ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. -- Since 1984, the South Dakota National Guard, along with guard units across the country, have held a two-week joint exercise known as Golden Coyote in the Black Hills National Forest, Custer State Park and Ellsworth AFB.
Each year, Guard and active-duty units join forces with allied nations to participate in relevant training opportunities in support of overseas contingency operations and homeland support missions. In order for the mission to succeed, Ellsworth provides logistical support, a lodging area at Camp Lancer on base, and the runway for participating aircraft.
“Golden Coyote is a joint training exercise for all components [of the military], however, it is mostly attended by National guard and Army Reserve units,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Todd Bartunek, South Dakota Army National Guard state training officer. “We also have a strong contingent of allied partners that participated, such as Canada, Denmark and the United Kingdom.”
During the exercise, participating units supported real-world projects – engineers renovated buildings on Camp Rapid, logistical units provided all troop locations with classes of supply, medical personnel were stationed throughout the training areas, and humanitarian missions were conducted on five local Native American reservations, Bartunek said.
Ellsworth supported a portion of the exercise by hosting more than 725 personnel in locations across the base, and acting as the staging site for many aircraft, to include four Republic of Singapore Air Force CH-47 D Chinooks, and eight U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers. In addition, many 28th Bomb Wing Airmen were able to participate in training events at the SDNG's West Camp Rapid facility, such as urban, dismounted and mounted patrols, a leadership reaction course and firearms training, among others.
“These exercises are a learning event for both [guard and allied nation units],” Bartunek added. “Both have the opportunity to experience a different way of accomplishing a mission, taking the best practices from both parties to achieve the same end state.”
Canadian Army Capt. Brad Young, 41 Canadian Brigade Group headquarters public affairs officer, added being able to see nations working together and how they operate gives them an opportunity to view similarities and differences between procedures, and how to build upon them.
“The biggest takeaway is the sense of accomplishment,” Bartunek added. “The engineers are conducting real-world projects – soccer fields are being constructed, roads are built, concrete is poured, buildings are renovated – and the logisticians are faced with challenges that pertain to the distance on the battlefield and how they are going to make it all happen.”