Airmen return from Coronet Bugle 49

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WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  Several members of the 509th Bomb Wing returned here July 20 from Coronet Bugle 49, a global reach exercise at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.

While deployed for the weeklong exercise, the Airmen supported several long duration sorties, which originated here and landed at Andersen for a crew change before returning -- crews flew 20-hour missions and B-2 engines ran for more than 40 hours while the aircraft spent minimal time on the ground.

Global reach exercises like CB 49 are important for members to demonstrate their ability to perform outside the U.S.

"It is vital to deploy and operate from our forward operating locations," said Lt. Col. Paul Tibbets, 325th Bomb Squadron director of operations and deployment commander. "Understanding and resolving issues ranging from infrastructure to equipment will greatly aid our ability to respond when called."

Capt. Rob Southerland, 393rd Bomb Squadron, said this experience educated him on what it takes to operate the B-2 away from Whiteman.

"Exercises like these get you outside the states and operating the B-2 somewhere you're not as familiar with," he said.

Airmen also learned the importance of teamwork while operating from a forward location.

Staff Sgt. Tia Schroeder, 509th Communications Squadron, said it's a unique experience to interact so closely with individuals from various specialties and see how each role contributes to the mission.

"This exercise enabled us to work together as one cohesive team as opposed to being isolated within our squadrons," she said.

Senior Amn. Anthony Alexander, 509th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, said he was pleased by the teamwork displayed during the exercise.

"It helps boost morale to work with others;" he said, "to know that you can rely on people even though you don't really know them."

From the pilots, maintainers, enlisted and officer personnel, Colonel Tibbets agreed that teamwork is instrumental in mission accomplishment.

"It takes the entire team to be successful," he said. "The perfect example of this was the last launch from Guam. [Operations] and maintenance worked together to overcome several challenging issues and launch three aircraft which successfully flew their missions back home."

As Andersen increases its support for Whiteman and the B-2, Colonel Tibbets said it's critical that the wing should think about longer global reach training missions.

"With our limited assets and requirements to support combat mission ready aircrew training, formal training, weapons school and the operational test community, many challenges lie ahead for balancing these areas with a deployment," he said. "Planning is the key."