JBER supports expeditionary forces during major exercise

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- The 673d Air Base Wing enhanced its ability to project forces in support of the 3rd Air Expeditionary Wing’s exercise Agile Reaper 24-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, April 1 through 17.

Agile Reaper is Team JBER’s effort to exercise agile combat employment, certify Air Force force-generation requirements, rehearse capabilities in an operationally relevant environment, and to provide air dominance, global mobility, and command/control.

Approximately 800 Airmen are currently flying, maintaining and supporting aircraft operating at five separate locations to ensure the collective defense of a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

U.S. Air Force Col. David Wilson, commander of JBER and the 673rd ABW, said JBER’s operations this week were designed to evaluate and exercise their ability to bring mission partners together to project forces in the Indo-Pacific theater for AR 24-1.

“We worked hard this week to focus on putting it all together with speed and agility – readiness, people, logistics, and aircraft movements," said Wilson. “The last two years our two wings and mission partners have worked closely to tackle complex challenges and I’m really proud of the work done so far. It’s clear that we must move with a sense of urgency if we are to effectively prepare for great-power competition and I believe we’re witnessing transformational change here at JBER.”

During the exercise, the cooperation between the 673rd ABW and the 3rd Wing was crucial in getting the 3rd AEW out the door for AR 24-1.

U.S. Air Force Col. Jessica Regni, 3rd Wing deputy commander, said the importance of working together with the 673rd ABW to get the 3rd AEW into theater was apparent over the course of the week as it required Airmen to work through challenges to generate combat power at the speed of requirements.

“The ‘fight to get into theater’ is one that is often overlooked, but one we must continue to exercise and refine,” said Regni. “Exercises like Agile Reaper give Team JBER the opportunity to work through challenges so that when called upon, the 3rd AEW can explode into theater and provide air dominance for combatant commands. This was the first of many opportunities to become more agile, and I’m excited to watch Team JBER come together to deliver.”

AR 24-1 facilitates better readiness and performance in the high-end fight and preserve forces as the Air Force moves away from the hardened and entrenched physical and logistical structures of the past toward a more sustainable model where force packages are light and lean in personnel and cargo requirements.