Members of the South Carolina Air National Guard 169th Fighter Wing fuel up during Exercise Caribbean Fox on St. Croix in July. Photo Credit: SOUTH CAROLINA AIR NATIONAL GUARD
Members of the 169th Fighter Wing in the South Carolina Air National Guard were on the island of St. Croix last week for Exercise Caribbean Fox, marking an opportunity for collaboration between the visitors and troops from the Virgin Islands National Guard.
The large-scale training exercise, held between July 16 and 24, was meant to simulate “a rapid deployment to a forward operating location with limited resources,” according to the 169th Fighter Wing. This means that Airmen were forced to “establish a functional base with a smaller footprint,” according to the after-action report.
During the first ever exercise of its kind, the 169th Fighter Wing focused on improving their Agile Combat Employment capabilities. “Through ACE principles, we can ensure our capabilities are strategically dispersed, self-sufficient, and mission-focused,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. David Way, the 169th Fighter Wing inspector general. "In the dynamic environment we face today, the South Carolina Air National Guard's commitment to mission-ready Airmen and ACE is vital,” he continued.
Apart from the Virgin Islands National Guard and the South Carolina Air National Guard, members of the Tennessee Air National Guard and the Puerto Rico Air National Guard also converged on the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport to participate in the exercise.
