HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – Military contracting and mountainous terrain don’t usually go together in the same sentence, but two acquisition officers from Hanscom AFB have taken their talents to new heights at the Army Mountain Warfare School’s Basic Military Mountaineering Course.
Capt. Jacob Francisco and 1st Lt. Triet Bui, both in the Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Special Operations Directorate, recently graduated from the course located in Jericho, Vermont.
“Thanks to the winter weather, we learned a lot of mountaineering techniques that focused on how to deal with adversity due to extreme cold and how to keep yourself safe,” said Bui. “In future fights, we may be in cold, mountainous terrain, so the experience was extremely valuable.”
The course provides tactical and technical training for missions in mountain environments, while teaching both offensive and defensive techniques to conduct operations in any climatic condition.
Day to day, Francisco and Bui help the Air Force acquire and develop technology for the E-7A Wedgetail, which is set to replace the E-3 Sentry as the Air Force’s primary airborne early warning and control aircraft.
When the opportunity arose to broaden their skills as multi-capable Airmen, they jumped at it.
“The Air Force only allows two slots per class, and they fill up quickly,” said Bui. “We learned about a waitlist, and slots open that way. That’s how we were able to attend the course.”
For both officers, the most valuable part of the experience was training and leading alongside Soldiers in field conditions, something few Airmen experience firsthand.
“Despite different jobs, every Soldier shares a core skill set and can perform the same tasks,” said Francisco. “That’s not the case in the Air Force, we’re much more specialized. Experiencing something so fundamentally ‘military’ and connecting with our Army counterparts was incredibly rewarding.”
Bui added that the style of leadership is different in this type of environment.
“When you’re out in the field, officers should lead. But it’s important to flatten the rank structure and depend on who can best achieve the objective,” said Bui. “Everyone is a professional, trusted to do what is needed to complete the mission.”
Both CGOs believe their peers should seek out professional development opportunities with sister-services.
“I encourage other CGOs to attend the course if they’re looking to sharpen leadership skills, gain joint experience, and broaden their perspective,” said Francisco.
Francisco and Bui are part of a growing number of Hanscom AFB Airmen stepping beyond their conventional roles to build readiness, enhance lethality, and strengthen joint interoperability.
In January, another Hanscom AFB-based acquisition officer became one of just 84 Airmen to ever graduate the Army’s Ranger Course and earn the coveted Ranger tab.
To learn more about the Army’s Mountain Warfare School, visit Fort Benning | Army Mountain Warfare School (AMWS).