WC Missouri News

More than 100 Airmen and Department of Defense civilians from the 509th Bomb Wing boarded a C-17 Globemaster III and departed from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, for a Field Training Exercise at Ft. Smith, Arkansas. The exercise aimed to train Airmen on Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concepts, with support from the Arkansas National Guard.

This training requires multi-capable airmen to operate independently in an expeditionary environment, complicating adversaries' efforts while projecting airpower. "It's critical for agile combat employment support units to come together to enable the Striker mission, which allows that B-2 platform to be anywhere, anytime," said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Khary Davis, 509th Civil Engineer Squadron commander.

ACE shifts operations from centralized infrastructures to smaller, dispersed locations or cluster bases that provide mutual protection and command capabilities. The exercise is part of a broader initiative by the Air Force to enhance training in austere environments where Airmen use diverse skills to accomplish missions.

During the exercise, the 509th Bomb Wing practiced various skills such as Rapid Airfield Damage Repair (RADR), land navigation, Tactical Combat Casualty Care, and base defense. These skills enable Airmen to build, maintain, and defend forward operating bases in austere environments.

"This exercise focused on decentralized operations," said Davis. "We were based out of Ft. Smith. From this hub, we were able to send out Airmen to different regions, conduct missions, then bring them back in to refit, reorganize and send them back for future missions."

RADR training ensures that if a major airfield is attacked, Airmen can restore it quickly. Training took place at the 188th Regional Training Site on Ebbing Air National Guard Base where simulated damage was created on the airfield for repair practice.

Airmen also flew via Army helicopter to Ft. Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center for land navigation training over harsh terrain while engaging with simulated hostile forces provided by members of the 509th Security Forces Squadron.

Master Sgt. Wesley Nesbitt emphasized that combining efforts across various career fields during this large-scale FTX benefits more than just those involved: “This is a win for the 509th Bomb Wing because we are one of the first to do this,” said Nesbitt.

The exercise allowed many Airmen opportunities for leadership roles they might not have otherwise had: “Being here was a thrilling event to see our Airmen step up,” said Davis.

The 509th Bomb Wing completed 150 pre-planned training objectives across multiple career fields during this first-of-its-kind exercise for Team Whiteman with plans for future exercises aimed at sharpening their ability to project airpower globally.