Photo By Shelton Keel | Official Photo of Lt Col David Jones at Hurlburt Field, Florida, May 7, 2024 (U.S. Air...... read more read more
Lt. Col. David “Locker” Jones took command of the 705th Combat Training Squadron, also known as the Distributed Mission Operations Center, from Lt. Col. Michael “Strafe” Butler, during a change of command ceremony at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, June 18.
The presiding officer, Col. Robert “Slip” Smith, commander of the 505th Combat Training Group at Nellis AFB, Nevada, presided over the transfer of command between Jones and Butler.
Smith began by thanking Strafe for his outstanding leadership at the DMOC.
“Lt. Col. Butler excelled as the right commander in the right place at the right time. Over four years as the squadron commander and director of operations, he positioned the 705th Combat Training Squadron to become an indispensable part of the virtual and constructive components for joint, coalition, and U.S. Air Force BMC2 [battle management command and control] training. Strafe’s vision and knowledge proved extraordinary, as the squadron is now a cornerstone of the [U.S. Air Force] Warfare Center’s massive exercise effort Bamboo Eagle, which provides combat realistic training against peer adversaries,” said Smith.
Before officially relinquishing command during the ceremony, Butler spoke about how proud he was to have served as the DMOC’s commander.
“The DMOC team is committed to providing a place for the DOD [Department of Defense] and others to sharpen our members to face our adversaries. While we have made great progress in the squadron during my tenure, Lt. Col. Jones is the right leader to take it even further, and I am excited to see the heights that he can take the organization,” said Butler.
Butler will now move to Nellis AFB, Nevada, to become the Deputy Commander at the 505th Combat Training Group.
Jones is a senior weapons systems operator with more than 2,000 flying hours in the F-15E, including more than 900 combat hours flying in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Inherent Resolve, Freedom’s Sentinel, and Noble Eagle. He is also a graduate of the 13O Operational Warfare Planner Initial Skills Training Course.
Jones previously served as the director of operations of the 505th Training Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Florida. As the DO, he oversaw a $19 million budget and a 153-member coalition, joint and Total Integrated Force team consisting of civilian, active duty, and U.S. Air Force Reserve members for the U.S. Air Force’s Air Operations Center Formal Training Unit.
Smith expressed how Jones’ leadership and experiences will complement the 705th CTS as it continues forward.
“Lt. Col. Jones brings a valuable fighter perspective into the C2 community and has crushed his initial 505th Command and Control Wing assignments. Serving as the wing A3, he pioneered the wing’s initial Bamboo Eagle efforts to integrate virtual and constructive elements into the exercise and how to leverage operational C2. As the 505th TRS DO, he helped build tomorrow’s AOC [Air Operations Center] experts. Locker will excel as commander of the 705th CTS and take synthetic training to a scope and scale we haven’t seen in the virtual constructive world, preparing our forces for Great Power Competition,” said Smith.
Addressing the squadron for the first time as commander, Jones thanked the Airmen present for their steadfast efforts to achieve mission success.
“Thanks to Lt. Col. Butler for his leadership and innovation over the last two years. I am very excited and honored to continue his efforts and to lead such an outstanding organization,” said Jones.
Jones continued, “The National Defense Strategy requires a high state of readiness from the Air Force and the Joint Force. The DMOC has a unique capability to connect warfighters to practice their skills in a scenario that replicates the scope and scale of combat operations in a way that is not cost-prohibited.
Discussing the DMOC’s future, “I am very excited about leading the team to new levels of integration within the USAFWC portfolio and with our joint and coalition partners and to continue to push the envelope on what is possible in the virtual and constructive battlespace,” said Jones.
Jones will lead the 155-member squadron responsible for developing and integrating technologies to deliver a live-synthetic-blended combat environment for essential warfighter exercises. While the 705th CTS has a long history of executing Commander Air Combat Command’s Exercise Virtual Flag and Virtual Flag: Coalition, they also support warfighter readiness on multiple fronts, including Air Expeditionary Forces spin-up, preparation for large-scale combat operations, familiarity with critical C2 data interchange, and training of tactics, techniques, & procedures. Additionally, the 705th CTS supports live-virtual-constructive range integration efforts through training events such as exercises Bamboo Eagle, Red Flag, Northern Edge, Emerald Warrior, Army Joint Kill Chain, and Navy Fleet Synthetic and U.S. Air Force Weapons School training.
The 705th CTS provides the most robust virtual Combat Air Force and C2 training, test, and experimentation facility and functions as the lead Distributive Mission Operations integrator for full-spectrum DMO activities for the U.S. Air Force, joint, and coalition partners.
| Date Taken: | 06.24.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.24.2024 12:18 |
| Story ID: | 474677 |
| Location: | KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, NEW MEXICO, US |
| Web Views: | 69 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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Command and Control
