airmen, mold the future of E & E (Electrical and Engineering)," he said. "I get to share my experience with them and guide them to be better Airmen."

Airman Amer Music, 364 TRS student being assigned to the 9th Maintenance Squadron at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., at the completion of training, is excited to join the operational Air Force.

"It's going to be a whole new world," he said. "It's exciting to get to go out and do your job outside the training environment."

Getting the opportunity to serve and work around aircraft is the driving force for Airman 1st Class Alex Lanier.

"I wanted to come in for a long time, since I was six, growing up right outside a military base," he said. "Seeing the airplanes flying around all the time, I knew I wanted to work on them one day and here I am."

The 364 TRS develops and conducts operational training in electrical and environmental aircraft systems, POL fuels, hydraulics and telecommunications career fields. With more than 3,700 graduates annually, it is one of the most diverse training squadrons in the Air Force.

Sheppard trains over 87,000 personnel annually in over 1,100 resident and non-resident courses.