The 34th Combat Training Squadron, located at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas with a Detachment at Fort Polk, Louisiana, is a selectively staffed unit of 47 total personnel, including officers, enlisted members, and government civilians across 14 Air Force Specialties. The "Cougars" are charged with executing STORM FLAG (SF), Air Mobility Command’s premier Joint-Accredited, Flag-Level exercise series designed to facilitate certification of Mission Generation Force Elements (MGFE), Air Expeditionary Wings (AEW), and US Army Division and Brigade-level combat readiness for the Joint Force. They also integrate with a broad range of International Allies and Partners to support mutual training objectives.
The squadron's objectives include providing certification events for Mobility Air Forces (MAF) and supporting the Army's Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) by providing a simulated combat environment for airlift crews, mission planners, and ground support elements. STORM FLAG exercises are tailored to each participating unit's specific requirements and desired learning objectives, challenging warfighting skills with realistic scenarios not available during home-station training. A standard STORM FLAG rotation trains over 500 USAF participants who support approximately 5,000 U.S. Army soldiers, in addition to Special Operations Forces, and International Allies and Partners.
The Cougars facilitate robust training opportunities that focus on full-spectrum readiness. Aircrew and support personnel engage in scenarios including airdrop, bare-base operations, air refueling, aeromedical evacuation, combat survival and personnel recovery (SERE), tactical datalink, and integration with Combat Air Forces (CAF). The exercises are staged out of Alexandria, LA, Fort Polk, LA, Pope Army Airfield, NC, and other locations, providing a dynamic environment for participants to practice against simulated peer threats and master joint warfighting functions.
The unit's exercise portfolio has evolved significantly over time. Originating as GREEN FLAG-Little Rock (GFLR) to support JRTC, the mission expanded to address critical gaps in AFFORGEN certification. The squadron was realigned under the 43d Air Mobility Operations Group in July 2022 and, as of March 1, 2026, is now aligned with the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Operations School at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. In July 2023, its exercises were officially designated as STORM FLAG, and today, the squadron is responsible for executing four 300-level SF events per year, deliberately building a more integrated and lethal force prepared for Great Power Competition.