‘O’ courses back, under new rules

[unhappycamper]

‘O’ courses back, under new rules
By Bruce Rolfsen - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jun 16, 2008 7:01:35 EDT

An overhaul of Air Force obstacle courses, prompted by two fatal falls, led to the temporary closing of the courses across the service and the elimination of several towering obstacles. But the ‘O’ courses themselves are again fully operational, with more safety oversight than before.

At Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, clamoring over and under beams and poles continues as a rite of passage for enlisted recruits going through basic training.

The deaths of two officers in little more than two years prompted then-Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley to shut down the courses in March 2007 until Air Force-wide safety standards were set. An investigation into the deaths highlighted the lack of servicewide rules for course design or use.

Today, all of the service’s courses meet specifications detailed in 55 pages of instructions.

The job of establishing the new rules went to Chief Master Sgt. Donald Cantwell, who, as a special operations combat controller, has been training on obstacle courses for more than two decades. In addition to his duties at Air Force headquarters as career field manager for combat controllers, Cantwell now is the Air Force’s “obstacle course program manager.”


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/06/airforce_obstacle_course_061308/

[Crowman1979]

1. LOL The Air Force Has an obstacle course?

What does it look like? A jungle gym? Send these Airmen to MCRD San Diego or Parris Island, then they'll know what a real obstacle course looks like. Plus how would the Air Force know how to operate an obstacle course safely anyway?