Missile range commander takes time to visit Holloman

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Sanjay Allen
  • 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  The commanding general of White Sands Missile Range paid a visit to the base Feb. 12 to experience first-hand air-to-air fighter training and the Remotely Piloted Aircraft training program.

Army Gen. John Regan started his day pulling six G's (force of gravity) over WSMR, trying to keep breakfast down and defending a simulated base from attack.

The general was taken through a scenario over the training range where they had to defend a simulated base from being bombed by aggressor aircraft by conducting air-to-air evasive maneuvers.

"It was just extraordinary going up for the T-38 flight," the general said. "It was really, really special.

"The Army guys told me not to eat anything, and the pilots told me to eat something because they wanted me to taste it again," he continued to say about the light-heartedness of fighter pilots.

However, on a serious note, General Regan was able to walk through a pilot's day and experience -- from the front row -- what they do through the course of a flying mission.

"I got really good insight into how it's both coordinated in a safety perspective and also a tactical perspective," he said. "There are such exceptional, high-quality people across the board. The pilots, with what they do -- controlling the aircraft, controlling the weapons systems that are in the aircraft and their situational awareness with the other aircraft -- was just really exceptional. Something I will never forget."

As part of preparing for the flight and his overall visit, the general met with many 49ers from across the base and departed with high regard for Holloman's Airmen, saying everywhere he went and everyone he met was "just extraordinary," including the RPA training mission.

"It's good to see that Colonel Harrigian treats them as just an integral part of the team, an important part of the team, and they really feel that they're first-class citizens just like the other part of the team here," General Regan said.

"It's a growing capability both inside the Air Force and across the (Department of Defense)," he said. "It's an extraordinary capability. They go right from training into the theater just because there is such an urgent need."

The WSMR commander also said it brings a great capability to the combatant commander and the nation because of its dwell capability and ability to carry weapons.

General Regan's visit showcased the close relationship between the two bases and their commitment to each other and the future of the military in the region.

"We're really close neighbors and both have the same goal in mind, overall, which is to maximize the effectiveness of this region for the department so I think we work very close together," General Regan said. "I think coming over here gave us some insight about how we can work even closer and better in the future. We just have a really great region here and we can continue to maximize the effectiveness for the department. We're a great team."

Col. Jeff Harrigian, 49th Figher Wing commander, shared General Regan's thoughts on teamwork and moving together into the future.

"It's a real pleasure for us to have the general take a full day to come up here and spend time with us to get an appreciation of not only the operation, but to get the 20,000 foot perspective that we train too, and to gain an understanding of why it's so critical that we work well together," Colonel Harrigian said.

"I think it was a great exchange, for not only some of our young Airmen to have an opportunity to exchange information with the general, but also for him to offer his perspective of how things operate," he added. "On both sides, I see a lot of positive things coming."