Airmen sharpen skills during Eagle Flag 14-3, 14-4

by Staff Sgt. Gustavo Gonzalez
621st Contingency Response Wing Public Affairs

8/27/2014 - JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- For the second time this year, the 621st Contingency Response Wing completed Eagle Flag at the Lakehurst Naval Air Station here, Aug. 11-22.

More than 200 621st CRW Airmen and 47 Soldiers from the 689th Rapid Port Opening Element (RPOE) from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, participated in the two-week long exercise that tested their ability to work along-side each other as a Joint Task Force-Port Opening (JTF-PO) team. The JTF-PO specializes in establishing hubs for cargo distribution operations worldwide, to include remote or damaged locations, on short notice.

During week one of Eagle Flag, the 818th Contingency Response Group stationed here, worked with the 689th RPOE, while in week two, the exercise scenario restarted but this time the RPOE teamed up with the 571st Contingency Response Group from Travis Air Force Base, California.

"First, a big congrats for completing another successful Eagle Flag exercise," said Maj. Nicholas Carden, 818 Global Mobility Readiness Squadron operations officer and Eagle Flag lead planner. "A sincere thanks for the hard work and continued dedication to excellence."

In this fictional scenario, the JTF-PO were deployed to the Republic of Dakaar, in support of Operation Stealth Eagle, a United Nations directed stability and humanitarian relief operation. The exercise keeps all scenarios as realistic as possible to help the Airmen and Soldiers prepare for almost any circumstance they may face during a real-world JTF-PO deployment.

"I think the exercise scenarios are pretty close to what we might face in a real JTF-PO deployment," said Senior Master Sgt. Rich Holbert, aircraft maintenance superintendent assigned to the 621st CRW. "It's stressful at times but that's just what we need to make sure that we are ready for the real thing and for our leadership to know that we can get the job done if we're called upon."

On day five, the Airmen and Soldiers were debriefed where the participants were briefed their strengths and weaknesses observed during the exercise. According to Col. Bradley Johnson, 571st CRG commander, they met their main objective.

"Our Airmen and Soldiers were able to work together as a JTF-PO," Johnson said. "Our professionalism and attitude demonstrated that we can get the mission done with anyone, anytime and anywhere!"