Combat Readiness Exercise: Operation Pacific Eagle

As the Air Force prepares for modern conflicts that require Airmen to adapt beyond traditional mission training, Operation Pacific Eagle provided the 133rd Airlift Wing an opportunity to test its readiness in contested environments and identify capability gaps.

The three-day combat readiness exercise integrated Airmen across different career fields through scenarios designed to replicate the uncertainty of a real-world battlefield. Airmen responded to unanticipated situations while continuing to perform their primary duties.

“We have seen a challenging shift in the warfighting dynamic over the last six months. Our goal is to prepare our Airmen for these rapidly evolving threat scenarios in highly contested environments,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Pete Ament, deputy commander of the 133rd Airlift Wing. “As deputy wing commander, success for me is training. I am less concerned about the grade and more concerned about Airman readiness and exposure to warfighting challenges.”

The exercise provided leadership with insight into areas requiring additional training. Ament emphasized that adaptability will be critical in contested environments, where Airmen may be required to work outside their normal roles.

“The most dangerous thing any Air Force Airman can say right now is, ‘That’s not my job,’” Ament said.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class George Dawson, a financial analyst with the 133rd Comptroller Flight, experienced the exercise in a non-traditional capacity after being selected for the Post-Attack Reconnaissance (PAR) team. The team conducts sweeps following an attack to identify contamination and other hazards before personnel can safely exit protective shelters. For Dawson, the exercise reinforced the importance of treating training seriously and learning from mistakes.

“Success in this exercise is about making sure that we’re doing our very best to systematically go through each problem set and solve it from start to finish,” Ament said. “I am very proud of the effort and adaptability our Airmen demonstrated, and seeing the wing work together to prepare for whatever challenges are thrown our way.”

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.