KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Instructors from the 5th Combat Communication Support Squadron Combat Readiness School conducted the first MOB School at Keesler, 10-14 April.
MOB School is a 5-day course executed by the 5th CBCSS, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, where students sharpen their expeditionary skills in preparation for worldwide deployments.
"Since 1958, the engineering and installation community has provided warfighters with communication support," said Lt. Col. Christopher Dauer, 85th Engineering Installation Squadron Commander. "MOB School keeps the 85th combat capable as we support our Agile Combat Employment and Tactical to Follow-on taskings."
The course serves as an introduction for members of the 5th Combat Communications Group to sharpen essential combat skills and forge comradery through the ranks.
This course teaches students weapons handling, combatives, close-quarter battle tactics, and anti-improvised explosive device training. Students familiarize themselves with two weapons platforms, the primary M-4 and secondary M-9. They learn to take both weapons apart and inspect their components and function.
Students then transition into weapons handling training where they learn how to shoot, move, and communicate as a team through various combative scenarios.
"A lot of people coming in from base communications don't deal with weapons, so what we are doing is getting their feet wet again," said Staff Sgt. Michael Dazzo, 5th CBCSS combat readiness lead instructor. "Combat readiness is to be expected since we are now in a combat communications field. We frequently answer short-notice deployments, so we want to ensure this is fresh in their minds."
"MOB School provided us an opportunity to further develop our leadership skills and to operate as part of the 5th CCG in a deployed environment,” said Staff Sgt. Jessica Salazar, combat readiness class lead and outstanding performer.
Since the 85th EIS was recently reassigned to the 5th Combat Communications Group, all members of the 85th EIS will undergo MOB School to complete their integration into the 5th CCG.
"Seeing the students from minute one to the end of their course, it's a night and day difference," said Dazzo. "Students are picking up the skills and realizing what they need to be doing. If someone makes a mistake, they can rely on their team to still complete the objectives. At the end of the day, the job still needs to get done."
The 5th CBCSS plans to send a team of instructors to the 85th EIS quarterly to conduct future MOB Schools, making readiness training more efficient and cost-effective.