Courtesy Photo | Senior Airmen Erik Brumfield of Hammond, La., calls in close air support from an A-10...... read more read more
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FAIRBANKS, Alaska – For one Louisiana Air National Guardsman from the 122nd Air Support Operations Squadron, 159th Fighter Wing, Red Flag Alaska, held, June 10-25, was an intense exercise that tested the skills he had spent nearly three years learning.
In a simulated exercise, Senior Airman Erik Brumfield, a Joint Terminal Attack Control apprentice, from Hammond, La., knelt quietly in the tree line of a hilltop that overlooked a large valley below as he repeatedly checked his map and notes at Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks, Alaska.
“Strike grids – good; friendly locations – good; altitudes and de-confliction plan – good,” he thought to himself.
The radio microphone attached to his body-armor pierced the silence, Gun Hog Five-One, IP inbound.
“Gun Hog Five-One, continue. Break, break. Gunslinger fire target alpha-bravo-zero-zero-one-three. Saber Five-One, depart holding area and proceed to objective Mississippi,” Brumfield calmly responded as he depressed the transmit button.
Approximately two kilometers away stood 30-40 armed enemy personnel and five vehicles parked along a road that ran through the river valley. Intelligence had reported the Taliban were looking to conduct a heavy night-time assault on a U.S. Forward Operating Base within the next 48 hours, and this abandoned valley would likely be their route of travel.
A JTAC’s job is to keep friendly forces and civilians safe during military air and land operations. Today, Brumfield had to coordinate the fire of 120mm mortars from the Army Stryker vehicles, with fire from two Air Force A-10 Thunderbolts, also known as Warthogs, and two Army OH-58D Kiowa helicopters to destroy the convoy and prevent the reinforcement.
The plan was working. The Taliban convoy crept through the valley, believing that no U.S. forces were operating in this area.
Brumfield devised his plan and it was now time to execute. If his calculations were correct, in less than 60 seconds the enemy personnel would be killed and the five-vehicle convoy would be reduced to a pile of twisted metal and smoking wreckage.
The microphone pierced the silence again, Shot, over.
Brumfield responded, “Shot, out.”
He turned to the commander and told him that the mortars had fired, and the A-10s and Kiowa helicopters were on the way.
“Sounds good Air Force, good work. Let’s do this,” replied the commander.
Brumfield gave the plan one last look, making sure to check his targeting coordinates to protect friendly forces and to ensure that the mortars didn’t cross paths with the A-10s or OH-58s.
The radio silence was broken again, Splash, over.
Brumfield responded, “Splash, out.”
With his reply all eyes at the observation point locked on the target – in five seconds the explosions would begin.
As he looked out across the river valley below and located the convoy in preparation for the impacts, Brumfield replayed in his mind what it had taken to get to this point.
He thought back on the six grueling months he spent at Hurlburt Field in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. The course was only four months long, but most candidates did not make it straight through on their first attempt. More than half of those that volunteer for the Battlefield Airman Air Force Specialty Code never graduate.
Of those that do graduate, a large number wash back during training because of the challenging combat field skills block – which culminates in a six-day field event where the candidates conduct day and night land navigation and vehicle navigation, small unit and close quarter battle tactics, as well as first aid skills – all on barely 18 hours of sleep for the entire week and only the food they could carry in their rucksacks.
To go through that week once was challenging, twice was rare. Brumfield endured it three times, overcoming injury to finally graduate and earn the coveted black beret of the Tactical Air Control Party AFSC.
He replayed the six months he spent in Afghanistan as a TACP, learning and assisting his JTAC on combat missions. He looked forward to being the focal point of joint firepower someday – the JTAC.
A TACP must rely on their training on communications systems, infantry tactics and aircraft and firepower capabilities, to become certified to conduct air and artillery strikes in close proximity to friendly forces. The special-duty assignment requires the candidate to be a TACP for a minimum of 12 months, be nominated by their supervisor and certified by the squadron commander, before they are allowed to attend the four week qualification course at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
It is there that the TACP learns how to combine the intricacies of the Air Force Theater Air Control System and the Army Air Ground System, to bring effective firepower against the enemy – anywhere on the battlefield, at any time of the day, under any condition.
Today was the culmination of all his training: he would coordinate Army mortars that were one kilometer away, with Army helicopters and Air Force A-10s against the enemy, all while remaining undetected in a hostile environment.
As he looked at the targets that in an instant would disappear, he wore a sly grin that represented the confidence gained through all of his hard work over the past three years.
The flashes brought Brumfield back to present day. Like a spectacular lightning show, the mortar impacts erupted around the convoy. At two kilometers away, the thunder of the explosions would be six seconds behind.
Before the explosions reached the observation point, Gun Hog One-One called on the radio, Gun Hog One One in from the south, heading three five zero.
“Cleared hot,” Brumfield responded with the official phrase that grants the aircraft clearance to release his weapons on the target.
The plan was executed perfectly. Despite having seen the display numerous times, everyone at the observation point sat in awe at the spectacular display of firepower.
As the dust settled from the bombing and gun attack, Kiowa helicopters reported all targets neutralized - mission accomplished. There would be no night-time assault on a U.S. FOB in this valley.
"The journey from being a JTAC's apprentice, to a JTAC has been a difficult one,” Brumfield told his colleagues. “It has tested me on many occasions, to my mental and physical limits. Red Flag Alaska provided a rare opportunity to improve skills many JTACs don't get to practice outside of combat.
With the mission accomplished, Brumfield successfully completed the last training requirement necessary to receive his JTAC certification.
"Becoming a JTAC is what every TACP aspires to do,” he continued. “Completing that journey has given me an awesome sense of accomplishment, and has also taught me that it is not the end of the road, just another leg of the journey.”
Brumfield is one of 15 JTACs assigned to the 122nd Air Support Operations Squadron, 159th Fighter Wing in Pineville, La.
| Date Taken: | 08.04.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 08.04.2010 15:39 |
| Story ID: | 53954 |
| Location: | FAIRBANKS, US |
| Web Views: | 194 |
| Downloads: | 110 |
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