Airmen join Sailors, Marines for JASEX 05

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Gerardo Gonzalez
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan (AFPN) --  Airmen from Kadena and Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, sharpened their joint warfighting skills during a third annual multiservice exercise designed to bring together U.S. air and naval power in the Pacific.

The Joint Air and Sea Exercise 2005 also lured in about 30 Navy and Marine Corps aircraft and crews into Kadena to participate in the weeklong exercise that began Aug. 7.

The exercise demonstrated U.S. commitment in the western Pacific, but for Airmen it represents something even more tangible, U.S. Pacific Command officials said.

“JASEX provides outstanding training opportunities,” said Capt. Brian Bell, an F-15 Eagle pilot assigned to the 18th Operations Support Squadron here.

One of the advantages of an exercise of this magnitude is the “dissimilar” training gained, Captain Bell said. Flying against different types and models of aircraft expands the pilots’ experience versus always flying against similar jets.

Eagle pilots here flew against Navy and Marine aircraft and also alongside F-15E Strike Eagles from the 391st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron from Mountain Home.

“This deployment represents the first opportunity for almost the entire squadron to train in the Pacific region,” said Lt. Col. Brian Kirkwood, 391st EFS commander. “JASEX provides the squadron an excellent chance to work with other Air Force assets, as well as Navy and Marine squadrons, which is not something we often get to do.”

Another bonus for the 391st FS Airmen is that they get to work in a joint environment while serving in a deployed location, Colonel Kirkwood said.

The 391st EFS is deployed here for about one month as part of an air and space expeditionary force tasking.

“We are all excited to be here,” said Capt. Chad Shenk, a 391st EFS pilot. “This exercise greatly increases our awareness of and the different aspects the other services bring to the table.”

Being here also promotes great camaraderie among the services, Captain Shenk said.

Exercise participants also included Kadena’s KC-135 Stratotankers, HH-60G Pave Hawks, E-3 Sentries, and the Navy’s USS Kitty Hawk Carrier Strike Group, including the embarked air wing.

Besides fighter operations, the exercise brought Airmen and Sailors together in other functions such as combat rescue.

The exercise is scheduled to end Aug. 13.