CRW, 6AS, 3AS,732 AS, train together at Lakehurst

Airmen from the 621st Contingency Response Wing watch a U.S. Air Force Globemaster III C-17 fly during an exercise at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., April 29. The exercise helped train the crew members from five C-17’s, conducted engine running offloads, communication proficiency training, night vision goggle training, and a ramp coordinator chief received upgraded training during this exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Gustavo Gonzalez)

CRW, 6AS, 3AS,732 AS, train together at Lakehurst

Staff Sgt. John Hadden, 817 Global Mobility Squadron, talks into a radio during an exercise at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., April 29. Approximately 28 Airmen from the 817th and 818th Contingency Response Groups supported the exercise with a contingency response team along with members of the 6th and 732nd Airlift Squadrons of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., and the 3rd Airlift Squadron stationed at Dover Air Force Base, Del. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Gustavo Gonzalez)

CRW, 6AS, 3AS,732 AS, train together at Lakehurst

Airmen from the 621st Contingency Response Wing load equipment onto a U.S. Air Force Globemaster III during an exercise at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., April 29. The exercise helped train the crew members from five C-17’s, conducted engine running offloads, communication proficiency training, night vision goggle training, and a ramp coordinator chief received upgraded training during this exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Gustavo Gonzalez)

CRW, 6AS, 3AS,732 AS, train together at Lakehurst

Airmen from the 621st Contingency Response Wing load equipment onto a U.S. Air Force Globemaster III C-17 during an exercise at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., April 29. The exercise helped train the crew members from five C-17’s, conducted engine running offloads, communication proficiency training, night vision goggle training, and a ramp coordinator chief received upgraded training during this exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Gustavo Gonzalez)

CRW, 6AS, 3AS,732 AS, train together at Lakehurst

Airmen from the 621st Contingency Response Wing chain down equipment onto a U.S. Air Force Globemaster III C-17 during an exercise at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., April 29. The exercise helped train the crew members from five C-17’s, conducted engine running offloads, communication proficiency training, night vision goggle training, and a ramp coordinator chief received upgraded training during this exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Gustavo Gonzalez)

CRW, 6 AS, 3 AS, 732 AS, train together at Lakehurst

Published May 8, 2015
By Staff Sgt. Gustavo Gonzalez
621st Contingency Response Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- The 621st Contingency Response Wing took part in an exercise at Lakehurst airfield, April 27-30.

Approximately 28 Airmen from the 819th Global Support Squadron, 817th and 818th Contingency Response Groups supported the exercise with contingency response teams along with members of the 6th and 732nd Airlift Squadrons of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., and the 3rd Airlift Squadron stationed at Dover Air Force Base, Del.

During the training, the crew members from five U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III's, conducted emergency runway operations, communication proficiency training, night vision goggle training, and a ramp coordinator chief received upgraded training.

According Lt. Col. Michael Durband, 6 AS director of operations, the exercise is an excellent opportunity for the units involved to practice with a mission key partner like the 621 CRW.

"This exercise was a culmination of a number of separate events with the CRW that focused on a crawl, walk, run concept that started with static load training events in January, February and April," Durband said. "Our teams gain familiarity in a training environment before we interact in a contingency environment like West Africa or the Middle-East. Beyond the hands-on training gained by both wings, this familiarity is the greatest outcome."

According to Tech. Sgt. Michael Folk, 818th Global Mobility Squadron contingency response team chief, this was the first time an exercise of this scale was conducted.

"We worked with the 6 AS a couple of different times before where we've marshaled their aircraft in or loaded their cargo," Folk said. "This is the first time that we worked with both Dover and McGuire aircrews to accomplish training for all of the units involved."

"The McGuire and Dover units usually use Lakehurst for their air training, so we decided to work with those units to get beneficial training for our Airmen and their aircrews," he said "We used our cargo and gave their aircrew the options to choose different load plans that they wanted to train on, and our porters got the opportunity to learn as well."

The CRW is highly-specialized in training and rapidly deploying personnel to quickly open airfields and establish, expand, sustain, and coordinate air mobility operations.