HOHENFELS, Germany -- Air-to-ground combat is a tried and true method of controlling a battlefield, especially when multinational components are working together.
But to ensure air support can accurately hit targets on the ground, joint terminal attack controllers (JTACs) and radio operator maintainer and drivers (ROMADs) of the tactical air control party must communicate from the ground directly with aircraft over the battlefield.
At the Joint Multinational Readiness Center at the Hohenfels Training Area on Friday, Sept. 2, during rigorous lane training as part of Exercise Combined Resolve VII, JTACs and ROMADs roamed the battlefield on foot, keeping a keen eye out for spots where air support was needed.
To aid the battle on the ground, they had to determine with pinpoint accuracy exactly when and where to order an air attack.
One of the JTAC operators participating in the USAREUR-directed exercise, which is taking place from Aug. 8 to Sept. 15 at the Grafenwoehr Training Area as well as Hohenfels, was U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jermaine Capalos. He was assigned to the 15th Air Support Operations Squadron.
During combat, the Army (green) and the Air force (blue) can have a difficulties communicating with one another due to their different jargon, he said. Exercises like these, which are meant to improve communication and coordination between NATO allies and partner nations, address that problem.
During the exercise, Capalos was one of more than 3,500 participants from 16 NATO and European partner nations. His unit supported the U.S. Army's 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment.
"We connect the green and blue lines together," said Capalos. "In fact, we get a lot of the different players to talk to one another. We have a lot of NATO allies and participating nations we train with and are able to communicate with all of them, enabling them to accurately hit their targets on the ground."
As the JTACs and ROMADs bounced from one position to another on the battlefield, they were coached and trained by observer coach trainers whose job it was to observe the performance of units and individuals and introduce them to different training scenarios.
One such observer coach trainer was U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jerrod Mowery. He was taking each JTAC and ROMAD through the lanes and testing them with battlefield chaos. As the scenario played out, Mowery threw artillery simulators in all directions, changing the simulated battlefield at a moment's notice.
"We pride ourselves on simulating an actual combat zone," said Mowery. "We try to make it as realistic as possible."
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