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Joint fires teams assists aircrews, National Guard train together at Green Flag West, NTC
U.S. Joint Forces Command's Joint Fires Integration and Interoperability Team is assisting Army and Air Force Units as they learn to integrate a variety of joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets in to their training.
By Casey Bain
JFIIT, USJFCOM
(NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. – March 31, 2009) –- U.S. Joint Forces Command’s (USJFCOM) Joint Fires Integration and Interoperability Team (JFIIT) is supporting and integrating joint training between the Army and Air Force.
The 23rd Fighter Squadron, an F-16 fighter unit from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, the 79th Air Refueling Squadron from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., and the 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team (HBCT) from the North Carolina Army National Guard currently are training together as part of the ongoing Green Flag West (GFW) and National Training Center (NTC) rotation 09-05.
In partnership with the Army’s NTC, the Air Force’s GFW is improving joint integration and warfighting skills of fighter pilots and joint terminal attack controllers (JTACs) conducting close air support (CAS) missions to support maneuver forces as they prepare for deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.
“NTC and GFW are great examples of how we can link traditional service-level exercises into one well-synchronized training event that benefits all participants and services,” said Air Force Master Sgt. Joel House, JFIIT lead at NTC. “Part of JFIIT’s mission during this exercise is to help integrate a variety of joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets with the 30th HBCT and to support the joint air attack team and CAS training that will help prepare the unit for that mission once they deploy.”
Part of this joint training replicates the irregular warfare environment in Iraq and Afghanistan according to senior leaders from both training centers.
“Our mission is to train our joint, coalition, and interagency partners on how to better integrate the use of air, space, and cyber power in support of ground forces in contemporary operations,” said Air Force Lt. Col. John Walker, commander, 549th Combat Training Squadron and GFW. “We emphasize joint doctrine and best practices to provide the pilots and maneuver units with a training experience that will prepare them for the challenges they will face once in theater.”
“The learning experience and opportunity for units to grow while training here in a very realistic, stressful, and complex operational-like environment is second to none,” said Army Capt. Clement Bermudes, training mentor at NTC. “The 30th HBCT has been very receptive to our feedback and are willing to make adjustments to improve their performance across the board – they continue to get better every day.”
This current rotation includes participation of a KC-10 Extender, an Air Force tanker that provides air refueling capability for the aircraft participating in this exercise.
“Green Flag provides the experience our team needs to gear up and be ready to deploy,” said Air Force Maj. Dirk Young, KC-10 aircraft commander from the 79th Air Refueling Squadron. “We’re helping provide the fighter pilots with a very unique training environment that simulates the same conditions that the pilots will see downrange. Whether we’re dropping bombs on targets or refueling those that are preparing to drop bombs, we’re all focused on providing the best training possible for the entire joint team.”
Air Force Lt. Col. Scott Snyder, director of operations for the 79th Air Refueling Squadron, agreed. “We help the aircrews and JTACs gain their combat proficiency by training together with an Army brigade at NTC in a very dynamic and near-real world environment. One thing that’s unique about our aircrew’s refueling mission here is that we are all reservists. We’re a very senior team of professionals that will gladly pass on our experience to help others that are preparing to deploy.”
Fighter pilots from the 23rd Fighter Squadron also value the unique opportunity to work with JTACs and their Army counterparts in this live and robust training environment.
“Training here at GFW and NTC allows us to focus solely on our CAS mission that is so vital when we’re supporting Army maneuver units”, said Air Force Capt. Craig Andrle, B-Flight commander, 23rd Fighter Squadron. “We realize that we are just part of a larger war effort taking place on the ground and this training will help us to better support those maneuver units when we’re downrange…you want to make sure you’ve got it right before you need to support troops in contact.”
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