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Emerald Warrior 23 Hones Mission Command in Environment of Competition

Wednesday, May 17th, 2023

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. —

Air Force Special Operations Command concluded the 16th annual Emerald Warrior exercise which provides realistic and relevant, high-end pre-deployment training encompassing multiple joint operating areas to ensure preparedness of Special Operations Forces, conventional force enablers, partner forces and interagency elements.

This annual exercise allows AFSOF to integrate with and execute full spectrum Special Operations in a complex and evolving security environment using all aspects of live, virtual, and constructive training assets – spanning multiple geographic locations. This year locations included Hurlburt Field, Homestead Air Force Base and Puerto Rico.

The EW 23 planning team applied lessons learned from last iteration and real-world operations to train and ready AFSOF with sister service and partner forces, while keeping focus on security priorities laid out in the 2022 National Defense Strategy, specifically, pacing strategic competitors.

“In this year’s iteration of Emerald Warrior, we continued to improve on AFSOC’s new approach to mission command of Air Force Special Operations Forces through the continued employment of the Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) and Special Operations Task Units (SOTU),” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. David Allen, Emerald Warrior exercise director. “The geo-separation of leadership created within the EW exercise scenario, allowed for real-time, on-the-ground decision making from the SOTG and SOTU commanders.”

Not only was the objective for EW 23 to hone the processes for mission command of SOTG’s and SOTU’s with geo-separated AFSOF, but also, to incorporate agile combat employment movements through austere, more complex environments.

“Honing AFSOC’s rapid ACE capability was a priority set for Emerald Warrior this iteration and the last as we continue to develop this concept through our mission sustainment teams or MSTs,” said Allen. “Being able to bring AFSOF and our partner force allies to the island of Puerto Rico allowed us to really get to exercise this rising capability in environments that we don’t typically get to in the states, and for that we are very appreciative of the government and people of Puerto Rico.”

MSTs established forward operating bases for a SOTG HQ and SOTUs to operate out of, providing initial site security, receiving cargo and personnel and setting up shelter.

In addition to exercising employable command and control structure, EW continued to exercise the incorporation of non-kinetic effects (NKE) and capabilities. This year’s iteration brought a more robust NKE fusion cell than previous exercises, incorporating information related capabilities such as information operations, intelligence, intelligence support to IO and public affairs.

“Synchronizing Information Related Capabilities (IRCs) across intelligence, information operations, cyber, space, and public affairs subject matter experts allowed us to further educate our SOTG and SOTU commanders on the capabilities they can provide when down range,” said Maj Jessica Vogle, Emerald Warrior J2 and Non-Kinetic Fusion Cell lead. “Whether it be the utilization of cyber effects to create complex dilemmas for our adversaries, space capabilities to get a site picture of the operation area or using IO and PA to get strategic messaging out, fusion cells create operational effects in the information environment and strategic advantage for AFSOF, our allies and partners through unique access and placement.”

A key part of Emerald Warrior is having partners and allies training alongside US forces. This year France, Germany and Lithuania participated in the three-week exercise.

“Interoperability with partner forces is always a priority mission set here at Emerald Warrior,” said Allen. “Training together makes all of us stronger, so we are appreciative that France, Germany and Lithuania were able to participate this year and are looking forward to having them back again in the future.”

Story by Capt Jantzen Floate, Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs

Photos by SSgt Joshua De Guzman and SrA Stephen Pulter

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, SOF | Comments Off on Emerald Warrior 23 Hones Mission Command in Environment of Competition

AFSOC Establishes New Directorate: A7 Air Commando Development

Tuesday, May 16th, 2023

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. —

On April 25, Air Force Special Operations Command established the Air Commando Development Directorate, also known as the A7, that will lead the way America’s Air Commando’s deliberately train, exercise, experience, and educate to prepare, prevent, and prevail in competition.

This new directorate is aimed at providing policy, oversight, and guidance to support the Command’s collective training, readying Air Commando’s to win.

“We have a no-fail mission to ensure America’s Air Commandos are Ready to Fight Tonight,” said Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, AFSOC commander. “The A7 will serve as the AFSOC HQ Champion to ensure prioritization and integration of training, education, exercises and experiences for the command as we evolve to a new force presentation model.”

Col. Eries L.G. Mentzer will serve as the first AFSOC/A7, Air Commando Development director and CMSgt Jeremiah Clark as the senior enlisted leader. The new directorate is the key integrator for the headquarters staff and will also closely collaborate with Headquarters Air Force and USSOCOM counterparts, as well as AETC, SOF partners, and allies to maximize knowledge sharing and leverage best practices.

“As the command broadens from decades of success countering violent extremism and organically gaining experience and building relationship through high ops tempo deployments, the A7 and Air Commando Development Center will orient Air Commandos to the evolved force presentation model, strengthened though integrated training and exercise experiences in a mission command culture,” said Mentzer.

In response to the Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. “CQ” Brown’s cultural change areas, the A7 is also leading the command’s pivot to a Mission Command culture. In partnership with joint counterparts and the LeMay Center, A7 will host the second Mission Command Summit, from 16-18 May, at Hurlburt Field to identify barriers to Mission Command in AFSOC formations.

The execution arm for the A7 will be the Air Commando Development Center, which is scheduled for activation on July 14 at Hurlburt Field. The center will be comprised of units focused on education, training, and exercise integration executed by the U.S. Air Force Special Operations School, the 371st Special Operations Combat Training Squadron, and the 370th Special Operations Combat Training Squadron.

By Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Profession of Arms, SOF | 2 Comments »

19th SFS Implements New ACE Training Course

Monday, May 15th, 2023

LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. (AFNS) —

The 19th Security Forces Squadron recently implemented a new 30-day training program to equip defenders with the foundational skills and knowledge to counter peer adversaries, ensure security in an Agile Combat Employment environment and develop leadership qualities as valuable multi-capable Airmen.

The locally designed program, known as Agile Combat Employment and Leadership for Multi-Capable Airmen, was implemented in the squadron to reteach and emphasize the basics of air base ground defense and help train for atypical missions.

Defenders were able to expand their knowledge on dismounted operations and tactics and conduct by-law training, which teaches and evaluates use of non-lethal weapons for de-escalation, to demonstrate mission readiness in a contested environment and at home station.

“The main goal of this program is to better the capability of our defenders by honing in on close-quarters battle tactics and focusing on doing things to help out our adjacent forces, such as explosive ordnance disposal, medical and other career fields,” said Staff Sgt. Alexander Jackson, 19th SFS training instructor.

During the course, Airmen went through scenarios where they practiced security and troop-leading procedures while demonstrating base defense principles, force protection measures and multi-domain awareness.

ACE-LMC is an improved and revised program that was constructed from a previous week-long program called Horse Blanket.

“Horse Blanket was beneficial, but it only focused on by-law training and not much on dismounted operations,” Jackson said. “ACE-LMC helps us practice more on our skills and become more agile in order to be ready for tomorrow’s fight.”

Throughout the course, Airmen practiced active threat response in ready training areas, basic communications, chemical biological radiological and nuclear training, comprehensive Airmen fitness, integrated defense, small arms and tactical combat casualty care.

The 30-day training course culminated in a 12-hour field training exercise where defenders spent the night in a simulated contested environment, drilled securing and assuming control over an airfield and practiced various scenarios relating to air base ground defense.

As an instructor, Jackson gives defenders skillset repetitions that can be used in future operations and empowers Airmen at all levels with the opportunity to lead and train in a contested environment.

“My role as the lead instructor for the course is to motivate and bring the intensity back into our career field,” Jackson said. “We are trying to get Airmen out of their comfort zones and make sure that they are able to carry out the mission anytime and anywhere.”

The ACE-LMC program has successfully introduced critical training into the squadron, aiding in the development of mission-ready Airmen. All defenders are able to benefit from the course, whether they are fresh out of technical training or they have been in the unit for a while.

“As an Airman who just graduated from tech school not too long ago, ACE-LMC has been a refresher and I am able to enhance my skills,” said Airman 1st Class Angel Sacta Espinoza, 19th SFS main entry controller. “It really makes us think outside the box and realize that this is preparing us for future conflict against our adversaries. We are touching on stuff we don’t really perform day to day.”

Although ACE-LMC is currently only available to security forces members, Jackson said his hope is for Airmen from other career fields to be able to experience this training in the future.

“We are trying to integrate adjacent career fields to join in the course as well in order for them to gain familiarization on skills that could help them during a situation not related to their job,” Jackson said. “We want to make it bigger and better every time, and every day we learn something new and different in order to improve the course.”

By Airman 1st Class Maria Umanzor Guzman, 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Profession of Arms, Training | Comments Off on 19th SFS Implements New ACE Training Course

New AF Deployed Medical Training to Expand Medical skills, Build Multi-Capable Medics

Monday, May 8th, 2023

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AFNS) —

The Air Force Medical Service is expanding its MEDIC-X initiative across the Air Force to ensure all Airmen assigned to medical treatment facilities are adaptable and ready for a dynamic future battlefield.

Brig. Gen. Thomas Harrell, Air Force Medical Readiness Agency commander, signed a memo on April 3 outlining the rollout of MEDIC-X across the Air Force by July 1. MEDIC-X is the Air Force Surgeon General’s initiative to ensure all medical personnel are equipped with the life-sustaining skills needed for a challenging and dynamic future battlefield where resources may be limited.

“We know the future fight will be different, and so will the idea of what it will take for us to sustain readiness. I believe we are taking the necessary steps to do just that.”

Lt. Gen. Robert Miller, U.S. Air Force Surgeon General

The rollout of MEDIC-X is the Air Force Medical Service’s response to the demand for multi-capable Airmen, aligning with Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr.’s operational doctrine, which requires equipping Airmen with skills that go beyond their duty title.

“Future conflict will never look like wars of the past, and that is why we have to get after building multi-capable, strategically minded Airmen today, so they can compete, deter, and win tomorrow,” said Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass. “AFDN 1-21 presents, in doctrine, expeditionary and multi-capable Airmen capable of accomplishing tasks outside of their core Air Force specialty to provide combat support and combat service support to [Agile Combat Employment] force elements.”

With MEDIC-X, every Air Force medic, including those not involved in patient care like administrators or lab technicians, will need to be proficient in 52 skills that will ensure the Air Force’s medical force is ready for the next fight.

“These 52 skills are not normally within a majority of medical group training,” said Lt. Col. Samantha Kelpis, the Air Force Medical Service’s MEDIC-X team lead. “An administrator doesn’t normally do any hands-on patient care. MEDIC-X trains them on skills they will need in a challenging deployed environment where the priority is not going to be completing administrative tasks, it is going to be saving lives. When they are deployed and resources are limited, they need to know how to perform some level of patient care.”

MEDIC-X’s 52 skills encompass base-level patient care that is easily teachable through hands-on, in-person training to any medical personnel, whether they treat patients regularly or not. The training includes such skills as assessing pain levels, infection control, taking a patient’s vital signs, assisting with spinal immobilization, patient movement, and respiratory care.

According to Kelpis, every medical Airman must participate in the full annual training or demonstrate competency in those skills in a formal evaluation. She also explained that most physicians, nurses, and medical technicians can be granted credit for most of the skills, especially the ones they use in their day-to-day jobs.

“Even though the MEDIC-X training is primarily focused on those individuals who do not engage in direct patient care on a regular basis, there could be skills a traditional clinician may need a refresher on,” Kelpis said. “For instance, if you are a critical care medical technician who works with an aeromedical evacuation unit, you would be familiar with most of the MEDIC-X skills already compared to a family medicine medical technician that works in a clinic. Those clinical-focused individuals may not have the working knowledge of a ventilator or offloading a patient from a fixed wing aircraft depending on their prior work or deployment experience. With that said, those individuals would need to go through the training of those skills they are unfamiliar with.”

By Shireen Bedi

Air Force Surgeon General Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Medical, Press Release | Comments Off on New AF Deployed Medical Training to Expand Medical skills, Build Multi-Capable Medics

16th Annual Emerald Warrior Jumps Into Action

Friday, May 5th, 2023

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. —

Air Force Special Operations Command is hosting the 16th Annual Emerald Warrior exercise at multiple locations across Florida, as well as Puerto Rico and will run through May 6.

This joint, combined exercise provides realistic and relevant, high-end training to prepare special operations forces, conventional forces, and international partners in the evolving strategic environment, shifting focus to growing kinetic and non-kinetic effects in strategic competition.

Emerald Warrior applies lessons learned from real-world operations to provide trained and ready personnel to the joint force, while addressing priorities laid out in the 2022 National Defense Strategy. Vital to this effort are effective trained forces and strong international partnerships. Partner force participants for this year are primarily from France, Germany, and Lithuania.

This exercise hones the skills of participating units and is an opportunity to test future concepts in support Agile Combat Employment operating under the new Air Force Force Generation deployment model. In line with AFSOC’s Strategic Guidance, the exercise fuels on-going pathfinding and experimentation efforts within the command.

By Air Force Special Operations Command

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, SOF | Comments Off on 16th Annual Emerald Warrior Jumps Into Action

AFSOC Implements Wing-Level A-staffs, Breaks Down Bureaucratic Barriers and Increases Readiness

Thursday, May 4th, 2023

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. —

Five wings assigned to the Air Force Special Operations Command implemented the new wing air staff (A-staff) structure on March 30, 2023.

This change has been in the works since the 2021 CORONA Conference when Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown Jr. approved a redesign of the wing headquarters that adds a functional staff to an existing wing headquarter staff. The A-staff is designed to break down bureaucratic barriers, improve speed and quality of decision making, allow better alignment with higher headquarters and grow leaders needed for Great Power Competition.

“By reorganizing wing staffs, we streamline authoritative actions and processes throughout the chain of command,” said Col. Jocelyn Schermerhorn, AFSOC Director of Operations (A3). “This new structure alleviates the administrative burden at the squadron level allowing them to focus on the mission.”

Each wing within AFSOC is organized with an A-staff that best suits their mission set, which includes:

A1 – Manpower, Personnel, and Services

A2 – Intelligence

A3 – Operations

A4 – Logistics, Engineering & Force Protection

A5 – Plans & Requirements

A6 – Communications

Wing Staff Agencies – such as Public Affairs, History, Chaplain, JAG Corps, Inspector General, etc., transition to Special Staff in the A-staff model.

Ultimately, Airmen are exposed to the wing A-staff and their processes earlier in their careers, making them better prepared for operating within joint organizations.

“Prior to this change, Airmen were arriving to headquarters assignments and joint deployments without a good or even general understanding of how a numbered staff functions,” said Col. Christopher Busque, AFSOC Director of Manpower, Personnel and Services (A1). “This new structure addresses that concern by allowing Airmen to gain exposure to the A-staff construct earlier on in their careers.”

The transitioning AFSOC wings are expected to meet full operational capability of the A-staff implementation by early FY24.

By 2nd Lt Cassandra Saphore

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Profession of Arms, SOF | 3 Comments »

Effective June 1, First Term Airmen Can Retrain into AFSCs Under 90% Manning in Lieu of Separation

Wednesday, May 3rd, 2023

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —

The Air Force is changing the process of how First Term Airmen can retrain to provide additional opportunities for Airmen to stay in uniform instead of separating.

Effective June 1, all FTA can retrain into any Air Force Specialty Code they qualify for that is under 90% manned prior to separation, even if their current AFSC is below 90% manned.

Qualified Airmen must be within their retaining window and meet medical, Air Force Enlisted Classification Directory standards, Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery score and physical fitness standards to be approved.

“Glad to see us make this change as it relates to retraining opportunities for the force,” said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass. “Providing these opportunities for our Airmen helps us keep talent on the bench. While this particular change impacts First Term Airmen, expect to see more initiatives like this as we evolve our policies and talent management to focus on the force of the future and building the Air Force our nation needs.”

Additionally, the FTA Retaining Selection Board is also no longer required during the retraining application process. This removes the racking-and-stacking retraining application process based on the number of quotas needed for a more streamlined ‘first in, first out’ process. Phase 1 FTA retraining quotas will be open to all FTAs entering their retraining window during Fiscal Year 2024.

The Exception to Policy will be reassessed June 1, 2024, unless it is rescinded earlier.

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Profession of Arms | 3 Comments »

AFRL Technology Aids Operators During Afghanistan Evacuation

Saturday, April 29th, 2023

ROME, N.Y. (AFRL) — Engineers from the Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, refined a fielded tool called the Tactical Awareness Kit, or TAK, to aid operators in the fall 2021 Afghanistan evacuation. The kit has also been adapted to fit the missions of local, state and federal agencies in fighting wildfires and responding to natural disasters.

TAK is a technology developed by AFRL scientists and engineers that has been transitioned to and used by numerous U.S. and international warfighters, including special operations and civilian users.

A U.S. Air Force security forces raven, assigned to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, maintains security aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft in support of the Afghanistan evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Afghanistan, Aug. 24, 2021. Support from Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, systems like Tactical Awareness Kit, or TAK, helped facilitate safe extractions of families and US civilians. (U.S. Air Force photo / Master Sgt. Donald R. Allen)

As U.S. warfighters completed the main evacuation effort in Afghanistan in 2021, many Afghan allies and U.S. civilians still needed to get to safety. AFRL’s Information Systems Division, part of the lab’s Information Directorate at Rome, New York, employed the use of TAK to connect evacuees safely and securely with operators.

“AFRL’s unique system ensured that only the sender and recipient could access the needed information for the extractions,” said Capt. Landon Tomcho, an AFRL program manager. “Furthermore, the TAK system is already established in the operator community. The agile development principals integrated into the TAK ecosystem since its transition allowed the AFRL teams to apply their expert knowledge to rapidly create and employ a scenario-specific solution.”

AFRL’s Information Directorate monitored the efforts in Afghanistan and worked to understand the operating environment and situations before planning the implementation of changes needed for use. However, getting to delivery and implementation of TAK took tenacity, development, and dozens of phone calls, said Tomcho. These efforts resulted in AFRL connecting with the proper entities to put the TAK secure communications tool into the hands of the warfighters conducting the extractions to help direct individuals to safety and keep them safe.

A U.S. Marine with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Central Command escorts a family during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 21, 2021. U.S. service members assisted the Department of State with a non-combatant evacuation operation in Afghanistan. Support from Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, systems such as the Tactical Awareness Kit, or TAK, helped facilitate safe extractions of families and U.S. civilians.

“Having a flexible and secure means of communication would be critical to the former special operators who joined the extraction missions,” Tomcho said. “These operators had all the right tactical skills; they just needed a bit of extra technology to provide greater situational awareness.”

Ryan McLean, director of TAK product center, said his team is proud to support the Information Directorate by tackling issues such as humanitarian assistance.

“As the Allied information dominance platform, TAK delivers world-class situational awareness through a family of networked geospatial products,” McLean said. “Capt. Tomcho’s successful efforts show how the TAK products enable a rapid convergence of innovation, initiative and impact when lives are on the line.”

Additionally, instead of using an app on a dedicated device to track critical assets, the platform was re-tasked to a web portal environment, said Tomcho. The access portal allowed operators to see specific location coordinates for the extractions from any device with an internet connection. Since the platform was secure, it was the optimal solution for communication between operators and the extraction parties. It provided greater access to ensure they could receive communications and critical information in limited access environments. Because of the security, hackers are unable to decipher information.

Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, researchers and technical teammates re-tasked a current fielded tool called Tactical Awareness Kit, or TAK, to directly assist extraction efforts by operators in Afghanistan in the Fall of 2021 and increase the chances of success. USAF tactical air control warfighters demonstrated the capabilities of the TAK system — similar to those used during operations to evacuate U.S. citizens and allies in Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo)

“In the end, AFRL researchers deployed a highly successful secure communications solution to operators that saved numerous lives,” Tomcho said.

AFRL’s application was leveraged to communicate information only the sender and recipient could securely verify, facilitating efficient and safe extractions.

www.afresearchlab.com

By Marc Denofio, Air Force Research Laboratory Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, TAK | 3 Comments »