The latest version of Atlantic Strike just concluded at Avon Park, Fla., where airmen, marines, and soldiers came together to hone their skills in urban close air support. Capt. Nathan Broshear reports that participants included Air Force and Marine joint terminal attack controllers and Army joint fires observers and, of course, aircrews. The exercise provided an intensive two-day indoctrination on the “latest software and hardware advances” before each JTAC team worked through four different combat scenarios, according to Maj. Raymond Brennan, exercise director. Industry representatives were present to provide assistance as US Central Command Air Forces rolled out the full-production version of the Air support Operations Center Gateway, enabling a battlefield datalink network with digital targeting and enhanced battlespace management. CENTAF expects to deploy the ASOC Gateway in combat for the first time early next year.
Airmen and Guardians in the Active and Reserve component, as well as civilian employees, in “mission critical and high-risk populations” are now required to receive influenza vaccinations annually to “preserve force readiness,” according to a recent Department of the Air Force memo.