JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii – The Nevada Air National Guard’s 152nd Airlift Wing helped execute the Hawaii Air National Guard’s Ho’oikaika 22-1 exercise March 3-6.
The exercise tested the ability to mobilize and generate stealth airpower from three locations across the Hawaiian Islands and evaluate command and control decision-making and actions using the Agile Combat Employment concept.
“There is no set playbook for the Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept,” said Col. Jeremy Ford, 152nd Airlift Wing commander. “Therefore, exercising ACE allows us and the U.S. Air Force to more effectively shape how ACE will be later defined both in doctrine and execution.”
To rapidly disperse F-22 Raptor aircraft, the exercise required the airlift capabilities of two C-130 Hercules aircraft from Nevada and multiple C-17 Globemaster III aircraft assigned to the 15th Wing in Hawaii to deliver troops, equipment and fuel to forward-operating locations at Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay and Hilo International Airport.
Defenders from the 152nd Security Forces Squadron provided airfield and aircraft security for the F-22s at Hilo International Airport in a simulated austere environment.
These Airmen exceeded expectations in their duties throughout the exercise, and three security forces members also put themselves at risk responding to a structure fire while checking into their hotel.
At the end of the exercise, Brig. Gen. Dann Carlson, 154th Wing commander, recognized Staff Sgt. Leslie Ryssman and Tech. Sgt. Timothy Glover, both with the 152nd Security Forces Squadron, and Senior Airman Kyle Martinez, 154th Security Forces Squadron, for their bravery and outstanding performance.
Airmen from the 192nd Airlift Squadron, 152nd Maintenance Group, and the 152nd Logistics Readiness Squadron (LRS) were responsible for turning Nevada C-130 Hercules aircraft from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to provide troop, cargo and fuel transportation and ensuring that airpower was being constantly generated.
“The exercise quickly presented challenges for cargo,” said Ford. “With the dedication and highly regarded experience of our ‘Port Dawgs’ from Nevada who were augmenting our Hawaiian counterparts, the Airmen managed to process all of the cargo and keep the exercise moving forward.”
“We are also especially proud of our own Tech. Sgt. Jack Sand from LRS for being recognized as a superior performer by the Pacific Air Forces’ inspector general,” said Ford.
The exercise also executed “wet-wing defueling” from the C-130s — keeping the engines running and off-loading fuel directly to a fuel truck that then supplied jet fuel to the F-22s.
“Ho’oikaika is a new way of conducting exercises,” said the 154th Wing inspector general. “Gently getting rid of as many simulations as we can by uniquely challenging the skill sets of our Airmen. We’ve never seen an exercise that is being challenged in multiple locations for a single organization.”