Photo By Staff Sgt. Sari Seibert | Lt Col. Brett Flickenger, Mosaic Tiger 26-1 maintenance subject matter expert,...... read more read more
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TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — Airmen from the 23d Wing put mission command principles into practice during Mosaic Tiger 26-1, an Agile Combat Employment combat -readiness exercise held November 12 – 21, 2025, testing the wing’s ability to generate combat airpower while operating under complex and demanding conditions.
Throughout the 10-day exercise, the 23d WG Air-Staff synchronized planning, directed sortie generation and executed the air tasking order (ATO) from a containerized wing operations center, showcasing how empowered Airmen can drive the mission forward even when challenges emerge across a distributed battlespace.
“Mosaic Tiger builds confidence at every level of leadership,” said Lt. Col. Aaron Knight, 23d WG chief of staff. “Mission command only works when Airmen understand the commander’s intent and have the trust to make decisions independently. This exercise proved that our Airmen are ready to take initiative when the environment demands it.”
Operating inside the WOC, the A-Staff integrated logistics, intelligence, operations and communications inputs to maintain real-time awareness of wing-level taskings. As the scenario evolved, Airmen relied on their training, critical thinking and decentralized control to keep sorties moving and meet dynamic mission requirements.
“The Air Tasking Order waits for no one,” said Maj. Jorge Pala, 23d WG A3 director of operations. “The team was prepared to handle anything thrown at them. They evaluated situations quickly, applied mission command principles and executed. That’s the kind of agility we need when operating in dispersed and rapidly changing environments.”
Behind the scenes, Airmen from the communications team ensured the WOC maintained essential connectivity to forward operating locations and higher headquarters. They also practiced rapid troubleshooting and restoration procedures to keep critical command-and-control systems functioning throughout the exercise.
“Our job was to give the A-Staff as much uptime as possible, no matter what the scenario looked like,” said SSgt Chase Jordan-Alcaniz, 23d Wing communications Airman. “Working in the WOC challenged us to think ahead, adapt, and trust our teammates. Mission command allowed us to make decisions confidently and keep the mission moving.”
Mosaic Tiger 26-1 emphasized empowered leadership, warfighter readiness, and the ability to adapt to strategic environments. The exercise also supports efforts to build forces that are more mobile, responsive and versatile, all key traits needed for future conflict.
“Every Airman had a part to play, and every Airman made decisions that mattered,” Knight said. “That’s how we build a force capable of fighting and winning in the environments we know are coming.”
As the 23d WG continues to refine its ability to operate in dispersed, contested and fast-paced scenarios, mission command remains the foundation for how Airmen think, lead and execute ensuring the wing stays agile, lethal and ready for the high-end fight.
| Date Taken: | 11.19.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.24.2025 11:41 |
| Story ID: | 552125 |
| Location: | TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 5 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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