Title: "200th RED HORSE Squadron Enhances Training Infrastructure at Andersen AFB, Guam"
Approximately 80 Airmen from the 200th Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers (RED HORSE) Squadron, Ohio, supported Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) during a training deployment. During the deployment, they fell under the 513th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron (ERHS) as part of the 356th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Group (ECEG) at Northwest Field, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, from March to June 2025. The four-month deployment strengthened Andersen’s critical training infrastructure and provided 200th RED HORSE members the opportunity to sharpen their skills and enhance readiness in a dynamic environment not typically found at their home station.
The training aligns with PACAF’s strategic objectives, including the relocation of explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) and rapid airfield damage recovery (RADR) sites in preparation for future Silver Flag exercises and multinational joint training events held in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) area of responsibility.
“This training is important because it’s essentially what we would be doing in a deployed environment,” said Capt. Jonathan Rodriguez-Lucas, rotation Officer in Charge (OIC), 200th RED HORSE Squadron, Ohio. “RED HORSE is designed to go somewhere where there is limited infrastructure while in austere locations and enhance it through rehabilitation or reconstruction. Coming to Guam and doing something like this, with the techniques, the planning, the design, it’s all the same things we would do when we deploy.”
The construction project at Northwest Field is not just about relocating or repaving a pad of ground. It’s about restoring a strategic piece of land to provide a more agile, resilient infrastructure that can train and equip forces for future operations. Northwest Field played a critical role in World War II operations, and restoring its infrastructure ensures its continued importance for training and operations in the years ahead.
“24 months ago, the leadership team at the 200th RED HORSE Squadron wanted to begin postering ourselves for our 2027 deployment,” said Senior Master Sgt. Andrew Lesher, rotation non-commissioned officer in charge (NCOIC), 200th RED HORSE Squadron, Ohio. “When we initially went out to do potential site visits, we didn’t really have an end goal, or a mission set in mind. We just wanted to get with the 554th and the ECEG, to see if there were any smaller missions that we could potentially sink our teeth into.”
Lesher explained that the 200th RED HORSE has maintained a high operational tempo over the years. During their 2010 deployment, the unit became the first to construct a full concrete runway in Afghanistan. While they didn’t design the project, they were responsible for its execution. Along the way, the team encountered numerous challenges with the provided plans, which led them to learn quickly and develop a “cheat sheet” based on that experience to help guide future missions.
“I have been the project engineer for the design portion of this mission,” said 1st Lt. Trevor Burkhart, Civil Engineering Officer with the 200th RED HORSE Squadron, Ohio. “We are building an EOD RADR pad used for Silver Flag training for the RED HORSE squadron stationed here in Guam.”
Silver Flag is a contingency training function dedicated to the continuing and evolving education of more than 13 different Air Force Specialty Codes from civil engineers, force support personnel, and ground transportation specialists. The goal of the annual exercise is to enhance partnerships, promote regional stability, and increase engineer interoperability. Specifically, this exercise allows U.S. partners and allies to familiarize themselves with the techniques and equipment that the U.S. Air Force utilizes to ensure airfields can support, launch, and recover aircraft.
Andersen Air Force Base (AFB) is home to the largest Silver Flag training sites out of three sites around the world. Andersen AFB offers a realistic environment for Airmen along with allied and partnered nations to train together in a complex region to prepare for evolving threats, today and into the future.
Burkhart stated that this training is perfect for the 200th RED HORSE to get training specifically in asphalt. He said that sometimes it’s difficult for them to receive that at their home station, and with this project being really focused on asphalt and paving, it’s a really great opportunity.
“One of the courses that we teach here is a week-long RADR course; the pad being built is going to give us an opportunity to put craters and allow students to train on different methods of repair,” said Master Sgt. Tyson Jensen, heating ventilation air conditioning contingency instructor, 554th RED HORSE Silver Flag flight, Northwest Field, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. “We’re currently losing our training pad because it is becoming an active runway, so this will be the makeup exercise area for us. This will allow us to continue to teach those courses and go into contested environments with airfields that need to be rapidly repaired.”
Jensen explained that during Silver Flag, the instructors go through a three-day classroom iteration hitting different points of equipment and skills to hit wartime task standards. They then culminate with a one and a half day exercise through real-life scenarios and training to see how they respond in the environment.
Historically, Northwest Field was used during World War II as an airfield that housed and launched B-29 bombers because of its geographically strategic location. Today, the field is used as an auxiliary training site, and units are restoring resilient infrastructure to support future operations.
“The biggest impact with the historical significance is just remembering that there were people here 80 years ago doing the same job, but not with the equipment or the design process we have today,” said Rodriguez-Lucas.
As Airmen deploy and head downrange, they unite from a variety of units, each bringing unique backgrounds, experiences, and skill sets to the table in support of a shared mission. This diverse collaboration is what enables them to adapt, overcome challenges, and successfully carry out operations, explained Jensen. It’s this strength through unity that defines their ability to operate effectively in any environment.
“Our unit has designed six runways over the past ten years; we have a lot of experience showing up to a job site that has never been touched,” said Lesher. “We can do all of our own research in-house relatively quickly. The entire leadership and design team are all traditional guardsmen. Over the past 24 months, we have had them fly to Guam six times and spend 200 hours over the traditional guard status to create this project. Our Airmen at the 200th RED HORSE are completely committed to the cause; hats off to all these Airmen who have gone above and beyond for the mission.”
