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Show Hilltop Times June 16,2005 An Airman is interrogated by insurgents who tried to elicit information from him as part of an exercise scenario to test integrity and adherence to the Code of Conduct. Insurgents frequently attacked the camp and its members. The opposing force was played by a contingent of battle v peiled grenade. LIVE AND FIC TROOPS FROM THE OGDEN AIR LOGISTICS CENTER UTAH TEST AND TRAINING RANGE FOR VALUABLE DESERT LIFE IN SOUT STORY AND PHOTOS BY SENIOR AIRMAN MICAH GARBARINO Hilltop Times stalf Muddy "Camp Conostra" at "Al Saleeni" airbase was a home to more than 200 Airman from Hill who deployed for three days last week to the Utah Test and Training Range, known in this exercise as Kazturkistan, a fictional country invented to prepare Airmen for not-so-fictional combat. The Airmen are part of Air Expeditionary Forces 7 and 8 and the exercise is meant to get them better prepared for what some of them will face in September when the overseas window opens for their rotation. "In most exercises, all the career fields focus on their own areas. "The big thing in this exercise was workii career fields out there were working side done and survive," said Staff Sgt. Nick Hill, Group member who participated in the exc The weather in Utah's west desert was w was scarce and MREs were the menu. Cla took precedence at the beginning of the e: way to some intense scenarios, thanks to insurgents made up of Army Reservists an< "We really got some practical training, b was being pushed. With the lack of sleep am were able to see how far we could push our i Sleep was in short supply and Airmen were encouraged to grab it when they could. The insurgents attacked their camp and convoys at all hours during the exercise. While some Airmen were sleepy, they all got weapons familiarization training right after they were issued their we They went on to participate In combat training, convoy training and Self Aid Buddy Care. The media were Invited to embed themselves with the "deployed" troops during the exercise. This gave them the opportunity for on-the-spot Interviews and a taste of the warrior life. |