News from
The Adjutant General's Department

CONTACT:
Sharon Watson
Director, Public Affairs Office
Work: (785) 274-1192
Cell: (785) 806-4063
http://www.Kansas.gov/ksadjutantgeneral

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    Feb. 24, 2009

No. 09-008

GREAT PLAINS JOINT REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER HOSTS JOINT TRAINING EXERCISE

Elements of the Kansas National Guard, U.S. Army, Washington Air National Guard, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Air Force Reserve are taking part in a Joint Terminal Attack Controller training exercise this week at the Great Plains Joint Training Center in Salina. The training will take place at Smoky Hill Air National Guard Weapons Range and the Salina Airport through Feb. 27.

Taking part in the training are Joint Forward Observers from the Kansas Army National Guard Pre and Post Mobilization Training Assister Element; 1st Battalion, 108th Aviation Regiment, Kansas Army National Guard; 284th Air Support Operations Squadron, Kansas Air National Guard; forward observers from the U.S. Army 1st Division Field Artillery, Fort Riley; 10th Air Support Operations Squadron, U.S. Air Force; and Washington Air National Guard's 116th Air Support Operations Squadrons. The exercise tests participants in the requirements and procedures to provide close air support for military missions.

"The Great Plains Joint Training Center was created to provide facilities for training events just like this," said Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, the adjutant general. "In real world situations, all branches of military must be ready to work together, and in domestic response our Guardsmen, along with local, state and federal responders must work and train together. For this training, we have elements of the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, Kansas Army National Guard, Kansas Air National Guard, Washington Air National Guard and our civilian partners at the Salina Airport all training together so they can operate just as they would in a real world event."

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