Load em up, move em out: Airmen, Soldiers test deployment process

  • Published
  • By Capt. Candice Miller
  • Alaskan Command Public Affairs
ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  The phrase, "load em up and move em out," sums up the rapid deployment exercise Soldiers conducted with Airmen last week at Eielson AFB. 

Soldiers and equipment from the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division at Fort Wainwright hitched a ride on a C-17 Oct. 30 and 31 in a rapid deployment exercise. The 517th Airlift Squadron from Elmendorf AFB flew to Eielson to transport soldiers and equipment to Fort Wainwright. 

The exercise was a test of the rapid deployment process to see where it was efficient and where it could be perfected. No matter the service, everyone had one goal in mind; do it right and do it fast. 

Soldiers worked hand-in-hand with Airmen in loading Army troops, equipment and Stryker and other vehicles in the most efficient and effective way possible. 

The exercise's purpose was to rehearse and demonstrate the joint team's ability to rapidly deploy combat forces from "Alaska's strategic power projection platform," said Lt. Col. David Buckingham, U.S. Army Alaska Chief of Operations. 

This capability of rapid worldwide deployment is essential to the U.S. warfighters, he said. "The nation must be prepared to quickly deploy ground combat forces using strategic air to quickly react to global contingencies." 

Facilitating the deployment of troops and equipment for this exercise rested with the 615th Contingency Response Wing at Travis AFB, Calif., which acted as the link between Army and Air Force forces. Anywhere there is not an air mobility hub, the 615th CRW comes in to assist in the rapid movement of forces. 

This exercise was the first opportunity for the 615th CRW to go through launching and imitating forces in such a realistic environment, according to Maj. Joe Wenckus, Contingency Response Element Operations Officer. 

"This was an absolutely fantastic opportunity to practice cold weather operations and actually work with Stryker equipment," he said. 

Alaska provides the "whole package" for training in terms of combined military efforts, the variety of equipment to be moved, weather challenges, terrain issues, and more, the major said, adding that he has high hopes for future training events. 

"The ability to communicate with the Army face-to-face and work with the C-17 guys directly provided an extremely realistic training opportunity. We don't usually get to play with this level of fidelity with all parties involved, and we hope to do this again and again," said Maj. Wenckus. 

The military services in Alaska are truly unique, said Lt. Gen. Douglas Fraser, Alaskan Command Commander. On a regular basis the Air Force, Army, Navy and Coast Guard, as well as the Guard and Reserves work in a joint environment deploying, training and accomplishing the mission here. 

"Working jointly isn't new for military in Alaska. We continually train like we fight, utilizing all the military assets in the state," he said. "The mission to deploy Alaska forces quickly cannot happen efficiently without all the services working together like a well oiled machine." 

This joint training concept is one Colonel Buckingham supports, saying, "we do this because the more we work together the better we get."