Officials cancel Red Flag exercise Published Jan. 14, 2003 By 2nd Lt. Anna Siegel Air Combat Command Public Affairs LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFPN) -- Air Combat Command officials have cancelled the Red Flag exercise scheduled later this month at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., because of real-world taskings.Red Flag, a realistic combat-training exercise involving U.S. and allied forces, is conducted on the bombing and gunnery ranges at Nellis and is run by the base's 414th Combat Training Squadron."Red Flag has been cancelled in the past for other real-world contingencies such as (operations) Desert Shield (and) Desert Storm and actions in Kosovo," said Lt. Col. Kris Bucklew, the deputy chief of exercises and joint operations for ACC.All other joint ACC exercises are still on schedule, Bucklew said.Red Flag lasts two, four or six weeks depending on its specific purpose and is held several times a year, said Col. Ronald Mittenzwei, commander of the 414th CTS. The purpose depends on whether the attendees are composed solely of U.S. forces or if allied forces are participating.The January Red Flag was scheduled for U.S. participants only. The cancellation frees up 24 units and nearly 2,800 people from the Air Force, Navy, Marines and Army."The 4th Fighter Wing from Seymour Johnson (AFB, N.C.,) was scheduled to be our lead wing for this Red Flag, and they received deployment orders," Mittenzwei said. "Without the lead wing's participation, we were concerned that the other units involved wouldn't get the full benefit of the Red Flag experience." (Courtesy of ACC News Service)