A spash at the Mash

Airman Leadership School students carry a boat across the beach to the finish line after paddling around pylons during the Monster Mash Challenge here Mar. 17. The Monster Mash is a competition designed to build leadership skills and teamwork, where ALS students square off against ALS instructors and Chief's Group members for a hands-on application of skills they've learned during their classroom time. It has been a regular part of the Hurlburt ALS curriculum for almost a year. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Julianne Showalter)

Monster Mash Challenge

Airman Leadership School Airman Leadership School students assemble M-9 and M-16 weapons blindfolded with assistance from their teammates during the Monster Mash Challenge here Mar. 17. The Monster Mash is competition designed to build leadership skills and teamwork, where ALS students square off against ALS instructors and Chief's Group members for a hands-on application of skills they've learned during their classroom time. It has been a regular part of the Hurlburt ALS curriculum for almost a year. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Julianne Showalter)

Monster Mash rocks the boat

Airman Leadership School students pull a team member into a boat for the last leg of the Monster Mash Challenge here Mar. 17. The Monster Mash is competition designed to build leadership skills and teamwork, where ALS students square off against ALS instructors and Chief's Group members for a hands-on application of skills they've learned during their classroom time. It has been a regular part of the Hurlburt ALS curriculum for almost a year. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Julianne Showalter)

Monster Mash a smash with ALS class

Published March 19, 2009
By Maj. Erin Dick
1st SOW Public Affairs

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- Students of Airman Leadership School class 09-D are just a few days from graduation. For more than a month, these 59 Airmen have learned about several critical skills required for effective leadership. And those new skills were put to the test March 17 during the ALS Monster Mash Challenge.

Finishing its first full year as a regular part of the ALS curriculum, class 09-D was the sixth class to complete the Monster Mash.

"The Monster Mash started as an afternoon PT session for one of the ALS flights," explained Chief Master Sgt. Timothy Hoye, 720th Special Tactics Group chief enlisted manager and the creator of the ALS Monster Mash concept and curriculum. "But the feedback from that first Monster Mash was overwhelmingly positive, and so it has become a standard that the students look forward to."

The ALS Monster Mash is fashioned after a rigorous physical and mental challenge which all special tactics Airmen must complete as part of their training. And while the ALS version of the Mash is not quite as rigorous as the special tactics version, ALS Airmen must use many of the same skills to complete the challenge including communication, group dynamics, team building, leadership and physical conditioning.

The Mash is run in teams of six Airmen each, with one or two additional teams consisting of ALS instructors and a team of Hurlburt chief master sergeants.

"The Mash challenges the ALS students in a semi-stressful environment to overcome obstacles and complete tasks while competing against other teams," Chief Hoye said.

Monster Mash challenges include a memory board testing Airmen on core ALS knowledge, a weapons assembly station where an Airman is blindfolded and must assemble the weapon through verbal communication from teammates, a medical station with a simulated injured team member, and a paddling course all intermingled with running, push-ups and sit-ups.

"This was awesome," said Senior Airman Michael Hernandez, an electrical systems journeyman assigned to the 823rd Red Horse Squadron. "It's not often that you get to integrate things you learned from the classroom and things you learn in the field. During each aspect of the relay, different people brought different strengths to give the team a good balance."

According to ALS instructor Tech. Sgt. Roger Ivison, while the Mash is an opportunity for Airmen to get out and have some fun it's also designed to expose them to the challenges faced by Special Tactics Airmen in the field.

"Special Tactics is a significant part of AFSOC's mission, so it's good for Airmen to know what they do," Sergeant Ivison said.

And for Airman Hernandez, the Mash did just that.

"I always see the ST guys doing things around the base, but you only see little glimpses," Airman Hernandez said. "I have a better appreciation of what they go through every day."

The Mash ended with the chiefs' team earning third place, ALS team two capturing second place, and ALS team five clenching first place and setting a new ALS Monster Mash record.