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www.aerotechnews.com/davis-monthanafb Facebook.com/DesertLightningNews BUSHwACKER (from Page 20) required for future major combat operations. around theater to deliver rescue and attack, Air Force’s future employment strategies.
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BushwhAcker 21-07: Army CH-47 Chinooks from Ft. Carson, generation of lead wings and this showcases while also being able to provide command Through continuous training, DM Airmen
“Our Dynamic Wing fits into the first
balance the need for robust capabilities
and control to other forces. DM and its Air-
Colorado, and Army National Guards-
with the need for agility and the ability to
how we achieve that,” Turnham said. “It
men are continuously proving that we’re ag-
men from various states implementing
demonstrates how we provide command
ile, giving us operational unpredictability.”
relocate bases to new locations with mini-
a Joint Personnel Recovery Task Force
Exercises like Bushwhacker shape the
mal notice.
and control elements and move forces
Agile combat employment

by Staff Sgt. fend, sustain, operate, command and con-
KriStine Legate trol and relocate an airbase,” Nordhagen
said. “The team forward deployed to Gila
355th Wing Public Affairs Bend to minimize the distance from take-
Davis-Monthan Airmen implemented off location to the area of responsibility.
the Dynamic Wing concept with Exercise This reduced transit time, eliminated a
Bushwhacker 21-07, Oct. 4-8. reliance on in-flight refueling and created
This exercise helped broaden and re- enough on-station time to meet mission
fine skillsets DM Airmen gain from train- objectives.”
ing outside of their career specialties to Bushwhacker allowed DM Airmen
provide the wing the ability to rapidly to execute and test ACE processes and
deploy agile and self-sufficient forces. timelines to pack up, load and rees-
“Our Airmen are able to perform du- tablish wing facilities and command
ties outside of their Air Force Specialty and control structures at dynamically
Codes,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Leif identified forward locations. It incor-
Nordhagen, 355th Wing director of Ag- porated Guardian Angels, an HC-130J
ile Combat Employment. “On day one, Combat King II and A-10 Thunderbolt A U.S. Air Force Airman assigned to the 52nd Combat Communications
all personnel were aiding in setting up IIs from DM, Airmen on temporary Squadron from Robbins Air Force Base, Ga., sets up a satellite in a Photos by Staff Sgt. Kristine Legate
tents, providing security, and establish- duty assignment from out of state, U.S. simulated austere environment in Sunglow City Oct. 5, Davis-Monthan U.S. Air Force Airmen are settling in to an HC-130J Combat King II during Exercise Bushwhack-
ing internal and external communica- Air Force Base, Ariz. Bushwhacker allowed DM to execute and test agile er 21-07 at a forward operating base Oct. 5, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. This iteration of
tion — it didn’t matter if they were a See BUSHwHACKER, Page 21 combat employment processes and timelines to pack up, load and re- Bushwhacker focused on base operations and support, and a small element of DM’s Dynamic
communication or civil engineer troop, establish wing facilities and command and control structures at newly Wing participated in a simulated forward deployment to Gila Bend, Ariz., to establish as a short-
or a maintainer — they were chipping established locations. term contingency location.
in to get the job done.” U.S. Air Force Airmen prepare to defend
Multi-capable Airmen training held a forward operating base from simu-
lated adversaries during Exercise Bush-
at DM offers knowledge in expeditionary whacker 21-07 Oct. 5, Davis-Monthan
skills to fight and survive in contested Air Force Base, Ariz. DM’s multi-capable
and austere environments. This allows
DM to reduce the footprint and size of de- Airmen have developed expeditionary
ployed forces, enabling ACE capabilities. skills to fight and survive in contested
and austere environments.
“With evolving technology, our en-
emies’ weaponry can not only reach our
already established bases, but they can LEFT: A U.S. Air Force Airman radios
target them as well,” said U.S. Air Force in an update from a forward operating
Col. Joseph Turnham, 355th Wing com- base to Sunglow City during Exercise
mander. “We have to be able to move Bushwhacker 21-07 Oct. 5, Davis-Mon-
around, so that we’re not that easy fixed than Air Force Base, Ariz. Bushwhacker
target for our adversaries.” exercises are intended to improve upon
To combat that developing threat, the Dynamic Wing concept, testing and
ACE was introduced to reduce the depen- enhancing DM’s multi-capable Airmen
dency from those airfields by providing in establishing, sustaining and defend-
ing the base with organic command and
adaptable, self-sufficient forces. control.
“MCA are the foundation of ACE,”
Turnham said. “The whole premise of
this exercise is disaggregating our forces
across theater while still generating res-
cue and attack air power. They provide
us with the capabilities to spread out,
further complicating our adversaries’
targeting situation while also sustaining
our forces.”
This iteration of Bushwhacker focused
on base operations and support, while ob-
serving how Airmen effectively respond
to conventional and chemical, biologi-
cal, radiological, nuclear and high-yield
explosives, known as CBRNE, attacks.
A small element of DM’s Dynamic Wing
participated in a simulated forward de-
ployment to Gila Bend, Arizona, where Photos by Staff Sgt. Kristine Legate
they established a short-term contingen- U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and an HC-130J Combat King II along with U.S. Army CH-47 Chinooks from Ft. Carson,
cy location and faced simulated attacks Colo., are ready for simulated flight missions during Exercise Bushwhacker 21-07 Oct. 5, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base,
from adversaries. Ariz. Bushwhacker exercises are intended to improve upon the Dynamic Wing concept, testing and enhancing DM’s multi-
“Airmen executed how to set up, de- capable Airmen in establishing, sustaining and defending the base with organic command and control.