28th Bomb Wing participating in Green Flag East

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jarad A. Denton
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. (AFNS) --  Airmen of the 28th Bomb Wing here are participating in a joint-service exercise at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Nov. 5 through 14.

The exercise, known as "Green Flag East," will hone the combat skills of B-1B Lancer aircrews and maintainers.

"The focus of GF East will be on close-air support operations," said Capt. Jeffrey Strange, a 37th Bomb Squadron pilot. "It's a realistic exercise that tests us on the tactics and skills being used downrange, right now."

Captain Strange said Ellsworth Airmen will have the opportunity to work side-by-side with U.S. Army troops for a more realistic experience. GF East gives the B-1 aircrews a chance to integrate themselves into combat training and learn how close-air support fits into downrange operations.

"There are no virtual simulations involved," Captain Strange said. "This is the real deal. We're training how we fight."

The added realism of GF East will put Ellsworth aircrews as close as they can get to a combat deployment without having to leave the United States, Captain Strange said. The advantage of this real-world exercise versus a computer simulation comes from the variable factors players have to adapt to. Many human factors, during intense training or real-world combat, are things which can't often be scripted into a scenario.  They must be experienced and overcome in the moment.

"GF East is incredibly important because it focuses on the type of conflict occurring today," he said. "The exercise also addresses some of the issues we face downrange when working with other services. The training ensures those issues don't become problems during combat."

Lt. Col. Steven Biggs, the 37th BS commander, said the exercise is a fantastic opportunity for Ellsworth Airmen to train with Army soldiers.

"It's a two way street when we work with the Army," Colonel Biggs said. "The realistic scenarios provide their own unique challenges, which the players have to meet. It all ties into our upcoming deployment in January.   The harder we train now, the better we will perform downrange."