(Capt. Michael Crosse is a civil engineer and chief of the Civil Engineer division for 13th Air Force.)
I had a rare and awesome opportunity to be the team lead for a civil engineering Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE) that included mid-level officers from more than fourteen Asia-Pacific countries. They came to learn how we do business but I learned a great deal about how our CE counterparts in the PACOM AOR conduct business as well. The SMEE was in three iterations over the summer. They had the opportunity to look behind the scenes at how we conduct emergency management, disasters response tactics, techniques and procedures, among others.
We took the delegates to visit several of our military installations including the U.S. Air Force Academy out in Colorado Springs. I think everyone was really impressed with the school's Field Engineering Readiness Lab where they observed cadets during mock deployments that were designed to allow the students to perform hands-on training in surveying, construction methods and using various construction material. I have to say, I was just as impressed as they were.
I almost forgot to mention who all attended the SMEE. We had our friends from Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Laos, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Timor Leste, Thailand, Tonga, and Vietnam. It was a real treat to meet each and every one of these outstanding officers, and I am certainly happy to have been the lead for this SMEE.
I hope they return to visit us again!
Check out this awesome article written by Tech. Sgt. Kerry Jackson from our 13 AF/ PA team which provides a more in-depth look at the CE SMEE. There's also a supplemental video there as well produced by Tech. Sgt. Aries Early.
Mahalo!
Captain Crosse
13th Air Force/ A7
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