Juniper Cobra: Comm check 1,2,3

Courtesy Photo | A mass communication center was setup by three combat communications units in support of exercise Juniper Cobra 16, in Israel. This is the first time Airmen from the 1st Combat Communication Squadron (CBCS), 52nd CBCS and soldiers from the 44th Expeditionary Signals Battalion have worked together in a single exercise. “It normally only takes one unit, but with this large exercise they wanted to deploy multiple units to see how it works in the event that we would have to support a real-world situation,” said Staff Sgt. Shirim Bishop, 1st CBCS tactical network operations supervisor temporarily deployed from Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Stephanie Longoria/Released)  

ISRAEL

03.02.2016

Story by Staff Sgt. Stephanie Longoria 

U.S. European Command   

ISRAEL — Airmen and Soldiers from three combat communications units worked together to maintain communication for more than 1,700 U.S. Total Force service members and civilians who participated in exercise Juniper Cobra 16, Feb. 25 to March 3.

Juniper Cobra used ballistic missile defense computer simulations to train U.S. and Israeli service members while reinforcing a strong military relationship.

For the first time, Airmen from the 1st Combat Communications Squadron (CBCS), 52nd CBCS and soldiers from the 44th Expeditionary Signals Battalion worked together to support U.S. European Command.

“In my 22 years working in a communications squadron, this is the first time three full comm units have ever worked together,” said Col. Andrew D’Ippolito, United States Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces in Africa contingency and engagements division chief.

“It’s very very rare for multiple [communications] squadrons to work together,” said Staff Sgt. Shirim Bishop, 1st CBCS tactical network operations supervisor temporarily deployed from Ramstein Air Base, Germany. “It normally only takes one unit, but with this large exercise they wanted to deploy multiple units to see how it works in the event that we would have to support a real-world situation.”

For such a large scale computer-assisted exercise, maintaining communication is essential to the training.

“Without communication the joint task force will have no command and control, and will not be able to accomplish the mission,” explained 1st Lt. Kyle Kiriyama, 44th ESB platoon leader from Grafenwohr, Germany. “Communication is one of the most important pieces of this exercise.”

“The exercise would come to a halt if the communications lines were to go down,” said Senior Airman Joseph Smith, 52nd CBCS communications specialist from Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.

Supporting the JC16 mission brought comradery among the three units along with some challenging learning opportunities.

“The initial setup was challenging but we got over the hurdles pretty easily,” Smith said.

For Kiriyama, it was figuring out the roles and responsibilities for each unit, that he found the most challenging.

“We needed to figure out which unit is responsible for each building, area and what services were provided to customers,” Kiriyama explained.

Learning each other’s methods of troubleshooting an issue and the different ways of handling a situation as a team is one of the challenges the units have overcome during JC16.

“For a lot of soldiers this is our first joint exercise,” Kiriyama said. “We’ve learned a lot about how the Air Force functions, how they deploy their communications assets and support customer’s versus how we support our customers in the Army.”

For Smith, working alongside the Israeli’s and learning new skills from his partner combat communications units was rewarding.

The team did an outstanding job working together and maintain communications throughout the exercise. I’m very proud of what they accomplished out here, D’Ippolito said.

“Our motto is ‘First in, Last out,’” concluded Bishop. “We’re usually the first unit in theater, and the last unit to leave. We setup before anyone else gets here, and we leave after everyone is gone. We provide the service that people need throughout the exercise.”

• Date Taken: 03.02.2016
• Date Posted: 03.03.2016 14:13
• Story ID: 191002
• Location: IL