ROYAL AIR FORCE MILDENHALL, England -- Staff Sgt. Mariana Babel, 100th Communications Squadron, practices M-4 firing postures at the Ability To Survive and Operate rodeo Sept. 13, 2011, outside Building 680. The training involved participants wearing different stages of mission-oriented protective posture gear and going through various areas of training including self-aid and buddy care, post-attack reconnaissance, contamination control station, ATSO familiarization and weapons familiarization. During the weapons training, two members from the 100th Security Forces Squadron provided students the basic knowledge to operate weapon systems of the M-4 rifle and M-9 pistol. Babel uses one of the features of the M68 (close combat optic), which allows the shooter to use and engage targets with both eyes open, even when the cover is on. (U.S. Air Force photo/Karen Abeyasekere)

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ROYAL AIR FORCE MILDENHALL, England -- Tech. Sgt. Joseph Archangel, 488th Intelligence Squadron Medical Element, shows students the correct way to tighten a tourniquet, during the self-aid and buddy care portion of Ability To Survive and Operate training Sept. 13, 2011. The training involved participants wearing different stages of mission-oriented protective posture gear, and going through various skills, which also included post-attack reconnaissance, contamination control station, ATSO familiarization and weapons familiarization. (U.S. Air Force photo/Karen Abeyasekere)

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ROYAL AIR FORCE MILDENHALL, England -- Tech. Sgt. Joseph Archangel, right, 488th Intelligence Squadron Medical Element, shows students how to use a tourniquet during the self-aid buddy care portion of Ability To Survive and Operate training here Sept. 13, 2011. In addition to SABC, the training involved participants wearing different stages of mission-oriented protective posture gear and practicing post-attack reconnaissance, contamination control, ATSO familiarization and weapons familiarization. More than 200 participants were trained during a two-day period. (U.S. Air Force photo/Karen Abeyasekere)

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ROYAL AIR FORCE MILDENHALL, England -- Two members from Royal Air Force Mildenhall carefully roll Staff Sgt. Edy Cruz-Xuarez, 100th Civil Engineer Squadron, onto a fold-up litter as instructor, Tech. Sgt. Joseph Archangel, 488th Intelligence Squadron Medical Element, looks on during the self-aid and buddy care portion of an ability to survive and operate rodeo Sept. 14, 2011. In addition to SABC, participants wore different stages of mission-oriented protective posture gear, and practiced post attack reconnaissance, contamination control, ATSO familiarization and weapons familiarization. (U.S. Air Force photo/Karen Abeyasekere)

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ROYAL AIR FORCE MILDENHALL, England -- Students at the Ability To Survive and Operate training Sept. 14, 2011, roll up a (simulated) contaminated cover, as they learn about covering assets, contaminated waste disposal, facility personnel decontamination and mission-oriented protective posture levels. Senior Airman Nicole Browning, 100th Civil Engineer Squadron Readiness and Emergency Management, explains the correct way to remove the contaminated cover, during the training. More than 200 people participated in the training during a two-day period. (U.S. Air Force photo/Karen Abeyasekere)

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ATSO Rodeo prepares Airmen for contingencies, inspections

Published Sept. 16, 2011
By Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace
100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

ROYAL AIR FORCE MILDENHALL, England -- An Ability to Survive and Operate Rodeo prepared Airmen for future inspections and contingencies here Sept. 13 to 14.

More than 200 Airmen attended the two-day event, and learned skills including self aid buddy care, post-attack response, weapons familiarization and contamination control areas.

"The skills we're teaching may someday save a life," said Tech. Sgt. Joseph Archangel, 488th Intelligence Squadron.

Archangel taught care under fire, self aid and buddy care, and dragging and carrying techniques. Airmen from the 48th Medical Group assisted in the training.

Trainees soon learned that dragging someone up to twice their weight was no easy task.

"I hope I never have to do that for real," said one out-of-breath trainee wearing field gear and a chemical warfare suit.

ATSO Rodeo trainees assumed MOPP-2, which means mission oriented protective posture level two, at the start of the training and remained in either MOPP-2 or MOPP-4 throughout.

For some, weapons familiarization was a refresher. For others, new skills were learned as some enlisted Airmen have never handled an M-9 handgun before.

Airmen learned immediate and remedial actions for M-9 and M-4 malfunctions and practiced an array of stances and re-loads.

Once familiar with the two most common Air Force firearms, trainees moved to a post-attack response sweep area where Airman 1st Class Marco Misko, and Senior Airmen Bernard Cobb and Nicole Browning, all of the 100th Civil Engineer Squadron, taught them to sweep for unexploded ordnances and verify contaminated M-8 paper.

"UCC, this is sweep team two," said one trainee, struggling to speak clearly through her gas mask. She advised her simulated unit control center that her team discovered an UXO and was cordoning the area.

Lastly, Airmen transitioned through a contamination control area where Staff Sgt. David Rodriquez and Airman 1st Class Charles Sweeney, 100th CES, assisted them in decontamination practices, including removing contaminated equipment and clothing.

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