WYDOT supports historic military exercise

State now boasts ‘longest runway in the world’

By Andrea Staley and Jordan Achs

On April 30 and May 2, the Wyoming Department of Transportation closed US Highway 287 north out of Rawlins and Wyoming Highway 789 near Lander, respectively. The reason for the closure: Exercise Agile Chariot.

“Exercise Agile Chariot was an Air Force Special Operations Command-led event focused on agile combat deployment and involving personnel and assets with the Total Force,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Cody Ramirez in a press release after the exercise.

Participating units landed an MC-130J Commando II, an MQ-9 Reaper, and two A-10 Warthogs on US 287 while conducting a Forward Arming and Refueling Point, Integrated Combat Turnarounds and taking off from the highway. This was the first time in history a MQ-9 Reaper has landed on a U.S. highway.

The 15th Special Operations Squadron also landed an MC-130J Commando II with two MH-6 Little Birds onto WYO 789, conducting a time-sensitive, personnel recovery mission with Airmen from the 123rd Special Tactics Squadron. The exercise involved securing landing zones and operating the highways as usable runways during both of the exercise’s major events.

Lt. Col. David Meyer, Air Force Special Operation Command, said the exercise demonstrated “how special operations can support the combat air forces and fighter aircraft for a more overt operation.”

“It is one thing to defend a runway or a military base,” he explained. “It is a nearly impossible task for an adversary to defend every mile of highway in a given region. … We are exploring different ways we can leverage using things like highways to give us access and placement so we can execute our mission anytime, anyplace.”

Before we could give the go-ahead, WYDOT needed to confirm that our highways would be able to handle the new type of traffic. Pavement strength testing from Rally in the Rockies – a smaller-scale military training exercise that also involved landing aircraft on US 287 north of Rawlins in 2021 – showed the road was strong. However, WYDOT crews did go out ahead of this second operation and drilled the highway so the Air Force could take some core samples for testing to be sure that the highway was still strong enough to withstand the aircrafts.

“The Air Force was impressed with the way we built our highways, the strength,” said WYDOT Chief Engineer Mark Gillett. “I think that is the reason why they have chosen Wyoming for this exercise. Other than a few skid marks, the highway remains in great shape.”

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, WYDOT Interim Director Darin Westby, Gillett and other local and state leaders and officials were among the select few to witness parts of the twoday exercise.

“Wyoming has a strong military community with service members and families rooted through F.E. Warren Air Force Base, the Wyoming Army National Guard and the Wyoming Air National Guard,” said Gordon in an Air Force press release. “Our state is well-positioned to support Total Force training exercises.”

Gillett added that this is the second time WYDOT has supported a training exercise involving its highways, both of which were very successful.

“Our partnerships with the state allowed us to come here and execute our tactics, techniques and procedures that we couldn’t do otherwise and for that we are extremely grateful,” said Col. Allison Black, 1st Special Operations Wing commander, in a

At 30,000 feet long, Meyer said, “Wyoming now has the longest runway in the world!”

And it is right in our backyard!

Enzi cookie party – Wyoming style

A group of Wyoming notables teamed up to thank WYDOT for going the extra mile

By Mark Horan

While they were in office, Diana Enzi and her late husband, retired Sen. Mike Enzi, held a standing tradition of baking cookies with their staff and giving them away as gifts. They did so as a way to express their gratitude to “the real workers” behind the scenes at the U.S. Capitol who kept things running smoothly.

After her husband passed away, Enzi wanted to keep the spirit of baking and giving going strong, so she organized a team to put on the first annual “Enzi Cookie Party – Wyoming Style.”

The lucky beneficiaries? Every employee within the Wyoming Department of Transportation.

Helping Enzi in the undertaking was Wyoming First Lady Jennie Gordon and Tate Bauman, the governor’s executive chef. The 28-hour process took place at the Governor’s Residence in early May.

Members of the Wyoming Congressional Council as well as several high-school-aged Congressional Award recipients partnered in the endeavor. The Enzi family has been a strong supporter of the Congressional Award program over the years, and Wyoming leads the nation in the number of program delegates.

Additional assistance was provided by Kate Barlow, Trista Ostrom, and Jen Thomson from the Governor’s Office, and many former Team Enzi staff.

All funding was donated by Mary Meyer, whose late husband Joe held some of the highest positions in Wyoming government for many years: state treasurer, secretary of state and state attorney general. According to his wife, when Meyer was in office he cared a lot about emergency workers and maintenance crews who took care Wyoming’s roads and people. Funding the cookie project was something he would have wanted to do.

All in all, the group went through 600 pounds of cookie dough to make 1,978 cookies, with the hope that everyone within WYDOT would get a treat.

“The initial plan was to make enough cookies just for [employees in] Cheyenne,” Ostrom said. “But Mrs. Enzi insisted it should be statewide, even if she had to deliver the cookies herself.”

Enzi recognized how hard WYDOT staff worked this past year.

“I prayed for the snow plow drivers this winter,” she said. “I wouldn’t have wanted to be in a plow.”

A sticker on the back if each cookie read, “…In the spirit of the Enzi’s original intentions and legacy, thank you for everything you do for the State of Wyoming.”

Enzi, Gordon and their team hand delivered the cookies to members of the Wyoming Highway Patrol, who were gathered for a statewide meeting. WHP then began distributing the treats to WYDOT shops around the state.

After receiving a cookie, many WYDOT staff sent in thank you messages and photos of their offices/crews enjoying their treat.

“That cookie was awesome,” said Tom McLain from the Rock Springs Construction Office. “I would like to thank First Lady Jennie Gordon, Diana Enzi and all the rest of the people that helped make the cookies. It was very much appreciated.”

Enzi and her team plan to hold future cookie parties to benefit other state agencies.

WYDOT Area Maintenance Supervisor Eric Anderson, right, and Laramie maintenance Heavy Equipment Operator Edwin Leyba shake hands with a cookie on the Snowy Range (WYO 130) as crews work to reopen the seasonal closure.