Table of Contents

Chapter 7

TRAINING

MI soldiers must master the technical, tactical, and leadership skills required to employ and maintain sophisticated intelligence systems on the battlefield.

Operator training is the same for all versions of the GSM. Maintenance training is developed based on logistic support analysis (LSA) generated by the contractor. The US Army Intelligence Center and Fort Huachuca (USAIC& FH) is the proponent for training and approves a critical tasklist covering all operator and maintenance tasks for the GSM. Training development is structured and executed using the systems approach to training (SAT) process. All Department of the Army (DA) Joint STARS operator and maintenance personnel attend institutional training.

Upon completing basic training, the soldier arrives at USAIC& FH for initial entry training and advanced individual training. In addition, soldiers currently holding MOS 96H (Aerial Intelligence Specialist) undergo retraining as an IGSO. Enlisted personnel are trained to operate and perform operator and unit level maintenance on the Joint STARS GSMs, to include--

• GSM operation and operator and unit level maintenance.
• Basic imagery analysis techniques.
• Reporting of targets from radar, electro-optical, and infrared collection systems.

The IGSO is trained in the following areas at Skill Level 1.

• Common Soldier Tasks.
• Operation of the MGSM and LGSM.
• Communications, such as load KY-57 TSEC; use of signals operations instructions (SOI).
• Pre-mission activities, such as conduct mission briefings, site selection, emplacement, system initialization.
• Mission activities, such as establish and maintain communications with the E-8, and emergency procedures.
• Post-mission activities, such as record mission data, conduct crew rotation briefings, GSM shut down.

The 33T is responsible for non-operater GSM maintenance.

The following are unit trained critical tasks:

• Operate and license on 15 and 30 kW diesel generator.
• Operate and license on tactical vehicles.
• Use unit SOPs.
• Perform TOC and ACE operations and GSM interface.

Playback of previous missions is available for sustainment of some operator tasks. Crew drills on Prepare for Operations and Prepare for Redeployment keep soldiers proficient at preparing the GSM and associated equipment for operations and redeployment. Collective training is tailored by the unit mission essential task list (METL).

PRE-E-8 TRAINING REQUIREMENTS:

All Army E-8 enlisted crew members must complete 96H IGSO initial entry training and advance individual training. An Army Class III flight physical and Air Force physiological training must also be completed prior to attending initial qualification training (IQT).

Before arriving at the Joint STARS wing, individuals will complete or be scheduled for Air Force survival, evasion, resistance, and escape (SERE); and Air Force Water Survival Training courses. These requirements can be waivered for pre-IOC contingency deployments on E-8. All soldiers must have a minimum of a SECRET clearance.

E-8 CREW TRAINING:

Mission crew training includes formal and informal training conducted by the Joint STARS Joint Task Force (JTF), Joint Army and Air Force cadre, and contractor instructors at Melbourne, FL. The informal training is conducted daily in support of developmental requirements, demonstrations, tests, evaluations, and contingency training requirements. In the advent of a contingency deployment, the formal training is also conducted.

Primary Training. The primary training is provided by existing experienced Joint Army and Air Force cadre and contractor instructors. The training emphasizes system operations, operational procedures, and tactical command and control intelligence (C²I) interfaces. Pre-deployment training consists of multiple training tracks covering generic training requirements and crew member specific requirements. This training is conducted at the Joint Test Task Force (JTTF).

Academic Training. Academic training includes the following subject areas:

• E-8 life support and emergency procedures training.
• Joint STARS capabilities and functions, to include the GSM.
• Joint STARS radar imagery familiarization.
• US Army and US Air Force organization, doctrine, and tactics.
• Aircrew specific position duties and responsibilities.
• Crew coordination.
• Mission crew simulator and laboratory training.
• Enemy organization, doctrine, and tactics.

Flight Training. Flight training is conducted after the crew members complete the academic training. This training includes any available flights to include the deployment flight. Currently, an Army mission crew member is considered to meet IQT status after 20 flight hours.

POST-IOC E-8 TRAINING:

Mission crew training is formalized training conducted by the 19th Wing Training Squadron located at Robins AFB. This IQT is conducted by a Joint Army-Air Force contractor training cadre in accordance with formal courses approved by the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) and the Air Force.

The IQT will minimally qualify crew members prior to assignment to an operations squadron. The operations squadron conducts military qualification training (MQT) on unit procedures. A squadron trainer evaluates the crew member prior to being cleared as mission ready. In addition, the two operations squadrons conduct recurring collective training, which is called continuation training.

The primary emphasis of the IQT is on the training of aircrews in system operations, operational procedures, and tactical C²I interfaces. IQT consists of multiple training tracks covering generic training requirements and crew member specific requirements.

Flight training is conducted after the crew member successfully completes the academic and simulator training. This training is projected to average 10 to 13 flights. The first training sortie flight is considered a demonstration flight with the student performing limited duties under instructor supervision. The final flight is a flight evaluation by a qualified flight examiner.

Continuation training is designed to maintain and test crew proficiency. It is conducted in the mission crew simulator and on board the E-8. This is integrated into existing Army and Air Force exercises.

Embedded training simulation (ETS) is required to augment mission crew ground simulators. This capability is realized using aircraft hardware with ETS software to generate simulated targets and threats on appropriate displays in-flight. Air and land tracks are also simulated. Embedded training is required for mission crew operators plus the navigator.

Prior to promotion to staff sergeant, sergeants attend the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course (BNCOC) at Fort Huachuca. BNCOC consists of common core NCO training followed by military occupational specialty (MOS) training. Future staff sergeants are taught to--

• Task-organize and supervise GSM crews and operations.
• Brief and debrief both their users and crews.
• Employ all-source cueing, disseminate GSM products, train the crew, and consolidate the post-mission analysis from each shift into one complete report for the user.

The following courses at USAIC&FH and the Field Artillery School are modified to incorporate necessary instruction on Joint STARS doctrine and tactics. Training includes system overview, mission planning, employment, capabilities, and limitations of the system.

• Basic Warrant Officer Course.
• Senior Warrant Officer Course.
• Officer Basic Course. Officer
• Advanced Course.
• Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course.

E-8 MISSION CREW:

Requirements for E-8 crew leaders are warrant officers (350D) with a military education level (MEL) B and officers with MEL 6.

The E-8 mission crew should also complete the Defense Sensor Imagery Application Training Program (DSIATP).

PRE-IOC E-8 ARMY AIRCREW TRAINING:

Army E-8 enlisted aircrew receive IGSO training prior to assignment to the Joint STARS aircraft. The 350Ds and 35Cs receive Joint STARS familiarization training in their advanced course. An additional skill identifier (ASI) of A1 is awarded to enlisted E-8 aircrew members. Individuals should complete Air Ground Operations School (AGOS) before assignment.

DEPUTY MISSION CREW COMMANDER, 350D AND 35C:

At a minimum, the officer filling the DMCC position is a field grade officer and must bean advanced course graduate. Additionally, the officer should attend or have similar training as provided by AGOS, DSIATP, and Command and General Staff College (C&GSC).

JOINT AND COMBINED TRAINING:

Joint STARS training occurs in CONUS and all OCONUS theaters. Peacetime surveillance missions are used to provide continuation training to the Joint STARS mission crew when the E-8 is not involved in exercises or contingencies. Primary emphasis is on training aircrew and supported units in Joint STARS operations, capabilities, operational procedures, and tactical C³I interfaces. Airborne training activities are conducted in conjunction with Air Force and major Army command (MACOM) training exercises and deployments.