Air control squadron stays vigilant with deployment exercise


Airman 1st Class Daniel Hilliard hand cranks the deployment of a TPS-75 radar set antenna in support a 728th Air Control Squadron deployment readiness exercise called Bison Fury July 24 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. This exercise marks the last large-scale exercise for the squadron, which is scheduled to be deactivated in 2013. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

Air control squadron stays vigilant with deployment exercise

by Samuel King Jr.
Team Eglin Public Affairs

7/27/2012 - EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The Demons of the 728th Air Control Squadron packed up their gear and revved up their vehicles for their last deployment July 23.

The 11-truck convoy and subsequent field training exercise named Bison Fury, was the final deployment-readiness exercise for this storied Air Combat Command squadron. The 62-year-old unit, which belonged to the 33rd Fighter Wing for 14 years, will be deactivated October 2013.

"Even though we're scheduled for deactivation, we're still deployable at a moment's notice and we'll maintain that combat readiness till the end," said Capt. Thomas Terrell, the exercise coordinator.

The 728th is a self-sustaining control and reporting center or CRC. There are only three combat-coded CRCs in the Air Force. Their mission is a mobile command, control, and communications radar element of the Air Force theater air control system. A CRC integrates a comprehensive air picture via multiple data links from air-, sea-, and land-based sensors, as well as from its surveillance and control radars. It performs decentralized command and control of joint operations by conducting threat warning, battle management, theater missile defense, weapons control, combat identification, and strategic communications.

To accomplish such a complex mission, the 728th must house, move and maintain its own equipment. Approximately 360 Airmen from more than 25 career fields must go above and beyond what their particular skill set requires.

Everyone knows how to drive the squadron's different vehicles and keep all their equipment operational. Simply put, they are trained to show up to an undisclosed location in theatre and set up a forward operating location from the ground up, according to Master Sgt. Ralph Marcus.

That was exactly what their last exercise called for. Gear packed and satellite loaded, the convoy rumbled out of Eglin's gates. After convoy operations, the Demons returned to build up a bare-base. Depending on the task, the set-up could happen as quickly as 12 hours, but no longer than 72 hours to go from nothing to a working active base, according to Terrell.

"Getting to practice packing up, mobilizing, deploying, setting up and employing our equipment is valuable experience for us," said Lt. Col. Jon Rhone, the 728th commander.

Rhone said the exercise builds confidence for the Airmen involved, although many of the players have multiple deployments under their belt.

"Our ops tempo was six months deployed and 10 months home," Rhone said. "Some Airmen haven't missed a year in Iraq or Afghanistan since 2003."

Over the last eight years, at any time approximately 70 percent of the squadron's Airmen were deployed. Within months of returning home, another large percentage of the squadron would be preparing to deploy again.

After the deactivation announcement in March, the deployment tempo halted for the Demons as a unit. However, the squadron's Airmen remain vigilant continuing training, providing support for local joint exercises and waiting for the next step of merging or moving on in their careers.

"I'm extremely proud of these Airmen," said Rhone. "Even with the pending closure, the Demons haven't lost their combat focus."