302nd Airlift Wing Reservists practice trades in austere surroundings

  • Published
  • By Daniel Butterfield
  • 302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo --  More than 50 Air Force reservists from the 302nd Airlift Wing tested their knowledge and skills during exercise Patriot Warrior, at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, as they established a simulated forward operating base Aug. 2-26.

Patriot Warrior is an annual Air Force Reserve Command exercise that provides an opportunity for Reserve Citizen Airmen to train with joint and international partners in airlift, aeromedical evacuation and mobility support. This exercise tests the ability of the Air Force Reserve to provide combat-ready forces to operate in dynamic, contested environments and to sharpen reservist’s skills in supporting combatant commander requirements.

The 302nd AW contingent included members of the 302nd Civil Engineer Squadron, Force Support Squadron, 34th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and headquarters staff.

“It is basically a deployment bed down exercise,” said Senior Master Sgt. Ralph Peck, the 302nd Civil Engineer Squadron operations superintendent. “That’s what CE does -- we build the base. We worked 14-15 hours days. Got tents up, got electrical and water --all the support systems established.”

Once the tents are up and basic necessities, such as water, electricity, shelter and food are established the FSS group starts in-processing Airmen for the exercise.

“It’s a good experience for a reservist,” said Tech. Sgt. Garrett Larson, 302nd Force Support Squadron Installation Personnel Readiness. “Patriot Warrior gave us a lot of experience on what we would expect if we were actually to go out and set up from scratch.”

Larson and Master Sgt. Robert Tallman in-processed approximately 500 Reserve Citizen Airmen before their relief arrived days later. The duo worked 16-hour days and slept in the Personnel Support for Contingency Operations tent, as PERSCO must be manned 24-hours a day.

“Sergeant Tallman and I worked with practically nothing, other than a computer and some boxes,” said Larson. “We created filing systems and accountability and databases. We actually did a lot with very little. And I’m actually very proud of that.”

The number one lesson Larson took home from the exercise, “Prepare, prepare, prepare.”

More than 600 Reserve Citizen Airmen and over 10,000 Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and international partners converged on the state of Wisconsin to support a range of interlinked exercises to include Patriot Warrior in August.