2 ASOS Tactical Air Control Party members training

Special Forces

GRAFENWÖHR TRAINING AREA, Germany — There was a job to do: train to stay lethal, and it was a group of U.S. Air Force non-commissioned officers who made it happen during Agile Fury 21, a week-long bilateral air-to-ground exercise hosted by the 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron, which ended March 11.

“This idea came together only a few months ago on the shoulders of a handful of staff sergeants who were looking to get closer support in our backyard,” said Lt. Col. Justin Bañez, 2nd ASOS commander. “I’m extremely proud of our Airmen.”

The exercise trained Tactical Air Control Party members on scenarios involving ground operations, close air support and reconnaissance.

“Agile Fury gives us the opportunity to work with existing capabilities here within the command alongside our partner nation of Germany,” Bañez said.

Simulated close air support was provided by German air force Eurofighter Typhoon jets and F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft from the 480th and 510th Fighter Squadrons from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, and Aviano Air Base, Italy. The 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade from the U.S. Army, and the 10th Panzer Division from the German army provided personnel to integrate with the 2nd ASOS.

Furthermore, the exercise was the first time the 2nd ASOS employed technology such as personal reconnaissance drone system and multi-spectral digital invoice communication capabilities. The 2nd ASOS also debuted a surface-to-air-threat emitter, a device that is able to simulate threats for aircraft to neutralize.

“This allows us to really get after some of the reconnaissance tactics we’re trying to hone,” Bañez said.

Agile Fury was also the largest exercise the 2nd ASOS has ever hosted.

“Considering how small the 2nd ASOS is, this was a pretty significant accomplishment,” Bañez said.

Staff Sgt. Demarcus Harrison, 2nd ASOS strike team non-commissioned officer in charge, said the exercise had been in the planning stages since 2019. The exercise began to crystallize in the fall of 2020 as Harrison, along with Staff Sgt. Gregory Holst, 2nd ASOS TACP weapons officer, and Tech. Sgt. Dennis Back, standards and evaluations programs manager, contacted various fighter squadrons around United States Air Forces Europe-Air Forces Africa about their plans.

“The idea was originally just going to be us (and) the 510th (FS),” Harrison said. “By the time people got word that we’re trying to conduct a (close air support exercise), that two-man exercise had grown to a 15-party exercise. It just kept swelling and swelling and turned from a day-event to a week-long event with multiple distinguished visitors at that time.”

As for how it feels to finally see his team’s brainchild come together, Harrison had one word: “Amazing.”

“One thing I love about this week is that, even as we’re doing long hours every day, I’m seeing things develop and it makes me happy,” Harrison said. “The final product of a lot of hard work from a lot of strong and independent people is coming together.”

The squadron hopes to make Agile Fury an annual exercise, expanding on the number of partner nations invited as well as including more U.S. Army integration, Bañez said.

“We have an after-action plan after the completion of the exercise where we’ll start charting out what that needs to look like,” Bañez said. “Considering how many partners were excited to participate, we expect that we’ll be able to do this for years to come.”

By Senior Airman Taylor D. Slater, 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs / Published March 16, 2021

Special Forces
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Hunter Gardoski, 4th Air Support Operations Group training manager, poses for a photo during exercise Agile Fury 21 at the Grafenwöhr Training Area, Germany, March 11, 2021. Tactical Air Control Party Airmen train on scenarios involving ground operations, close air support and reconnaissance during the week-long exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Taylor Slater)
Special Forces
A surface-to-air-threat emitter sits on a government vehicle during Agile Fury 21 at the Grafenwöhr Training Area, Germany, March 11, 2021. The emitter functions as a radar that emits signatures of common missile systems for aircraft to neutralize. The exercise was the first time the 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron employed the technology. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Taylor Slater)
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U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Bobby Cooper, 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron Joint Terminal Attack Controller, shows a map to a member of the German Bundeswehr during exercise Agile Fury 21 at the Grafenwöhr Training Area, Germany, March 10, 2021. Other units involved in Agile Fury 21 included the 480th and 510th Fighter Squadrons from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, and Aviano Air Base, Italy, as well as the 10th Panzer Division from the German army. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Taylor Slater)
Special Forces
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Rajohn Rickett-Heath, 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron Tactical Air Control Party strike team operator, looks for opposing forces during a small unit tactics exercise during exercise Agile Fury 21 at the Grafenwöhr Training Area, Germany, March 10, 2021. Small unit tactics exercises enable movement through hostile areas and teaches units how to react to contact. TACPs must be able to operate with whatever joint service they are attached to. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Taylor Slater)
Special Forces
U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Tormod Lillekroken, 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron Tactical Air Control Party Officer, untangles a wire while setting up a high frequency antenna during Agile Fury 21 at the Grafenwöhr Training Area, Germany, March 9, 2021. High frequency antennas allow TACP members to quickly set up communications in an austere environment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Taylor Slater)
Special Forces
U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Tormod Lillekroken, 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron Tactical Air Control Party Officer, sets up a high frequency antenna during exercise Agile Fury 21 at the Grafenwöhr Training Area, Germany, March 9, 2021. Agile Fury 21 is the largest exercise the 2nd ASOS has ever held. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Taylor Slater)
Special Forces
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Weldon Leonard, 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron Tactical Air Control Party section leader, left, and 2nd Lt. Tormod Lillekroken, 2nd ASOS TACP Officer, right, survey a camouflaged Humvee during exercise Agile Fury 21 at the Grafenwöhr Training Area, Germany, March 8, 2021. TACP members use natural elements such as trees, leaves, and moss as camouflage to help them avoid enemy detection. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Taylor Slater)
Special Forces
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jonathan Webster, 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron Tactical Air Control Party journeyman, writes in his notebook during exercise Agile Fury 21 at the Grafenwöhr Training Area, Germany, March 9, 2021. TACP members guide aircraft to enemy locations and increase the strength of ground forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Taylor Slater)
Special Forces
U.S. Army Spc. Michael Ritchie, 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, command chief troop forward observer, surveys the Grafenwöhr Training Area during exercise Agile Fury 21 in Germany, March 9, 2021. Other units involved in exercise Agile Fury 21 include the 480th Fighter Squadron from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, the 510th Fighter Squadron from Aviano Air Base, Italy, as well as the 10th Panzer Division from the German Army. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Taylor Slater)
Special Forces
U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Steven Basham, United States Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa deputy commander, surveys the Grafenwöhr Training Area during exercise Agile Fury 21 in Germany, March 9, 2021. Binoculars serve many purposes for Tactical Air Control Party Airmen, providing them advance notice of enemy units and expanding their vision to better survey an area. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Taylor Slater)
Special Forces
U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Steven Basham, United States Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa deputy commander, speaks with a member of the 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron during exercise Agile Fury 21 at the Grafenwöhr Training Area, Germany, March 9, 2021. Tactical Air Control Party members use natural elements such as trees, leaves, and moss as camouflage to help them avoid enemy detection. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Taylor Slater)
Special Forces
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Demarcus Harrison, 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron strike team non-commissioned officer in charge, left, watches as a drone flies in the air during Agile Fury 21 at the Grafenwöhr Training Area, Germany, March 8, 2021. Agile Fury 21 is the largest exercise the 2nd ASOS has ever held. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Taylor Slater)
Special Forces
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Demarcus Harrison, 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron strike team non-commissioned officer in charge, holds a drone during Agile Fury 21 at the Grafenwöhr Training Area, Germany, March 8, 2021. Drones are used for reconnaissance because they use heat signatures to detect human life and are small enough to generally avoid enemy detection. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Taylor Slater)
Special Forces
Members of the 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron drape a camouflage net over a Humvee during Agile Fury 21 at the Grafenwöhr Training Area, Germany, March 8, 2021. Agile Fury 21, an exercise held from March 8-12, in which Tactical Air Control Party Airmen train on scenarios involving ground operations, close air support and reconnaissance. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Taylor Slater)
Special Forces
Members of the 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron discuss camouflage strategies during Agile Fury 21 at the Grafenwöhr Training Area, Germany, March 8, 2021. Tactical Air Control Party Airmen must be vigilant when selecting locations to set up operations while in an austere environment to safeguard themselves against enemy detection. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Taylor Slater)

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