Page 1 - Desert Lightning News So. AZ Edition, September 2021
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Vol. 14, No. 9 Serving Southern Arizona’s military community, including Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Sept. 2021
Look for expanded coverage in the digital edition of Desert Lightning News and on
www.aerotechnews.com/davis-monthanafb/.
INSIDE
StorIES
Reserve Citizen Airman
awarded, 2
Commissary CLICK2GO, 3
Air Force religious
accommodation, 4
Tohono O’odham Nation, 5
Security Forces, 6/7
Pierre Sprey, 8
FEAtUrE
Senior Airman Alex M. Miller
A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II lands on a Michigan state highway in Alpena, Michigan, Aug. 5. Two A-10 Thunderbolt IIs
from the 354th Fighter Squadron and two A-10s from the Michigan Air National Guard’s 127th Wing landed on a state highway
as part of Northern Strike 21 — a large-scale training exercise. This is the first time in history that the Air Force has purposely
landed modern aircraft on a civilian roadway in the U.S.
Air Force A-10s land on Michigan state highway
Senior Airman Alex Miller by Senior Airman will allow us to get away from using built- number of areas we can operate from to
355th SFS beta teStS JACoB T. STepheNS up bases that our adversaries can target generate and deliver attack airpower by
See Page 6,7 by moving much more rapidly.” operating from dirt and pavement run-
355th Wing Public Affairs
Two C-146A Wolfhounds assigned to the ways. Accelerating change is all about
ALpeNA, Mich. — Four A-10 Thunder- Air Force Special Operations Command seizing every opportunity to move forward
bolt IIs from the 354th Fighter Squadron also executed highway landings as part to increase your readiness.”
and the Michigan Air National Guard’s of the exercise, highlighting the service’s Air Force senior leaders have empha-
127th Wing landed on a state highway as ability to integrate and employ diverse sized that ACE will play a crucial role in
part of Northern Strike 21 — a large-scale
training exercise — in Alpena, Michigan,
Continue to get Davis-Monthan Aug. 5. “We are increasing the number of areas we can oper-
Air Force Base latest news and This is the first time in history that the
information from these sources: Air Force has purposely landed modern ate from to generate and deliver attack airpower by
http://www.aerotechnews. aircraft on a civilian roadway in the United operating from dirt and pavement runways. Acceler-
com/davis-monthanafb States.
and social media The 355th Wing’s participation in this ating change is all about seizing every opportunity to
Desert Lightning News
exercise demonstrates the unit’s continued move forward to increase your readiness.”
Date of publication effort to refine its agile combat employ-
First Friday ment capabilities and Dynamic Wing con- — Lt. Col. Gary Glojek, 354th FS commander
cept, which improve its Airmen’s ability to
of the month operate from austere locations with limited
Submission deadline infrastructure and personnel. The A-10’s
15th day of the month ability to land on a variety of surfaces — missions in austere environments. These tomorrow’s fight as the nation’s focus shifts
landings align with U.S. Air Force Chief of
to near-peer competition. Training like this
like highways and unimproved landing
prior to date of publication strips — allows the Air Force to project Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr.’s “Accel- is critical in ensuring the 355th Wing and
Veterans combat airpower closer and more quickly. erate Change or Lose” strategic approach the total force are prepared to deter and,
“This proof of concept proves that we
by testing and proving innovative tactics
if necessary, defeat would-be adversaries.
can land on any highway and continue to that are not typically trained, which posi- “We are ready to get within striking
Tell us Your Story operate,” said Capt. John Renner, 354th FS tions the force to outpace any potential range, and we are ready to go generate and
Active-duty, Reserve, Retirees flight commander and one of the pilots who adversary. deliver attack airpower from thousands of
All military branches are included participated in the highway landing. “The “This is a small step toward increasing locations across the world,” Glojek said.
Email name, phone number and a A-10 allows us to land a lot more places to our confidence in operating from austere “We are going to continue to get lighter,
brief description of your service to get fuel, weapons and other armament so locations,” said Lt. Col. Gary Glojek, 354th faster, more maneuverable and more flex-
jenna@aerotechnews.com
we can operate anywhere, any time. This FS commander. “We are increasing the ible as we do that.”
