Posted on 03/17/2017 5:08:36 AM PDT by w1n1
The intense USAF qualification course ensures only the most qualified Security Forces Airmen become Ravens. When fully trained, Ravens are air marshals on the ground who deploy with aircrew members on missions designated by the AMC Threat Working Group. Raven teams protect aircraft and their crews and cargo from criminal and terrorist threats while traveling through airfields where security is either unknown or inadequate.
The Air Force has fewer than 150 active Ravens executing AMC's force protection of strategic airlift around the world. The intense qualification course ensures the select few who become Ravens are of an exceptional caliber.
Inside the training facility, everyone who has gone through will cringe at the thought of the "house of pain" and its not about pancakes. This is where all trainees do the majority of physical training. Physical training consists of calisthenics and fighting the Redman. The trainees are taught basic hand to hand skills for fighting unarmed and with a baton.
One of the biggest challenges in the "house of pain" for the cadres is to teach the trainee how to fight within the three week course. Having intestinal fortitude can go a long way, but without the tools its hard to gain confidence. The cadres help with the missing tools, but the biggest thing that you’ll learn is to go beyond your physical limitations. It’s when you can’t do any more push-ups (over 1,000 per day) or flutter kicks and now you have to pit against a fresh Redman. Doesn’t sound fair, but in reality it teaches the trainee to think so they can overcome real-world decisions while down-range. See the Redman footage here.
I watched it. I see they have a female instructor. Do they have different standards for men and women?
I am familiar with this program. It produces outstanding Airman who perform a very demanding mission. For many of my years flying transports, the only layer of security we had was us aircrew. And we went to some very dangerous places. The RAVENS provide the security to the C-130s, C-5s, and C-17s flying all over the globe. The USAF Expeditionary Center, likewise, is an amazing training facility.
So they guard airplanes...parked on a tarmac.
Sounds positively boring.
It is, and it helps to have a deck of cards.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.