Nellis works behind the scenes to ensure exercise success

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Michael Charles
  • Nellis Public Affairs
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. --  Every year, Nellis supports the largest air mobility exercise in the United States. This Mobility Air Forces Exercise is essential in making sure both the Army and Air Force learn to coordinate jointly to achieve success during their overseas contingencies.

The MAFEX is part of the U.S. Air Force Weapon School curriculum designed to culminate months of training that the students have received and challenge them to plan and execute a joint forcible entry airborne assault operation, integrating assets from across the world. During an exercise in which more than 30 planes and 1,500 people participate, it is easy to overlook the people behind the scenes who work to make this biannual event possible.

With more than 300 Army soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron at Fort Bragg, N.C., parachuting from five C-17 Globemaster aircraft at drop zones on the Nevada Test and Training Range, it is important to take careful steps to ensure the safety of our Soldiers who are actively preparing to deploy overseas.

To ensure the safety of the jumpers, the Army embedded 30 medical personnel and requested support from Nellis to ensure there was adequate transportation if someone should get hurt.

Capt. Alex Keller, a 58th Rescue Squadron flight surgeon, was present with a group of flight surgeons and medical technicians to ensure each of the Army personnel were safe upon jumping out of their designated aircraft.

"This acts as great integration practice for the operations we will be participating in overseas," said Captain Keller. "Nowadays, we in the Air Force are being asked to do more and more medical evacuation support for Army units. By helping with this exercise, we aren't just helping them in their mission, but also in ours to be prepared in case we have to work jointly with the Army in real-world contingencies."

"It's very easy to work with the Air Force," said 1st Sgt. Michael Ames, 173rd Calvary, Bravo Troop. "Even before we stepped foot on the planes to come to the range, we were given more than enough information to accomplish the mission at hand."

Support from Nellis scouted the exercise location a day early and set up three emergency helipad rally points in case an injured soldier has to be evacuated out of the exercise zones.

"Our concern is the safety of the jumpers," said Tech. Sgt. Scott Piper, a 58th RQS medical technician. "Here at Nellis, we do these exercises quite often, so we are well equipped to handle a worst-case scenario possibility."

"The Army is well-equipped to handle any injuries that may happen with their embedded medical staff," said Capt. David Pugh, a 99th Air Medical Squadron flight surgeon. "We are here to provide any transportation they might need."

The NTTR continues to help accommodate the needs of Army and Air Force exercises. This Department of Defense asset was greatly utilized during the mobility exercise. The 98th Range Wing, which provides the maintenance and threat simulators on the 2.9 million acre range, also provides the support for each major exercise.

"The NTTR is phenomenal," said Capt. John Paul Kilker a USAFWS C-130 student participating in his first MAFEX. "It's a great training theater and the threats that they simulated, provided an experience that I will not forget."

"This range is exactly what we expected," Sergeant Ames said. We were given adequate information from the 98th RNW such as what the drop zones looked like and what to expect in terms of wind conditions. Nellis really made this exercise run smoothly."

With more than 40 cargo planes flying, Nellis' flightline had to be ready to accommodate the large aircraft. Nellis worked overtime to make room for the aircraft four days after holding the 2009 Nellis Open House.

Nellis continues to support MAFEX and the many other exercises that take place on the NTTR and helps to ensure that all services of the military are ready to deploy overseas and work jointly to accomplish any mission at hand.

"You get a new appreciation for the guys putting the exercise together behind the scenes as opposed to getting your orders and executing after seeing it from both sides," said Captain Kilker.