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U.S. Air Force streamlines Expeditionary Readiness Training

  • Published
  • Air Force News Service
WASHINGTON, Air Force News Media --  

U.S. Air Force officials announced the creation of a new streamlined Expeditionary Readiness Program governance construct that replaces the current tiered pre-deployment training model.

The updated program, designed to ensure Expeditionary Readiness Training, is relevant, effective, timely, synchronized, standardized and integrated in order to provide combatant commanders with a standard presentation of forces to support specified mission requirements, while maximizing efficiency.

“We recognize the importance of making sure our Airmen’s time is used as efficiently as possible,” said Deborah Lee James, Secretary of the Air Force. “Personal and professional time invested in readiness should be done purposefully and with the goal of improving Airmen’s ability to perform their duties in fulfilling global expeditionary requirements.”

The ERT concept aligns training cycles with the Air Expeditionary Force construct, transitioning some training to meet “just-in-time” requirements to support deployments, and eliminating most training currently provided in other venues.

“We’ve heard, listened and responded to Airmen’s feedback regarding pre-deployment training,” said General Mark A. Welsh III, Air Force Chief of Staff. “It is my duty and highest priority to ensure our Airmen are prepared to enter any combat environment with the skills needed to be successful and we do that by providing them with the right training at the right time, without redundancy.”

ERT changes include pre-tests at the beginning of computer based training allowing proficient Airmen to bypass CBTs, aligning pre-deployment training with the AEF battle rhythm of 36-month cycles, and waiving pre-deployment training for similar ancillary or functional proficiency training Airmen have already accomplished.

Effective Oct. 1, 2015, the new policy modifications will be captured in a new Air Force Guidance Memorandum that will eventually become a new 10-series Air Force Instruction and will supersede information currently in AFI 36-2201, Air Force Training Program. The AFGM is posted on e-publications and to myPers.