Going purple: Joint personnel key to success Published April 15, 2008 By Capt. Laura Ropelis 505th CCW Public Affairs HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- Virtual Flag, Red Flag and this month's Joint Expeditionary Force Exercise here along with Blue Flag Air Force have two common denominators; joint or "purple" personnel and the 505th Command and Control Wing. The 505th CCW works with the Armed Services for coordination exercising command and control over these exercises and the development, integration and standardization of training, tactics and testing for operational-level command of air, space and cyber power in the joint and coalition environment. "Joint and coalition participation is the common thread of our core mission to assure integration with joint coalition forces using command and control employed in a global environment," said Col. Ronald Wiegand, 505th CCW vice commander. Colonel Wiegand is the lead for the JEFX this month which prepares joint and coalition forces at global levels to defend and protect against enemy threats "Our Combined Senior Service Course is attended by 17 nations every year. With United Kingdom and Australian exchange officers integrated as coalition capabilities, it provides joint accredited training, while fostering international relationships and standardizing global operating procedures," Colonel Wiegand said. "The training and breadth of interactions from the coalition perspective leads to cooperation and interactions, which open doors between nations," said the Australian exchange officer, Col. Geoffrey Shambrook, who is an Australian wing commander and also serves as an international liaison between the 505th CCW and Australia on joint doctrine and training for coalition officers. "The 505th CCW is a command and control nexus that enables joint awareness internationally to close the command and control gap," Colonel Shambrook said. The Air Force lead for Blue Flag at Tyndall Air Force Base in May is Col. Jack Shanahan, 505th CCW commander. Blue Flag is a joint, national level exercise that prepares joint forces integration of assets at the highest level to defend and protect the U.S. in case of national crisis, an exercise critical in keeping the U.S. safe from terrorism threats. In February, Virtual Flag engaged Army air defense artillery fire officers who performed as critical elements of a joint team to assure seamless mission execution. "The ADAFCO is the single point of Army contact for ground base air defense assets" said Army 1st Lt. Robert Wheeler, an air defense artillery officer during Virtual Flag. "Virtual Flag gives the ADAFACO the only certification and training essential to providing situational awareness to air defense commanders and positive control of the Patriot Missile Weapon System for brigade commanders to work synergistically with other joint weapon systems," Lieutenant Wheeler said. "Joint air and space targeting through training is put into practice through Blue Flag and Virtual Flag, so they are key for deployment preparation. The Army comes here as much as funding allows," said Maj. Eric Zimmerman of the Army Air Missile Defense Command at this year's Virtual Flag. The Navy is also a key player in these exercises, providing training for joint forces commanders with live and virtual assets created by the Navy Pacific Tactical Training Group this year in San Diego. The 505th CCW has seen the value of going purple, employing approximately 870 joint, coalition, government and civilian personnel in 10 different locations with consistent demand for participation of Army, Navy and Marine personnel in these Air Force joint exercises prior to deployment to the war.