MORE MILITARY UNITS COMING TO TEAM EGLIN

As I have alluded to in the past, more military units are on their way. Well, here is an update on one of them. As part of the new challenges in military warfare in the future. You will continue to see military units, which focus on rapid deployment, special operations warfare and high-tech weapons, having their eyes on the Panhandle of Florida as a place to call home. As I have noted time and time again, Eglin’s is now, more than ever, a prime location for further growth because of the focus on all missions of the military (Operations, Training & Testing) being conducted around us. In today’s fiscal climate, Eglin is not only a strategic location; it is also a location, which many will agree provides cost effectiveness in the defense of our nation.

Changes under way for Duke Field
By Paula Kelley paulak@crestviewbulletin.com
2012-02-24 09:37:14
Relocation of an Air Force Reserve Special Operations Squadron from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada to Hurlburt Field will bring approximately 140 personnel and their families to the Emerald Coast, said Col. Andy Comtois, commander of the 919th Special Operations Wing at Duke Field. "There are several mission additions and changes being considered for the 919 SOW at Duke Field," Comtois said at a recent Kiwanis Club meeting in Crestview. In addition to the relocation of the squadron from Nellis Air Force Base, a change of mission is planned for the 711 SOS at Duke Field, Comtois said. The 2nd Special Operations Squadron from Nevada is a 919 SOW MQ-1 Predator Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPA) squadron. Renovations are underway at Hurlburt Field to allow for the squadron's move to Northwest Florida in the next 14 to 16 months. Comtois also said that the use of RPAs, or drones, in warfare is one of the most recent weapon systems advances. "Drones give ground troops a distinct advantage in their overall situational awareness, directly resulting in better intelligence and fewer casualties," Comtois said. "I want to go to war with as many advantages as possible, and drones are a huge part of that advantage in modern warfare.” He said that the debate over the use of remotely piloted vehicles in warfare is similar to the debate that has followed every weapons system change from the time of the long bow through the advent of modern firearms and advanced weaponry. The 711 Squadron will change from an MC-130E Combat Talon I multi-role Special Operations Forces mission to a light, twin engine, fixed wing aircraft to be used in the Combat Aviation Advisory and Aviation Foreign Internal Defense (CAA/AvFID) mission. A decision on the specific aircraft to be used is yet to be finalized, Comtois said. Currently, nine MC-130E Combat Talon I aircraft belong to the 711 SOS, but that number will be reduced to five at the end of this fiscal year, and will eventually be eliminated as the new aircraft take their place. CAA/AvFID missions involve training partner nation forces to employ in order to fight a common enemy. The long term result of CAA/AvFID is that fewer Americans may be required to deploy "boots on the ground," Comtois said, as partner nations begin to employ their own weapon systems. Comtois is responsible for training and equipping 919 SOW Reservists for a variety of missions, and he said that these changes will help the military become more efficient as it evolves. “Current budgetary constraints dictate that we work smarter and more efficiently across the board," Comtois said. "These mission changes help the 919 SOW do exactly that,” he said. The 919 SOW is the main tenant on Duke Field, with approximately 1,500 reservists in the wing. The wing's legacy includes AC-130 gunships, followed by the MC-130E Combat Talon I, and soon to be replaced by the new CAA/AvFID platform.