U.S. Soldiers assigned to Alpha Company, 4th Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group exit via rope an Air Force CV-22 Osprey during Emerald Warrior 2011 March 1, 2011, at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M. Emerald Warrior is an annual two-week joint/combined tactical exercise sponsored by U.S. Special Operations Command to provide realistic training opportunities to conventional and special operations forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. DeNoris Mickle/Released)
U.S. Soldiers assigned to Alpha Company, 4th Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group watch an Air Force CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft during Emerald Warrior 2011 March 1, 2011, at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M. Emerald Warrior is an annual two-week joint/combined tactical exercise sponsored by U.S. Special Operations Command to provide realistic training opportunities to conventional and special operations forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. DeNoris Mickle/Released)
A U.S. Air Force MC-130H Combat Talon II aircraft loadmaster assigned to the 15th Special Operations Squadron guides a forklift loading an aircraft March 3, 2011, at Hurlburt Field, Fla., in support of Emerald Warrior 2011. Emerald Warrior is an annual two-week joint/combined tactical exercise sponsored by U.S. Special Operations Command to provide realistic training opportunities to conventional and special operations forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Manuel J. Martinez/Released)
U.S. Air Force combat controllers in advanced skills training secure a Humvee aboard an MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft assigned to the 9th Special Operations Squadron March 2, 2011, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., in support of Emerald Warrior 2011. Emerald Warrior is a U.S. Special Operations Command-sponsored, multiservice exercise designed to leverage lessons learned from overseas operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Manuel J. Martinez/Released)
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Randy Theisen, center, a combat control student, watches as Airmen check his parachute while being transported aboard an MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft for an airfield seizure mission March 2, 2011, over Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., in support of Emerald Warrior 2011. Emerald Warrior is a U.S. Special Operations Command-sponsored, multiservice exercise designed to leverage lessons learned from overseas operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Manuel J. Martinez/Released)
U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group, swim away form CH-47 Chinook helicopter assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment after jumping out of it during water training, March 1, 2011 over the Gulf of Mexico in support of Emerald Warrior 2011. Emerald Warrior 2011 is a U.S. Special Operations Command-sponsored, multiservice exercise designed to leverage lessons learned from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom to provide trained and ready forces to combatant commanders. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Tech Sgt. Manuel J. Martinez)(Released)
U.S. Air Force combat control students prepare to jump off the ramp of an MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft during an airfield seizure training mission over Florida March 2, 2011, in support of Emerald Warrior 2011. Emerald Warrior is a U.S. Special Operations Command-sponsored, multiservice exercise designed to leverage lessons learned from overseas operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Manuel J. Martinez/Released)
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dave Holcombe, an MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft loadmaster assigned to the 9th Special Operations Squadron, waits to open the ramp doors for combat weatherman jumpers assigned to the 10th Combat Weather Squadron in the skies over Florida March 2, 2011, in support of Emerald Warrior 2011. Emerald Warrior is a U.S. Special Operations Command-sponsored, multiservice exercise designed to leverage lessons learned from overseas operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Manuel J. Martinez/Released)
U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Rafael Garcia, an Independent Duty Medical Tech (IDMT) assigned to the 1st Special Operations Support Squadron, Hurlburt Field Fla., carries a litter with medical equipment aboard a MC-130H Combat Talon II aircraft during Emerald Warrior on March 1, 2011. Emerald Warrior 2011 is a U.S. Special Operations Command-sponsored, multiservice exercise designed to leverage lessons learned from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom to provide trained and ready forces to combatant commanders.(USAF photo by SSgt Andy M. Kin)(Released)
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Nikki Spickerman, an Independent Duty Medical Tech (IDMT) assigned to the 1st Special Operations Support Squadron Hurlburt Field Fla., hangs medical supplies aboard a MC-130H Combat Talon II during an aeromedical evacuation mission during Emerald Warrior 2011. Emerald Warrior 2011 on March 1, 2011. Emerald Warrior 2011 is a U.S. Special Operations Command-sponsored, multiservice exercise designed to leverage lessons learned from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom to provide trained and ready forces to combatant commanders.
(USAF photo by SSgt Andy M. Kin)(Released)
U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment discuss plans for a water training mission with members of the 10th Special Forces Group March 1, 2011, at Fort Walton Beach, Fla., during Emerald Warrior 2011. Emerald Warrior is a U.S. Special Operations Command-sponsored, multiservice exercise designed to leverage lessons learned from overseas operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Manuel J. Martinez/Released)
A U.S. Soldier assigned to the 4th Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group fast ropes out of a helicopter during Emerald Warrior 2011 in Tallahassee, Fla., March 2, 2011. Emerald Warrior is an annual two-week joint/combined tactical exercise sponsored by U.S. Special Operations Command designed to leverage lessons learned from operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom to provide trained and ready forces to combatant commanders. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bradley C. Church/Released)
A U.S. Soldier assigned to the 4th Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group fast ropes out of a helicopter during Emerald Warrior 2011 in Tallahassee, Fla., March 2, 2011. Emerald Warrior is an annual two-week joint/combined tactical exercise sponsored by U.S. Special Operations Command to provide realistic training opportunities to conventional and special operations forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Bradley C. Church/Released)
A U.S. Soldier assigned to the 4th Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group fast ropes out of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter near Tallahassee Regional Airport, Fla., before Emerald Warrior 2011 March 2, 2011. Emerald Warrior is an annual two-week joint/combined tactical exercise sponsored by U.S. Special Operations Command to provide realistic training opportunities to conventional and special operations forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Staci Miller/Released)
A U.S. Air Force CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft assigned to the 8th Special Operations Squadron descends in preparation for Soldiers assigned to Alpha Company, 4th Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group to exit via rope during Emerald Warrior 2011 March 1, 2011, at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M. Emerald Warrior is an annual two-week joint/combined tactical exercise sponsored by U.S. Special Operations Command to provide realistic training opportunities to conventional and special operations forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. DeNoris Mickle/Released)
by Capt. Kristen D. Duncan
Air Force Special Operations Command
3/14/2011 - HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- A joint service and interagency exercise using both "live" and "virtual" forces concluded here Friday.
Emerald Warrior concentrates on integrated tactics and multi-service command and control, as well as leverages lessons from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom to provide trained and ready forces to combatant commanders.
"Emerald Warrior provides the only joint readiness exercise designed by (Special Operations Forces) -- both air and ground participants -- with unique integration and interoperability requirements not available in conventional exercises alone," said Brig. Gen. Michael Kingsley, 23rd Air Force commander. "This is the only exercise where readiness training is determined from the ground up by the warfighter."
According to the Air Force Special Operations Command Directorate of Air, Space and Information Operations, Emerald Warriors trains 1,200 to 1,400 special operators and conventional forces annually, and it is the only accredited irregular warfare exercise. The training provides certification for forward deployers and meets tactical and operational joint mission essential tasks and high-priority Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff training requirements.
Components of U.S. Special Operations Command are involved, as well as conventional, interagency and non-governmental agencies. In addition to providing tactical airlift, fires support and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance assets, more than 900 servicemembers support this exercise on the ground and in command and control elements.
"Exercises of this degree cannot execute without Joint Staff, U.S. Special Operations Command, U.S. Air Force and Joint National Training Capability funding, support and exercise-training enablers," General Kingsley said. "Our warriors deserve nothing but the best replication of realistic combat environments."
Emerald Warrior is the ideal venue for integrated joint fires support, using live and virtual forces for DoD's Next Generation of training.
"The incorporation of tactical simulators in a 'Live Virtual Constructive Distributed environment' that can augment traditional training has proven to be of great cost savings to our warfighters while providing the same effective training," the brigadier general said. "In the SOF community, we have very perishable core skill sets that we must train...but equally important is how we integrate as a SOF force into the conventional, coalition and interagency forces and the joint environments of modern warfare. We fight jointly so we must train jointly."
He said one of the primary benefits is collectively using different terminology, cultures and systems in training, to be better equipped on the battlefield.
Emerald Warrior stretches across 1.5 million acres of air and ground space, covering multiple ranges and training areas.
