Key Points and Summary – The U.S. Air Force recently concluded “Exercise Sourdough,” a massive urban evasion training event held on the streets of San Francisco.
-Led by the 571st Mobility Support Advisory Squadron, the exercise challenged 11 teams of airmen to evade capture for 36 hours while navigating the dense metropolitan area.
A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft, assigned to the 100th Air Refueling Wing, refuels a Hellenic Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft during exercise RAMSTEIN FLAG 2024 while flying over the coast of Greece, Oct. 4, 2024. RAFL24 demonstrates NATO unity and strength, as Allies across the Euro-Atlantic area train side by side in defensive and offensive air operations scenarios in support of the enduring commitment to shared values and ability to adapt to the emerging environment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Edgar Grimaldo)
-Working alongside the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office and Coast Guard, the drill tested interoperability and survival skills in a high-stress environment.
-While five teams were “caught” and interrogated, the operation culminated in a complex multi-stage extraction involving aircraft and maritime assets.
Urban Evasion: Why US Air Force Teams Were Hiding From Police on the Streets of San Francisco
The images out of Minneapolis and other cities in recent weeks have made a lot of Americans think twice about how it looks when men with guns are making their presence felt in large urban areas.
But back in December, Air Force personnel showed up in a major city, although with much less controversial intent.
The Air Force said this week that “Exercise Sourdough,” described as “the Department of War’s largest urban evasion training event,” took place between December 8 and 11 in San Francisco by the Department of Defense, which calls itself the Department of War.
U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. 1st Class Harrison Brewer, G4 Chief Movements Supervisor for the 335th Signal Command (Theater), fires an M16 rifle on a range at Fort Gordon, Georgia, March 8, 2019. Soldiers from the 335th Signal Command (Theater) headquarters completed warrior tasks and battle drills to include weapons qualification, grenade practice and roll over training during a four-day training designed to increase their warfighting abilities. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Leron Richards)
The exercise, taking place for the 11th time, was led by the US Air Force’s 571st Mobility Support Advisory Squadron. More than 150 military and civilian partners took part to “strengthen interoperability, coordination and readiness in an urban environment.”
The idea was to prepare and train for urban warfare. The San Francisco Sheriff’s Office and the US Coast Guard participated as usual, and were joined this year by the Department of Corrections and the University of California Police.
“The exercise challenged Airmen from various units to evade capture while operating in one of the nation’s most densely populated metropolitan areas,” the release said. “The evading participants navigated the city for up to 36 hours with limited resources, facing realistic opposition forces and making time-sensitive decisions.”
“The addition of several new agencies and units brought new dimensions to the exercise,” Lt. Col. Mary Lea Bordelon, 571st MSAS commander, said in the release.
“It forced our personnel to adapt to unfamiliar protocols, communication styles, and operating procedures. That adaptability is critical to interoperability in joint and interagency environments, and it strengthens our ability to integrate quickly and operate effectively alongside partners in real-world operations.”
What the Exercise Entailed
The exercise, the Air Force release said, “culminated in a multi-stage recovery operation involving 11 evading teams dispersed throughout the city,” with rotary wing aircraft, maritime assets, and ground transportation used for extraction. In addition, 10 simulated patients were “treated” for their injuries and transported by a C-5M Super Galaxy to Travis Air Force Base.
C-5 Galaxy. Image Credit: Lockheed Martin.
“The AE crew confronted the challenge of an unregulated mission where the crew lacked advance knowledge of casualty type or volume,” Maj. Katelyn Dunahoe, 571st MSAS aeromedical evacuation lead, said in the Air Force release. “They provided critical care by rapidly triaging patients on the ground and delivering in-flight medical care for injuries sustained during evasion. This exercise highlighted the AE crew’s ability to successfully execute complex missions with minimal preparation time.”
“Exercise Sourdough is a mechanism to test and assess our participants’ ability to successfully evade in an urban environment, resist information and operational exploitation, and enable them to influence their own recovery efforts,” Master Sgt. Jeremy Campbell, 571st MSAS weapons and tactics noncommissioned officer in charge, added in the Air Force release.
“The training value cannot be understated because there are few frameworks of this magnitude within the Department of War.”
A Task and Purpose story about the exercise offered more details.
“This is kind of mimicking if they are in an urban environment in a foreign country and the American forces need to devise a plan to extract them, so they need to survive,” Bordelon told that outlet. “If they are caught, then they are taken to the sheriff’s office, [and] they are interrogated. So, there is some high stress that goes along with that over the thought of being caught.”
She added that of the 11 teams that participated, five were “caught.”
Tara Moriarty, Director of Communications for the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office, told Task and Purpose that the Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team had led the hostage rescue component of the exercise.
The San Francisco Sheriff’s Office released an Instagram video showing some highlights of the Sourdough operation.
The operation, the office said, “used all 49 square miles of San Francisco to blend in with 800-thousand residents to practice navigating an urban area, finding food and water, and simulating a high-stress environment with threat of captivity and interrogation.”
“This exercise allowed us to think outside the box as to where evaders would be throughout the city. Additionally, we had to take into account such factors as time of day and weather conditions,” Lt. Rebecca Lee of the sheriff’s office said, per a social media post.
The operation received little media coverage as it was happening, aside from outlets that cover military matters, suggesting that Exercise Sourdough didn’t significantly disrupt everyday life in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Another Exercise
American Military exercises usually take place on foreign soil, often as a cooperative effort between the U.S. and an ally. Other countries do them too, such as when China recently held them near Taiwan.
Back in November, The Hill reported, as the US was “ramping up” its military presence near Venezuela, US Marine Corps forces took part in a training exercise with Trinidad and Tobago. This, of course, was followed just two months later by a full-on military operation by the US in that country, to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
The US Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago, on November 14, announced that the United States Marine Corps 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) had deployed to the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) for exercises scheduled for November 16-21.
“The exercises are conducted in close coordination with TTDF leadership, local and national government officials, and emergency services to ensure community safety and uphold cultural respect,” US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Dr. Jenifer Neidhart de Ortiz said heading into the exercises.
“The engagement prioritizes partnership, professionalism, and shared experiences, including meals and informal interactions that foster camaraderie and mutual respect.”
The US and South Korea conduct joint military exercises twice a year, and South Korea’s president, Lee Jae-myung, this week announced that this spring’s exercises will take place as scheduled. Lee had raised the possibility last year that they might consider scaling them back.
About the Author: Stephen Silver
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist, and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review, and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has authored thousands of articles that focus on politics, national security, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
