Lewis-McChord joint forces conduct Operation Desert Cougar

by Airman 1st Class Jacob Jimenez
62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

8/8/2014 - JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- Air Force and Army service members from here participated in Operation Desert Cougar, a joint emergency deployment readiness exercise that took them to Schoonover, California, August 4.

Airmen from the 446th Airlift Wing and the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron worked with Soldiers from the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) to deploy a scalable force package to a simulated area of responsibility.

"It's cool to be able to do different kinds of missions," said Army Staff Sgt. Michael Burns, 1st Special Forces Group unmanned aircraft maintainer. "This is good training and a great learning experience."

The exercise took root three months prior when 1st SFG (A) recognized the need for air mobility in order to practice transporting a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear special forces package. They contacted the 446th AW for assistance. In the following months, the 446th AW, 22nd STS and the 1st SFG (A) worked together to plan and coordinate the exercise, holding numerous joint meetings and practice runs to develop the necessary standard operating procedures to conduct the operation.

"First Group had the need for airlift and we met it," said Capt. Patrick Hancock, 446th AW combat weapons and tactics chief and mission planner for the exercise. "The coordination and planning among joint agencies was key to the success of this exercise."

The CBRN special forces package included an unmanned aircraft, Humvee, two all-terrain vehicles and15 airborne insertion personnel.

The exercise began with loading of a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft with the CBRN special forces package departing McChord Field enroute to the designated training area in Schoonover.
With the direction and coordination of the 22nd STS combat controllers, 446th AW pilots landed the C-17 on an unimproved dirt runway at the designated training area. Upon landing, 446th AW loadmasters assisted the 1st SFG (A) in unloading the unmanned aircraft and its support equipment from C-17 before departing.

"The 22nd STS and 446th Airlift Wing are both professional units that always deliver top notch training and support to their Army JBLM partners," said Maj. Gerry Tuck, 1st SFG  support company commander. "Without either of these units, this mission would not have happened."

Departing Schoonover, 446th AW pilots flew to the designated drop zone where they airdropped the two ATVs situated in container delivery system bundles. Following the airdrop, pilots then performed the final leg of the mission, dropping 15 static jumpers into the insertion zone.

"What we did today was a great example of us utilizing the capabilities of the C-17 as a joint force," said Tech. Sgt. Scott Templin, 728th Airlift Squadron loadmaster.

In addition to providing valuable training, the exercise provided useful feedback for future operations.

"This exercise set new standards for providing the necessary support systems to provide signal support, intelligence analysis, and the ability to render safe extremely dangerous situations," said Tucker. "The new standard operating procedures developed to make this exercise a success have immediate practical applications across the military."