Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Ashley Gillons Terpsma | A C-17 aircraft lands safely at Miroslawiec Air Base, Poland, June 9, 2018, during...... read more read more
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The 435th Contingency Response Group, based out of Rammstein Air Base, Germany, plays a vital role in the success of incoming and outgoing air traffic at Miroslawiec Airfield, Poland, every day during Exercise Saber Strike 18.
As an “open-the-base” unit, the 435th CRG’s main mission is to provide a rapidly-deployable force that can set up and support airfield operations quickly and efficiently in any theater of operations.
Here in Poland, the 435th continues that mission by providing command and control at Miroslawiec. While this is definitely beneficial to the many partner nations participating in Saber Strike 18, the CRG itself also comes away with better experience and better training.
“It’s always beneficial when our airmen and our joint-integrated warfighters understand what it means to learn and fight as a team, both within the CRG and with our allies during this exercise,” said Lt. Col. Leonardo Tongko, commander of the 435th CRG.
The 435th CRG guides approximately 15 to 20 flights per day at the airfield. From C-17s to C-130s to CH-47 Chinooks and more, the roar of jet engines never ceases while these airmen are at work.
During their mission at Saber Strike 18, the unit assisted in the logistics of several non-U.S. airborne insertions, such as those involving Polish and Israeli paratroopers.
They also conducted joint training with U.S. paratroopers, such as the 173rd Airborne Brigade out of Vicenza, Italy.
Though their mission at Miroslawiec is relatively short, Saber Strike 18 relies heavily on the support of the 435th CRG.
“We are a very unique unit,” Tongko said. “The most important thing about us is that because we are in such high-demand, there is always a need for intense training like what we are experiencing at Saber Strike.”
Saber Strike 18 is the eighth iteration of the long-standing U.S. Army Europe-led cooperative training exercise designed to enhance interoperability among allies and regional partners.
With each successful landing that occurs under the watchful eyes of the 435th CRG, all nations in the exercise are closer to meeting this goal.
| Date Taken: | 06.14.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 06.14.2018 13:57 |
| Story ID: | 280855 |
| Location: | OLESZNO, PL |
| Web Views: | 324 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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