Photo By Elizabeth Easterling | A U.S. Air Force Special Operations Airmen loads a medical evacuation patient on to a...... read more read more
DUKE FIELD, Fla. -- For the first time in more than 10 years, the 919th Special Operations Wing validated its full mission cycle in a comprehensive combat readiness exercise held from April 8-12, 2026. The event proved the wing's ability to rapidly transition from a home-station force to a deployed combat unit.
The exercise focused on the 919th SOW's core Mission Essential Tasks by establishing a forward operating base and executing complex operations in a simulated austere location. The training was specifically designed to replicate a challenging and restrictive operational environment.
“Rarely do we have the opportunity to bring the entire Wing’s combat power together at once,” said Col. Scott Hurrelbrink, 919th SOW commander. “This exercise allowed us to do exactly that. From the first aircraft launch to the last recovery, every squadron and every support element operated as a deployed, forward operating force.”
Throughout the five-day scenario, the wing's capabilities in intelligence, mobility and precision firepower were rigorously tested against a series of dynamic threats, including unmanned aircraft system incursions, casualty evacuation missions and chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear events.
“Our goal was to move beyond the checklist and create a dynamic problem for the wing participants to solve,” said the lead exercise planner. “We're not just training for the fight, we’re validating their readiness for the future, to answer the nation’s call.”
Critically, the 919th was also tasked with providing this support not only for its own Citizen Air Commandos but also four other Air Force Special Operations Command wings and several SOF teams participated in the exercise, proving their ability to sustain a larger joint force.
“I appreciated everyone’s hard work and involvement in the exercise,” said Hurrelbrink. “This was another example of how the Air Commandos of the 919th are building the kind of readiness that matters most. It is readiness that warfighters can count on when seconds matter and the mission is non-negotiable.”
The successful completion of the exercise reaffirmed the 919th SOW’s ability to generate combat-ready forces on demand, ensuring it remains prepared to project airpower anytime, anywhere.
| Date Taken: | 04.15.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.17.2026 12:56 |
| Story ID: | 562967 |
| Location: | FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 78 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 919th SOW Tests Full-Spectrum Readiness in Decades-Largest Wing Exercise, by Elizabeth Easterling, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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