Training course helps UDMs keep readiness high

  • Published
  • By Josh Aycock
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  With over 10,000 Airmen deploying yearly and providing support to three combatant commands, the role of a well-trained unit deployment manager here is vital for Ramstein's expeditionary Airmen.

To sharpen their skills, 15 UDMs from around the base took part in a weeklong Unit Deployment Manager Training Course. The course, provided by a mobile training team from the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, gave UDMs hands-on training Apr. 4 to 8.

"A UDM's job begins long before an Airman gets a tasking to deploy," said 1st Lt. Dawn Pieper, 86th Logistic Readiness Squadron installation deployment officer. "This training helps us eliminate duplication of processes and increases our standardization with the rest of the Air Force."

Once only an in-residency course at the EC, the mobile training units hit the road in October 2010 with a goal of establishing consistent baseline UDM training for the Air Force.

"UDMs are vital to the whole deployment process and giving them the proper training is paramount," said Valiant Carter, UDM course instructor.

According to Mr. Carter, the team is offering triple the amount of courses it used to by bringing the training direct to the UDMs. The center now offers the standard 10 in-residency courses and an additional 20 mobile courses.

"The demand dictated we create a mobile unit," Mr. Carter said. "A lot of bases didn't have the money to send people to us, so it's much more cost effective for us to come to them. Once people found out we could come to them, the demand went through the roof."

According to Lieutenant Pieper, the 200 UDMs that liaison with the Ramstein Installation Deployment Readiness Cell play a leading role in a unit's efforts to construct and maintain its warfighting capability. UDMs are responsible for the "readiness to deploy" of both their Airmen and their Airmen's equipment.

"If UDM's don't truly know how the process works and aren't prepared it not only hurts the deployee but also hurts the downrange commander," Lieutenant Pieper said.

Ramstein UDM's were recently put to the test with a surge in short-notice taskings in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn/Unified Protector.

"The latest round of short-notice taskings helped give us a good feel on where our UDM's are," Lieutenant Pieper said. "With this additional execution level training, I'm confident that the next time we get hit with short taskings our UDM's will again be up to the challenge."

Spots are still available for an additional training course scheduled Apr. 11 to 15. To sign up, contact Lieutenant Pieper at DSN: 478-4144.