JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - Four Airmen from the Pennsylvania Air National Guard’s 258th Combat Airfield Operations Squadron, based in Johnstown, recently traveled thousands of miles to take control of the skies over the Pacific island nation of Palau.
For more than 16 days, the team provided critical air traffic control operations for a large-scale military exercise at Palau International Airport, ensuring the safety of hundreds of military and civilian flights.
The deployment was part of Exercise Resolute Force Pacific 2025, or REFORPAC 2025, a massive exercise designed to test the U.S. military’s ability to deploy forces quickly across the vast Pacific region. The Pennsylvania team’s sole mission was to provide expert air traffic control services for the surge in air traffic operations at Palau’s largest airport.
The four-person team from the 258th managed all ground and air operations within a 50-square-mile airspace surrounding the airport. The team members seamlessly coordinated with both civilian airport authorities and multiple U.S. military branches to deconflict air operations. Throughout the 16-day period, the controllers safely managed 280 day and night operations, which included civilian airliners as well as U.S. Air Force fighter and mobility aircraft.
“The Airmen that deployed to support this mission did an outstanding job not only representing the 258th CAOS [Combat Airfield Operations Squadron], but the 171st Air Refueling Wing and the Pennsylvania Air National Guard,” said Maj. Jacob McLallen, commander of the 258th. “Their efforts highlighted their ability to accomplish the mission in a high-stress environment with both adaptability and resilience.”
The high-tempo environment served as a real-world test for the specialized skills of the Air National Guard controllers. The exercise demonstrated the unit’s unique ability to rapidly deploy anywhere in the world and establish airfield operations on short notice.
“We had the unique opportunity to test future warfighting ideas, and it was great to bring different units together to accomplish a singular mission,” said Tech. Sgt. Beane, an air traffic controller with the 258th who participated in the exercise.
The successful mission in Palau underscores the critical role the Johnstown-based 258th Combat Airfield Operations Squadron, a component of the 171st Air Refueling Wing, plays in national defense, proving that Pennsylvania’s citizen-Airmen are ready to answer the call, wherever it may be.