Beale reserve combat ops squadron to demonstrate capabilities at Key Resolve

by Dana Lineback
940th Wing Public Affairs

1/31/2013 - BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- When 7th Air Force kicks off the annual Key Resolve command post exercise this spring, a team of Air Force reservists from the 713th Combat Operations Squadron will sidle up with the numbered air force staff for a test drive of sorts.

A one-of-a-kind reserve unit assigned to the 940th Wing here, the 713th COS augments Pacific Air Force's staff, delivering operational command and control capability across the spectrum of military operations.

The capability of an Air Force Forces (AFFOR) is something 7th AF has long sought for the Korean theater, and the 713th COS has volunteered to demonstrate the impact their capability can have on the mission.

713th COS reservists are called upon to integrate with PACAF's AFFOR staff when the command experiences a surge in operations tempo, from humanitarian assistance to combat operations. The staff plans and coordinates movement of people and resources in collaboration with joint partners in the Pacific command, as well as host nations in the region.

"Part of what we do is cultural - across lines of international diplomacy and branches of military service," said Lt. Col. Brett Gennarelli, 713th COS acting deputy commander.

"It takes a lot of study to be effective at our mission, but it's proven to be important to successful operations throughout the Pacific theater," Gennarelli added, citing to his squadron's role in the 2011 disaster relief efforts in Japan as a recent example of the sustained reinforcement the reserve unit is capable of providing.

"We're the right capability to demonstrate what an AFFOR can bring to this new arena in the Pacific," Gennarelli said. "We've had exposure to the Korean environment, and we have the expertise for this shared theater."

Seventh AF is familiar with the expertise a reserve combat operations squadron unit can bring to a mission. The numbered air force's mission incorporates another 940th Wing unit, the 701st Combat Operations Squadron.

The 701st COS, at March Air Reserve Base, Calif., provides air and space operations center expertise specifically to support the Korean theater of operations. The unit regularly integrates with the active duty 607th Air and Space Operations Center during joint and combined command and control exercises such as Key Resolve and Ulchi Freedom Guardian.

The mission of an AFFOR staff is strategic planning, including the pre-positioning of people, aircraft and resources, with the goal of optimizing war fighting effectiveness. The role of an AOC is to execute a plan of combat operations, from intelligence and strategy to communications and logistics.

Alongside active duty counterparts, the 701st COS operates in a war room setting, developing strategy and planning documents in support of a combatant commander's objectives within a given 72-hour window of operation.

Members of AFFOR staff are in the same location, working hand-in-glove with the AOC. Although their missions are distinct, the two reserve units have crossed operational paths before, according to Col. Mark Metz, 713th COS commander.

"Because Korea and the Pacific Theater overlap, we've sent individuals to participate in Key Resolve in the past," Metz said, "but this will be the first time we'll participate as a team. On top of the great work we're doing for PACAF, this is a unique opportunity for us to demonstrate to 7th AF what a trained AFFOR Reserve unit can do."

"Beyond that, this is also an opportunity for us to continue to build on the positive synergy between the 701st and the 713th," he said. "There are certainly professional development benefits to units from the same operations group working closely together. A mutual respect develops when you cultivate that relationship."