Page 3 - Desert Lightning News, Nellis-Creech AFB Edition, January 7, 2022

2 January 7, 2022 Year in review Desert lightning news s. nevaDa Desert lightning news s. nevaDa Year in review January 7, 2022 3
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A look back at 2021 Red Flag 21-1 kicks off at Nellis Red Flag 21-2 gets underway at Nellis Hunters showcase RPA Enterprise,

infrastructure, resilience to COMACC

Gen. Mark Kelly, commander of Air Combat Command,
By Stuart Ibberson schools graduated students. Airmen speaks with Lt. Col. Timothy, 432nd Support Squadron
Editor deployed to Afghanistan to assist with commander, during a site visit of future 732nd Operations
Operation Allied Rescue, and New Group facilities, at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., March 8, 2021.
When the clock struck midnight on Mexico to assist the newly arrived Kelly and Command Chief Master Sgt. David Wade, ACC, met
Dec. 31, 2020, most were convinced refugees. with units across the installation to receive briefings on the
that the New Year would be better than Indoor dining reopened, live music Remotely Piloted Aircraft Enterprise’s mission, readiness,
the old. was again heard on base, and people Air Force photograph by Airman 1st Class William Rio Rosado deployed assets and Airmen morale and welfare.
After almost a year of COVID-19, started going about their lives.
lockdowns, teleworking, and remote However, in what could be considered
school, two new vaccines had received a case of déjà vu, cases of COVID-19 are 365th ISRG breaking ground for new Nellis AFB facility
Air Force photograph by Senior Airman Dwane R. Young
emergency use authorization, and again on the rise (with the new omicron An F-35A Lightning II fighter jet assigned to the 62nd
people were lining up to get vaccinated variant the predominant strain), and Air Force photograph by Senior Airman Dylan Murakami Fighter Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., lands for Nellis Air Force Base and 16th Air
in the hope their lives could return to Nellis leadership has again moved the An Airman assigned to the 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., walks Red Flag 21-2 at Nellis AFB, Nev., March 4, 2021. The Force leaders break ground for a
normality. base to Health Protection Condition across a B-2 Spirit at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Jan. 22, 2021. The B-2 is a multi-role unit has highly-experienced coalition instructor pilots new 365th Intelligence Surveillance
Vaccines became widely available on Charlie. bomber capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear munitions. Several B-2s
military installations around the world, But we are hopeful for 2022 — not participated in Red Flag 21-1 to demonstrate the capability of U.S. global strike assets. who will be in a unique position to mentor U.S. and and Reconnaissance Group training
coalition participants. Red Flag 21-2 ran March 8-19. This
facility at Nellis AFB, Nev., March 25,
stop movement orders were lifted, and least because the men and women of Red Flag 21-1 ran Jan. 25-Feb. 12, and is one of the U.S. Air Force’s largest combat iteration of Red Flag will host 2,500 U.S. and international 2021. The new facility will enable
life slowly got back to some semblance Nellis and Creech Air Force Bases, and training exercises. The 57th Wing’s 414th Combat Training Squadron conducts Red participants from a dozen states, Singapore, Sweden and Airmen to share information across
of normal. the NTTR have proven they are up to Flag exercises to provide aircrews the experience of multiple, intensive air combat seven NATO member nations. The 20th Fighter Wing from 5th Generation Tactical Aircrafts
During 2021, life at Nellis, Creech and the challenge. sorties in the safety of a training environment. Starting off the 2021 season, Red Flag
the NTTR slowly reopened. In this special issue of Desert Light- 21-1 hosted about 2,400 participants from nearly 20 states, three nations and several Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., will take the lead wing position and provide situational awareness
as nearly 100 aircraft, such as the F-35, F-16, EA-18G, B-1,
to command and control nodes,
Nellis welcomed service members ning News, we take a look back at 2021; sister services and included an array of aircraft such as the F-22, F-35, F-16, EA-18G, F-15E
enabling better operational decisions,
from around the world for Red Flag, and wish all our readers a very Happy and A-10. The 509th Bomb Wing took the lead wing position, and the B-1B Lancer and KC-135, AWACs, and HH-60 participate in complex mission Air Force photograph by Tech. Sgt. Alexandre Montes as well as faster tactical decisions.
scenarios against aggressor forces.
flight testing continued apace, and New Year! B-2 Spirit integrated into the training, increasing interoperability.
15th AF commander visits Nellis Air Traffic Control Nellis Ink; Tattoo parlor opens at Nellis Nellis Defenders ramp up training

Tower receives ACC award Alberto Reyes, Nellis Ink tattoo artist, Senior Airman Wesley Stumbaugh, 99th
Security Forces Squadron tactical response
wipes U.S. Air Force Col. Anthony Figiera’s,
99th Mission Support Group commander, team member, enters a room under smoke
Air Traffic controllers assigned to the 57th Operations Support arm prior to pretending to give Figiera a cover during a training exercise at Nellis
Squadron monitor the runway during Red Flag 21-1 at Nellis tattoo during a grand opening event at Air Force Base, Nev., April 7, 2021. TRT
Air Force Base, Nev., Feb 1, 2021. After supporting multiple Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., March 4, 2021. members are required to attend Special
exercises and training for countless hours for proficiency and Reyes has been tattooing for five years Response Team training, where they focus
expertise, the 57th OSS ATC team was awarded the Air Combat and was mentored by a competitor on Ink on marksmanship and high-risk incident
Command 2020 D. Ray Hardin ATC Facility of the Year and Air Master. This is the first non-appropriated response such as terrorist incidents,
Air Force photograph by Tech. Sgt. Alexandre Montes traffic Controller Training Achievement. fund tattoo parlor on an Air Force base. barricaded incidents, drug raids, high-risk
It is part of the Arts and Crafts Center on warrant apprehensions and active-shooter
Air Force photograph by Airman 1st Class Zachary Rufus scenarios. The 99th SFS continues to
Maj. Gen. Chad P. Franks, 15th Air Force commander, Nellis Airmen thanked by president Air Force photograph by Senior Airman Dylan Murakami the installation. modify and advance its training to prepare
flips a coin to Tech. Sgt. Aaron Linnean, 855th for potential threats and effectively protect
Aircraft Maintenance Squadron noncommissioned Nellis and its neighboring communities.
officer in charge of Aircraft Structural Material, President Joseph Biden greets Col. Danny Nellis hosts mutli-capable Airmen In addition to consistent proficiency and
at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Jan. 6, 2021. Franks Wong, Commander, 64th Expeditionary readiness exercises, the 99th SFS has been
flipped coins to Airmen to keep a safe social Medical Operations Squadron, during the training to increase airpower capabilities Air Force photograph by Senior Airman Dwane R. Young actively seeking specialized training.
distance between them. As the commander of President’s visit to the state-run, federally-
15th Air Force, Franks is responsible for Air Combat supported COVID-19 Community Vaccination Airmen participating in
Command’s conventional forces. The 15th Air Multi-Capable Airman 57th Operations Group welcomes new commander
Force helps advise, assist, advocate and assess Center at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, t r ain in g p r a c t i c e
the wings to generate mission success. Franks, Feb. 26, 2021. Wong is assigned to the 99th providing care under
and 15th Air Force Command Chief Master Sgt. Dental Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, fire during an exercise at
Benjamin Hedden visited Nellis and Creech Air Nev. During his visit, the President met with Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.,
Force Bases Jan. 6, 2020, to congratulate Airmen for the Airmen and Soldiers who supported April 30, 2021. During this
their outstanding work. Several units at both bases Harris County, the State of Texas, and Federal training, the instructors
were assigned to 15th Air Force upon its activation Emergency Management Agency efforts to focused on the first few
in August 2020. Army photograph by Maj. Doug Halleaux vaccinate the public for COVID-19. hours of medical care
the Airmen might need
to provide to injured
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Stuart Ibberson, Editor the Department of Defense or the Department of the affiliation or any other non-merit factor of the Corrections: Desert Lightning News staff basic combatant skills, Operations Group commander, Col. Scott Mills, during a change of command ceremony
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Sandy Bueltel, Advertising Sales Air Force. purchaser, user or patron. If you notice an error in fact, contact the Desert weapons reloading, heavy at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., April 9, 2021. Mills will be leading men and women who
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