908th FSS Sharpens Expeditionary Skills

Members of the 908th Force Support Squadron stepped away from their standard workstations Sept. 10-11, 2026, to conduct their annual Home Station Readiness Training, executing a curriculum designed to prepare Airmen for future deployments.

The two-day training brought together multiple Air Force specialty codes including personnel, education and training, and services, to hone core combat support capabilities not typical of their daily administrative roles.

The training began with intensive classroom instruction in their military personnel flight classroom. Different instructors led video tutorials, detailed safety briefings, interactive Q&A discussions, and procedural walk-throughs.

The academic sessions laid the operational groundwork for three major mission requirements: search and recovery operations, small shelter system assembly integrated with command-and-control operations, and Single Pallet Expeditionary Kitchen deployment.

Search and recovery represents one of the most solemn responsibilities tasked to FSS personnel, demanding grid searches, evidence collection, and dignified transfers in contingency or mass-casualty scenarios.

"Training like this gives individuals the preparation to go into the search and recovery field with the ability to perform the task in a timely manner, know what they are getting into, and understand the deeper purpose," said Tech. Sgt. Trayunne Lucas, 908th FSS services unit deployment manager. "As traditional reservists, we don’t perform these duties as often as active-duty personnel. This training gives them full oversight of the career field, lets them get hands-on experience with what they might endure, and builds essential camaraderie. Without every team member executing their role, the search and recovery mission cannot succeed."

Using training mannequins to replicate real-world scenarios, they walked Airmen through both the technical demands and the mental discipline required for the mission, emphasizing mental health support teams, chaplain resources, and hostile-environment safety protocols.

"Our job during every mission is to retrieve everything we can from an individual, return it where it needs to be in a timely manner, and ensure it gets back to the States, primarily to Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, for processing," said Master Sgt. Christopher Barbour, 908th FSS services flight chief. "The final result is providing closure for the families. We also introduce duress scenarios during training so that if Airmen find themselves in a hostile or unclear environment, they know when to take cover and how to execute proper procedures. It is complete preparation for everything they might encounter."

On day two, the squadron traded the classroom for the field, putting theory into practice at the training field near Patriot Park. Arriving for early accountability, members spent the morning erecting an SSS tent and establishing C2 operations under the guidance of Master Sgt. Kevin Smith and Tech. Sgt. Martin.

Working in tandem, the team managed structural framing, canvas rigging, and utility integration, creating a functional, weather-resistant center capable of supporting personnel tracking, reporting, and site-wide communications under austere conditions.

Following the shelter build, attention shifted to tactical field feeding. Tech. Sgt. Andrew Hampton and Staff Sgt. Kenneth Jackson Jr. led the services specialists through the rapid buildup and practical operation of the Single Pallet Expeditionary Kitchen.

Deploying and operating a SPEK is a mission-vital skill downrange. In bare-base or forward operating locations lacking permanent dining infrastructure, the self-contained kitchen unit allows a small team to prepare and serve hundreds of hot, balanced meals daily directly from palletized field rations. Sustaining physical stamina and troop morale through hot food is directly tied to overall mission endurance and combat readiness.

"The purpose was to teach Airmen how to properly sustain the tents, understand the framework of how we operate, and execute the build with zero injuries or mishaps," said Jackson Jr., 908th FSS home station readiness training specialist. "Services is typically one of the first units on the ground; we establish the base, set up lodging, and provide essential cover. I was proud of our Airmen because they maintained composure and pushed through the frustration of changing heat and rain conditions to ensure the equipment was properly established."

The squadron ended the day of rigorous field exercises with an afternoon unit burger burn and morale event coordinated by Staff Sgt. Neandre Phillips and Staff Sgt. Titeana Wright. The gathering provided an opportunity for members to debrief and identify what was executed smoothly and trading insights for future operations.

Beyond the checklist items, this readiness training reinforced unit cohesion, camaraderie, and trust among peers who often operate in separate offices during busy Unit Training Assemblies.

Senior Master Sgt. Ce'Drea Young, 908th FSS senior enlisted leader, highlighted the impact of conducting the full readiness cycle together.

"It was great to see the camaraderie and cohesion of everyone coming together for our first time conducting this entire training on home station," said Young. "Having this hands-on practice in a controlled environment prepares our members for both real-world disaster response and future deployments, making sure we are fully ready whenever we need to walk out the door."

Opportunities to step back and train collaboratively as an entire squadron are rare during the fast-moving drill weekends. With these field exercises, Airmen discover who stands beside them beyond the cubicle walls, and how to keep the 908th FSS mission-capable and deployable.

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.