Tennessee Guardsmen find Duke Field golden training opportunity

  • Published
  • By Dan Neely
  • 919th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
DUKE FIELD, Fla. --  A Tennessee Air National Guard unit has found their ideal training ground here.

More than 150 Guardsmen from the 119th Command and Control Squadron at McGhee Tyson ANGB near Knoxville descended on Duke Field March 21 to conduct their week-long annual combat readiness field training exercise.

Part of the 134th Air Refueling Wing, the squadron's mission is to provide training, standardization and evaluation for satellite communication and information system operators. It includes training in systems administration, preventative maintenance, sustainment, configuration management and user support for operational units.

The 119th CACS also provides the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and the state's other civilian emergency services with a force ready to react and assist as needed. Some of its Guardsmen served as part of the assistance the state provided following hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma in 2006. Their support includes dedicated personnel, facilities and equipment to assist military, federal and civilian agencies.

While at Duke Field, the squadron put 30 competing five-member teams through an exhaustive multi-checkpoint field course that featured combat skills, land navigation, self-aid and buddy care, chemical warfare defense, escape and evasion and other scenarios, each pitted against the clock. Enhancing the exercise's realism, teams faced opposing aggressor forces hidden in the densely wooded Eglin Air Force Base reservation surrounding Duke Field.

"Duke Field is a jewel for us ... one of the best-kept secrets I've ever found," said Col. David Evans, the unit's commander, who praised the wide-ranging support they received from their 919th Special Operations Wing hosts. "Major (Scott) McDonald (919th Logistics Readiness Squadron commander) and his staff have done an amazing job. Absolutely everyone here has bent over backwards to help us, and that has allowed us to knock out a lot of our ancillary training requirements that we don't get time to do during our (unit training assemblies)."

The commander also expressed thanks to April Crooks, base fitness center manager, for facilitating competitive physical fitness activities as well as extended access to the fitness center itself throughout their encampment. He also lauded the 919th Services Flight for setting up nightly recreational offerings such as karaoke and a team awards event.

"One of the primary ways we help our (personnel) retention is through events that boost our esprit de corps and cohesion," Colonel Evans said. "A lot of our sections don't normally see each other, so this has really helped us build stronger unit bonds."

Echoing his commander's comments was Chief Master Sgt. Charles Miller, a 119th CACS flight superintendent. "This is a great training area," he said. "We definitely hope to return." 

(Staff Sgt. Jon McCallum, 919th SOW Public Afffairs, contributed to this report.)