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Staff Sgt. Ivan Morscher, 96th Ground Combat Training Squadron, briefs Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy on a specially equipped M-4 during his tour of the squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., May 6. The chief received a hands-on “Brave Defender” experience with the 96th GCTS, firing weapons, watching demonstrations and driving a humvee through a village with simulated improvised explosive devices. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Airman interaction

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy speaks to Staff Sgt. Ivan Morscher and other 96th Ground Combat Training Squadron Airmen during his tour of their training area at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., May 6. The chief received a hands-on “Brave Defender” experience with the 96th GCTS, firing weapons, watching demonstrations and driving a humvee through a village with simulated improvised explosive devices. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Ground Combat

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Master Sgt. Todd Coning, 96th Ground Combat Training Squadron, briefs Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy on the squadron’s mission and particular scenarios taught by its instructors at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., May 6. The chief received a hands-on “Brave Defender” experience with the 96th GCTS, firing weapons, watching demonstrations and driving a humvee through a village with simulated improvised explosive devices. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Aim high

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy sights in his target with a specially equipped M-4 rifle at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., May 6. Checking out the newest weaponry was part of the chief’s tour of the 96th Ground Combat Training Squadron. The chief took part in “Brave Defender” interactive tour firing weapons, watching demonstrations and driving a humvee through a village with simulated improvised explosive devices. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

On target

A technical sergeant watches and waits for word from his scouting team during an ‘outside the wire’ exercise April 28 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. This was part of Air Force Materiel Command’s "Brave Defender" training, which is administered by the 96th Ground Combat Training Squadron. The goal for their exercise was to use land navigation techniques to find a weapons cache based on the intelligence they were given. GCTS instructors push 10 training classes a year, which consists of improvised explosive device detection and reaction, operating in an urban environment, mission planning, land navigation and casualty care. The three-week training culminates with a three-day field training exercise where the Airmen apply what they learned in combat scenarios. More than 140 Airmen from more than 10 locations attended this training. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

HVT

Maj. Justin Oldt, 99th Mission Support Group, asks a suspect about a high value target his squad has been looking for during an exercise April 29 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. This was part of Air Force Materiel Command’s "Brave Defender" training, which is administered by the 96th Ground Combat Training Squadron. GCTS instructors push 10 training classes a year, which consists of improvised explosive device detection and reaction, operating in an urban environment, mission planning, land navigation and casualty care. The three-week training culminates with a three-day field training exercise where the Airmen apply what they learned in combat scenarios. More than 140 Airmen from more than 10 locations attended this training. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)