BOISE, Idaho – Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors and Marines participated in joint training as part of a wing focus exercise at the Orchard Combat Training Center south of Gowen Field Feb. 5.
During this portion of the exercise, members of the 124th Security Forces Squadron, the 124th Air Support Operations Squadron, assisted by the U.S. Army’s 2-204th Regional Training Institute, escorted members of the 124th Logistics Readiness Squadron to a simulated forward operating base (FOB).
Operating in a joint environment is commonplace when deployed, especially when moving outside of the operational safe zone to establish a FOB.
The objective of the exercise, upon arrival, was to secure the area through perimeter control and drone intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance provided by the Idaho Army National Guard’s Delta Company, 116th Brigade Engineering Battalion. LRS Airmen would then assess the site to determine its potential efficacy as a FOB.
“My 13-man team is one of the main groups getting this training,” said Master Sgt. Alec Fairchild, lead planner of the operation. “We have a lot of first-time deployers. So this is our chance to give them some perspective on what we could potentially see through our predeployment training.”
Throughout the exercise, participating members encountered obstacles in the form of armed, aggressive oppositional forces, simulated improvised explosive devices, and mortar fire. Against these oppositional forces, Soldiers and Airmen provided cover fire for LRS personnel, still active in the area of operation.
Two A-10 Thunderbolt IIs from the 124th Fighter Wing’s 190th Fighter Squadron provided close air support. A UH-60 Black Hawk with the Idaho Army National Guard’s 1-183rd Aviation Battalion, along with the help of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, 4th Tank Battalion, supported the casualty evacuation effort, transporting ground casualties.
“My leadership always says that you practice how you fight,” said Senior Airman Madison Harding, a SFS delta flight team member, “So knowing that this can potentially happen in real life will help me take this training knowledge into our deployment. Working with other units also allows units to understand what we do and help in the future.”
While joint operations exercises tend to focus on deployed scenarios, the practice fosters the working relationships necessary for units to cooperate effectively on stateside missions, a core mission of Guardsmen.
“It’s just something to keep building on and building on,” said Fairchild. “If you have that agreement with people and a good relationship built up, it brings about that unit cohesion in knowing the resources we have. We have a ton of assets, so how do we bring them together and utilize them? This is amazing training, and we’re all excited to see how it comes together.”