Ellsworth returns from Green Flag training exercise

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Hrair H. Palyan
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  B-1 bomber aircrews assigned to the 37th Bomb Squadron and a myriad of support personnel returned May 24, from an exercise designed to test their ability to survive and operate in a wartime environment.

"The exercise was a huge success," said 1st Lt. Stephen Pruitt, 37th Aircraft Maintenance Unit officer in charge during the exercise. "We successfully flew 34 out of 34 close air support training missions for 100 percent mission effectiveness."

Capt. Gregory Marcus, 37th BS deputy flight commander of scheduling, said that the primary focus of Green Flag was to teach aircrews, joint terminal attack controllers, and U.S. Army personnel how to employ as an effective team in a variety of situations that they may find themselves in downrange. He added that the exercise allowed Airmen to hone their coordination skills that they lacked experience in to cut down the amount of time needed to employ weapons.

For the Airmen of the 37th BS, Green Flag was the final scrimmage before heading downrange to Southwest Asia later this year.

Pruitt said that Airmen generated a realistic scenario-based training environment for B-1 aircrews to communicate with ground forces.

"We created an element of realism that we can't duplicate at home station," Pruitt said. "Simply put, Green Flag is the most non-threatening, yet accurate depiction of what's to come during a deployment."

Pruitt added that Airmen from the AMU faced numerous trials during the exercise related to the transport and staging of dozens of pieces of equipment, a variety of aircraft maintenance challenges and misaligned flying schedules.

"Through the inexorable perseverance and adaptability from aircraft maintenance and support personnel, all challenges were overcome," said Pruitt.

Since 1975 Air Force aircrews, other U.S. military branches and partners from coalition nations have taken part in one of several Green Flag exercises, each of which is two weeks in duration.