Expanding combat capability: AMMOS graduates 24 from Combat Support Course Published Oct. 8, 2014 By Capt. Daniel J. Gregorich, Sr. U.S. Air Force Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Operations School instructor NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- Maintenance officers from across the Air Force graduated from the Combat Support Course - the 29th since its inception in 2003 - held at the U.S. Air Force Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Operations School, or AMMOS, Oct. 3, 2014. The Combat Support Course, or CSC, provides mid-level captains the ability to produce combat airpower, execute mission requirements, educate others and develops an expeditionary mentality focused on winning today's wars while preparing to fly, fight and win the wars of tomorrow. "The United States Air Force Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Operations School is an institution for warriors," said Lt. Col. Greg Lowe, U.S. Air Force AMMOS commandant. "Students are selected because they have the greatest potential as graduates to expand combat capability. We kept their training tough, placed them in nearly impossible scenarios, and gave them less time to find solutions than any of them would have wanted. Our school is that way for a reason. The Air Force is stronger today because of their efforts; and as they use the skills which they have learned to lead our Airmen, the Air Force will be stronger tomorrow." The seven-week investment has taught these students leadership, critical thinking, the operational art of maintenance, fleet health management, the importance of mission readiness, sortie generation, flying hour program planning and execution, munitions operations, and logistics command and control to build a firm foundation for their future endeavors. This foundation will allow the graduates of AMMOS CSC Class 14C to meet, and shape, the challenges of tomorrow. "I am extremely proud of this CSC class," said Maj. Kathryn Mobley, U.S. Air Force AMMOS director of operations. "The students came together as a strong team and mastered maintenance tactics, techniques and procedures. I am looking forward to hearing back from these graduates as to how they are applying what they learned at AMMOS to their home station jobs and in future maintenance/munitions roles to come. I am sure they will enhance the maintenance community by fulfilling their AMMOS graduate roles of being producers, mentors and advisors." Class 14C is the third 24-student officer class to graduate since the school opened its doors in 2003. The graduates, all from various maintenance and munitions units across the Air Force, will go back to their units to produce, mentor and advise others in all aspects of effects-based logistics. To mark the occasion, Col. Jennifer Hammerstedt, commander, 402nd Aircraft Maintenance Group, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., served as the class mentor and graduation guest speaker. "Our Air Force is demanding more of you than ever before, which is why the training you have received over the last seven weeks is invaluable," Col. Hammerstedt said when addressing the students during the graduation. "Invaluable because our Air Force needs maintenance officers who can do several things. We need you to know how to apply the science of aircraft production and explain it, solve problems in the strategic - not just in the tactical; think outside the box, challenge assumptions and turn ideas into executable plans; examine broken organizations and determine ways to improve them; and finally, our Air Force needs maintenance officers who never stop learning, who never settle in the comfort zone of 'that's how we've always done it,' and who deliberately teach others all they know. Our Air Force needs maintenance officers who make units better, just by being part of them." The course came about as a result of experience gained from Operation Allied Force. During the air war, Gen. John P. Jumper, then the U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander, noted a need for mid-level logistics officers to have enhanced logistics knowledge similar to what operators receive from the U.S. Air Force Weapons School. As a result of a Corona Conference, top Air Force officials convened and by December 2000, directed the development of the advanced logistics officer training. In June 2001, Jumper, then Air Combat Command commander, approved the stand-up of the school at Nellis as a part of the 57th Wing. The mission was to train hand-selected mid-level captain logisticians in the integration of expeditionary logistics processes at the tactical level. Graduating from the U.S. Air Force AMMOS CSC, Class 14C: Maj. Lloyd R. Blessington, Jr. Lincoln Air National Guard Base, Neb. Capt. Christopher M. Bennett Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. Capt. Aaron T. Bowens Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. Capt. William B. Burrous Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. Capt. Hoyoon Chung Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. Capt. Robert W. Clark Royal Air Force Mildenhall, U.K. Capt. Robert M. Cross Joint Base Charleston, S.C. Capt. Rebecca K. Daugherty Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla. Capt. Duane M. Denney Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. Capt. Dale R. Ellis Ii Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash. Capt. Montanna J. Ewers Ramstein Air Base, Germany Capt. Brandon R. Glass Seymour-Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. Capt. Joshua A. Gradaille Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. Capt. James P. Guthrie Seymour-Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. Capt. Brian C. Hassler Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Capt. Christopher D. Horsfall Moody Air Force Base, Ga. Capt. Joseph D. Langan Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. Capt. Michael R. Laverdure Incirlik Air Base, Turkey Capt. Travis J. Lytton Hill Air Force Base, Utah Capt. Kevin Manis Royal Air Force Lakenheath, U.K. Capt. Michael A. Mattingly Greenville, Texas Capt. Brian A. Myers Ramstein Air Base, Germany Capt. Fernando Rolon Yokota Air Base, Japan Capt. Kristen M. Torma Robins Air Force Base, Ga.
