Crews flew approximately 1,200 hours in eight days, executing nearly 650 sorties during Exercise Mobility Guardian, July 31 to Aug. 12.

During those missions, refueling aircraft offloaded roughly 1.2 million pounds of fuel; aerial port personnel processed 3,676 passengers and 4,911 tons of equipment; and crews airdropped 356 paratroopers, 33 heavy platforms and nearly 300 Container Delivery System bundles.

"I think (Mobility Guardian) was very beneficial because it was the first exercise in a long time where the sole focus was on the desired learning objectives of the Mobility forces across the spectrum: contingency response, aeromedical evacuation, air mobility liaison officers, air refueling, airlift, airdrop and much more," said U.S. Air Force Col. Johnny Lamontagne, Mobility Guardian combined forces air component commander.

Mobility Guardian included 54 aircraft from 11 nations and enabled personnel from 25 nations to enhance interoperability.

"It was great for them to be able to see how we operate and for us to see how they operate," said Lamontagne. "When the United States goes into combat, we go with our international partners, but we rarely get to train together.

"This was a great opportunity to integrate so when we go into combat, it's not the first time we've worked together; we already have some experience and understand each other's capabilities," he added.

The exercise included more than 3,000 U.S. servicemembers and international partners who worked to measure the effectiveness of the Mobility Air Forces in contingency and humanitarian response operations.

"Mobility Guardian was about learning, discovery and the opportunity to work as a part of a joint and coalition team," said U.S. Air Force Gen. Carlton D. Everhart II, Air Mobility Command commander. "This exercise was an investment in ensuring our airmen are prepared to succeed in the most challenging environments and deliver desired results across the globe."

For the 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Mobility Guardian is an opportunity to train and sharpen battlefield skills for medical troops from around the nation and world.

A majority of the AES participation from the 446th Airlift "Rainier" Wing for Mobility Guardian will be as ground members who will support flying crews going up on exercise missions, said Capt. Virginia Aguilar, 446th AES healthcare administrator.

"We will primarily have people running the Aeromedical Evacuation Operations Team," said Aguilar. "Their job will be to organize crews to get on missions and then tag those crews for specific flying missions once alerts come down."

As Capt. April Telan, 446th AES flight nurse, continued to explain, the crews will also be charged with maintaining the equipment and medications needed for Aeromedical Evacuation missions to be flown, as AEOT members will also be responsible for coordinating with the Aeromedical Staging Squadron members to coordinate the transportation of patients to the En Route Patient Staging System (ERPS).

"The people running the AEOT in deployed locations are usually kept very busy working in shifts 24 hours a day to prepare for medical alerts that need to be responded to immediately," said Telan.

The members running the AEOT have to ensure the ability for crews to respond around the clock by maintaining crew-rest schedules and ensuring that crews are always prepared and available.

Tech. Sgt. Gabriel Itaya, 446th AES AEOT non-commissioned officer in charge for Mobility Guardian, explained that part of the challenge in addition to the multitude of tasks the AEOT is charged with normally, has been setting up their AEOT capabilities from the ground up.

"When we came out here we had to learn to set up the whole area," said Itaya. "This has entailed unpacking and doing inventory of equipment as well as creating mission boards for use during the exercise."

Of the 12 members running the AEOT for the Mobility Guardian exercise, four of them are from the Rainier Wing.

In addition to the multitude of tasks AEOT members are charged with organizing, they are also present on the flight line to launch and recover every mission that goes out to ensure that the proper equipment is loaded and unloaded from planes.

"It's been a learning process as we've all had to learn to make adjustments on the fly," said Itaya, "Over the course of the exercise so far, we've already gotten a lot smoother in our process."

Mobility Guardian is a new exercise intended to enhance Mobility partnerships and test the full spectrum of capabilities AMC provides the nation. It began July 31 and is scheduled to conclude Aug. 12. The exercise involves participation from more than 3,000 U.S. military personnel from the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps in addition to participants from nearly 30 international countries.

The second half of Exercise Mobility Guardian began at Joint Base Lewis-McChord Aug. 6 and will focus on training aircrew on advanced tactical air operations. The exercise ends Saturday.

Following the successful execution of the joint forcible entry, ground forces established control over Moses Lake, which enabled the transition to sustainment operations.

"Mobility Guardian has tested our ability to prepare and deliver the force," said U.S. Air Force Gen. Carlton D. Everhart II, Air Mobility Command commander. "Now it will test our ability to sustain the force and, after the mission is over, ensure the joint force returns home."

The 62nd Medical Brigade enabled the first step in the sustainment phase, said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jeremy Wagner, Mobility Guardian director. The brigade executed humanitarian relief operations after the 82nd Airborne Division accomplished a joint forcible entry and seized the airfield at Moses Lake. From there, components of the 7th Infantry Division, Stryker Brigade Combat Team, took over the airfield and established their power projection.

These movements enabled the 621st Contingency Response Wing to begin air base opening operations at Fairchild Air Force Base, Moses Lake and Yakima.

International teams working with ground forces will also provide force protection during the sustainment phase. The Number 2 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment, one of the international teams, will provide airfield security for the 621st CRW.

"They are force multipliers," said Wagner. "They've been very involved and have shown how capable they are as our partners."

International teams will remain integrated during the 500-plus flights that were planned in support of Mobility Guardian, said Wagner. During the sustainment phase, aircraft will continue to deliver materials to support the ground forces' humanitarian efforts, but the air operations are expected to become more difficult.

"We've been airdropping an incredible amount of equipment to some of the displaced humanitarian relief operations," said Wagner. "Now it mostly focuses on getting advanced tactical training for our aircrews. When we're done with that, we can start heading home."

This training includes air drops in difficult locations, opportunities to test practice threat systems that detect ground enemies, and C-130 wet-wing defueling, Wagner added.

For Everhart, this advanced exercise is a testament of the abilities that U.S. and international servicemembers provide the global response force.

"Global reach is not a birthright for America; it requires hard work, preparation, investment and training," said the AMC commander. "Mobility Guardian offers our airmen vital experience to excel in any environment, applying lessons learned from years of war to deliver a realistic and challenging training environment for not only the Air Force but our joint and international partners as well."

Train like we fight is the focus of the inaugural iteration of the largest scale exercise that Air Mobility Command has ever undertaken.

Mobility Guardian features over 3,000 personnel, including 25 international countries through Aug. 12 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

"Our ability to move national power to any location is key to the security of the United States," said Gen. Carlton D. Everhart, II, Air Mobility Command commander. "Mobility airmen are often the first to arrive and the last to depart. They provide continuous support to the joint warfighter. Simply put, success requires our Total Force team of mobility airmen to work together with joint and international partners. Exercising our capabilities together is critical, so when we are called upon, we can deliver quickly and precisely."

Exercise Mobility Guardian is designed to enhance the capabilities of mobility airmen by preparing them to succeed in the dynamic threat environments of today and tomorrow.

"We're creating an exercise that will encompass everything AMC does," said Lt. Col. Jeremy Wagner, Mobility Guardian director. "We basically took every skillset from AMC and said, ‘what would the ideal exercise for each of our different mission sets look like?' Then we combined them all into one."

The exercise is about strengthening partnerships, discovery, learning and improving together as an integrated team, according to officials. Mobility Guardian will provide mobility airmen an opportunity to work with joint services, international partners and industry.

This exercise is being conducted with mobility aircraft heavily involved in the war against the Islamic State and employed worldwide to deliver hope to those in need. The Combat Air Forces are supporting the exercises with an array of fighter and bomber capability to include F-35s, F-16s, A-10s, F-15Es, F-15Cs, B-52s and the B-2.

"We're trying to challenge mobility airmen to improve skillsets that they either may have not worked on recently or have experienced at all," said 1st Lt. Michael McCarthy, Mobility Guardian planner. "Any Combat Air Forces involvement is to simulate what we would see real-world but really push these members to the limits within the safe parameters of what they're capable of."

Training in preparation for the exercise has been left to individual units. Unlike AMC Rodeo, a competition, Exercise Mobility Guardian is less about showcasing skills and rather creating a comprehensive, realistic and complex training environment.

This exercise is about developing new skills and spreading knowledge among airmen as they work alongside our international partners, said McCarthy.

Throughout the exercise, teams will make observations and gather metrics that will be passed to AMC leadership to develop an appropriate site picture of the MAF's capabilities. They will also compile lessons learned for areas that need improvement, post-exercise.

Planning and coordination has taken roughly two years and has involved the work of several career fields to include all core functions of AMC.

Interest for the exercise has completely exceeded expectations as registration closed July 11 due to an overwhelming response.

"We've built something really fantastic and I think people are responding to that," said Wagner. "We're getting people calling all of the time saying that they want to be a part of this."

Nearly 30 partner nations are participating alongside the U.S. during Air Mobility Command's Mobility Guardian, which runs across Washington State through Aug. 12.

The exercise aims to enhance the U.S. military's global response force by integrating in complex, realistic mobility training with partner nations.

Fully-integrated events during the exercise will allow for strategic interoperability in support of real-world operations, said Maj. Thomas Rich, Joint Task Force director of operations for Mobility Guardian.

"We're pushing the tactical edge," said Rich. "We're putting aircraft from different nations close together in a tight air space in a dynamic threat environment. There's a little bit of inherent risk in that, but that's what we want to do here so that everybody is ready when we do it for real."

More than 650 international military personnel and 3,000 U.S. military servicemembers will focus on AMC's four core competencies during the exercise, which include airlift, air refueling, aeromedical evacuation and air mobility support, said Col. Clinton Zumbrunnen, the international observer mission commander for Mobility Guardian.

Zumbrunnen hopes Mobility Guardian, which is planned to be held biennially, will attract additional allies to attend and will encourage observers to return as participants in the future.

Col. Jose Antonio Morales, Brazilian air force's 5th Wing training commander, mirrors this hope for his own country.

"We are trying to arrange a lot of new exercises and interchanges between our countries," said Morales. "We are all so proud to represent our country and our air force and participate in this very important exercise."

Some of the scheduled events include formations between the U.S., Brazil and Colombia, and a joint forcible entry from an intelligence alliance comprised of the U.S., Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Canada.

Capt. Patrick Rodrigue, Canadian Forces Aeromedical Evacuation Unit flight nurse, offered his take on the upcoming exercise upon arrival at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

"It's very important for us to get out there and actually practice our mission and get to practice our capacity as well as joint interoperability," said Rodrique.

Those nations observing also play a vital role by strengthening partnerships with the U.S. and becoming familiarized with U.S. training, tactics and procedures. Zumbrunnen said observers will be paired with U.S. crew members to see as much of the air mobility process as safely and securely as possible.

It's a test of how we operate with interoperability and also gives us the opportunity to build relationships, he said.

Mobility Guardian will focus on training both junior and senior Air Force airmen to operate alongside international servicemembers. To Rich, this maximizes the efficiency of the entire Air Force and its interoperability during real-world contingencies.

For Zumbrunnen the effort to enhance unrivaled power projection capabilities is not possible without the help of U.S. allies.

"I have not deployed anywhere or gone anywhere in my duty as an airlift pilot where there was not an international presence," said Zumbrunnen.

Zumbrunnen believes the ability for the U.S. to gain and fight alongside its allies is an unrivaled asset.

Mobility Guardian offers an avenue for testing the full spectrum of AMC capabilities. It also incorporates opportunities to exchange mobility expertise with international counterparts to create world-wide impact.

The U.S. does not go to war without allies, said Rich, so it's important that Mobility Guardian develops our ability to power project when and where needed.

Over 50 members of Civil Air Patrol from squadrons across Washington state are signed up to assist United States Air Force personnel with operations at the Fairchild AFB open house and air show known as Skyfest 2017, where the USAF Thunderbirds will headline the event. From Friday to Sunday, both cadet and senior members will be assisting airshow personnel with various operations duties. Local CAP units will also have aircraft on display, aerospace education materials for the public and staff a recruiting booth for those interested in learning more about Civil Air Patrol, the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary.

In addition to the Thunderbirds, Skyfest will feature several military and civilian acts. Attractions will include aerial demonstrations, concessions and static aircraft displays.

"Our team is working hard to put together an amazing experience for the community," said Maj. Richard Hennies, Skyfest 2017 director. "We are excited to open Fairchild to the public again to showcase some of the great capabilities the Air Force has to offer."

CAP Washington wing commander Col. James P. Furlong added, "It's quite an honor to be able to support the U.S. Air Force each year at this event, and it's an absolute treat to watch the Thunderbirds!"

Firearms, weapons, fireworks, and drones will not be permitted into the event. Additionally, drugs of any kind, including marijuana, are not allowed on federal property.

"Everyone is encouraged to bring cameras to capture their experience and earplugs for watching the show," said Maj. Emily Kubusek, Skyfest 2017 air boss. "We are also encouraging participants to be prepared for the July heat by bringing water and sunscreen."

To ensure the safety of all in attendance, air show guests must consent to security searches and all backpacks and bags will be checked upon entry. Air show attendees are permitted to bring in coolers with food and nonalcoholic beverages.

"Attendees are encouraged to carpool due to limited parking." said Hennies. "We want to be able to facilitate as many people as possible to enjoy Skyfest 2017."

The last air show at Fairchild was in 2014 and had more than 200,000 guests in attendance.

Starting July 31, airmen undergoing their annual Periodic Health Assessment may notice something new. A Mental Health Assessment will now be part of every annual PHA, to help ensure that airmen suffering from undiagnosed mental health issues are referred to the necessary care.

Mental health issues are a serious problem for U.S. Armed Forces and for the Air Force. These illnesses are often not visible to others, making them difficult to diagnose and leading to unnecessary suffering. By implementing yearly screening, more airmen in the early stages of mental illness will be identified and referred for treatment, helping them heal and improving overall medical readiness.

"This assessment gives airmen an annual opportunity to review their mental health with a medical provider and discuss any concerns they may have," said Col. Steven Pflanz, Air Force Director of Psychological Health. "Making the process routine for everyone reduces stigma and makes it easier for airmen suffering from mental health problems to obtain care."

The annual MHA fulfills a requirement of the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act, and uses established Department of Defense questions for early detection of mental health issues. The questions included in the MHA are the same that airmen see on their pre- and post-deployment health screenings. Completing the annual MHA can even substitute for specific post-deployment screenings.

Airmen will continue to fill out the DD form 3024 online for their annual PHA, which already includes the mental health questions. Airmen will speak with a trained healthcare provider or licensed mental health professional to complete the person-to-person component. Most flight personnel will meet face-to-face, and most non-flight personnel will complete this section over the phone.

Members of the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve will begin the annual MHA later in August. For airmen stationed at bases with MTFs belonging to other services, efforts are underway to ensure transfer of PHA questionnaires between the services. Until this process is complete, the Air Force will utilize existing Base Operational Medical Clinic protocols to accomplish these PHAs.

Airmen who underwent a PHA in 2017 prior to July 31, do not have an additional requirement to retake it this year. Their 2018 PHA will include the MHA interview with a medical provider.

Airmen can monitor their individual medical readiness using their MyIMR page at https://imr.afms.mil/imr/MyIMR.aspx. This page also contains location specific information, instruction, office hours and phone numbers to help airmen meet their IMR requirements.

For many Air Force retirees, a club membership is one way to stay connected to the service they love. Air Force Services Activity officials are encouraging retirees to activate their new Air Force Club Member Portal accounts before losing that connection.

"Our retiree population is a special part of our Air Force family. Their contributions to shaping the Air Force of today are invaluable and we want to keep them connected to our airmen and our installations," said Col. Donna Turner, the AFSVA commander.

The Air Force began transitioning away from a club credit card to the Air Force Club Member Portal at six pilot installations in May: Osan Air Base, South Korea; Thule AB, Greenland; Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri; Eglin AFB, Florida; Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, and JB Charleston, South Carolina.

Current member information was automatically loaded on the club portal, but members need to log in and update payment information to maintain their membership. The free MemberPlanet app is available in the App Store or Google Play. The web- and app-based system allows members to choose their payment methods and receive real-time event information directly on their smart devices or computers through the portal.

"Members can now use their credit or debit card of choice," said Jonathan Boyd, the AFSVA chief of nonappropriated fund food and beverage operations. "It's an easy process ... you simply update your profile using your smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer."

Members without easy access to smart devices or computers can also stop by their local club for assistance.

"Through the club portal, club members will have easy access to a wide variety of information such as events and special programs scheduled, meal specials and other notifications in near real time," Boyd said.

The portal will be rolled out across the Air Force Aug. 1, 2017. Members can either show their digital membership card through the MemberPlanet App on their smart devices or print a card from the app. The card features the member's name, preferred club, and an expiration date.

"Air Force Club membership is a tradition," Turner said. "It's where our airmen experience, learn and share our Air Force culture. Our clubs provide resiliency to our airmen and their families. This new approach to membership will make it easier for our airmen to stay connected with our Air Force tradition and build on the culture and esprit de corps established by those who have previously served."

For more info, contact your local club or visit myairforcelife.com/clubs/cmp.aspx.

Air Mobility Command serves as the world's unmatched and premier Mobility Air Force, enabling Global Vigilance, Global Reach and Global Power for America. In peacetime and in war, our airmen are engaged 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days per year. Our airmen produce mission critical effects while operating in a volatile, complex global environment against the backdrop of fiscal uncertainty.

Airlift

Rapid Global Mobility supports intergovernmental agencies, partner nations, military training teams and humanitarian efforts. We routinely go where others can't, e.g. transport scientists to Antarctica or airdrop food, water and supplies to counter ISIS or provide relief across the globe.

Airlift provides the critical means of moving supplies, equipment and personnel anywhere in the world within a matter of hours and helps to sustain them during conflict.

AMC moved nearly 725 billion pounds of cargo last year - enough to airlift the St. Louis Gateway Arch more than eight times. AMC's ability to provide Rapid Global Mobility is unmatched by any other air force.

Aerial Refueling

On average, Mobility airmen refuel one aircraft every five minutes in the CENTCOM AOR alone. Last year, that totaled 110,000 refuels, powering the fight against ISIS. Since the outset of OIR, AMC has flown more than 33,000 tanker sorties in support of the operation.

Air refueling forces are the lifeblood of the joint fighter and bomber communities and provide force extension for coalition partners' fleets.

AMC and coalition tankers have made it possible to extend the range and persistence of our air operations, enabling aircraft to maintain an operational presence 24/7.

Aeromedical Evacuation

During Vietnam, it took an average of 45 days to bring an injured servicemember to the U.S.

Today, it takes three days. AE forces operate anywhere air operations occur in support of military operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster response. Our AE capability is unparalleled.

U.S. Air Force Reserve 2nd Lt. Reily Finnelly, 97th Airlift Squadron pilot, flies a C-17 Globemaster III to transport U.S. Army 2nd Cavalry Regiment Interim Armored Vehicle Strykers to Plovdiv Airport, Bulgaria, July 14. The U.S. Air Force’s capability for rapid mobility allows U.S. and allied power to be projected quickly to anywhere on the globe. Photo credit: Senior Airman Tryphenia Mayhugh
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

All AMC airlift aircraft can be fitted with universally qualified medical equipment, allowing crews to quickly address any medical emergency and rapidly and efficiently meet our injured warfighter's needs.

High-tech medicine, robust en route care and rapid medical evacuation has ensured our wounded warriors get the care they deserve and has enabled a 97 percent survival rate.

Mobility Support

Following Hurricane Matthew, 128 Contingency Response airmen from the 621st CRW deployed to Haiti and teamed with three other agencies to open the airport in Port Au Prince, allowing Joint Task Force Matthew to deliver 400 tons of food and medical supplies in two weeks.

Contingency Response airmen allow us to prepare flightlines in Iraq, supporting anti-ISIS efforts.

AMC plays a critical role in the DoD's humanitarian missions. The U.S. delivers relief and assistance to partner nations around the world, enabling "Gray Tail Diplomacy."

U.S. Air Force Reserve Maj. Chris Clinton, a 731st Airlift Squadron C-130 Hercules pilot out of Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado, prepares for landing at Papa Air Base, Hungary, as part of exercise Swift Response 17, July 15. Swift Response is linked to exercise Saber Guardian 17, a U.S. Army Europe-led, multinational exercise that spans across Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania with more than 25,000 servicemembers from 22 allied and partner nations. Photo credit: Maj. Jolene Bottor-Ortiona
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

AMC/Mobility Air Force Fast Facts

–– Personnel: 124,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve & civilian airmen

–– Total aircraft: 1,100 over 11 airframes

Largest aircraft totals:

1. KC-135 - 396
2. C-130 - 324
3. C-17 - 222

–– One AMC aircraft takes off every 2.8 minutes, 365 days a year

–– AMC refuels an aircraft every five minutes in the CENTCOM AOR alone

–– Mobility airmen are currently deployed to 77 locations in 23 countries

AMC is Global

–– Operation Inherent Resolve

–– Operation Freedom's Sentinel

––Operation Atlantic Resolve

–– Approximately 40 exercises annually

Operational Fast Facts
–– Airlift (CY16 operational data):
1. Missions: 14,601
2. Sorties: 39,023
3. Passengers: 871,205
4. Flying hours: 169,822
***Approximate totals

–– Aerial Refueling: (AF assets worldwide)
1. Sorties: 30,700
2. Fuel: just under 1.172 billion pounds
3. Aircraft fueled: 123,794

–– Aeromedical evacuations:
1. Missions: 753
2. Sorties: 1,025
3. Patients: 4,339

–– Contingency Response: (Hurricane Matthew & GTMO evacuations):
1. Missions: 28
2. Sorties: 73
3. Passengers: 1,985

Mobility Guardian is not Air Rodeo 2.0, according to Air Force officials.  Rodeo, which was hosted at McChord for nearly two decades, was a competition - Mobility Guardian is an exercise.  This Q&A from Air Mobility Command provides the explanations.

How will Mobility Guardian be different from AMC's Rodeo in previous years?

Mobility Guardian is a time for discovery and learning. It is a completely new exercise meant to enhance mobility partnerships and test the full spectrum of capabilities Air Mobility Command provides the nation. AMC Rodeo was primarily a friendly competition between various joint and coalition partners, while Mobility Guardian will put mobility airmen, and their partners, to the test in real-world scenarios that aircrews face in today's contingency operations as well as those they expect to see in the future. This forum will allow participants to share tactics, techniques and procedures essential to maintaining readiness and sustainment in coalition campaigns around the world.

What inspired the change?

Exercise Mobility Guardian is crucial, because no matter how the world acts, one constant remains - the need to reach any point on the globe quickly and with ready military forces. In the face of high operations tempos and limited resources, AMC owes it to their airmen and the American people to maximize efficiency and produce ready forces always. AMC Rodeo's evolution to Exercise Mobility Guardian is a crucial opportunity to maintain readiness and improve interoperability with joint and coalition partners. To be prepared for tomorrow's challenges, airmen must train like they fight. Exercise Mobility Guardian gives them the chance to do just that, working with their mobility partners to tackle highly complex scenarios which will increase their ability to employ forces in the tough situations they find themselves in around the world.

What are the similarities between Mobility Guardian and past Rodeos?

Exercise Mobility Guardian grew out of a need to sharpen the skills of mobility crews to meet current and future demands of combatant commanders. Air Mobility Rodeo focused on specialized crews in competition, whereas Mobility Guardian is driven by readiness, which is what is required in today's volatile environment.

What are the training goals for the exercise? What types of scenarios will participants see?

Exercises like these offer an opportunity to learn and evolve as a force. With mission readiness as the ultimate training objective, the exercise is being designed to sharpen airmen's skills in support of combatant commander requirements. The exercise training scenario will feature joint forcible entry and airfield seizure, a joint mission between Air Force airdrop crews and Army Airborne units which will take place at locations across Washington state. It will also incorporate contingency response and humanitarian relief operations to include aeromedical evacuation efforts.