Airmen of the 822nd Base Defense Squadron at Moody AFB, Ga., joined members of the Royal Air Force’s 4 Force Protection Wing in the Nevada desert near Nellis Air Force Base for the first-ever Desert Eagle exercise. Modeled closely on threats encountered in Southwest Asia, this collection of more than 250 airmen exchanged methods and tactics defending a simulated air base from civil unrest, direct assault, and terrorist action. “Both we and the British kept in mind what we’ve seen downrange. We wanted the scenarios to directly mirror those experiences so that we get the maximum training value,” explained 822nd BDS intelligence officer Capt. Tyler McSpadden. “We’ve worked with them before, but . . . it’s the first time the squads and leadership have been fully integrated,” noted MSgt. Dean Mays of the 822nd BDS. The 54-hour exercise took place last week. (Nellis report by A1C Brigitte Brantley-Sisk)
The U.K. and the U.S. will continue to enjoy access to the ports, airfield, and workshops at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean for at least another century, under a deal inked between the U.K. and Mauritius May 22.