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Tactical Wing Center keeps Northern Edge running

Marine Corps News

Release Date: 6/08/2004

Submitted by: Headquarters Marine Corps
Story Identification #: 20046883412
Story by - Exercise Northern Edge 04 Joint Information Bureau

ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska(June 7, 2004) -- The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing Expeditionary Tactical Air Command Center based in Okinawa, Japan is involved in the Northern Edge '04 exercise and began communication exercises on June 7 to enhance their connectivity in a joint environment.

Northern Edge is designed to exercise joint operations, techniques, procedures and command and control relationships among all branches of the U.S. military.

According to Maj. Gerald C. Graham, wing operations center operations officer, the purpose of the center is to integrate our command and control with the Air Force and Navy command and control systems.

"We've been here for approximately two weeks and today was our first day of actual execution," said the Miami, Fla. native. "We had to ensure we had good connectivity between our aircraft and the different control headquarters we have located in Alaska."

Graham said all of the aircraft got off to a good start. He attributed this to the local military personnel of Elmendorf Air Force Base.

"The Alaska command has been very helpful," Graham said. "They've been very proactive instead of reactive, taking care of problems before they exist."

Working in Northern Edge has helped Graham see the importance of working with other air wing units.

"We have Marines who are out in the ranges who are actually controlling aircraft from both the Navy and Air Force," Graham said. "We are all integrated. When we have one aircraft go over our space, we have all services involved."

Approximately 9,000 soldiers, sailors, Marines and coast guardsmen are participating in this joint exercise.

According to Graham, working with all military branches instills a sense of camaraderie. The ability to understand requirements, to put a center together with other Marine Corps units and to communicate and execute in a joint environment is integral to this exercise.

"I will take away from this exercise our ability to rapidly deploy to an area and to set up and to command and control aircraft in a very short time frame," Graham said while standing next to camouflage netting. "To provide a joint force commander with aviation command and control capability anywhere he needs is integral in a joint exercise.

"Basically, we are able to provide a joint force commander with the Marine capability of having a credible presence."