Even amid a government shutdown that grounded many routine activities across the country, the Airmen of the 944th Fighter Wing kept their mission in motion. During an extended Unit Training Assembly weekend, Nov. 6-9, 2025, they gathered for Exercise Desert Hammer 26-1, a large-force readiness exercise designed to sharpen expeditionary skills and reinforce what it means to be a mission-ready Airman.
Led by Capt. Justin Barquet, exercise project officer, the multi-day event brought together more than 130 Airmen from across the wing at the Luke Air Force Base’s Airman Training and Sustainment Operations (ATSO) area. The event’s goal: ensure Airmen can “shoot, move, and communicate” — anytime, anywhere — with confidence and competence.
“I’m really here to make sure that the Airmen of the 944th get the best quality training that they can, so that they can shoot, move, and communicate with the best of them,” said Barquet.
// Realistic Training in Challenging Times //
For many, Desert Hammer offered a rare opportunity to step away from their routine Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSC) and experience hands-on training designed to maintain survival and accomplish the mission in austere conditions. The training rotations included small arms, integrated defense, small shelter system (SSS) setup, Humvee operations, post-attack reconnaissance (PAR) sweeps, chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) defense, logistics support, land navigation, and Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC).
“Many of the participants in this year’s exercise are maintainers, where they don’t normally do these types of things,” Barquet explained. “Our primary objective was to include all the core things you would potentially need to do if you were in a hostile environment.”
From daybreak to sunset, Airmen rotated through stations emphasizing hands-on, physical learning over computer-based coursework, which was intentional, said Barquet.
“We really wanted to immerse the Airmen so that they could truly build that muscle memory,” Barquet added. “When you’re out there sweating and getting after it, you create these memories that help you recall that information more easily.”
// Life-Saving Lessons in the Field //
One of the most physically demanding stations was Tactical Combat Casualty Care, led by Tech. Sgt. Sergio Tosi, 944th Aeromedical Staging Squadron medical technician. Tosi and his fellow instructors transformed a patch of desert into a mock combat casualty zone, complete with litter carries, triage drills, and nine-line medevac communications.
“Right now we’re out here with the ASTS members as well, doing TCCC, patient movement using litters, triage, casualty collection points, and then also 9-line communications,” Tosi said.
Tosi emphasized that most of the Airmen participating weren’t medics, which made this hands-on experience vital.
“This isn’t their main job,” Tosi said. “Medical may be something the furthest from their mind. They either work at a desk, they may be working on aircraft, frames, anything, so what we’re trying to do is give them a very solid base.”
Instructors demonstrated proper tourniquet and chest seal application, emphasizing that real-life treatment often comes with pain and pressure. The realism of the training drove home the gravity of performing under stress.
“Some of these treatments are actually going to cause pain, they’re going to cause discomfort, but they need to understand that so that they can better apply it,” Tosi said. “It’s something that we can’t do unless we can get them hands-on experience.”
// Training That Tests Strength — and Spirit //
While the government shutdown added logistical hurdles. For Barquet, the training was not just about readiness, it was about morale and unity.
“This exercise was more than just the training aspect. It was really more to show that even when the government is potentially shut down, we can still get things done and we can still make sure our troops are supported regardless of what is to come,” Barquet said.
That mindset echoed throughout the training area, where sweat, laughter, and fatigue intertwined to create a sense of shared purpose.
“It really helps to build that care and that morale because I’m a strong believer that those that sweat in the sun together have fun together,” Barquet added.
Tosi agreed, noting that the exhaustion of hauling gear and patients under the Arizona sun had its own kind of lesson.
“Having that experience of like, oh yeah, this kind of sucks, it’s hard, gives a little bit more respect for it and then can make them understand a lot better,” he said. “The best way to show how much you care about your buddies is to save their lives.”
// Forging Leaders Through Adversity //
Beyond tactical skills, Exercise Desert Hammer 26-1 aimed to forge the next generation of leaders, resilient Airmen capable of thriving in uncertainty and adversity. For Barquet, that’s the heart of why he continues serving after more than two decades in uniform.
“It’s bigger than just the training. It’s really who we are and, in some cases, what we signed up to do, why we enlisted and took that oath,” he said. “It helps us to train and be the leaders that we want to follow.”
As the sun set on the final day of Exercise Desert Hammer 26-1, the Airmen of the 944th Fighter Wing returned home tired, dusty, and proud — their bonds strengthened, their readiness renewed, and their purpose reaffirmed.
Even in uncertain times, their message was clear: mission first, people always.
| Date Taken: | 11.09.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.09.2025 17:17 |
| Story ID: | 550902 |
| Location: | LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: | 72 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 944th Fighter Wing Stays Mission Ready During Exercise Desert Hammer 26-1, by TSgt Tyler J. Bolken, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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