DVIDS – News – 105th Airmen help train new security forces at Red Flag

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. — Ten Airmen from the 105th Airlift Wing's 205th Base Defense Squadron take to the cutting-edge base during Exercise Red Flag 24-1, held Jan. 15 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. We trained on defense operations concepts. 26, 2024.

Exercise Red Flag was originally intended for aircrews to gain experience in multiple intensive air combat sorties in a safe training environment. Since then, mission partners, including security forces personnel, have been included in on-the-job training to defend bases of operations and emergency locations in harsh environments.

“Security forces around the world are shifting their focus from protecting established bases to being able to protect our assets wherever they are,” said Col. Stephen Morris, acting commander of the 205th Base Defense Squadron. “We're putting a lot more emphasis on expedition skills.” They use more collaborative concepts in tactics and doctrine, such as being organized as platoons rather than flying. ”

Base defense personnel participated in the exercise to develop the skills needed for agile combat employment. ACE is a new operational concept for the Air Force that focuses on generating air combat power from established bases as well as remote locations that provide temporary base options for refueling and rearming aircraft approaching combat. I'm guessing.

“There's no fenced line. There may be no infrastructure. There's probably defense forces of the host nation, of the partners. But those resources are being taken away from indirect fire, mortar fire, things coming from miles away. “How do we provide community security to protect the community?” Morris continued. Communication has been cut off and we are unable to receive any further orders. ”

The 205th included 24 Airmen from Guard units in Kansas, Ohio, and Florida, as well as the 205th's active duty partner, the 820th Air Force Base, based at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. Defense groups also participated.

“If we deploy, we'll be integrating with other units, so training together is beneficial for a number of reasons,” said Airman 1st Class, a radio operator assigned to the 205th Base Defense Squadron. Caitlin McGovern said. Operator during exercise.

Airmen spent eight days in a remote location at the National Test and Training Range in Nevada, creating and defending multiple mock emergency response locations. This involved a 24-hour operation in which he dug out fighting positions, set up machine gun nests, and entrenched in the desert.

“When you're in a field exercise and you have to sleep outside and you're in different conditions that you're not used to, that's the only way you can prepare for what could happen in a real-life scenario,” McGovern explained. “It's a comprehensive training, and you don't necessarily know what's going to happen next.”

They faced challenges such as simulated enemy combatants and communications failures while enduring cold and harsh conditions.

“You don't expect to go to Las Vegas and see 20 degrees, 2 inches of snow, and 50 mph wind gusts, and that's exactly what happened,” Morris said. “Working in cold and wet conditions tends to reduce your combat effectiveness, so you need to think about how you prioritize valuable space and weight in your rucksack.”

The 205th had participated in this version of Red Flag once before, in July 2023, and endured extreme heat rather than cold. The Air Force Security Forces Center is making Red Flag a unique exercise for validating career training programs.

“We are helping to pave the way for future exercises and training at Red Flag and beyond,” McGovern said.