PEORIA — For the next two weeks, members of Germany‘s Air Force will participate in joint exercises with American forces across the country, called Proptoberfest, strengthening the relationship between the two militaries.
Their first stop, though, was in Peoria at the 182nd Airlift Wing of the Illinois Air National Guard.
Performing military exercises with NATO partners “enhances adaptability and preparedness because we’re going to be operating throughout the world,” said Col. Rusty Ballard, commander of the 182nd.
Ballard, who is originally from Oreana in Macon County, first joined the Army National Guard more than 30 years ago before joining the Air National Guard, he said.
“Threats from all over the world are coming closer to home every day, so we may need those allies,” Ballard said.
Strong bonds
Last summer, the 182nd participated in Air Defender 2023, the largest air exercises ever conducted between joint NATO forces.
The 182nd led the aircraft operations for the C-130 Hercules, a tactical troop transport plane used by the U.S. and other countries.
“Air Defender, last year, was more of a holistic approach to an exercise,” said Maj. Joseph Chambers, chief of tactics for the 182nd.
That included everything from transport to fighter aircraft and intelligence gathering — “every single platform you could have not only in our inventory, but in all the NATO countries’ inventories that we had,” Chambers said.
The 182nd worked closely…
