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Scott ALS builds combat-ready leaders with new field training course

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Violette Hosack
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  

A new hands-on course at the CMSAF Bud Andrews Airman Leadership School is reshaping the way Airmen move through the ranks, teaching combat leadership and building confidence under pressure through an immersive field training exercise.

Now in its second iteration, the combat leadership course is an early-stage addition to the ALS curriculum at Scott. Designed to develop agile, front-line supervisors, the course trains service members on communication, teamwork, and decision-making in degraded, high-stress environments. 

Airman guarding wingmen.

Senior Airman Cameron Harmon, 932d Security Forces Squadron commander’s support staff, aims a training rifle during an exercise on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, July 29, 2025. Airmen attending ALS at Scott now participate in a hands-on Combat Leadership field training exercise in addition to their normal curriculum. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Violette Hosack)
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“Highly effective leadership requires flexibility and adaptability in both known and unknown environments,” said Master Sgt. Joshua Thaxton, CMSAF Bud Andrews ALS commandant. “Combat leadership training exposes NCOs to situations and decisions that they would not normally encounter in their work centers.”

Under simulated combat conditions, participants move through tactical scenarios that include radio communication, care under fire, buddy carries, and shoot-move-communicate techniques.

The course was developed locally by the ALS team in close coordination with the Scott Readiness Training Facility, including cadre who lead Scott’s Warrior Airmen Readiness Course—a well-established, year-round program built to sharpen mission readiness and strengthen warrior ethos across the installation. 

Service members perform care while another guards.

From left, Senior Airmen Nathan Horn, 375th Civil Engineer Squadron fire protection, Kennedy Mutuku, 375th Civil Engineer Squadron water and fuels system maintenance technician, and Johnny-Jevon Clay, 437th Supply Chain Operation Squadron material management journeyman, exercise care under fire skills and perform Tactical Combat Casualty Care on a training mannequin during an exercise at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, July 29, 2025. The new addition to the Airman Leadership School curriculum prepares Airmen for all aspects of leadership, including high-stress situations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Devin Morgan)
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“We designed this course to be hard and to put pressure on leaders, with the aim of benchmarking tactical leadership capabilities, and the foundation of mental & physical resilience and toughness,” said Thaxton.

Though not officially part of the Barnes Center curriculum, early feedback has shown the combat leadership course making a strong impact locally. When asked about next steps, the ALS team expressed their optimism for wider adoption across the Air Force and paving the way forward for this type of training.  

“We provided the Barnes Center with an After-Action Report that captured feedback from our cadre, students, and local leadership,” said Thaxton. “They were thrilled to see us pressing forward with this type of training and are now exploring the feasibility of integrating it across Enlisted Professional Military Education.”

During a recent visit to Scott Air Force Base, Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Allvin emphasized the importance of warrior ethos and reminded Team Scott Airmen that “We are Airmen first.” His comments further validated the value of the course and its alignment with the Air Force’s renewed focus on readiness, resilience, and lethality.

Service members cheer

Airmen attending the CMSAF Bud Andrews Airman Leadership School celebrate after completing a training exercise at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, July 29, 2025. This new training is in addition to the ALS curriculum to enhance focus on the “Airman first” mentality in leadership. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Devin Morgan)
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“The battlefield won’t come with a PowerPoint and our NCOs won’t get a warm-up. That’s why we built the ALS Combat Leadership FTX—to get future NCOs out of the classroom and into the chaos, where decisions are fast, information is limited, and leadership is real. This isn’t just another block of instruction. It’s preparation for what comes next.”