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9RO1R  Serving Southern Arizona’s military community, including Davis-Monthan Air Force Base      February 5, 2016

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Cactus Flag

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       (U.S. Air Force photo by Airmen 1st Class Ashley N. Steffen)

U.S. Air Force Airmen Benjamin Vance, 355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, marshals an A-10C Thunderbolt II during the Cactus Flag exercise at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., Jan.
12, 2016. The exercise assessed ability to support and conduct combat operations and integrate tactically in real world operations.

Airman 1st Class Ashley N. Steffen                   spection Team gather a broader evaluation of the     said Staff Sgt. Matthew Ruggiero, 355th Aircraft
                                                     355th Fighter Wing’s readiness and compliance        Maintenance Squadron crew chief. “It is up to
355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs                    arming all commanders with a more accurate           the more experienced Airmen to teach how to
                                                     picture of unit effectiveness.” said U.S. Air Force   cope with the stress and how to keep their head
   DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz.               Master Sgt. Mark H. Molineaux, 355th Fighter         up in a faster paced environment.”
-- The 355th Fighter Wing held the first large force  Wing inspections superintendent.
employment and expeditionary exercise this year                                                              Real world events rarely play out in an orderly
from Jan. 11-15 known as Cactus Flag.                   Everyone plays a role during emergencies, de-     fashion. Exercising allows Airmen to experience
                                                     ployments and normal operations. Where one           scenarios in a safe environment, expose potential
   Cactus Flag brought a unique spin to the usual    unit excels, another may be weak. Targeted train-    flaws or areas of improvement. Using the infor-
exercise routine. The exercise tested the 355th      ing allows for growth in areas that are usually not  mation and experience from exercises allows for
Fighter Wing on a broad scope of expeditionary       flexed.                                               preparation to face real world events according
skills across all units. Normally an exercise, cen-                                                       to Molineaux.
ters around one scenario, location, and threat.         Every unit are trained on situations that fo-
Rather than having each individual unit react to     cused on their personal response requirements           “I’ve personally seen a lot of motivation from
a single overarching scenario such as, an active     such exercises like a vehicle rollover, deployed     the Desert Lightning Team this week,” said Mo-
shooter, each unit was given a flexible range to      environment, dust storm or active shooter.           lineaux. “The buy-in and hustle has been nothing
develop personalized settings.                                                                            short of inspiring. I’m proud to be a part of the
                                                        “The exercise is definitely a little stressful on  team!”
   “This new construct is helping the Wing In-       the new Airmen; they haven’t done this before,”
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