Photo By Capt. Andrew Layton | The 217th Air Operations Group, based at Battle Creek Air National Guard Base, Mich.,...... read more read more
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The 217th Air Operations Group recently concluded its participation in Exercise Northern Strike 17 with yet another demonstration of its flexibility in providing communications and command and control support.
The National Guard Bureau-sponsored exercise united approximately 5,000 Army, Air Force, Marine, and Special Forces service members from 20 states and three coalition countries to achieve and sustain proficiency in conducting mission command; air, sea, and ground maneuver integration; and the synchronization of fires in a joint, multinational, decisive action environment.
The AOG specializes in designing plans, testing them and then coordinating their execution. It then draws back, analyzes the results, and adjusts accordingly. Its members are trained to step up at a moment’s notice and assist higher headquarters such as U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa with their missions.
Yet the AOG can also provide tailored support for specific tasks.
For Northern Strike 17, AOG staff assisted the exercise planners by providing communications architecture, data link, and computer support for daily situation updates to leadership. Key players from the Group included its A6 (Communications) Directorate, Air Communications Squadron and Combat Operations Squadron
The AOG also sent Joint Air Component Coordination Elements to both Grayling and Alpena. These teams were comprised of a cross-section of 16 skillsets and their role was to facilitate situational awareness and communications among the various participant units and exercise mission directors.
“This year was somewhat unique for us,” said Col. Donald Henry, the commander of the 217th Combat Operations Squadron. “Instead of running an air campaign, we served as air employment experts, helping the tactical mission planners to optimize their desired training.”
The dramatic events of Northern Strike 17 are many, but for all of these activities to take place, there must be a guiding intellect providing command and control.
Staff Sgt. Alexander Pearson, a Knowledge Management Craftsman with the AOG summed it up: “I don't put bombs on planes or repair jet engines, but through my various roles, I make it possible for other people to do things that are just as vital to the overall mission.”
Northern Strike 17 is a National Guard Bureau-sponsored exercise uniting approximately 5,000 service members from 13 states and seven coalition countries during the first two weeks of August 2017 at the Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center and Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, both located in northern Michigan and operated by the Michigan National Guard The newly-accredited NS 17 demonstrates the Michigan National Guard’s ability to provide accessible, readiness-building opportunities for military units from all service branches to achieve and sustain proficiency in conducting mission command, air, sea, and ground maneuver integration, together with the synchronization of fires in a joint, multinational, decisive action environment.
| Date Taken: | 08.10.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 08.11.2017 10:45 |
| Story ID: | 244452 |
| Location: | ALPENA, MICHIGAN, US |
| Web Views: | 401 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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