375th CONS prepares contracting officers to deliver mission supp

U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Ashley Debout, 375th Contracting Squadron contracting officer, participates in contracting officer training on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, May 27, 2026. Participants completed academic instruction and hands-on exercises designed to prepare them for contracting operations in deployed and contested environments. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman De’Quan Simmons)

375th CONS prepares contracting officers to deliver mission supp

U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Ashley Debout, 375th Contracting Squadron contracting officer, right, assists Airman Basic Titus Brann, 375th CONS contracting officer, in donning Mission-Oriented Protective Posture gear during contingency contracting officer training on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, May 27, 2026. Through realistic contingency scenarios, contracting officers strengthened the skills needed to acquire critical resources in support of global operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman De’Quan Simmons)

375th CONS prepares contracting officers to deliver mission supp

U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Ashley Debout, 375th Contracting Squadron contracting officer, dons Mission-Oriented Protective Posture gear during contingency contracting officer training on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, May 27, 2026. The course exposed participants to unfamiliar contracting challenges, requiring them to adapt quickly while maintaining mission support. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman De’Quan Simmons)

375th CONS prepares contracting officers to deliver mission supp

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Seth Bayley, 375th Contracting Squadron contracting officer, dons Mission-Oriented Protective Posture gear during contingency contracting officer training on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, May 27, 2026. The training brought together more than 20 contracting officers and mentors from across the Air Force to strengthen expeditionary contracting capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman De’Quan Simmons)

375th CONS prepares contracting officers to deliver mission supp

U.S. Air Force 375th Contracting Squadron Airmen practice donning Mission-Oriented Protective Posture gear during contingency contracting officer training on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, May 27, 2026. The six-day course challenged participants to execute contracting actions in realistic deployment scenarios that simulated the demands of contingency operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman De’Quan Simmons)

375th CONS prepares contracting officers to deliver mission supp

U.S. Air Force Airman Basic Titus Brann, 375th Contracting Squadron contracting officer, participates in contingency contracting officer training on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, May 27, 2026. The training helped ensure contracting personnel remain prepared to support commanders and warfighters in dynamic operational environments. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman De’Quan Simmons)

375th CONS prepares contracting officers to deliver mission supp

U.S. Air Force 375th Contracting Squadron Airmen conduct contingency contracting officer training on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, May 27, 2026. The course provided Airmen with practical experience in making acquisition decisions under operational pressure while supporting simulated mission requirements. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman De’Quan Simmons)

375th CONS prepares contracting officers to deliver mission supp

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Seth Bayley, 375th Contracting Squadron contracting officer, dons Mission-Oriented Protective Posture gear during contingency contracting officer training on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, May 27, 2026. 375th CONS Airmen completed annual readiness requirements while gaining experience executing contracting actions under simulated airborne and chemical attack conditions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman De’Quan Simmons)

375th CONS prepares contracting officers to deliver mission support worldwide

Published June 5, 2026
By Senior Airman De'Quan Simmons
375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --

The 375th Contracting Squadron recently completed contingency contracting officer training as part of its annual readiness requirements.

The six-day training took place in late May and brought together over 20 contracting officers, along with mentors from the United States Transportation Command, Air Force Installation Contracting Central, and the 763rd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron.

“The purpose of this training is to get those in the contracting career field accustomed to operations in a contingency or deployed environment,” said Tech Sgt. Chris Rogers, 375th CONS contracting officer and training organizer. “It’s important to get them practice for deployed operations, especially since our guiding regulations change how we do business down-range.”

For both home-station missions and contingency operations, contracting officers plan, negotiate, and manage contracts for supplies, services, and construction. They ensure Airmen have the resources needed to accomplish their missions while overseeing every stage of the contracting process, from acquisition to compliance.

To prepare for those responsibilities in contingency environments, participants completed academic instruction and hands-on exercises that required them to operate amid simulated airborne and chemical attacks. During those exercises, they solved time-sensitive contracting problems and worked through unfamiliar construction projects, including renovations to dining facilities and barracks.

“A memorable moment from this training was a scenario that required me to make acquisition decisions under operational pressure while being in full Mission-Oriented Protective Posture gear. It was a stark reminder that in a real deployment, there is no time to second-guess; you must be decisive, informed, and mission-focused without losing sight that your own life, and the lives of your peers are at stake.”

Staff Sgt. Danny Alamin, 375th CONS contracting officer and training participant

The training strengthens the 375th CONS while supporting the 375th Air Mobility Wing's priorities of preparing, performing, and projecting. By exposing Airmen to contingency scenarios, the course helps prepare them for deployed operations, strengthens their ability to perform under pressure, and ensures they can project mission support wherever it is needed.

The course also reinforced the critical role contracting officers play in supporting operational success.

“My biggest takeaway from this course is that contracting does not stop at the garrison gate—our role as force multipliers is just as critical in contingency environments as it is at home station,” said Alamin. “Being a competent CCO requires continuous preparation, sound judgment, and the ability to leverage commercial support even in the most complex and contested environments.”