Photo By Laurence Rose | The 921st Contingency Response Squadron poses for a unit photo during Exercise Dragon...... read more read more
Airmen from the 921st Contingency Response Squadron (CRS) and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst conducted a training exercise focused on opening and operating Amedee Army Airfield (AAAF) as a cargo airbase.
More than 110 Airmen bivouacked at AAAF and conducted Exercise Dragon Spark from April 7-17 on the airfield at Sierra Army Depot (SIAD). The exercise was designed to train and assess the readiness and capabilities of the team for future airbase opening missions such as humanitarian relief, with a goal of being able to rapidly deploy anywhere in the world and establish an aerial port of operations for incoming vehicles, equipment, supplies and other cargo.
Set in an austere location, AAAF brought realism and complexity to the exercise. The units trained in establishing logistics networks in trouble spots around the world as
quickly as possible, and as far inland as possible, to get military and humanitarian
supplies where they need to be.
“Our mission is to bring humanitarian relief – to bring goodness to people at the point of
need.”, said Lt. Col. Ryan Strength, 921st CRS commander.
Encompassing 32 different specialties, the team was self-sufficient. Participants
provided their own meals, sleeping and medical tents, forklifts (some of them capable of
loading/unloading C-17 Globemaster III aircraft), dune buggies, secure communication
materials and their organic force protection to deter attacks. They assessed the
capability of the airfield and managed ramp operations, experimenting and innovating
when necessary to establish agile and sustaining capabilities.
A total force effort, Airmen, assessors, logisticians, civil engineer officers, pilots, load
masters, air traffic controllers, contracting officers and others who participated were
empowered to give direct advice for the mission to happen.
Many SIAD employees provided support in the form of Crash Fire Rescue protection,
police/security manning, barracks, arms room use, portable toilets, hand wash stations,
potable water, refuse disposal and diesel fuel.
The 921st CRS will return this summer to complete the last phase of their training and
gain Joint Task Force Port Opening certification from U.S. Transportation Command.
| Date Taken: | 04.17.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.01.2025 10:12 |
| Story ID: | 501412 |
| Location: | CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 49 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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