Photo By Tech. Sgt. Branden Rae | Defenders from the 419th Security Forces Squadron direct a UH-60 Black Hawk for...... read more read more
Subscribe
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah — Fourteen defenders from the 419th Security Forces Squadron completed a three‑day joint training event with the Utah Army National Guard’s 211th Aviation Regiment, April 17–19, 2026, enhancing their ability to rapidly deploy, integrate with sister services, and operate in austere environments as part of the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment concept.
Exercise Silent Recovery centered on a 24‑hour field mission that began with a nighttime helicopter insertion and concluded with a rotary‑wing extraction the following day. The event also included classroom preparation, gear inspections, and an after‑action review.
Four UH‑60 Black Hawks transported the defenders from South Valley Regional Airport, West Jordan, Utah to a remote landing zone in Utah’s west desert. After landing under night‑vision goggles, the Airmen established 360‑degree security and began a three‑mile nighttime movement across rocky, sandy terrain marked by dry wash beds, uneven footing, and constant elevation changes.
Their primary objective was to locate and recover two sensors placed in the desert using only the GPS coordinates of the sensors.
For many participants, Exercise Silent Recovery marked their first time flying in a Black Hawk or conducting a tactical ruck under NVGs.
“This was most of our first time rucking in complete darkness under NVGs, and it was just as rough as I expected,” said Tech. Sgt. Kameron Garcia, 419th Security Forces Squadron Journeyman and Team Bravo lead for this exercise. “Your depth perception is terrible, and you can only really see about ten feet in front of you.” Garcia said the nighttime movement tested both physical endurance and leadership.
“Mentally, this was the first major exercise I have had the opportunity to led, so I was constantly thinking about how to keep morale up while still getting the mission done,” said Garcia.
The defenders reached their Forward Operating Site in the early morning hours and established individual shelters, beginning a few-hour sustainment period with only the equipment and food they carried. Throughout the night, Airmen helped each other troubleshoot NVG issues, redistribute gear, and maintain accountability.
“Since it was our first time working in complete darkness, there were equipment issues we did not expect,” Garcia said. “It was good to see everyone helping each other fix gear and keep morale up.”
Senior Master Sgt. Robert Brinton, 419th Security Forces Squadron Fire Team Member, said Exercise Silent Recovery was deliberately designed to challenge the squadron with limited information, unfamiliar terrain, and a compressed timeline.
“I wanted to see these Airmen operate in an austere environment with limited direction and to step up, make decisions, and act on them,” Brinton said. “Working with the 211th enhanced the realism. The communication was smooth, and the whole process from the air mission brief to the infill and exfil was seamless.”
Brinton highlighted the defenders’ perseverance during the night movement, where illumination was less than four percent.
“The terrain was rocky and sandy, but the team adjusted their pace for the terrain, pressed forward, and persevered,” he said. “They managed equipment issues, environmental challenges, and still pushed through to meet the objective.”
After recovering both sensors and completing their sustainment period, the defenders conducted a two‑mile movement the next morning to their extraction point. Three UH‑60 Black Hawks returned to pick up the team, completing the joint operation.
Brinton said Exercise Silent Recovery directly supports the 419th Fighter Wing’s readiness priorities.
“This exercise ties directly into the 419th Wing Commander’s vision of deploying combat‑ready Airmen who can respond at a moment’s notice,” he said.
Exercise Silent Recovery also strengthened the squadron’s relationship with the 211th Aviation Regiment, marking the third time the units have trained together.
“They were gracious, communication was great, and it was seamless to integrate,” Brinton said. “We absolutely plan to make this a recurring event.”
For the defenders, the experience offered both challenge and growth, and a clearer understanding of what ACE demands.
“It was neat to see how our sister service operates and how a mission would be executed using both Army and Air Force together,” Garcia said. “Everyone stepped up. Everyone grew. And everyone made it back safely.”
| Date Taken: | 04.23.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.23.2026 14:27 |
| Story ID: | 563430 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 21 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Exercise Silent Recovery strengthens 419th SFS readiness and joint integration, by TSgt Branden Rae, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
