It’s sort of like survivor. Except in this reality not outsmarting your opponent could lead to lifelong disabilities or even death. Artillery and gunpowder take the place of toga sticks and fire. Instead of invasive cameras and production crews, enemy fire and blood-thirsty assailants are the obstacles of everyday life. In the world of military combat there is no room for bad judgment. For Ellington Field’s 147th Texas Air National Guard Fighter Wing, that is a grim reality that never slips too far from the mind. Especially for the hundreds of soldiers who are already serving overseas. More than 1,000 servicemen and women train at this joint-use civil military airport everyday.

© Houston Airport System Lt. Col. Bryan Hubbell is the "warlord" that trains over 1,000 guardsmen at Ellington.

All of them have joined the Air National Guard out of their own free will and many of them hold fulltime civilian jobs outside of the military. When called upon they are ready for deployment at the drop of a dime, though usually they are given months of advance notice.

Their primary job, however, both here and overseas is staying alive. For that reason the Texas Air National Guard out at Ellington Field makes every effort to ensure all of their armed forces personnel are fully trained for survival before they head out on active duty.

It is a big job that requires a lot of preparation and precision. Lieutenant Colonel Bryan Hubbell is the main proponent of this activity at the military base. The 20-year-plus veteran of the Air National Guard is better-known as the “warlord” around Ellington Field.

He is the one who works up all of the simulated combat exercises that each one of the fighter wing’s guardswomen and men must undergo, as many as four times a year. Quarterly exercises are pretty standard, but every year a massive no-holds-barred rendition of actual combat brings in all of the more than 1,000 members of the Texas Air National Guard for three days.

During that time the 147th Fighter Wing turns into a minefield of danger – at least in the theater of pretend. Everything from biological warfare to enemy attacks is fair game during these exercises.

As “warlord,” Lt. Col. Hubbell calls all the shots. He is quick to point out, though, that every simulation serves a purpose. In preparing these activities, Hubbell takes into account numerous factors including the current US military activity around the globe. Preparation for different geographical/cultural areas is also part of the training.

“There is no room for not having our people trained. Our duty as officers and enlisted men and women…is to support and defend the constitution of the United States,” Hubbell explained. “That’s an oath we all swore.” 

Officially an exercise evaluation team chief, Lt. Col. Hubbell is also responsible for measuring the success of every practice exercise. Standardized evaluations help him measure the success of these activities, but there is another more important assessment of the program that truly highlights its accomplishments.

“We are very fortunate in that, until now, we have not suffered any losses,” he said. “That’s something we want to continue.”

For Hubbell, 45, that is the most important assessment of his work.

As another group of guardsmen from Ellington Field prepare for a Middle East deployment in the coming weeks, the “warlord” reminisces about his own combat experiences and the magnitude of his troop’s responsibilities.

“I’ve had some amazing flights. Some flights that weren’t so amazing, but that will stick in my memory (forever),” he recalled. “But being able to serve is an amazing experience.”

Copyright © 2007 - Houston Airport System