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Shaw Airmen leave for Red Flag 17-2

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kathryn R.C. Reaves
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Approximately 220 Team Shaw Airmen recently left Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, for Red Flag 17-2 at Nellis AFB, Nevada.

The Airmen were from a variety of units, including the 55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron and 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

Red Flag is a realistic combat training exercise where participants, including U.S. and foreign air forces, engage in mock battles over the Nevada Test and Training Range.

“It’s a different type of environment from Shaw, where you get to show everyone how good you are at your job and how well you can execute tasks that you perform daily,” said Airman 1st Class Miah Vasquez, 20th LRS mobility readiness spares package journeyman.

20th Fighter Wing Airmen will be participating in the exercise as the core unit, playing a slightly larger role with more individuals than other units, said Capt. Taylor Roach, 55th FS A flight commander. The Airmen will practice the suppression of enemy air defenses by dropping, or aiding in dropping, live ordnances in the nearly 22,500 square miles of training environment.

Aside from learning how to coordinate with other U.S. services and coalition forces, the exercise is designed to give new pilots their first five experiences flying combat sorties and help newer Airmen learn about deployed environments prior to their first deployment.

“I feel like this is a great opportunity for me and I will definitely be able to learn and grow from it,” said Vasquez. “I think I will gain better teamwork and communication skills by having to work with such a large group of people.”

Since its beginning, the high-intensity, air-to-air combat exercise has provided training to approximately 440,000 military members and is scheduled to take place two more times in 2017, with different units participating.

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Shaw Airmen leave for Red Flag 17-2

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kathryn R.C. Reaves
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Approximately 220 Team Shaw Airmen recently left Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, for Red Flag 17-2 at Nellis AFB, Nevada.

The Airmen were from a variety of units, including the 55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Logistics Readiness Squadron and 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

Red Flag is a realistic combat training exercise where participants, including U.S. and foreign air forces, engage in mock battles over the Nevada Test and Training Range.

“It’s a different type of environment from Shaw, where you get to show everyone how good you are at your job and how well you can execute tasks that you perform daily,” said Airman 1st Class Miah Vasquez, 20th LRS mobility readiness spares package journeyman.

20th Fighter Wing Airmen will be participating in the exercise as the core unit, playing a slightly larger role with more individuals than other units, said Capt. Taylor Roach, 55th FS A flight commander. The Airmen will practice the suppression of enemy air defenses by dropping, or aiding in dropping, live ordnances in the nearly 22,500 square miles of training environment.

Aside from learning how to coordinate with other U.S. services and coalition forces, the exercise is designed to give new pilots their first five experiences flying combat sorties and help newer Airmen learn about deployed environments prior to their first deployment.

“I feel like this is a great opportunity for me and I will definitely be able to learn and grow from it,” said Vasquez. “I think I will gain better teamwork and communication skills by having to work with such a large group of people.”

Since its beginning, the high-intensity, air-to-air combat exercise has provided training to approximately 440,000 military members and is scheduled to take place two more times in 2017, with different units participating.