Red Flag 15-2 offers Team Ellsworth invaluable combat training experience

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Rebecca Imwalle
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  More than 100 Ellsworth Airmen participated in Red Flag 15-2 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., March 2 through 13.

Red Flag Nellis is a premier joint aerial combat training exercise designed to prepare war fighters for real world contingencies.

Maj. Adam Chitwood, 37th Bomb Squadron assistant director of operations of weapons and tactics, has participated in multiple Red Flag Nellis exercises and emphasized the benefits of participating every year.

"Red Flag always provides Airmen with a great opportunity," Chitwood said. "It benefits new Airmen by introducing them to combat situations and also the men and women leading the fight by teaching them to integrate more effectively. This way, when in combat, they already know how to work as an integrated force."

During the exercise, Capt. Brandon Hammond, 28th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron officer in charge of the 37th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, directed maintenance operations and relayed information to leadership.

"I really enjoyed being able to be on the flightline during Red Flag," Hammond said. "To be out there launching and catching jets is what we're about, and it's great to be a part of it."

Hammond, new to the B-1 Bomber, said he learned a lot about the jet during his time at Red Flag, gaining invaluable first-hand experience throughout the exercise.

"It is the closest we can get to deployed training here in the states," Hammond said. "It saves us money, gets the aircrews up to speed and helps get our mindset in the right direction when we are fixing planes down range that are going out and doing missions."

Red Flag 15-2 included aircraft from 13 different Air Force squadrons stationed across the country as well as a unit from the Marine Corps.

"Being able to speak with people that fly other planes is a very valuable tool," Chitwood emphasized. "Rather than simulating that other aircraft are in the area, you are able to actually fly with them and learn their capabilities, becoming more familiar with other jets that you may work with in the future."

Chitwood noted that aircraft from United Arab Emirates and Norway also participated in the exercise.

"It was a lot of long hours and hard work," Chitwood said. "Watching everyone come together was the best part, and it was worth it."

Second Lt. Hannah Boeman, 28th AMXS assistant officer in charge of the 37th AMU, said it was great to focus on generating aircraft and getting to know the Airmen while on the flightline.

"We were able to fly all of our sorties on time without any major issues," Boeman stated. "It was a great execution of the mission."

Boeman noted that her Red Flag experience would not have been as successful or valuable without the help of the Airmen working day-to-day, maintaining the aircraft.

"I credit the Airmen that participated for making Red Flag 15-2 so successful," Hammond said. "All of their combined experiences are what really made the exercise a complete success."

Red Flag exercises have provided valuable training for more than 440,000 military personnel, including more than 145,000 aircrew members flying more than 385,000 sorties, logging more than 660,000 hours of flying time.

Year after year, each exercise continues to enhance the combat readiness of Ellsworth's aircrews and maintainers.