Fla., Miss. ANGs deliver Bold Quest

MACDILL AFB, Fla. – Florida Air National Guard’s 290th Joint Communications Support Squadron (JCSS) packed up communications equipment onto a C-17 Globemaster from MacDill AFB on April 8 and departed for Exercise Bold Quest (BQ) in Finland. The U.S.-led exercise, where military and civilian members, developers, and analysts work in a network of 19 partner-nations to find technical and procedural solutions to improve coalition war-fighting interoperability, according to Maj. Jarrett P. Virgil, event commander of the Tampa-based 290th JCSS. BQ is an annual event usually held in the U.S., but it is only the third time it has been held out of the country. The 290th provides rapid deployable, scalable command, control, communications, computer, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) services to a variety of mission partners. The JCSS was requested to provide logistical support, force protection at entry control points, and communications support to the Joint Fires Division under the Joint Staff and Joint Deployable Analysis Team from Eglin AFB, Fla., added Virgil. In addition, the Mississippi ANG’s 183rd Airlift Squadron (AS) from Jackson flew in one of its C-17 Globemasters to pick up the Bold Quest teams and deliver them to Finland. “It feels great to be able to support so many other units,” said Maj. Natasha Blankenship, 183rd AS pilot. “I think it adds value to our jobs and in turn that’s why we all do it. Wherever we are needed, there we are.” BQ will come to an end in May. (Source: MacDill AFB 04/12/19) The Eglin-based Joint Deployable Analysis Team analyzes current and future war-fighter systems and procedures in field conditions to address joint integration and interoperability issues to improve combat effectiveness and reduce unintended casualties and collateral damage.