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Patriot Sands lands at Hunter

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jonathan Lane
  • 315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

The distinct sound of helicopters hovering mixed with the roar of jet engines and automatic weapons fire from a nearby range filled the air on a cool, sunny day in southeast Georgia. Busy crews jointly worked to accomplish their tasks, while in a simulated deployed environment. 

Members from the 315th Airlift Wing’s Airlift Control Flight initiated Patriot Sands, a training exercise that kicked off here Feb. 17.  

The exercise incorporated the resources of several ALCF (pronounced: al-sif) units as well as affiliate agencies such as the FBI’s Rapid Response Team and the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team.

ALCF is a rapid response unit comprised of experienced airlift and operations team members. This includes Airmen from nine Air Force career fields, who manage, coordinate and control air mobility assets in austere locations under combat conditions. Unit members are ready to deploy to any part of the world in 36 hours.

“Exercises like Patriot Sands are essential to our mission,” said Maj. John Ramsey, 315th ALCF “Swampfox” commander. “The pilots get to experience heavier loads than they normally do. The aerial porters get to work away from their home station, which helps them develop their skills. The loadmasters get operational experience with rolling stock, which isn’t normal to their everyday mission. And finally, we get the chance to practice and train on our mission set, which is setting up an airfield where we are able to handle the command and control of aircraft.”

For Team Charleston, the exercise started at Joint Base Charleston, where they loaded a C-17 Globemaster III, piloted by a crew from the 317th Airlift Squadron, and flew to Hunter AF, Savannah, Georgia.

“This type of training is an excellent example of how we stay mission ready and mission focused,” said Col. Caroline Evernham, 315th AW operations group commander and pilot. The ALCF works hard with their affiliates to ensure they are trained and ready to prepare their equipment for transport at any time.  The efficiencies gained from this week's training will help us when we really need it."

“It directly supports ALCF’s war mission,” said Lt. Col. Mark Laverne, the aircraft commander and 317th AS pilot. “We are conducting currency training for the pilots and the loadmasters are getting some check-rides, all while providing mobility for their training.”

One of the main items that the Swampfoxes loaded onto the C-17 for the training was a large, tan-in-color container, which was a hardside expandable light air mobility shelter or “HELAMS” for short.

The HELAMS, once set in its desired location, transforms from a plain box to a fully expanded and functional command and control center with doors, windows and electricity. This workspace is then used to house the communications equipment and gear needed for ALCF’s operational readiness.

Other than the hands-on training that ALCF receives from setting up their equipment during the exercise, team members also benefit from the affiliate agencies that they have partnered with to accomplish their training objectives.

“We make sure that the sister services and Department of Defense affiliates are current and ready for a real-world missions,” said Master Sgt. Mark Schmidt, 315th ALCF Operations NCO in charge.

ALCF teaches the FBI and other affiliate agencies to properly prepare their equipment for air mobility, Schmidt said. This includes the standardization of weighing, fuelling, packing, cleaning, inspecting and sorting of their equipment so that it’s ready to load when the aircraft gets on station.

Patriot Sands is an annual Air Force Reserve Command exercise for ALCF to train in accordance with their designed operational capability mission statement to deploy as a contingency response element. The exercise is scheduled to last for five days.

The exercise involved other ALCF units from the 512th Airlift Wing at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, and the 439th AW at Westover Air Reserve Base, Massachusetts. These units then operated from Hunter, Pensacola Naval Air Station, Florida, and Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida. Other participants of the exercise included the following: 38th Aerial Port Squadron at JB Charleston, 46th APS at Dover AFB, 58th APS at Westover ARB, FBI Rapid Deployment Teams from Washington, D.C., New York, Miami, U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team from Norfolk, Virginia, Florida Advanced Surgical Transport Team from Miami, Urban Search and Rescue Team from Miami and 302nd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade at Westover ARB.