163rd RTS instructors bolster mission readiness

Seven instructors at the 163rd Regional Training Site are teaching more than 1,000 Airmen each year to execute Rapid Damage Repair and other civil engineer courses designed to keep runways open during crises. Their mission-focused training blends hands-on instruction with mentorship so deploying units can restore flight operations under pressure.

“We’re building good foundations here. We’re teaching them things they can’t do at home-station. By the end of the week, they are operating equipment with confidence,” said Senior Master Sgt. Reuben Dominguez, 163rd Regional Training Site superintendent.

Rapid Damage Repair, a core capability for Air Force civil engineer units, enables teams to return damaged airfields to service after attacks, disasters or other disruptions. The training site furnishes the heavy equipment, realistic work areas and subject-matter experts needed to mirror deployment conditions. “We teach them to a standard directly tied to deployment operations where damaged airfields have to be recovered within a specific timeline so aircraft can land and take off,” said Master Sgt. Scott Eversole, 163rd Regional Training Site instructor. “In some scenarios, we may be isolated at a location with little to no options. That means not only repairing the airfield, but sometimes training augmentee Airmen on the spot to help accomplish the mission.”

In the latest weeklong iteration, Airmen from 11 wings practiced end-to-end crater repair, starting with clearing debris and marking pavement upheaval, then moving through excavation, backfilling and compaction before restoring the surface. Instructors graded both speed and durability, running quality checks to validate that the repaired sections can bear expected aircraft loads and sortie demands.

Just as important as the technical steps, instructors emphasize how quickly a group of strangers must become an effective team. “We have people coming here from across the service, and they have to perform together throughout the week even though they just met,” said Eversole. “I try to instill confidence in them that they can do this. After 15 years as an instructor, I’ve learned how important motivation and teamwork are to getting the mission done.”

That collaborative mindset extends to the cadre. Each instructor covers a distinct Air Force specialty and relies on peers for cross-functional backup. To sharpen those skills, the team meets monthly for professional development sessions that focus on communication, leadership and public speaking. “We’re one deep in each AFSC, so you have to be very proficient in your job, but also willing to jump in wherever needed,” said Dominguez. “Our team is strong because we don’t hesitate to help each other.”

The training reflects how airfield recovery actually unfolds: once a runway is hit, job boundaries disappear and every available technician helps clear hazards, cut damaged pavement, place fill and cap repairs to re-open a usable strip in hours rather than days. Leaders at the 163rd Attack Wing say the Regional Training Site’s approach—combining rigorous standards with coaching and cohesion—aims to produce resilient Airmen ready to restore airpower under the most challenging conditions.