Airmen go to rodeo to learn ATSO

Published April 11, 2007
By Senior Airman Brok McCarthy
51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- With Osan's Operational Readiness Inspection just days away, the 51st Civil Engineer Squadron readiness flight provided Airmen an opportunity to practice their "Ability to Survive and Operate" training Monday.

Airman spent the day going to 22 different stations at the ATSO Rodeo, learning everything from self-aid and buddy care to the proper application of the 10-foot rule.
"(The ATSO Rodeo) was a day set aside prior to the ORI to get away from the high ops tempo of the mission to do training," said Staff Sgt. Jeffery Womack, NCO in charge of the emergency management training section. "It helped reinforce the knowledge and skills the Mustangs need to be 'Ready to Fight Tonight.'"

Airmen who went to the training spent the majority of the day in MOPP 2, though they had to suit up in MOPP 4 a few times.

"We expected people to be proactive when approaching certain stations (like the 10-foot rule station) and get into MOPP 4 without being told they needed to," Sergeant Womack said.

The majority of individuals teaching at the stations were members of the base's readiness response team, the people who are the first to respond after an attack on base to determine if there were any biological or chemical agents used.

"Part of the job of RST is to show the rest of the base how to keep safe after an attack is completed," said Senior Airman April Gipson, 51st CES dorm manager. "This is practice for real world things. People need to know how to conduct themselves if something happens, and this training shows them that."

The day was for refresher training; however, people learned things they didn't know before, she said.

"This was the first time I got to go through the whole decontamination process," said Staff Sgt. Kenner Sagorsor, a 51st Comptroller Squadron customer service technician who participated in the rodeo. "It was good to learn how to do everything from start to finish."

The contamination control point station was set up using what readiness calls a "CCP Hit and Run Kit," which contains all the materials required to set up a temporary CCP.

Sergeant Sagorsor said he had been here since May 2006 and practiced most of the other skills taught at the rodeo during exercises the base has had since he got here, but it was helpful to brush up on everything right before the ORI.

"Without training and practice, we wouldn't have the skills to survive and be able to operate in a hazardous environment," Sergeant Womack said.

Both Sergeant Womack and Airman Gipson suggested that all Airmen, especially those who didn't attend the ATSO Rodeo, read through their Airman's Manuals and ATSO guides and be familiar with the information in both.

For any ATSO related questions, people can speak to their unit emergency management representatives.