SMOKY HILL AIR NATIONAL GUARD RANGE, Kansas - A squad of security forces defenders moved carefully through the rugged terrain, scanning their surroundings as they advanced on a suspected threat. Embedded with them were two critical teammates: a combat medic and an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technician. The mission was to investigate and clear a possible improvised explosive device (IED).
As the EOD technician knelt to examine the site, the scenario escalated without warning. A simulated tripwire was triggered, signaling an IED blast, and the technician was suddenly marked as a casualty. The medic rushed in while the defenders secured the area, but the situation had shifted. Now, it was about getting their teammate out fast.
The team initiated a nine-line medevac request, treating it like the real thing. What they didn’t know was that a real Black Hawk helicopter was already on standby. Within minutes, they were coordinating with the pilot, marking a landing zone and loading the “injured” technician for evacuation.
For many on the team, it was the first time they’d taken an exercise scenario this far. But in Exercise Tinman 25, realism wasn’t the exception; it was the standard.
That mission was just one example of the high-intensity training scenarios executed during Exercise Tinman 25, a large-scale readiness event that brought together more than 160 Airmen from five Air National Guard wings May 17–23 at the Smoky Hill Air National Guard Range near Salina, Kansas.
This was the first time the exercise, hosted by the Kansas Air National Guard’s 184th Wing, was open to outside units. It brought together security forces Airmen from Kansas, Alabama and Missouri, said Tech. Sgt. Bryce Sato, a defender from the 139th Security Forces Squadron, Missouri Air National Guard, who assisted in planning and executing the event.
While Exercise Tinman was primarily designed to help defenders hone their air base defense skills, it also incorporated critical support elements, including medical personnel, chaplains, and services, said Master Sgt. Grant Nagle, 139th SFS, who served as an embedded observer during the exercise.
Defenders faced a full spectrum of Agile Combat Employment operations, including helicopter insertion via Chinook, air base ground defense (ABGD), reconnaissance, intelligence gathering and recovery missions.
The training was nonstop, with members operating under 24-hour conditions and facing stressors like sleep deprivation, ground-burst simulators mimicking indirect fire, and sudden mission injects.
Defenders wore standard tactical gear, including body armor with protective plates, a combat load of ammo, helmets with night vision goggles, gloves and protective eyewear. Each carried a ruck containing essential supplies, including extra uniforms, dry socks, outerwear, sleeping gear and water.
Meals included meals ready-to-eat and hot food provided by the 184th Force Support Squadron and delivered directly to remote locations.
Rest cycles were short, typically 30 minutes to two hours.
“This is something the NCOs [noncommissioned officers] must watch and balance to take care of the Defenders and meet mission requirements,” Nagle said. “This was by design for the exercise. It provides different stress, allows defenders to see how they operate in these conditions, and how to take care of themselves without support.”
Another high-stakes moment unfolded when a Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) Airman arrived during a simulated ground attack, providing an opportunity for some participants to call in close air support.
Senior Airman Emily Rempel, a 139th SFS defender, had the unique experience of coordinating with an A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot under the guidance of the TACP Airman. She successfully communicated directly with the pilot, who conducted strafing runs on a simulated enemy convoy just 700 meters from their location.
Technology played a key role in the exercise. A tethered drone system, typically used by law enforcement, gave defenders real-time thermal imaging of their perimeter. Generators or solar power operated the drones, which streamed live video to the Tactical Operations Center, greatly enhancing situational awareness.
Two 139th Airmen were recognized as top performers, Nagle said. Despite being new to the unit, Senior Airman Yerick Gonzalez-Sanabria, a fire team member, quickly adapted to the intense tempo of the exercise and executed his tasks with confidence. Staff Sgt. Tristan Wetterow, serving as a fire team leader, volunteered for missions, maintained morale and took on leadership roles typically filled by more senior NCOs.
For the 139th defenders, Tinman 25 offered a rare opportunity to evaluate real-time performance in a bare-base environment and identify areas for growth.
“It was extremely beneficial to see our defenders in action,” Sato said. “This exercise gave us the ability to evaluate our training as well as the grit and determination of our defenders to execute the mission.”