LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
The humid, summer air felt like a thick blanket July 6 as the hot sun beat down on the workers. The shrill whines of power-saws and drills filled the air as the RED HORSE Airmen labored at Raptor Town, a simulated deployed environment at Langley Air Force Base, Va..
On the opposite side of the construction zone, the rhythmic scratching of hard bristles on concrete was audible as the carpenters swept the pad of a newly-constructed facility.
Scissor lifts and power tools littered the site as the workers donned red hard hats and moved with the purpose and skill that comes with expertise in their various career fields.
The Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers, or RED HORSE, provides the U.S. Air Force with a highly mobile, civil-engineering force to support worldwide operations. It offers heavy-repair capability and construction support when requirements exceed normal base civil engineer capabilities.
"RED HORSE builds from the ground up," said Chief Master Sgt. Robert Richard, the Raptor Town project manager.
RED HORSE reservist squadrons from across the United States came together at Langley AFB to build structures at Raptor Town. The squadrons ranged from the 567th RHS from near-by Seymour Johnson Air Force base, N.C., to the 555th RHS from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
The project began April 23 and is scheduled to conclude Sept. 30. It includes the construction of latrines, two pre-engineered storage buildings and a paved perimeter road that circles the training area.
RED HORSE performs training projects that assist base construction efforts while also honing wartime skills. These "Troop Training Projects" are opportunities to train younger Airmen in preparation for large-scale deployments
"Training like this provides a wealth of knowledge and experience to all Airmen," said Richard. "Young Airmen get the opportunity to practice their craft, while the more experienced Airmen can share their knowledge."
The junior enlisted Airmen agree this is an invaluable training opportunity.
"This training has been quite an experience," said Senior Airman Bernard Enoe, an electrician with the 556th RHS from Hurlburt Field, Fla. "We get to see the many different methods that our counterparts use."
Not only does the training show the Airmen the various methods of getting the job done, but it allows them to meet members from different squadrons and careers they wouldn't have met otherwise.
"The wide variety of career fields here provides a wealth of knowledge and a view of the overall picture," said Senior Airman Jeffery Pressley, a power production specialist with the 567th RHS. "We also get to meet Airmen from different careers and squadrons that we may deploy with in the future."
More experienced Airmen, such as Staff Sgt. Jeffery Johnson, a 567th RHS electrician, have the opportunity to impart their wisdom to their younger counterparts. Johnson earned his electrician certification in 1991, and is eager to share his knowledge.
"These young Airmen come in hungry, ready to learn every day," said Johnson. "I enjoy teaching them; it creates a great sense of camaraderie."
Each squadron sends a few Airmen on two-week rotations, so all members of each squadron can receive an adequate amount of training. The project is currently on the fifth of 11 rotations.
Not only does the project allow workers to meet their fellow RED HORSE Airmen and share techniques, but Raptor Town provides a simulated deployed environment.
"Raptor Town provides a unique training environment," said 2nd Lt. Jose Gonzalez, an electrical design engineer. "It emulates a deployed setting, allowing RED HORSE members to practice operations similar to a contingency operation."
With the construction in full swing, the RED HORSE squadrons will continue doing what they do best, creating something out of nothing.