JOINT BASE ANDREWS, MD – Six instructors from the New York Air National Guard’s 152nd Air Operations Group qualified 24 Air National Guard officers from across the United States to serve as members of Joint Air Component Coordination Elements (JACCE) during a two-day class here, Jan. 9-10.
JACCE teams work in support of Joint Air Force Component Commanders to integrate Air Force capabilities into operations.
"Our experience with the 603d Air Operations Center Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance Division allows us to give detailed briefs to JACCE team members that are new or unfamiliar with USAFE and EUCOM exercises and operations,” said 1st Lt. Brian Cooney, one of the 152nd’s Intelligence Officers.
While it’s a part of the 174th Attack Wing, the 152d is aligned with the 603d Air Operations Center in Ramstein, Germany and routinely deploys airmen to Europe in support of exercises, contingencies and day to day operations.
Each JFACC typically deploys a JACCE team to other service components and the Joint Force Commander when operations and exercises are conducted by joint forces. Teams range from 5 to 15 airmen, normally led by a senior officer, who serve as the JFACCs representative to other service component commanders and the Joint Force Commander.
Col James Muscatello, the deputy commander of the 152nd, led the training team of six 152d members as they conducted their third JACCE training session for fiscal year 2018.
The 152nd members have taken the lead in conducting total force training in order to create a pool of qualified airmen able to deploy as JACCE team members, according to Muscatello .
Previous classes were held for field grade officers in Syracuse on 24-26 October 2017 and on 7-8 November 2017 for General Officers along with the recent class at Joint Base Andrews, Muscatello said.
Classes were taught on a variety of Air Force command and control doctrine and procedures, the Air Operations Center, Theater Air-Ground Systems in addition to the duties and responsibilities of JACCE members.
Teams are expected to deploy this spring in support of the JFACC during Exercise BLUE FLAG 18 and EPIC GUARDIAN/JUDICIOUS RESPONSE at Weisbaden and Stuttgart in Germany, Vicenza in Italy and San Diego, California.
Having served on JACCE teams in multiple COCOMs, our Group is well positioned to provide this instruction to the total force in support of our active duty partners,” said Lt. Col. Nick Welly, the 152nd Space Duty Officer.