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Team Dyess recently participated in Constant Vigilance 2016, an exercise held by installations within Air Force Global Strike Command, from April 11 through April 16.
Constant Vigilance 2016 is an annual AFGSC training event that exercises the command's ability to support its conventional and nuclear missions, which Dyess participated in for the first time since joining the command.
"This exercise has been a wing-wide effort with phenomenal output," said Col. Justin Boldenow, 7th Operations Group commander. "What our Airmen contributed to at the wing produced the desired affects against targets downrange. Not only did we effectively generate 15 of 15 planned sorties for the exercise scenario, but maintained all training, testing and weapons squadron sorties, as well."
AFGSC conducts training operations and exercises on a regular basis to guarantee forces are ready to perform deterrence operations and long-range strike missions if, and when, called upon to do so. Participation on the behalf of Dyess is critical in ensuring the B-1s within its fleet are capable of providing the capabilities the command requires.
B-1s from the 7th BW carried out simulated attacks on surface-to-air capable targets, releasing more than 350 artificial munitions, to allow access to other assets. The priority targets were struck using Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles due to their longer range and greater technological abilities. Once the surface-to-air capable targets had been eliminated, Joint Direct Attack Munitions were used to conduct additional strikes.
"Overall, it's a long-range strike capability focused exercise," said Lt. Col. Aaron Mate, 7th Bomb Wing chief of wing plans. "We're projecting power and that is one of the differences here at Dyess; we're used to being a 'force provider,' but this time we're actually projecting out from Dyess. It's turned us into a weapons system all in itself that can reach overseas."
The exercise included both command and control elements as well as operational units throughout the command. The participation of B-1B Lancers from the 28th BW at Ellsworth AFB, S.D., and the 7th BW and their associated crews marked the first time conventional bombers were incorporated into CV.
The 7th Security Forces Squadron and the 7th Communications Squadron provided physical and information security to the base throughout the exercise and the 7th Medical Group ensured key participants were up-to-date on deployment requirements. The exercise became a comprehensive, wing-wide, effort.
"Every function on base is critical and this exercise highlighted that," Mate said. "We're pushing the processes and responsibilities to people to avoid atrophy in areas we don't commonly use.
We should expect more exercises in the future," Mate said. "New plans and processes will be evaluated, so potentially more wing and MAJCOM level exercises will be coming up."
| Date Taken: | 04.20.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 05.02.2016 15:22 |
| Story ID: | 196746 |
| Location: | DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 26 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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