In a deliberate push to build a more agile and combat-ready force, the 92nd Air Refueling Wing launched Iron Ascent, a rigorous three-day tactical training course, held at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, April 29-May 1.
The inaugural program pulled airmen out of their typical daily duties and into hands-on combat environments, enabling training participants from various career fields to operate as capable expeditionary warfighters. The initiative was spearheaded by Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Lindsay Moon, 92nd ARW command chief, who saw a need to provide airmen with training beyond computer-based modules and classroom instruction.
"Iron Ascent is a course that we locally created, realizing there was a need to get past the things we learn by [computer] or in a classroom, and trying to get folks out into the field and really recognizing what [the] warrior ethos is," Moon said. "It allowed us to drop people out into the field to do combat-related operations, even if it's not the same thing we expect them to do day to day."
The result was a rigorous, multifaceted training experience. The first day was dedicated to academics, where participants received briefings on essential deployment skills.
"The classroom instruction covered deployment tactics, explosive ordnance disposal capabilities and tactical combat casualty care," said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Katlynn Bell, the noncommissioned officer in charge of training for the 92nd Security Forces Squadron, who also served as part of the exercise cadre. "It was mainly learning the fundamentals, so it's easier for the practical portions later on."
During day two, the airmen split into two groups to apply their new knowledge, swapping halfway through the day so everyone completed both events. One group practiced close-quarters battle tactics and troop movements at the security forces' "shoot house," and the other group rappelled down a 30-foot wall with survival, evasion, resistance and escape specialists.
"We tried to progressively build on the concepts," Moon said. "We were able to hand them actual M4 [assault rifles] so they could practice clearing rooms, being in formation and communicating together."
The final day culminated in a field training exercise at Nighthawk Range, where participants faced a series of challenging scenarios across 50 acres of terrain. They defended locations, acquired intelligence and navigated through ambushes against opposing forces, putting all their training to the test under high-stress conditions.
"You saw a lot of different stressors that were applied to them, and it was amazing to watch them face those [stressors]," Moon said.
The exercise reflected the Air Force's broader push toward creating a more agile and versatile force.
"It's important for people to understand that we may ask you to do things outside of what you learned in tech school," Moon said. "But that is OK; you can do hard things. We had airmen from finance and weather training right alongside security forces and survival instructors; watching them all work together was amazing."
Air Force Staff Sgt. Dakota Peterson, noncommissioned officer in charge of physical security for the squadron, who also served as part of the exercise cadre, noted the training established a critical baseline for airmen who may find themselves in unexpected roles during a deployment.
"It's critical because when they deploy, they might be asked to step outside their normal duties, and this training provides that foundation," Peterson said. "It's a stepping stone that allows them to say, 'Hey, I have some experience. I trained for this a year ago, and now I can apply it here.'"
For the cadre, one of the most rewarding aspects was watching the volunteer participants embrace the challenges head-on.
"It was really awesome to see people stepping out of their comfort zones, and not being afraid of it, and really just embracing it," Bell said. "It's all volunteers here; no one here was told to be here."
The enthusiasm was palpable. According to Moon, many participants immediately asked how they could be involved in the next iteration, a testament to the program's success and the growing appetite for hands-on, tactical training.