Andersen Air Force Base, Guam -- The 554th Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers hosted approximately 120 partner nation service members during the Pacific Engineer Readiness Challenge (PERC), Sept. 22-26.
The challenge was designed to train allies and partners from Australia, Brunei, Canada, France, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, Maldives, Mongolia, New Zealand, Singapore and Sri Lanka on different aspects of airfield damage assessment and repair, crater repair, and tactical combat casualty care.
The challenge tested participants’ skills in various engineering disciplines. Teams completed tasks such as a half-mile obstacle course with 14 objectives, a timed small shelter system build, and installation of Aluminum Matting Type-2 – a lightweight, durable aluminum honeycomb mat used for temporary aircraft landing surfaces.
“This training shows that we, as partners, can interoperate on civil- engineering tasks to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Capt. Celyn Rodgers, 554th REDHORSE Silver Flag exercise commander. “It also fosters a lot of comradery. On day one you see most of the teams hanging around their fellow countrymen, but by day five, everyone is fully integrated and working together."
The training events enabled students to think critically and improve their communication among each other despite language barriers.
“Our team doesn’t usually get to do this style of ground work, so it was a great opportunity to learn,” said a Republic of Korea Air Force service member. “Between the differences in language and skill levels, guiding other foreign team members was a good experience.”
The completion of PERC strengthened partnerships and increased readiness for future challenges across the Indo-Pacific.
“Despite communications barriers and differences in their operation procedures, the groups were able to come together and complete their tasks, thus Improving their teamwork as a whole,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Christian Yuma, 554th REDHORSE operation management contingency instructor. “Fostering that strength showcases our unity in the INDOPACOM (Indo-Pacific Command) region.”
554th REDHORSE continues to develop Airmen to set the theater by providing a highly responsive force to support contingency, peacetime and humanitarian operations world-wide.