HYRDA '08 diverse, challenging

  • Published
  • By Col. Mark Dillon
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing commander
TRAVIS AFB, Calif. --  This weekend the 615th Contingency Response Wing kicks off Hydra '08, the largest Air Force contingency exercise on the West Coast. This will be the second year the 615th CRW has hosted the Hydra exercise and the planners have designed a robust scenario that will showcase their motto: "lean, light, first to the fight." 

The 615th CRW is a relatively new organization. They've been part of Team Travis for three years and within that time the wing has grown into a vibrant organization that can create an Air Force presence wherever necessary with minimum notice. You might think of them as the Air Force 9-1-1. Because they are a lean organization, they are able to get out the door very quickly and with a very light footprint, but still support many of the functions of a full Air Expeditionary Wing. 

The Airmen of the 615th CRW train to respond to a variety of operational demands. They provide mission-ready airfield assessment teams, airfield operations, command and control, aerial port and aircraft maintenance personnel, as well as airlift, weather, medical, intelligence, air traffic control, security forces, finance, fuels, supply and contracting personnel to project and sustain forces worldwide. 

Each will have an opportunity to demonstrate their skills during Hydra '08 when they and their joint partners face a series of possible post-earthquake scenarios after a region has experienced a massive earthquake and the resulting tsunami. 

Although only one of many tremendous CRW training events taking place during Hydra, a new capability for the CRW will be tested as the 570th Contingency Response Group will receive an evaluation in performing Transportation Command's Joint Task Force-Port 
Opening or JTF-PO. 

This new role for the 615th requires close coordination with a supporting Army unit to move cargo that flew in by air out by Army truck to a forward staging area. This capability will be invaluable in providing seamless transportation of supply and people to support our troops in combat or to replenish an area suffering from a natural disaster. 

As an indicator of the importance of the 615th CRW in today's defense environment, compare Hydra '08 with Hydra '07. Last years' exercise included 300 participants and ten aircraft. Hydra '08 involves more than 1,000 participants and 22 aircraft from 13 wings from across the United States. During the exercise, the 615th CRW, multiple Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, Air Force, Marine and Army units will integrate and train jointly. 

To jumpstart Hydra 08, five C-17 Globemaster IIIs will airlift soldiers from the 82nd Airborne, Fort Bragg, N.C. who will, in turn, parachute onto one of five separate airfields that will be used during the exercise. And it only gets better from there! 

Airmen from the 60th AMW and our reserve associate wing, the 349th AMW, will do their part as well. At the start, we'll provide 12-hour initial response support, providing full deployment functions from July 12 to 13. As just one example, our Deployment Control Center will direct the deployment of two contingency response groups and provide full personnel and cargo deployment facility support at two of the exercise locations.
HYDRA '08 has already gained high-level interest. Gen. Arthur Lichte, Commander Air Mobility Command and Brig. Gen. Robert Kane, 18th Air Force vice commander are among six general officers who have scheduled a visit during the exercise to learn more about contingency response operations. 

Hydra '08 provides the 615th CRW a venue where they can demonstrate their unique skills and their key role in AMC and, ultimately in the Department of Defense. As their partners on Team Travis, we wish them the very best and look forward to working with them to show the Air Force and the DoD how the 615th CRW is truly "lean, light, first to the fight."