MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga -- Observers from across Air Combat Command and beyond are attending Mosaic Tiger 24-1 at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, from Nov. 13-17, 2023, to gain insight into how Moody is applying Agile Combat Employment and Mission Command concepts to its simulated deployed operations.
Approximately 30 observers came from various wings to see how Moody operates as a lead wing and to gather information about how the 23rd Wing’s concepts can be applied to their own bases.
“Our observers are here to gain as much exposure to these types of exercises to build up their operation,” said Master Sgt. Katrina Ware, 23rd Wing Inspector General superintendent. “Lead Wing is different from any kind of past exercises that ACC has done. These exercises require a different mindset for us to step outside the box and still fulfill the requirements, and the observers will look at how we operate and take notes on what they believe is beneficial and how to apply that to their wing’s operations.”
Leaders from numerous bases are eager to take advantage of the opportunity to see Lead Wing, Air Force Force Generation model, and Mission Command concepts in real time.
“The biggest thing that we're looking to gain is to see how the 23rd Wing fights as a lead wing,” said Lt. Col. Ralph Foshee, 552nd Air Control Wing director of operations and communications from Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. “It's just really informative for us to see how an organic wing, the Flying Tigers, fight together and their staff guides and provides actionable data and information to the wing commander and the other commanders to execute the mission.”
The Air Force is constantly growing into new operational philosophies, and the Mission Command concept is among the newest, mandating organizations to empower Airmen at the lowest level to increase efficiency and agility when it comes to carrying out their commander’s intent.
“Wings across the Air Force really are adapting to the AFFORGEN model,” Foshee said about how future deployments will work with presenting forces to combatant commanders. “Certain wings are lead wings and others are not. We are not a lead wing, but seeing how (the 23rd Wing is) inculcating their mission set, and then the guidance to establish an A-Staff, which the Air Force has never really had below a certain level. I think that's pretty informative for us to see how you do an A-Staff at the tactical level.”
The 23rd Wing IG and other observers, which include the Air Combat Command IG team who are in attendance to evaluate Moody’s own IG during the exercise, are watching for any ways that the models and concepts in play can be improved.
“IG is looking to ensure that if a process is broken, it's identified so we can fix it or get the assistance needed to fix it,” said Ware. “We also want to make sure that we identify things we're doing well. So, we're looking at the good and the bad.”
Mosaic Tiger 24-1 will provide a wealth of new insight into the synchronization of the Air Force’s latest concepts as it progresses, but it has already captured attention with its execution so far.
“What impressed me was the professionalism of the staff, directors and their members and their associated rank; very junior NCOs, young NCOs and even young FGOs doing what I've seen in other organizations are typically done by O-5 and O-6, and they seem like they're doing it well,” Foshee said. “The Air Force talks a lot about adopting Mission Command using commander's guidance and letting folks run with it, and I think they're doing a really good job.”