Photo By Senior Airman Colin Simpson | Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 148th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Brigade Combat...... read more read more
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SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — The 178th Wing recently played a vital role in Exercise Relentless Valor, a major joint training operation that brought together more than 200 service members from the U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. Spanning Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Calamityville in Fairborn, and Springfield Air National Guard Base, the exercise stands as one of the region’s most comprehensive medical and combat readiness drills. It simulated complex medical support operations in a contested, high-intensity combat environment.
As a key facilitator and active participant, the 178th Wing ensured coordination across multiple locations, enabling the exercise to replicate real-world battlefield conditions. The 445th Aeromedical Staging Squadron led the operation, supported by the 944th ASTS from Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. Together, these units tested their capabilities in rapid casualty response, aeromedical evacuation, and integrated medical care under austere and degraded conditions. The 178th Wing’s leadership and resources were critical in orchestrating this demanding joint training.
Master Sgt. Daniel Williams, the noncommissioned officer-in-charge of the exercise, explained, “This is the only environment in the area where we can operate across three locations with the space, realism and complexity needed to simulate real life combat medical operations.”
Over three days, medical teams from multiple services conducted casualty triage, prolonged field care on live volunteers, and aeromedical evacuation using Black Hawks from the 8th Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment, C-130s from the 910th Airlift Wing, and C-17s from the 445th Airlift Wing. Patients were stabilized at forward positions before being moved to higher levels of care.
Critical Care Air Transport Teams from the 452nd and 932nd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadrons provided ICU-level care during flights, adding realism and complexity to the mission. Mortuary affairs personnel from the 445th Force Support Squadron conducted simulated dignified transfers, underscoring the full scope of deployed medical missions.
“This exercise reinforced our ability to operate effectively under pressure, in contested airspace, with degraded communications and across multiple domains,” Williams said. “Every phase from triage and transport to sustained care reflected the complexity of real world operations.”
The 178th Wing also played an essential role in ground combat simulations. At Springfield ANGB, Joint Terminal Attack Controllers from the Marine Corps’ 3rd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company coordinated simulated close air support alongside airmen from the 178th Wing Operations Group using an MQ-9 simulator. Security Forces from the 445th Wing and soldiers from the 148th Infantry Battalion conducted base defense, riot control, and quick reaction force missions, emphasizing the importance of joint coordination that the 178th helps enable.
“I believe this exercise effectively simulated potential real world scenarios,” said Master Sgt. Justin Staten, overseeing Springfield’s section of the exercise. “It gave us a valuable opportunity to work closely with sister services and improve our communication and integration skills, which are essential for mission success.”
Exercise Relentless Valor validated the 178th Wing’s critical role in facilitating complex, multi-location training events that improve joint readiness. By supporting multi-domain operations, prolonged casualty care, and regulated patient movement, the 178th Wing and its partners demonstrated their ability to meet demanding operational challenges. The exercise reaffirmed the military’s commitment to joint integration, readiness, and lifesaving care anytime, anywhere.
The 178th Wing's mission is to provide ready units to conduct Persistent Attack, Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance, Battle Management and Agile Combat Support to execute federal and state missions while maintaining an active involvement with the local community.
| Date Taken: | 06.07.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.26.2025 11:16 |
| Story ID: | 501307 |
| Location: | SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: | 28 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Relentless Valor: 178th Wing enhances battlefield readiness across forces, by SrA Colin Simpson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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