US Air Force, LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE: Members of the 373rd Training Squadron, Detachment 4, are providing first-of-its-kind training for Romanian air force maintainers with a custom-made program at the C-130 Center of Excellence here.
Det. 4 members built training classes specifically for the Romanians, and then four separate classes of international students ran concurrently, a first for the Air Force.
This international training has been in the making for more than a year. In September 2005, members of the 373rd TRS, along with representatives from Air Force Security Assistance Training, traveled to Romania to assess the Romanian air force's training needs. The Romanian air force has four C-130Bs and will receive their first C-130H in September.
“(This training will help us) fulfill our NATO mission, help our interoperability with maintenance and (provide the) full capability to fulfill all the missions of airlift,” said Lt. Cmdr. Marin Gheorghiu, the ranking Romanian air force student. “This training is very important for us.”
After going to Romania for an initial training needs assessment, the Little Rock team returned and began to build the classes necessary to train the Romanians in preparation for receiving their new aircraft. Det. 4 has had international students in the past, but taught from established curriculum. Never before was a course built to meet such specific needs.
“We came back (from Romania) and took the data we compiled there to build classes specifically for their C-130s,” said Tech. Sgt. Richard Miller, the Det. 4 lead avionics instructor. “Their avionics aren't anything like we have in the (U.S.) Air Force. There were some challenges, but we overcame them. We're looking forward to working with our international partners in the future.”
Initially, Little Rock received 16 Romanian students. Twelve students have finished training. The four remaining students are here until the end of August. Follow-up training is planned in the future to ensure the lessons learned at Little Rock meet their mission requirements.
“We have been very happy with the training we've received so far. Some of our co-workers have gone back to Romania to start the teaching process before our first C-130H is scheduled for delivery in mid-September. These gentlemen have been very good and professional,” said Commander Gheorghiu.
“These (students) are going back to train their maintenance cadre in Romania,” Sergeant Miller said. “We are going to follow up to make sure their training is what they needed and make sure there are no questions once they receive their aircraft.”
Romanian students have been here since July 10 attending C-130 classes unique to their particular aircraft and career fields.
“The experience has been a very positive one. Detachment 4 has done what no other detachments have in the past, and (we) are looking forward to working with allied partners in the future,” said Sergeant Miller.
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