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Air Defenders conduct mission rehearsal exercise

  • Published
  • By Capt. Bryan Phillips
  • C Battery/1-43 Air and Missile Defense Battalion commander
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Charlie Battery 1-43 Air & Missile Defense Battalion, 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, successfully completed its Mission Rehearsal Exercise on March 2. 

"The MRE brought together the entirety of the battalion's combat capability and allowed each fire unit to use its robust firepower and communications capability," said Maj. Neil Myers, exercise observer/controller. 

Charlie 1-43 mobilized here and was evaluated by the 35th ADA Brigade staff on their ability to assume Tactical Ballistic Missiles battle-stations. During the 10-day exercise, Charlie Battery validated its mission to provide freedom of maneuver to the 51st Fighter Wing by engaging and destroying multiple volleys of simulated enemy TBMs. The battery did this while reacting to multiple force-on-force attacks, mortar attacks and persistent chemical agents. 

Spc. Tnelda Sumter proved how vital nuclear, biological and chemical personnel are to a wartime mission by ensuring the proper use of an array of chemical detectors while responding to chemical attack. 

"She also trained and led the operational decontamination team that had previously never executed a no-notice decontamination" said Sgt. 1st Class Peter Park, who evaluated the event. 

During a simulated indirect fire attack on the tactical site, Sgt. Christopher Hernandez took charge of casualty triage in the absence of a medic and saved six lives from wounds sustained during a mortar attack. Pfc. Travis Honea, with the use of one arm, treated 1st Lt. Brian Harris for a shrapnel wound. 

"This unit's ability to respond to medical emergencies was outstanding," said 35th ADA Brigade surgeon, Capt. Tiy Cash.