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During this time, approximately 64 Airmen and two C-130H Hercules aircraft from the wing contributed to an unprecedented surge of personnel, equipment and aircraft across multiple locations in the Indo-Pacific, demonstrating the Air Force Reserve's integral role in projecting decisive air power at both speed and scale.
REFORPAC, part of the first-in-a-generation Department-Level Exercise series, encompassed all branches of the Department of Defense, along with allies and partners. The exercise involved approximately 300 U.S. and coalition aircraft and more than 12,000 military members operating at over 50 locations spanning 3,000 miles. Focused on enhancing interoperability, readiness, and multilateral cooperation in contested, dynamic environments, REFORPAC tested agile combat employment strategies, contested logistics, sustainment over vast distances, and engineering capabilities to ensure a stronger, more capable deterrent force in the region.
Integrating seamlessly with joint forces, the wing's C-130H Hercules aircraft detachment provided critical airlift support under the 374th Expeditionary Airlift Wing's C-130 Mission Generation Force Element (MGFE). This included transporting essential cargo such as aircraft components and supplies, as well as moving troops to forward operating locations throughout the Indo-Pacific Region.
“We are here amongst our partners to form a 10-ship C-130 MGFE, which is how we're going to be deploying in the future,” said Maj. Steve Shearer, 374th Expeditionary Airlift Wing C-130 MGFE deputy commander, and 94th AW detachment commander during REFORPAC. “This is the future structure for deployments. That’s what we’re doing here - trying it out and strengthening our warfighting capabilities.”
The wing’s detachment supported myriad missions during the exercise, such as delivering troops and supplies to their initial operating locations prior to the start of the event, delivering spare engines, supporting integrated combat turns (ICTs) through delivery of fuel, ammo and spare aircraft parts, transporting Aeromedical Evacuation personnel throughout the region, and more.
The 94th's contributions highlighted the Total Force concept, drawing on the diverse expertise of Reserve Airmen, who often bring years of specialized knowledge from maintaining and flying the C-130H without frequent relocations, to enable joint operations. In addition, the 94th provided critical leadership capabilities for ensuring the success of C-130 operations during the exercise.
“We operated as the basic command structure for the REFORPAC C-130H conglomerate. We took the lead to aggregate forces at an aerial port of entry at Dobbins to fly them into the theater on contract air. Everything H model-wise has been consolidated and commanded through the 94th leadership structure,” Shearer continued.
Operating in the vast Pacific theater presented unique challenges, including greater travel distances compared to other theaters, and significant time zone differences that complicated planning efforts. Despite these hurdles, the 94th’s Airmen adapted to and benefited from the unique training opportunities granted by REFORPAC 2025.
“By participating in this exercise, our troops can experience distributed operations, where we operate under essentially mission-type orders and the aircraft commanders are empowered to make the decisions on the ground to accomplish the commander's intent without as much reach back for clarification,” said Shearer. “It's good practice to operate autonomously on the road and accomplish the command's intent. One of the best things this type of exercise throws at us is rapid mission changes. It's like a deployment environment in that regard,” Shearer explained.
As a Reserve component, the wing bridges civilian and military expertise, enhancing the unit’s ability to mobilize rapidly and sustain operations across the globe. Younger Airmen, who may not be as experienced, were afforded the opportunity to train in a completely new and different environment to which they are accustomed, strengthening their overall readiness and capabilities. Traditional Reserve Airmen, who typically only support the unit on a part-time basis, brought skills and capabilities from their civilian careers to expand the training received during the exercise.
“Anytime we have the chance to move our iron halfway around the world to the Pacific, it's a great opportunity to prove our capability,” said Shearer. “We got both aircraft here before the start of the exercise and ready to fly within 24 hours. This is a reminder to big Air Force and to the country that the H-model and the Airmen who support it are still relevant and capable.”
The exercise provided invaluable opportunities for 94th Airmen to refine skills in complex scenarios, from air refueling support to maneuvering in austere locations. Their performance exemplified the wing's commitment to innovation and resilience, turning logistical challenges into integrated regional successes. All the while, upholding a legacy of tactical airlift excellence that traces back to its roots in World War II-era mobility operations and proving, once again, that when called upon, Reserve Citizen Airmen are ready now to deliver aerial superiority with precision and purpose globally.
| Date Taken: | 09.07.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.07.2025 14:48 |
| Story ID: | 547438 |
| Location: | YOKOTA AIR BASE, JP |
| Web Views: | 70 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 94th Airlift Wing Delivers Critical Support in Historic REFORPAC 2025 Exercise, by MSgt Miles Wilson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
