572nd CRG prepares for possible cold-weather operations Published Feb. 27, 2009 By Capt. Robert Corsi 572nd Global Mobility Squadron TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- More than 60 members of the 572nd Contingency Response Group recently participated in a cold-weather air base opening exercise at Camp Guernsey, Wyo. From Jan. 11-16, the group planned and executed the exercise to demonstrate their ability to rapidly open an air base to support air flow into and out of an airfield - even with frigid temperatures in the teens and twenties and winds howling at 30 knots. "The first three days of the exercise focused on air base build up, functional area training and combat skills training," explained Lt. Col. James Kott, 572nd CRG commander. "The exercise culminated with an air base attack and tested our ability to adapt." Camp Guernsey was selected as the training site since in mid-January it provides a cold-weather environment and because it has a multitude of ranges that can be used to enhance combat skills training. The time of year we chose to do this exercise was vital to the training that we wanted to accomplish, explained the squadron commander. Most of our exercises recently have been in mild to moderate climates. We wanted to test our ability to operate in a much different environment. The joint and total force exercise also included participants from the 302nd Airlift Wing, an Air Force Reserve wing at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.; the 153rd Airlift Wing, a Wyoming Air National Guard unit based in Cheyenne; Security Forces Airmen from the Greeley Air National Guard Station in Colorado; the Kansas Army National Guard; and the 90th Security Forces Squadron, a detachment at Camp Guernsey. The air base opening portion of the exercise focused efforts toward command and control, maintenance and aerial port aspects of air base operations. The aerial port and maintenance teams were able to practice operations utilizing night vision techniques, while the command and control, or C2, function demonstrated the ability to handle multiple aircraft transiting the air field. The Security Forces flight planned and led numerous training events that ultimately culminated in an objective-based land navigation course. In preparation, Airmen received training in a variety of formats, from the classroom to a virtual convoy simulator, High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle rollover trainers, and live-fire convoy training. Camp Guernsey offers many unique opportunities including the ability for our Aerial Port Airmen to qualify in sling load training, said Colonel Kott. Sling loading cargo brings supplies closer to the user when there is no airfield suitable for landing an airplane. The cargo can be airdropped to austere locations and then transported via helicopter to the end user. Airmen throughout the group agreed that the exercise at Camp Guernsey was vital to reenergizing a capability that hadn't recently been tested. "This exercise was important to maintaining proficiency of our air base opening core competency," said Tech Sgt. Larry Senegal, 572nd GMS. From the functional area training to the combat skills training, this exercise proved successful in reinvigorating the expeditionary mindset of the 572nd CRG's Airmen.