15th AMOS aids in exercise

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Angelo Brightwell
  • 15th Air Mobility Operations Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The 15th Air Mobility Operations Squadron recently wrapped up another year of successful training and planning by participating in the Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercises.

This annual, computer-assisted simulation exercise is designed to improve the alliance's ability to defend South Korea by sharpening senior leaders' decision-making capabilities.

The exercise focuses on training commanders and their staffs from both nations in planning, command and control operations, intelligence, logistics and evacuations procedures aimed at the defense of the Korean peninsula.

The 607th Air Operation Center's Air Mobility Division was manned by members of the 15th AMOS, 21st AMOS, 349th AMOS, 3rd Battle Coordination Detachment-Korea and the Republic of Korea. This multinational team worked side-by-side conducting worldwide crisis response, planning and command and control for air mobility assets.

"Organized information and communication are key elements to the success of joint air power," said a Korean air force major. The major is a flight nurse with the ROK aeromedical evacuation control team.

The exercise presented the AMD an excellent opportunity to showcase its commitment to air mobility and improve ROK and United States relationships.

During the exercise, the AMD exercised its capabilities to handle a variety of events through realistic scenarios focusing mainly on threats to the region during the ten-day exercise.

In the event of an actual attack, more than 100,000 U.S. citizens and their immediate family members would have to be evacuated from the Korean Peninsula to other safe haven locations. The Air Mobility Division worked closely with the noncombatant evacuation operation cell to streamline the evacuation processes of the Department of Defense in support of the Department of State.

The AMD maximizes its capability with the use of theater airlift in the area of responsibility by continuously communicating with the NEO cell.

"The revamped NEO process provided in-transit visibility from beginning to end like never before," said Master Sgt. Fred McMillan, a U.S. Air Mobility Control Team Requirements member.

Regardless of the many hurdles faced, this team of airmen stayed focused and committed to achieving the training objectives making this combined event a complete success. The AMD planned more than 800 missions moving in excess of 7,000 passengers, 6,000 tons of cargo and offloading 37 million pounds of fuel during the 10-day exercise, making this one of the most successful exercises to date.