Photo By Senior Airman Ty Pilgrim | A U.S. Airman assigned to the 1st Special Operations Support Squadron mission...... read more read more
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HURLBURT FIELD, Fla.– Airmen from the 319th Special Operations Squadron and the 1st Special Operations Support Squadron Mission Sustainment Team demonstrated their ability to deploy and operate flexibly during a validation exercise at Trent Lott International Airport in Moss Point, Mississippi, Oct. 18-28, 2024.
The VALEX tested the Hurlburt Field units' Agile Combat Employment, the Air Force’s strategy for quickly deploying small, self-sufficient teams to various locations to make operations more unpredictable and resilient against threats. The exercise validated tactics, tested leadership, boosted unit cohesion and focused on the development of expeditionary skills, ensuring readiness for future missions.
“We wanted to bring these pieces together and demonstrate our ability to react dynamically with an agile force,” a team leader assigned to the 1st SOSS MST said. “This gives them a breadth of exposure that stretches them to new requirements and allows them to expand their skill set.”
The MST focuses on ensuring mission readiness in environments where traditional support may not be available. During the exercise, the team built tents for shelter, maintained heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, prepared food and provided security to ensure the site was capable of supporting the 319th SOS operations.
A team leader assigned to the 1st SOSS MST explained how the VALEX offered the opportunity for the MST to train closely with an operational flying unit – an important aspect of mission readiness. The 319 SOS flies the U-28A Draco, which provides manned fixed-wing tactical airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support to humanitarian operations, search and rescue and conventional and special operation missions.
“Sustainment and integration are critical to any effective fighting force,” said the commander of the 319th SOS Special Operations Task Unit. “We can't do this without the supply chain, the bed down and the sustainment we need to run our vehicles.”
During the exercise, the 319th SOS focused on developing creative problem-solving skills and rapid response capabilities. The exercise prepared personnel for a variety of mission scenarios, such as providing tactical airborne ISR in support of special operations forces.
“This benefits our unit's cohesion,” said the commander of the 319th SOS SOTU. “It allows us to see how we can still successfully operate a mission in a bare location.”
The completion of the VALEX not only validated the combat readiness of the 319th SOS and MST but also reinforced the vital role of realistic training in preparing Airmen for future missions, as the units continue to better their skills, said the commander of the 319 SOS SOTU.
“The 319th VALEX and MST validation exercise is the pinnacle of what an Air Force Special Operations Command force generation exercise should look like,” said the commander of the 319th SOS SOTU. “Everybody is working hard to set the standard and establish what that standard looks like.”
| Date Taken: | 10.31.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.12.2024 13:09 |
| Story ID: | 484364 |
| Location: | HURLBURT FIELD, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 74 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
This work, MST and 319 SOS validate ACE deployment capabilities, by A1C Joey Weis-Petticord, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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