Photo By Airman 1st Class Sir Wyrick | U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Russell Basile, 621st Contingency Response Squadron A4, helps...... read more read more
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MOJAVE, Calif. — Airmen from the 621st Contingency Response Squadron, alongside a diverse team from various career fields, successfully executed a combat offloading procedure during Exercise Agile Flag 24-3, showcasing a critical capability in rapid deployment operations.
The exercise, designed to simulate the swift deployment of U.S. forces to the Indo-Pacific region, emphasized the Air Force’s ability to project power and maintain readiness in austere environments. The 621st CRS demonstrated their expertise in offloading supplies and equipment with minimal resources, underscoring the squadron’s role in enhancing U.S. military agility and effectiveness.
“For this operation, we are using equipment you would normally find at an austere location,” said Lt. Col. Andrew Morris, 621st CRS team lead. “We are utilizing 55-gallon drums, which allow the aircraft to slowly move away as we pull the equipment out of the plane and balance it on the drums. This enables teams to remove it with just a forklift, avoiding the need for large equipment like a K-loader, which isn’t always available at austere airfields.”
This problem-solving approach is critical for mission operations, where the remote nature of certain locations often exacerbates logistical challenges. By using readily available, inexpensive tools, CRE teams reduce the burden on airlift capabilities and ensure that U.S. forces remain operationally effective.
The Agile Combat Employment concept, central to the training during Agile Flag 24-3, also aligns with INDOPACOM’s need for flexible and rapid deployment of troops across the Indo-Pacific. This exercise provided the 621st CRS with the perfect opportunity to demonstrate their understanding and execution of the concept.
“We are subject matter experts on being agile,” said Capt. Greg Gutkin, 621st CRS operations officer. “Everything we bring fits on a five- or seven-person team, depending on the loadout, which gives us a light footprint. All of our equipment is quickly packed up so we can get on the aircraft and move to the next location. By integrating into the lead wings, we provide our experience in remaining nimble and agile. Demonstrating and sharing our experiences has been a lesson learned for the lead wings to think about how they can be more agile in their movement.”
During Agile Flag 24-3, the CRE's capabilities were tested in handling offloading and logistical duties.
“To put it simply, we open and close air bases,” Gutkin said. “We are the second echelon after an initial seizure. After the Army or Marines clear out an airfield, we establish a logistics supply chain to bring in the sustaining force and start operations. Once those operations are done, we are the last Air Force presence to leave. We facilitate having C-17 and C-130 cargo aircraft come in to pick up the sustaining force. This exercise was good practice and a demonstration of what we could expect in austere environments.”
The 621st CRS teams also play a key role in establishing bases and quickly moving to new locations to support the main force, making their ability to support multiple locations invaluable.
“In a Pacific scenario, we’ll be used to open a spoke, hand it off to the Main Operating Group, and then move to the next spoke,” Gutkin said. “This process will continue, opening and handing off each location, which we believe could be the evolution of contingency response operations in INDOPACOM.”
During the exercise, Airmen from other career fields participated in offloading procedures, demonstrating the simplicity of techniques that can be utilized by any available Airman.
“Having members come out to help like this demonstrates the simplicity of this capability,” said [rank] Andrews. “If we had to do this for real, Airmen from various AFSCs would have seen a tangible showcase of how to do it, making them multi-capable Airmen in the process.”
Agile Flag 24-3 showcased the vital role contingency response forces play in supporting the U.S. and INDOPACOM’s mission of maintaining stability and security in the Indo-Pacific. Through their expertise in rapid deployment, innovative problem-solving, and support of agile combat strategies, these teams ensure the Air Force stays flexible and prepared to respond to any challenge, anywhere in the world.
| Date Taken: | 09.06.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.09.2024 08:48 |
| Story ID: | 480276 |
| Location: | MOODY AFB, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 49 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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