Page 2 - Desert Lightning News So. AZ Edition, March 2022

2 March 2022 Desert Lightning News Desert Lightning News March 2022 3
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A special tactics
operator from ACC’s Agile Battle Lab accelerates austere
the 24th Special
Operations Wing
guides an A-10
Thunderbolt II from
the Michigan Air communication capabilities for squadrons
National Guard’s
127th Wing as it
lands on a closed
public highway
Aug. 5, 2021 at
Alpena, Michigan,
as part of a train-
ing exercise during
Northern Strike 21.
The joint training
event tested part of
the agile employ-
ment concept. ACC
is evolving its or-
ganizational struc-
tures, warfighting
concept of opera-
tions, force presen-
tation and genera-
tion models, and
how it prepares its
Airmen to ensure
they are ready for
a battlespace that
is vastly different
than what they
have experienced
over the past two
Staff Sgt. Ridge Shan decades. Airman 1st Class Mia Hanna, 355th
Operations Squadron intelligence
Fight (from Page 1) receive follow-on forces, generate missions Combat oriented Maintenance or- men who perform Agile Combat Support roles analyst, performs a system check
and project combat airpower. ganization like security forces, civil engineers, logistics, on newly established austere com-
“But now, peer adversaries have the Garrison Wing organization: A-Staff Closer to the flight line, Airmen in communications, medical and others will be munication capabilities for the 354th
ability to attack our air bases. They will and Groups ACC’s aircraft maintenance squadrons task-organized into an Air Base Squadron Fighter Squadron at Davis-Monthan
contest our logistics and they will interrupt The most visible change to Airmen join- are re-organized into the Combat Oriented assigned to a deploying Lead Wing. Air Force Base, Arizona, Feb. 17,
our command and control. We can’t rely on ing ACC will be that their Wing now has a Maintenance Organization. New Mission These functions were traditionally crowd 2022. Personnel from Air Combat
fighting from traditional sanctuary bases, fulltime A-Staff working alongside existing Generation Squadrons align maintenance sourced from across the Air Force, with Command’s Agile Battle Lab and the
so the Air Force is changing to meet the Groups. Instead of the ad hoc battle staff efforts with operations. This concept, first teams often meeting for the first time after 5th Combat Communications Group
challenge,” he continued. that stands up in response to an issue or implemented at Shaw AFB’s 20th Fighter stepping off the deployment rotator. Building traveled to the base to train and equip
“There is no choice, but to change,” crisis, the A-Staff will permanently exist to Wing, pairs maintainers in a squadron cohesive teams before deploying will enable the 354th Fighter Squadron with new
stated Kelly. “After three plus years of support wing and group commanders be- responsible for aircraft health and sortie Air Base Squadrons to move and generate tools to improve command, control
experimentation, we’ve learned there are fore a crisis emerges. Airmen will have the generation alongside a flying squadron. The combat power faster from forward operat- and communication capabilities dur-
significant gaps in our garrison structure structures and tools to operate in a joint two units will work collaboratively at home ing bases. ing Agile Combat Employment.
and force presentation. We must be ready model and learn what it means to execute — training the way they will fight — so there Multi-Capable Airmen and Agile
for crises at home or deployed before crisis the joint planning process, generate orders, is unity of effort before deploying. Combat employment
occurs. We’re closing gaps in unity of effort and execute the commander’s intent just Lead Wings Mission generation Airmen performed TOP LEFT: Master Sgt. Andrea Murray,
and command and control and working like their sister service counterparts. Finally, to ensure its Airmen are ready to specialized tasks and duties at established intelligence integration manager Air
our Global Force Management to present Several Wings, to include those at Moody, respond to any global crisis, ACC built Lead air bases in the past. In the future, teams of Combat Command Agile Battle Lab,
forces in a sustainable construct to avoid Mountain Home, Seymour Johnson and Wings that can rapidly deploy and provide trained Multi-Capable Airmen will recover, and Senior Airman Michael Lane, 5th
continued readiness declines. In the past, Beale AFBs, developed and tested this a cohesive fighting force ready to execute refuel, reload and launch aircraft both at Combat Communications Group net-
we routinely formed ad hoc battle staffs new A-Staff structure. What they found as a high-performing team from the start. fixed bases and austere, temporary locations. work technician, review a communica-
to manage an emerging crisis and we’ve is it enables the commander to have the Now, Airmen will train together in gar- This enables Agile Combat Employment by tion equipment checklist in a simulated
learned that this A-Staff must be formed big picture needed for the Wing to execute rison during the AFFORGEN Prepare and maintaining a nimble and reduced footprint austere location at Davis-Monthan Air
and functional before a crisis appears. We cross-functional decision making with Ready phases, becoming a high performing, that can project combat power, while miti- Force Base, Arizona, Feb. 17, 2022.
also deployed our warfighters forward speed and agility, as the Groups focus on task-organized team that is ready to deploy gating logistics under attack and thwarting
to form a cohesive fighting force and we executing their functions. in the Available phase. Lead Wings are an other adversary threats. LEFT: U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Tyler Mc-
must acknowledge that a peer adversary 4-Phase Force Generation aggregated force package comprised of an What’s next? Guire, 354th Fighter Squadron Intel-
requires that we establish high-performing In addition to structurally changing expeditionary A-Staff for command and ACC plans to implement this new Wing ligence Flight chief, positions a Starlink
teams before combat. Finally, we must be the Wings, Airmen across the Air Force control, Operations Squadrons and their A-Staff structure in all its Wings by Decem- communication satellite dish in a simu-
ready to operate in an environment where are now aligned in a four-phase force partner Mission Generations Squadrons, ber 2022 through focusing on staff training, lated austere location at Davis-Monthan
we must outmaneuver our adversaries. We generation model. Moving away from and an Air Base Squadron. standardizing techniques, tactics, and pro- Air Force Base, Arizona, Feb. 17, 2022.
should be operating the same way whether the current AEF process structured for Lead Wings with their A-Staff are opti- cedures, and Wing readiness exercises. This Photos by Capt. Elias J. Small
it’s training, crisis ops, or combat. A stan- supporting counterinsurgency opera- mized to aggregate and disaggregate ca- is just the beginning of the immense culture
dardized wing structure and warfighting tions, the new model ensures forces are pabilities with close linkage to Numbered shift that ACC is undertaking to prepare for
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units are required to meet the challenges no longer consumed faster than they can Air Force, Major Command, and Joint Task the future. rial content for Desert Lightning News. The editor website, the Armed Forces Information Service, ment, Department of Defense or the Department
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we’re facing. We must ‘accelerate change’ regenerate. The new AF Force Generation Force command and control structures. “We live in an increasingly complex global will edit or rewrite submitted material for clarity, staff writers and other sources. All advertising is this publication, including inserts or supplements,
because the status quo won’t work.” model enables units to build sustainable, Back at home station, the Group staff will security environment, characterized by overt brevity or to conform to the Associated Press Style handled by Aerotech News and Review. For busi- does not constitute endorsement of the products
To meet the challenge, ACC began its high-end readiness. Restructured into four continue to perform garrison missions while challenges to a free and open international Guide, local policy and Air Force style as required ness advertising, call 877-247-9288 or email Sandi or services advertised by the DLN, DOD, Air
transformation with the ‘organize’ step phases — Available, Reset, Prepare, and the Lead Wing conducts expeditionary order and the re-emergence of strategic Staff by Air Force Instruction 35-101. Contributions Bueltel at sbueltel@aerotechnews.com. Force or Aerotech News and Review. Everything
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of its organize, train and equip mission, Ready — that span a 24-month cycle, AF- operations. ACC will have five Lead Wings competition where we no longer control the Publisher ...............................................................................Paul Kinison editor at jenna@aerotechnews.com. Submission News and Review, a private firm in no way con- able for purchase, use or patronage without regard
optimizing Combat Air Forces for Agile FORGEN balances deployments against tasked and scheduled to deploy within the rheostat of time,” said Kelly. “Our Airmen, Business Manager ................................................................Lisa Kinison deadlines are the 15th day prior to the month of nected with the U.S. Air Force, under written to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age,
Combat Employment and peer competition building readiness. It also gives Airmen AFFORGEN cycle by October 2022. organizational constructs, warfighting con- Editor ...................................................................................Jenna Bigham publication. Submissions will be based on space agreement with the 355th Fighter Wing. Contents marital status, physical handicap, political affilia-
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where they must be able to rapidly insert time and space to strengthen cohesion Air Base Squadrons cepts, force generation, and our Air Force, Advertising Representative ................................................Sandi Bueltel information from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base ficial views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Govern- user or patron.
forces, establish logistics and communica- with the same teammates that they will A major portion of the Lead Wing is the must change to meet the challenge, before Designer ..................................................................................Tinna Sellie
tion with theater command and control, deploy with. formation of an Air Base Squadron. Some Air- the shooting starts.” Published by Aerotech News and Review, Inc. • 877- 247-9288 • www.aerotechnews.com