573rd GSS takes part in Exercise Joint Fortune

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Charlie Myrick and Maj. Bruce Schussler
  • 573rd Global Support Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The 573rd Global Support Squadron recently conducted Exercise Joint Fortune 2007, which simulated a rapid response to a humanitarian relief operation and provided essential deployed command and control, maintenance, and aerial port training for 615th Contingency Response Wing members.

With the support from the 60th and 349th Air Mobility Wings, the 573rd GSS deployed members to two different locations: a 48-member Contingency Response Element to Merced Airport in Atwater, Calif., and a 19-member Contingency Response Team to Fort Hunter-Liggett, Calif.

At the deployed locations, the CRE and CRT controlled, loaded, maintained, launched and recovered C-130J models from both the United States Marines Corps' Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352 at Miramar and from the 146th Airlift Wing, California Air National Guard, Channel Islands.

The Portland Air National Guard's Special Tactics Team also played a key role, controlling the landing zone at Hunter-Liggett.

With both the CRT and CRE forward deployed to the initial staging base, the USMC airdropped their Special Tactics Team into the "disaster region" to secure the airstrip and support all follow-on relief efforts.

With the runway secure, the CRT then forward deployed to Hunter-Liggett via C-130 to begin airlift operations.

"The airfield environment and operations conducted at Hunter-Liggett are very similar to those our team will face in a real world contingency," said Lt. Col. Charlie Myrick, 573rd GSS chief of expeditionary operations.

Following the airdrop, both the CRE and CRT supported four C-130s and HH-60, providing round-robin airlift missions between Merced and Hunter-Liggett.

To add to a bit more realism and provide training for both CRW and C-130 personnel, nearly all operations were conducted at night with the aid of night vision goggles.

"Blacked-out operations at remote fields comprise the CRW's most difficult and demanding mission," Maj. Wayne Murrietta, CRE ops officer.

Throughout the exercise, the deployed teams conducted numerous engine running on-loads/off-loads as well as combat off-loads to complete aircrew and CRW training.
The CRE and CRT also engaged in team building events, ability-to-survive and operate training, and core-skill training.
"The training received through this exercise and future events like it is invaluable for all participating units," said Maj. Andy Sellberg, 615th CRW's chief of wing training.
The exercise concluded with redeployment back to Travis via a 60th AMW C-5 Galaxy.

Due to the nature of its mission, the 615th CRW and it squadrons continually train in preparation for the nation's next short-notice call to dispatch a team, anywhere in the world, to facilitate America's power projection.