YOUNGSTOWN AIR RESERVE STATION, Ohio -- The defender’s brow is dripping with sweat in the hot-humid weather as he scans the ridgeline for anything amiss. The only sounds in the isolated and dense Northeastern Ohio forest are the constant droning of insects and a slight breeze moving through the branches of trees that provide much-needed shade.
The tranquility would not last for long. A disturbance can be heard somewhere in front of the defender and the other students in their defensive positions become more alert and continue to scan their vectors. The tension continues to build and suddenly smoke is drifting everywhere, and whistling explosions start to echo throughout the encampment. The students’ voices ring out as they start calling out targets and directions.
The defender locates a target and aims his M240 machine gun and pulls the trigger. The gun is armed with blanks but can be felt as much as it is heard. Foliage surrounding the defender’s position whips around like in a violent windstorm. The defender’s gun jams, but he does not panic. He calmly performs the steps to fix the problem and continues to fire at his target.
More than twenty 512th Security Forces Squadron defenders faced numerous combat scenarios like this while attending the Integrated Defense Leadership Course from July 16-28, 2025, at Camp James A. Garfield Joint Military Training Center and Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio.
The course was a mix of classroom and scenario-based training, said Staff Sgt. Timothy Bailey IDLC cadre. The students worked on mission planning, patrolling and executing different combat scenarios in tense situations.
“We are adding stressors to test their leadership ability and puts people through many different challenges,” he said. “They can do a lot more than they think can. It is a great feeling to see them excel.”
Examples of training the students conducted included: live fire shooting, land navigation, tactical combat casualty care, area security operations reconnaissance and defense of a forward operating location.
One of the students, Tech. Sgt. Charles Wyckoff, 512th SFS combat arms instructor, said he was looking forward to attending the course and was not disappointed.
“It’s been a very challenging course, and I have enjoyed it a lot,” he said. “Having to make decisions in stressful situations like this really sharpens my combat readiness skillset.”
The students’ opposing force flight included Liberty Wing personnel too, including Maj. Jesse Moser, the 512th SFS commander. He said he was very proud of the Dover reservists’ performance.
“It was great seeing them do great from a third part perspective,” he said. “I feel confident in the capabilities of my Airmen. Their operational and tactical planning was impressive.”
The commander said that his Airmen arrived at the course with the right attitude.
“I felt people came with a lot of motivation and they executed the mission well,” he said. “It’s a great course and I look forward to sending more defenders in the future.”