AMLOs keep communication flowing during SR16

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Joseph Swafford
  • 621st Contingency Response Wing Public Affairs

As Exercise Swift Response 16 phase II began with C-130 aircraft flying overhead and Soldiers operating on the ground, Air Mobility Liaison Officers kept effective communications flowing between the two elements ensuring a successful exercise.

 

Air Mobility Liaison Officers assigned to U.S. Air Forces in Europe and the 621st Mobility Support Operations Squadron and played a crucial role throughout the exercise by being able to speak both Air Force and Army terminology simultaneously, ensuring Army warfighters on the ground and Air Force aircrews and contingency response forces are communicating effectively and on the same page.

 

“The exercise allows me to interface in a new realm of Army lingo learning all the acronyms and how they talk and work, then I switch over to the Air Force and translate it into Air Force terminology and vice verse,” said Maj. Aaron Cook, 621st Mobility Support Operation Squadron Air Mobility Liaison Officer to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment/Joint Multinational Training Center. “I try to make sure that everyone is on the same page and everyone is communicating effectively.”

 

Air Mobility Liaison Officers are AF officers specially trained to advise Army/Marine units on the optimum, safe use of air mobility assets. They conduct landing zone/drop zone operations, integrate with command and control and provide advice on air mobility capabilities.

 

Having an AMLO on the ground who was familiar with the area benefited the CR forces as they set up an aerial port and started receiving aircraft in support of the 82nd Airborne Division.

 

“I know the region and the air strip,” Cook said. “I know how to get out here and who to contact at the tower. I’ve been working with the AMLOs in the 82nd to be that middle man to relay information from soldiers on the ground to the CR forces.”

 

“Air Mobility Liaison Officers work with the Army day in and day out. Because of this, they can see some of the frustrations that they may have from an Air Force perspective,” said Col. Rhett Champagne, 821st Contingency Response Group commander. “It’s all about perspective and to have an Airmen be able to take the Army perspective and translate it to Air Force is invaluable.”

 

The exercise demonstrated that U.S. and Allied power could be projected quickly to anywhere on the globe through the USAF’s capability for rapid mobility.

 

“Aircraft and Air Mobility Command are able to provide amazing speed when it comes to bringing in combat power and sustaining that power,” said Cook. “Launching from the U.S. over to Europe like we have shown with the airdrop and air land here during SR16 within a matter of 24 hours shows that we can get a huge amount of Combat power to any spot in the world.”

 

 

The exercise also provided an opportunity for the AMLO functional area manager to embed with AMLOs and see first hand how they operate in the field.

 

“It’s an opportunity to validate the doctrine, policy, guidance and to take a good look at how we’ve equipped them to operate successfully in a deployed environment, said Lt. Col. Brian Broekemeier, Headquarters AMC, Command and Control Expeditionary/Operations Division AMLO FAM.

 

“The AMLOs did great during SR16, the exercise helped them learn how the warfighter thinks and also gave them first hand knowledge of how CR forces work so that they can apply it for future real world ops.”