Airmen of the 133rd Contingency Response Flight (CRF), alongside four C-130 Hercules from the 133rd Airlift Wing, Minnesota Air National Guard, completed a critical exercise in April to showcase their ability to open, operate, and close a remote airbase, to train and demonstrate their deployability.
What sets the CRF apart from other Air Force units is how they are organized and equipped. As a self-sustaining unit, the flight can provide command and control, logistics, security, and drop zone support to the airfield at which they operate.
“The CRF is unique because we are like a self-sufficient mini airbase in a box,” said Master Sgt. Cody Hallas, team chief, 133rd CRF. “We can rapidly deploy within hours to remote or austere locations where capabilities don’t currently exist. Additionally, we are a mix of 14 different Air Force Specialty Codes [career fields] where everyone is cross-trained to work outside their primary roles if needed. Giving us flexibility unmatched to traditional units.”
The main goal of the exercise was to certify the 133rd CRF through a series of scenarios to meet training objectives. By completing the certification process, the readiness exercise would demonstrate that the Airmen were fully trained and capable of performing future missions whenever called upon.
“The [exercise] was to show our ability to rapidly open and operate a remote airbase,” said Hallas. “In the [contingency response] world you have to be adaptable. We go into missions with a limited amount of knowledge of what we can expect. We have to adapt on the ground in real-time. We deploy as a fully enlisted team and have to make decisions at the lowest level possible which also makes us unique and ahead of the curve to the rest of the force.”
The four C-130 cargo aircraft had an important role in the exercise. From personnel transport, loading and unloading cargo while the aircraft engines are running, medical evacuations, and relaying information about enemy forces, were just some of the scenarios the flight accomplished in Puerto Rico.
“Having the C-130s helped tremendously,” said Hallas. “The versatility of the C-130s allowed us to exercise a wide range of capabilities from drop zone operations to Engine Running Onload/Offloads (ERO).”
After spending three days in the field, the flight accomplished what they set out to do. They deployed with 28 personnel and 28 short tons of cargo, they trained on mission planning and aircraft communications, as well as airbase operations and defense. By the end of the exercise, Master Sgt. Hallas and the 133rd CRF were certified, and the Airmen had a productive training experience in sunny Puerto Rico.