Photo By Senior Airman Jadyn Eisenbrandt | Tactical Air Control Party Airman with the 124th Air Support Operations Squadron and...... read more read more
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German armed forces Joint Terminal Attack Controllers made a second visit to Idaho this year to train with their counterparts from the 124th Fighter Wing, Air Support Operations Squadron, Idaho Air National Guard, across southern Idaho, Aug. 24-29, 2024.
The 124th ASOS invited the German JTACs to come back for their quarterly unit training assembly, continuing to build upon a relationship that has been growing the past eight years.
"Inviting the German armed forces to Idaho allows us to continue to develop strong NATO relationships,” said Col. Chad Kornberg, 124th Fighter Wing Commander. “Being able to have our Airmen working directly with them here in Idaho provides an opportunity to introduce them to how we conduct training."
The purpose of this quarterly training is for the 124th ASOS Tactical Air Control Party members to validate their standard operating procedures, which encompass five warfighter pillars: communications, mobility, tactical combat casualty care, shooting, and fitness.
Idaho’s TACP members are uniquely qualified to operate in joint training and combat environments while maximizing safety, efficiency, and lethality with partner forces around the globe. Sharing the training with the German JTACs allows them to work together in a similar way to if they were deployed and enhances readiness.
“In the great power competition, we are going to be working with our NATO allies in future events and environments,” said Capt. Luke Nelson, assistant operations officer for the 124th ASOS. “We work with them downrange. Them coming and participating in our training is really an opportunity for us to do joint training in a non-combat environment.”
Early in the week, the TACPs and JTACs practiced water confidence training at Lucky Peak State Park. During this training, participants utilized energy-efficient swimming techniques while learning to trust their equipment in an open-water environment.
During the field training portion, JTACs were fully integrated into the two flights within the 124th ASOS and executed a variety of missions, acting as joint forces when deployed. With the similarities between these career fields in Germany and the U.S., training together allows them to implement NATO tactics, techniques and procedures as joint partners on the same team.
“I think this just helps build that relationship and understanding of the different ways that we do business and the different ways that they do business,” said Nelson. “If we learn things from them, if they learn things from us, I think it's a really great opportunity to integrate with these other partner nations and make ourselves better, and learn from them, when we all come to the table.”
The shooting and marksmanship component took place at Saylor Creek Range, where they also demonstrated effectively operating in challenging terrain while maintaining long-haul communications.
Additional training took place at the Orchard Combat Training Center, where they also practiced medevac procedures. TACPs and JTACs responded to a simulated medical event, stabilized the patients, and called for transport, provided by Idaho Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk pilots and crew from the 1-183rd Aviation Battalion.
“I’m really impressed by how professional everyone is,” said a German training in Idaho. “Everyone seems to be on good footing with each other. Everybody seems really to enjoy working out here in the field.”
The German unit has come to Idaho annually since 2016 for close air support training with the 124th ASOS and 190th Fighter Squadron. Last year, more than 100 Airmen from Idaho participated in Air Defender 2023 in Germany, the largest NATO air exercise ever held.
From large multinational exercises to local unit events, training with our German allies is one way the 124th FW continues to be mission-ready for future threats.
"Our Airmen are proven warfighters,” said Kornberg, “and supporting our German NATO allies allows us to hone our tactics and our ability to mutually support a near-peer conflict."
| Date Taken: | 08.29.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.29.2024 00:42 |
| Story ID: | 479713 |
| Location: | GOWEN FIELD, IDAHO, US |
| Web Views: | 125 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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