SecAF visits Nellis AFB, Airmen innovation showcased

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Terri Barriere
  • 57th Wing Public Affairs

Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett visited Nellis Air Force Base Aug. 10-12 to see firsthand how Nellis AFB Airmen are driving innovation for the future.

Barrett, who also serves as the first civilian leader of the Space Force, spoke with Airmen from the Test and Evaluation Data Lab, the Virtual Test and Training Center, the Shadow Operations Control Center-Nellis, and the team responsible for the conduct of Red Flag exercises, to gain a broader understanding of the work the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center performs for warfighters.

“To protect the nation, Nellis Air Force Base’s education programs develop exceptionally trained Airmen while exercise programs advance operationally significant capabilities,” Barrett said. “Innovation and integration across joint and allied forces maintain the Department of the Air Force’s singular defense leadership.”

While on base, Barrett received a briefing on the 57th Wing’s advanced training programs from Brig. Gen. Michael Drowley, Nellis AFB commander.

“The resources Nellis (AFB) provides for training, from the Nevada Test and Training Range to the VTTC, don’t exist anywhere else in the world,” Drowley said. “Since her first day in office, Secretary Barrett has been a champion for ensuring Nellis (AFB) Airmen have what they need to prepare our Air Force warfighters for current and future fights, and it’s an honor to be able to show her in person what her support has meant for us.”

Barrett’s conversations with Nellis AFB leaders focused on the base’s role in agile software development, operational training and test infrastructure, and the various command and control efforts taking place across the Department of the Air Force, including Joint All Domain Command and Control and the Advanced Battle Management System. The visit also included a discussion on the Warfare Center’s advanced training mission, with a focus on Red Flag 20-3, which is currently underway and is the first Red Flag exercise since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maj. Gen. Charles Corcoran, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center commander, said his team appreciated the opportunity to highlight their unique contributions. According to Corcoran, “Resources such as the data lab and VTTC, in combination with the C2 efforts currently underway, will revolutionize our joint and partner forces’ ability to present dilemmas to competitors in any future conflict.”