ACOT prepares Airmen for future combat operations Published June 11, 2015 By Tech. Sgt. James Hodgman 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Training aircrews to operate and survive in combat environments is the focus of the 60th Operations Support Squadron Wing Tactics team at Travis Air Force Base. The team, which includes a C-17 Globemaster IIII weapons officer, three major weapons system tacticians and four enlisted tacticians, manages the Air Force's first advanced combat operations training program. The program is designed to provide quarterly realistic combat training to aircrews so they are ready to perform in combat environments. "It's our job in tactics to look toward future conflicts and train our aircrews to operate in those environments," said Capt. Michael Gilpatrick, 60th OSS chief of C-17 wing tactics from Dixon, California. "ACOT is all about looking to the future and, ultimately, that's what we're training for. While we do that, we're also building proficiency and training for current conflicts." ACOT consists of five days of academics covering objective analysis, communication planning, defensive systems and much more, followed by two days of flying operations where Airmen apply what they learned in the classroom to exercise scenarios based on real world events and potential future conflicts. The exercises have taken place on a quarterly basis since 2012. In January 2015, the Singapore air force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Army and Airmen from five major commands took part in a 60th OSS ACOT event in Utah. During the training event, aircrews practiced numerous techniques including evacuation procedures, how to react to contested air refueling operations or enemy contact and rapid deployment of Army personnel, said Capt. Billy McGee, 60th OSS chief of C-5 wing tactics from Yucaipa, California. The training focuses on perfecting tactics that may not be required in day-to-day operations but may be required in a combat situation, McGee said. "We try to build exposure to different types of flying that aircrews may be called upon to perform such as low-level flying," McGee added. According to McGee, during ACOT events, aircrews could be tested on their ability to successfully fly at low levels. One example the captain mentioned was a requirement for aircrews to fly a C-5, the largest aircraft in the Air Force inventory and capable of carrying up to 270,000 pounds of cargo, 500 feet above ground level while safely navigating around any obstacles. According to Maj. Jason Roberts, chief of C-5 strategy and employment for Air Mobility Command's Combat Operations Division, Travis was the first base in the U.S. Air Force to implement ACOT in 2009. Prior to serving in his current position, Roberts was the 60th OSS airborne mission commander and helped plan the base's ACOT activities. The ultimate goal of ACOT is to provide aircrews enhanced applied knowledge so they can meet combatant commanders requirements, Roberts said. "Using simulated wartime contingency scenarios to test capabilities and documenting those efforts is critical to preparing our frontline warriors," Roberts said. The training provides the necessary hands on exposure to different scenarios and environments that are outside of our normal training programs, said Maj. Aaron Cook, 60th OSS chief of KC-10 wing tactics from Medina, New York. "It's imperative we train this way so we are not caught off guard when the combat environment evolves," Cook added. Roberts also said that Travis's ACOT program is among the best out there. "AMC has been very impressed with Travis' program because it takes a look at combat operations, how to train to them and how to utilize resources within the confines of today's operational environment," Roberts said. "It's exactly what we're looking for as we work to develop our warfighting capabilities," he said.