28th BW gears up for Green Flag East

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jarad A. Denton
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  Airmen of the 28th Bomb Wing are preparing to participate in a joint-service exercise at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Nov. 5 through 14.

The exercise, known as "Green Flag East," will hone the combat skills of B-1B Lancer aircrews and maintainers.

"The focus of GF East will be on close air support operations," said Capt. Jeffrey Strange, 37th Bomb Squadron pilot. "It's a realistic exercise that tests us on the tactics and skills being used downrange, right now."

Captain Strange said Ellsworth Airmen will have the opportunity to work side-by-side with the U.S. Army for a more realistic experience. GF East gives B-1 aircrews a chance to integrate themselves into combat training, and learn how close air support fits into downrange operations.

"There are no virtual simulations involved," Capt. Strange said. "This is the real deal. We're training how we fight."

The added realism of GF East will put Ellsworth aircrews as close as they can get to a combat deployment without having to leave the United States, said Capt. Strange. The advantage of this real-world exercise versus a computer simulation comes from the variable factors players have to adapt to. Many human factors, during intense training or real-world combat, are things which can't often be scripted into a scenario - they must be experienced and overcome in the moment.

"GF East is incredibly important because it focuses on the type of conflict occurring today," Capt. Strange said. "The exercise also addresses some of the issues we face downrange when working with other services. The training ensures those issues don't become problems during combat."

While exercises like GF East are necessary to hone the skills of servicemembers, there is a cost associated with sending Airmen and aircraft from the 28th BW to train so far away. Capt. Strange said the proposed Powder River Training Complex expansion could significantly reduce the cost of such exercises in the future.

"The PRTC expansion could save the taxpayer's money," said Capt. Strange. "It would allow us to bring the training we need closer to home, and save on many costs associated with transporting a B-1 and its crew."

Lt. Col. Steven Biggs, 37th BS commander, said the exercise is a fantastic opportunity for Ellsworth Airmen to train with Army soldiers.

"It's a two way street when we work with the Army," Colonel Biggs said. "The realistic scenarios provide their own unique challenges, which the players have to meet. It all ties into our upcoming deployment in January - the harder we train now, the better we will perform downrange."