Blue Flag: War Games

HURLBURT FIELD, FL, UNITED STATES

07.28.2016

Story by Airman 1st Class Nathaniel Byrnes, Airman 1st Class Mychal Fox and Tech. Sgt. Scott Olguin

Nellis Air Force Base

THE 20TH CENTURY REPRESENTED THE PINNACLE OF TACTICAL AIR POWER, THE 21ST WILL BELONG TO THOSE WHO EXCEL AT OPERATIONAL LEVEL COMMAND AND CONTROL.

SB: Lt. Col. Merrick Green

“COMMAND AND CONTROL IS THE UNDERLINING THING TO THE WAY THE AIR FORCE IMPLIES AIR POWER. SO WITHOUT COMMAND AND CONTROL THERE IS NO AIR FORCE AIR POWER TO BE EMPLOYED, AND ITS REALLY DIFFICULT TO MOVE ALL THE PIECES AND PARTS TOGETHER TO GET AN AIR CAMPAIGN WITHOUT COMMAND AND CONTROL. AND WHAT BLUE FLAG DOES IS THAT IT TIES ALL OF THOSE THINGS IN TOGETHER THAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT COMBAT PLANS, COMBAT OPERATIONS, INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE RECONNAISSANCE, AIR MOBILITY DIVISION AND STRATEGY.”

SB: Col. Bryan Gates

“BLUE FLAG EXERCISES THE COMMANDER, HIS STAFF, THE AIR OPERATIONS CENTER, THE JOINT COALITION PERSONAL THAT ARE IN THERE, AND HIS AIR FORCES FORWARD STAFF IN COMBINING WHAT THEY DO ON A DAILY BASIS INTO A MAJOR COMBAT OPERATION OF WAR”

SB: Col. Bryan Gates

“AS THEY EXERCISE THROUGH THIS, THEY ARE ABLE TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS. THEY CAN SAY, OH I’VE SEEN THIS BEFORE, OR OH I REMEMBER THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENED AND THEY’RE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH THE DECISION MAKING BECAUSE THEY’VE ALREADY SEEN THIS ONCE, INSTEAD OF BEING SURPRISED.”

SB: Lt. Col. Merrick Green

“BUT YOU’LL HAVE THAT ARE WORKING IN THE THOSE AOCS THAT’LL SAY HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE BLUE FLAG EXERCISE THIS JOB WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT MORE DIFFICULT OR LIKE RED FLAG, BLUE FLAG WILL PREPARE YOU TO DO THOSE DAY TO DAY COMBAT OPERATIONS IN THAT COMBAT ENVIRONMENT.”

BLUE FLAG REMAINS THE ONLY DEDICATED VENUE FOR FULL NUMBERED AIR FORCE FORCES AND AIR OPERATIONS CENTER TRAINING HERE AT HURLBURT-FIELD AIR FORCE BASE, FLORIDA, I’M AIRMAN FIRST CLASS MYCHAL FOX.

• Date Taken: 07.28.2016
• Date Posted: 08.02.2016 19:09
• Story ID: 205860
• Location: HURLBURT FIELD, FL, US