Joint aviators 'fight' in Alaskan skies

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  • By Sgt. Deanne Hurla
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Training for combat comes in many shapes and forms, but for aviators military wide it comes in the form of Northern Edge.

There are two types of aviators at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson during the exercise -- the 'good guys' and the aggressors.

The exercise is an air campaign scenario, which means integrating Air Force and Navy assets under the joint forces doctrine and working on tactics, techniques and procedures, interoperability and working together as a combined force to hone aerial combat skills, according to Navy Cmdr. Jeremy Brunn, an F/A-18 Super Hornet pilot with Strike Fighter Squadron 137.

As part of the NE '11 training, the Super Hornet squadron brings its unique capabilities normally provided from the sea.

Commander Brunn and his squadron are participating in Northern Edge as part of the 'good guys' team, learning how to fight enemy aircraft.

"It's odd to know some of the guys chasing us around," said the San Diego native. "Aviation is a pretty tight community and I recognize some of those pilots. I worked with some and haven't seen others for 10 years. But we all have a role to play and we go do that then come back and sit down together. It's an interesting environment."

On the other side of the coin, it is an aggressor pilots' job to train the fleet for war, according to Navy Cmdr. Elliot Clemence, a pilot with Fighter Squadron Composite 12, a reserve fighter squadron from Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.

"We replicate the threat of hardware, tactics and pilot knowledge to the maximum extent possible," said the Harwich, Mass., native. "We kind of immerse ourselves in the threat mentality and try to replicate the threat the best we can. That's our job."

The aggressors immerse themselves into their role to ensure their counterparts receive the best training possible.

"It's nice to see the younger pilots on the 'good guy' side do well, even though it is kind of boring for us getting 'shot,' going home and not participating a whole lot," said Commander Clemence. "We want them to win because in the end it's good for the country."

The training received during Northern Edge will benefit not only the pilots, but the military as a whole, the commander added. The lessons learned and tactic improvement suggestions developed here will be included in the joint forces doctrine to aid future missions.