ACC TRSS, Det. 9 moves to Luke

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class David Owsianka
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  The Air Combat Command Training Support Squadron, Detachment 9 supports the initial training for units such as the 607th Air Control Squadron. In total, Det. 9 supports 17 ACS units across the Air Force.

The primary mission of Det. 9 is to develop, maintain and support the courseware and syllabi for the 607th ACS training.

Det. 9 originated at Langley Air Force Base, Va., in 1997 to support the Air Force's ACSs and their initial qualification training.

In 2007, the unit moved to Eglin AFB, Fla., to collocate with the 728th ACS in order to maintain operational knowledge and experience.

"Working with the 728th allowed us to stay qualified on the equipment," said Maj. Canyon Knop, ACC Det. 9 TRSS commander. "It also gave us access to some of their subject matter experts who provided us with theater experience to better the syllabi."

Det. 9 moved to Luke in 2010 to be collocated with the 607th ACS.

"This allows us to support them directly and work closely with the instructors," Knop said. "It also enables us to interact face-to-face with them to tweak and improve the syllabi."

The mission of the 607th ACS is to conduct formal initial qualification training for ACS operation crew personnel in C2 tactics, techniques and procedures. It also provides in-garrison radar control to flying units operating in local airspace.

"It's very helpful having Det. 9 here," said Capt. Daniel Uger, 607th ACS flight commander of operations training. "It allows us to be more effective with our training, because we're able to work side-by-side instead of through video conference. It also helps with our syllabus conferences, which we do every two years."

The 607th ACS and Det. 9 agree that this move has allowed both sides to better the Airmen who are being trained at Luke.

"It's made a lot of improvements and has made a quicker reaction time to the improvements instructors want to make," Knop said. "By doing this, the 607th is able to tailor things to their needs. Students get the best training possible and the Air Force gets the best product."