Patriot Wyvern helps Airmen, Soldiers spread wings

Photo By Kenneth Wright | An Army Reserve load handling system exits a C-5M Super Galaxy at Travis Air Force base, Calif., during Exercise PATRIOT WYVERN. Reservists from the 349th Air Mobility Wing and the 238th Transportation Company joined forces July 23, 2016 to share air transportation skills during the joint training event. The exercise which involved multiple active duty, Air Force Reserve and Army Reserve units, helped Airmen and Soldiers hone their job skills and learn how to work efficiently together under difficult circumstances. The 238th TC is stationed at nearby Military Ocean Terminal Concord (U.S. Air Force photo by Ken Wright)  

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, CA, UNITED STATES

07.24.2016

Story by Staff Sgt. Cindy Alejandrez 

349th Air Mobility Wing

Patriot Wyvern gave Airmen and Soldiers a chance to learn and work together at Travis Air Force Base, California, July 23–24, 2016. This exercise is designed to reinforce the skills needed to respond to worldwide contingency operations.
Maj. Sarah Forte, 349th AMW director of inspections, who helped coordinate the exercise, said Patriot Wyvern, "provides an opportunity for our units to collaborate on small, but scalable, realistic, hands-on scenario based training, that when integrated into the unit's training plan, provides an opportunity for the unit to test and demonstrate their capabilities."
The 349th Air Mobility Wing, the U.S. Army Reserve's 238th Transportation Company, and the 60th Medical Group participated in the hands-on, bi-annual event conducted by the 349th AMW. This exercise is designed to hone combat skills and improve organizational interoperability between the active duty Air Force, the Air Force Reserve and the Army Reserve.
Patriot Wyvern is also meant to provide training relevant to individual units, explained Forte.
"It is your unit's training plan, incorporated with the plans of other units across the base. It provides members who were involved, with job specialty training, through the various hands-on training scenarios."
For this exercise, medical personnel engaged in a triage situation to treat the role-playing victims of an active-shooter training situation, which also employed the skills of 349th Security Forces members. Simultaneously, an aeromedical evacuation static mission took place on a C-17 Globemaster III to assess the capabilities of aeromedical evacuation personnel and logistics planners.
During the aeromedical evacuation training, members of the 349th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron practiced providing support for a three fictitious patients in need of higher echelon medical care. Their simulated injuries included a gunshot wound and emotional distress, which required additional assistance from chaplains. Although this allowed the aeromedical evacuation team to employ important life-saving skills, the unit also gained great insight by working with other entities, explained Capt. Alfred Chan, 349th AES officer in charge of logistics and cyber operations.
"The training environment allows us to learn important lessons before we are in a deployed environment," said Chan. He stressed how important it is to identify any communication or coordination issues, and find solutions during such training events.
Additionally, the 55th and 82nd Aerial Port Squadrons partnered with the 238th TC, from the Military Ocean Terminal in Concord, California, to practice valuable load capabilities on a C-5M Super Galaxy. This included loading, securing and unloading large tactical vehicles. "Participating in combined joint logistics was really the goal," explained 1st Lt. Matthew W. Nesselroad, 238th TC commander.
“We are great at moving cargo inland, but we need that experience of moving supplies on a flight-line,” explained Nesselroad. He added that his members benefit from working with the Air Force, gaining a better understanding of the hands-on aspects of loading and securing cargo.
Tech. Sgt. Kevin Gilles, 55th Aerial Port Squadron, who facilitated the training between the services, elaborated. He said something as simple as teaching Airmen and Soldiers to understand each service's nomenclatures benefits everyone, especially during quick deployments when they have to move tons of equipment and supplies quickly, safely and efficiently.
Overall, Patriot Wyvern was a great opportunity for the 349th AMW to work with partners at Travis AFB, said Maj. Jerry Bryant, 349th Air Mobility Operations Squadron, who coordinated the exercise. He added that the opportunity to work with the Army Reserve also supports global mission readiness.
“Patriot Wyvern provided unparalleled opportunities for our Airmen to demonstrate their mission-ready capabilities and job skills, assuring that we can provide combat-ready Airmen to the geographical combatant commanders,” said Bryant.

• Date Taken: 07.24.2016
• Date Posted: 07.28.2016 18:27
• Story ID: 205393
• Location: TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, CA, US