News United States Air Force
 Emerald Warrior tests air commandos' mettlePublished March 21, 2024
                        
                        By 1st Lt. Cassandra Saphore
                        
                        
                        Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs
                **HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (AFNS) --**
                **Air Force Special Operations Command**’s 17th annual Emerald Warrior exercise concluded recently, having exercised in three extreme cold weather environments throughout the midwestern U.S. with many firsts.
This **U.S. Special Operations Command**-supported exercise aligned with the Special Operations Command-Europe exercise Trojan Footprint under the large-scale global exercise construct to demonstrate special operations forces’ value to the joint force and strengthen military relationships with U.S. and partner forces.
“Our nation has entered a new era of competition,” said **Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind**, AFSOC commander. “We must continue to innovate and transform to remain the most capable, most lethal Air Force in the world ... and that’s exactly what AFSOC is doing.”
Air commandos trained on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear readiness incorporating new decontamination systems like the CBRN MRZR that supports decontamination during infiltration, exfiltration, tactical movement and maneuver where force size and composition constraints exist.
A continued focus area this year was building autonomy through mission command to ensure special operations task groups and special operations task units are trained to operate in today’s dynamic operating environment.A Special Tactics Airman assigned to the 24th Special Operations Wing returns fire during exercise Emerald Warrior 24 at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, March 2, 2024. Special Tactics Airmen are continuously adapting, and training in order to ensure mission success for the joint force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stephen Pulter)A Special Tactics Airman assigned to the 24th Special Operations Wing returns fire during exercise Emerald Warrior 24 at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, March 2, 2024. Special Tactics Airmen are continuously adapting, and training in order to ensure mission success for the joint force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stephen Pulter)
            
            
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    A Special Tactics Airman assigned to the 24th Special Operations Wing conducts a military free fall over Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico on March 1, 2024. Supported by U.S. Special Operations Command, Emerald Warrior is a joint special operations exercise that prepares U.S. Special Operations Command forces, Conventional Enablers, Partner Forces, and Interagency Elements to respond to various threats across the spectrum of conflict. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Senior Airman Natalie Vandergriff)A Special Tactics Airman assigned to the 24th Special Operations Wing conducts a military free fall over Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico on March 1, 2024. Supported by U.S. Special Operations Command, Emerald Warrior is a joint special operations exercise that prepares U.S. Special Operations Command forces, Conventional Enablers, Partner Forces, and Interagency Elements to respond to various threats across the spectrum of conflict. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Senior Airman Natalie Vandergriff)
            
            
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    Special Tactics Airmen assigned to the 24th Special Operations Wing provides medical aid during exercise Emerald Warrior 2024 at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, March 2, 2024. Special Tactics Airmen are continuously adapting, and training in order to ensure mission success for the joint force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stephen Pulter)Special Tactics Airmen assigned to the 24th Special Operations Wing provides medical aid during exercise Emerald Warrior 2024 at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, March 2, 2024. Special Tactics Airmen are continuously adapting, and training in order to ensure mission success for the joint force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stephen Pulter)
            
            
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“Every Emerald Warrior, we build on lessons learned from previous iterations and this year was no different,” said Lt. Col. David Allen, Emerald Warrior exercise director. “We further developed the Agile Combat Employment concept through mission sustainment teams by successfully relocating two special operations task groups, or SOTGs, to multiple locations. These SOTGs exercised flexible response options conducting strategic fires, air-to-ground integration with close air support and non-kinetic effects to deter aggression.”
In addition to kinetic effects, Emerald Warrior exercised non-kinetic effects and capabilities like space, cyber, public affairs and information operations. They employed technical and deceptive activities in support of exercise objectives for the participants to enhance overall combat operability.

“We exercise everything from military free fall, to calling in air support, to even drafting a strategic message to push out,” Allen said. “Our air commandos have the natural ability to change and transform to succeed and create dilemmas for our adversaries and that is displayed in exercises like Emerald Warrior.”
Emerald Warrior ensures preparedness of special operations forces, conventional force enablers, partner forces and interagency elements through realistic and relevant, high-end pre-deployment training encompassing multiple joint operating areas.LR 



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