Air traffic controllers: eyes in the night

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Chad Warren
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
High above the flight line, hours after most Airmen have gone home for the night, Airman 1st Class Courtney Johns watches diligently from the control tower to ensure the safe execution of the night's flying missions.

Airman Johns, an air traffic controller with the 2nd Operations Support Squadron, is part of an elite team of Airmen entrusted with multi-million dollar aircraft and the lives of the crew onboard.

As part of Air Force Global Strike Command, Airman Johns is responsible for controlling aircraft capable of transporting America's most powerful deterrent, it's nuclear arsenal.

"They are flying the plane, and we are their eyes," said Airman Johns, referring to the aircrew.

Air traffic controllers control the movement of aircraft into and out of military airfields by tracking multiple aircraft simultaneously using radar and radio communication. Such a high level of responsibility requires intense preparation, and the training standards for ATCs are exceedingly high.

"The most stressful part is going through training," Airman Johns said. "You are held to an expectation that is hard to attain as a trainee."

Following basic training, ATC candidates attend the 72-day Air Traffic Control operator course at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. During this training, candidates learn the basic flight characteristics of different aircraft as well as the use of aeronautical charts, maps, ATC radar, communications systems and navigational aids.

The rigorous training tempo and demanding curriculum requires potential ATCs to possess an unparalleled level of motivation and stress management.

Once certified, ATCs are entrusted with the immense responsibility of controlling expensive aircraft along with protecting the Air Force's most valuable asset: it's Airmen.

"[The cost] is not something we think about," Airman Johns said. "We only think about safety. We think about the lives we have on board."

Due to the nature of the job and the lives that depend on it, Airmen, non-commissioned officers and civilians alike are held at the highest standard. No matter what the pay grade, the safety and success of the mission depends on the ATC flawlessly executing their piece of the mission.

"It takes a particular type of person with the confidence to implement a plan," said Tracy Brittan, watch supervisor. "Working here requires a high level of responsibility and a high level of awareness. A person must be able to multi-task in order to appropriately sequence and separate aircraft."

The air traffic control mission requires the highest level of attention to detail and accountability, and the ATC team here at Barksdale exemplifies these attributes.