Training preps Spec Ops

GULFPORT, Miss. -- More than 200 members of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla., are participating in exercise Southern Strike with the Mississippi National Guard at the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center and Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, Miss. The exercise began Oct. 22, and is focused on preparing the special operators to deploy overseas. Participants have received combat arms training and have practiced clearing buildings. "The planning and support team from the 1st Special Operations Mission Support Group and 1st Special Operations Air Operations Squadron have been spectacular," said Lt. Col. John Ross, director of operations. In addition to the 1st SOMSG, 1st SOW aircrews assigned to the AC-130U Spooky gunship, MC-130H Combat Talon II, CV-22 Osprey and U-28 aircraft are scheduled to support three, large-war games, multiple bilateral events, and end the exercise with one finale culmination exercise. (Source: 1st Special Operations Wing, 10/25/16)