Commander's Corner: August 15, 2014 Published Aug. 14, 2014 By Col. Douglas DeLaMater 374th Ailrift Wing YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Recently, Exercise RED FLAG officially kicked off in Alaska. Yokota's Airlifters are hard at work, generating combat airlift to support this important training opportunity for joint and international forces. Our team is focused on improving its combat readiness alongside our Pacific partners and allies, proving our ability to support any air expeditionary force tasking. Though a key part of the training happens in the Alaskan skies, an equally important aspect of RED FLAG provides training for maintenance and support personnel in sustainment of large-force deployed air operations. As we say here at Yokota, "Hercs in the air, Maintenance put 'em there!" We look forward to our Airlifters returning from Alaska and applying their sharpened skills to our mission in the Western Pacific. At home or abroad, our Airmen continue to raise the flag, signaling that we stand ready as the Best Wing in the Pacific.