SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands -- The 11th Combat Air Base Squadron put the U.S. Air Force’s Mission Ready Airman concept into in action in July while participating in exercise Resolute Force Pacific in Saipan.
The month-long REFORPAC exercise was the largest contingency exercise ever conducted by the U.S. Air Force in the Pacific and was part of the first-in-a-generation Department-Level Exercise series, a new way the Air Force is exercising to conduct large operations in contested, dynamic environments. The aim was to improve interoperability and multilateral cooperation, leading to a stronger, more capable, deterrent force.
Working under the 11th Air Task Force, the first U.S. Air Force task force to deploy this summer, the 11 CABS was responsible for Base Support-Integrator (BOS-I) for the 563rd Rescue Group, a mission generation force element.
Members of the 11 CABS members worked with the 11 ATF to establish an operational site in an austere location in Saipan, building from the ground up help from local contractors and community partners. Airmen also integrated with local authorities to use a civilian runway, enabling the 563rd RQG’s HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters and HC-130J Combat King II aircraft to land and take off whenever necessary.
Throughout the exercise, the 11 CABS team provided support to the 11 ATF and 563rd RQG through sustainment, protection and airfield operations. Airmen of the 11 CABS provided 24/7 site security at two locations, managed the airfield and its assets, provided civil engineering capabilities and more throughout the exercise. The exercise included training injects such as a small Unmanned Aircraft System attack, rapid airfield damage repair and explosive ordnance disposal response.
U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Jerome Clark, 11 CABS senior enlisted leader, described how Airmen practiced the MRA concept in Saipan.
“MRA is about stepping out of your functional stovepipe and being able to jump into somebody else’s role when needed,” he said. “We saw that happen all across the field during REFORPAC. With 67 AFSCs [Air Force Specialty Codes] in our squadron, everyone was primed and ready to support one another at a moment’s notice. REFORPAC gave us that opportunity to come together as a united team to take care of the mission.”
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jefferson Klapak, firefighter and subject matter expert with the 11 CABS, added that another important aspect of being a Mission Ready Airman is being resourceful and flexible during dynamic missions. He said REFORPAC gave his team several opportunities to practice that. During a mass casualty exercise inject, he and his team had to figure out how to overcome deteriorated communication channels while supporting emergency operations, using the Primarily Alternate Contingency Emergency (PACE) communications plan organized by the 11 ATF.
“Since we didn’t have the typical radios we use to communicate with the Emergency Operations Center, we had to adapt and overcome and find different ways to send up information of what was going on with that exercise situation,” Klapak said. “Being a Mission Ready Airman means having an understanding of what needs to happen to get the aircraft in the air, and receive them back, and reservice them, outside of just my core function.”
REFORPAC also gave 11 CABS members the chance to foster relationships across the Joint force and local partners. They also liaised with local authorities, such as the Commonwealth Ports Authority, to ensure smooth arrivals and departures depending on the 563rd RQG’s training needs.
Additionally, 11 CABS members had the chance to facilitate training with the Saipan International Airport Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting department, which culminated in a live fire exercise. More than 45 firefighters from six different islands in the region participated in the event, which provided practical training on how to handle an emergency response for U.S. Air Force aircraft. Afterwards, 11 CABS members hosted a course to certify 14 firefighting training instructors from across U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
Besides the exercise injects and other training, 11 CABS Airmen also dealt with real-world challenges that included a tropical storm, a tsunami warning and a responding to humanitarian scenarios.
According to U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Daniel Jamerson, 11 CABS commander, exercises such as REFORPAC are important because they give Airmen the chance to train in austere and dispersed environments, developing skills to improve wartime mission readiness.
“REFORPAC provided a valuable opportunity to evaluate and refine our existing capabilities in a realistic operational environment,” he said. “It gave us the chance to step out of our comfort zones, exercise our skills and apply that resilience so we can be a flexible, agile and lethal force. I’m incredibly proud of how the Airmen across the 11 CABS performed here at REFORPAC. Despite uncertainty and ever-changing situations, 11 CABS Airmen performed at the highest levels.”
The DLE series encompasses all branches of the Department of Defense, along with allies and partners, employing approximately 400 U.S. and coalition aircraft and more than 12,000 members at more than 50 locations spanning 3,000 miles.