DESERT DISRUPTORS

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – The revamped Air Force Security Forces Center’s Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course is set to deliver sharper, innovative weapons and tactics instructors to the enterprise.  

The course is going through a final beta test at AFSFC’s Desert Defender Ground Combat Readiness Training Center at Fort Bliss, Texas, which began in July and graduates in November.   

In November 2023, the career field leadership paused the course to better align with Department of the Air Force initiatives and operational changes.  
The course lacked the complete curriculum needed for Defenders to be successful and the time needed to implement that curriculum, said Master Sgt. Bradley Akers, AFSFC Security Forces Weapons and Tactics program manager and SF WTIC chief. 

“Since the initial course, SF WTIC has gone through a number of rewrites (and moved to Fort Bliss from its initial location at Camp Guernsey, Wyoming). This new course is set to deliver better, more well-rounded Defenders for the enterprise who can critically think and solve the wicked problems of our community,” said Capt. Joshua Holloman, WTIC commandant overseeing operations and curriculum execution for the new 17-week course and 341st Security Forces Group weapons and tactics officer at Malmstrom AFB, Montana.   

Members of several organizations came together to ensure the course update would arm Defenders with the skills and knowledge they need to meet the needs of reoptimizing for Great Power Competition and other key Department of the Air Force objectives, Holloman said. This included the weapons and tactics community as a whole, the Security Forces Weapons and Tactics Action Council and the AFSFC Weapons and Tactics Program Office.   

Students in the beta test are testing a series of phases including weapons employment, integrated fires and maneuvers, weapons officer training, weaponeering and engagement area development, defensive planning and coordination, and full mission profiles. 

“We’re the leading edge for what we need to do and where we need to go for the entire security forces enterprise,” said Staff Sgt. Austin Flores, a student from Minot AFB, North Dakota.  

“For me at my installation, it will help me establish tactics at the ground level to support the strategic and operational taskings we have …  taking what’s already out there, developing it, constructing it and disseminating it down to the warfighter at the basic level so he or she has everything needed to be successful,” Flores said. 
Near the end of the 17-week course, each student will also deliver a 15-20 page white paper addressing a tactical challenge within security forces and what they see as a tactical, non-material solution.  

“For this new course, we went through a lot of data and to great lengths to ensure we captured best practices and filled gaps from previous courses and patches from the enterprise,” the captain said.  

“This course will truly develop some of the most tactically proficient, critical thinking, problem solving Defenders,” Holloman said. “These folks will leave here and make significant impacts within their unit and beyond and continue to push the envelope of what the DAF thinks Defenders are capable of and continue to highlight the importance of our ground-based operators within the operations community.” 

It will deliver “joint-minded, air base defense-focused Defenders who can act as integrators capable of working with Air Force and joint service partners to develop effective defense plans and provide a more capable force to combatant commanders,” Akers added. 

Once the beta testing is complete, AFSFC will make modifications based on course evaluation and feedback from students and cadre. The expanded course will then be held annually until 2026 when it reaches full operational capability. At that time, the AFSFC team would like to conduct it biannually like the previous, shorter iteration of the course.  

"Every Airman is a part of base defense, and our course ensures we have ground-based subject matter experts prepared for the current and future fight,” Holloman said. “They’ll also be Defenders who are out of the box thinkers and problem solvers who can push forward the great ideas and tactics being developed from our outstanding Airmen Defenders.” 

Desert Defender Ground Combat Readiness Training Center Instructor Tech. Sgt. Kevin Perez introduces the function and purpose of branch specific and joint-service doctrine during the new Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course at Ft. Bliss, Texas. WTIC, currently in the beta testing phase, ensures security forces Airmen are physically and mentally armed with the required expertise needed to create, plan and execute tactics, techniques and procedures. (U.S. Air Force photo by Craig Z. Rodarte)  Desert Defender Ground Combat Readiness Training Center Instructor Tech Sgt. Kevin Perez introduces the function and purpose of branch specific and joint-service doctrine during the new Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course at Ft. Bliss, Texas. WTIC, currently in the beta testing phase, ensures security forces Airmen are physically and mentally armed with the required expertise needed to create, plan and execute tactics, techniques and procedures. (U.S. Air Force photo by Craig Z. Rodarte)  Desert Defender Ground Combat Readiness Training Center cadre and students from the Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course walk toward the barracks and classroom after participating in physical training at Ft. Bliss, Texas. The new WTIC, currently in the beta testing phase, trains to branch specific and joint-service doctrine ensuring security forces Airmen are physically and mentally armed with the expertise needed to create, plan and execute tactics, techniques and procedures. (U.S. Air Force photo by Craig Z. Rodarte)  Desert Defender Ground Combat Readiness Training Center cadre and students from the Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course participate in physical training at Ft. Bliss, Texas. The new WTIC, currently in the beta testing phase, trains to branch specific and joint-service doctrine ensuring security forces Airmen are physically and mentally armed with the expertise needed to create, plan and execute tactics, techniques and procedures. (U.S. Air Force photo by Craig Z. Rodarte)