The 621st Contingency Response Group (CRG) recently demonstrated their capability in facilitating semi-prepared assault landings for five C-130s from units across the United States. The exercise took place between April 25-26 at Fort A.P. Hill in Bowling Green, Virginia, and involved ten team members.
U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Glenn Grecia
Semi-prepared assault landings are unique operations that involve unpaved airfields with shorter and narrower runways than traditional airfields. These types of airfields provide an austere environment for aircraft to operate from, making them ideal for contingency operations or humanitarian and disaster response situations.
The exercise provided vital upgrade and proficiency training for the 621st CRG and participating aircrew members. The team, led by Capt. Glenn Grecia, 621st CRG civil engineer and airfield survey team chief, was comprised of multiple Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSCs) including civil engineers, airfield operators, aerial porters, security forces defenders and aircraft maintainers.
“The CRG is a unique unit, our Airmen commonly work in areas outside of their own craft, and we are a model of what a Multi-Capable Airman looks like to the U.S. Air Force,” said Grecia. Multi-Capable Airmen are highly skilled individuals who are able to assist and provide support in areas outside of their primary profession and expertise. For instance, engineers were responsible for conducting pavement evaluations and advising aircrew on safe landing procedures, while security forces defenders provided assistance in unloading cargo.
On the ground, the CRG provided landing zone safety officer capabilities to ensure the safety of the aircraft and crew during the exercise. Additionally, the team provided non-standard rolling stock cargo that enabled the C-130 loadmasters to perform various cargo offload methods and on/offload tactical vehicles.
“Semi-prepared airfield surfaces require constant maintenance to stay operational,” emphasized Grecia. “As we start shifting our focus to other areas of responsibility that may not have traditional airfields with paved runways, exposing the Total Force engineer community to these types of environments is absolutely crucial for winning the fights of the future.”
The Air Force Civil Engineer Center, 560th RED HORSE Squadron and 201st RED HORSE Squadron also provided engineers to observe the semi-prepared assault landings and the damage the aircraft caused to the surface. Engineers play a critical role in airfield operations, especially in semi-prepared airfields, by conducting dynamic cone penetrometer tests on the airfield surface to ensure adequate weight bearing capacity to support aircraft traffic, as well as continuous inspections of the surface condition to prevent negative impacts on operations.
Overall, the semi-prepared assault landing exercise at Fort A.P. Hill provided an opportunity for the 621st CRG and participating aircrew members to demonstrate their skills and readiness in unique and challenging environments.
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