Minot finance Airmen test wartime skills during Exercise Prairie Gold

Published Aug. 18, 2026
By Senior Airman Kendra A. Ransum
5th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --

Airmen assigned to the 5th Comptroller Squadron tested their ability to provide financial support in a simulated deployed environment during Exercise Prairie Gold, held at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Aug. 10-12, 2026.

5th Comptroller Squadron Airmen raise a tent. — Airmen from the 5th Comptroller Squadron (5 CPTS) construct an expeditionary shelter system during Exercise Prairie Gold at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Aug. 10, 2026. The purpose of the field training exercise was to give 5 CPTS Airmen an opportunity to employ contingency training so they can lead from the front if called upon. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Anthony Ramey)

“With things happening in the world, this was a good opportunity for us to get caught up with in-the-field skills,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Alexander Stojadinovic, noncommissioned officer in charge of budget operations. “The whole purpose of this exercise is to get proficient in finance operations that we don’t normally do in the regular office.”

Simulated deployment scenarios that the 5 CPTS practiced in the exercise included: limited communications, cyberattacks, power outages and other disruptions.

“While most of our wing may recognize us from working Military Pay and Budget, our Airmen work very different jobs when deployed,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Stefan Choquette, 5 CPTS commander.

To make the training more realistic, the squadron worked with the 5th Security Forces Squadron, 5th Civil Engineer Squadron and 54th Helicopter Squadron.

Airmen walk away from a helicopter. — Airmen from the 5th Comptroller Squadron (5 CPTS) depart from a 54th Helicopter Squadron UH-1 Iroquois as part of Exercise Prairie Gold at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Aug. 12, 2026. While most military personnel may recognize finance-oriented Airmen from working Military Pay and Budget, the 5 CPTS works very different jobs when deployed, such as riding in helicopters as deployed paying agents and making purchases during contingency operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kendra A. Ransum)

“The support from 5 SFS, 5 CES, and 54 HS was phenomenal. Our Airmen received realistic Airmanship training to ensure they’re ready to operate in austere conditions in a hub-and-spoke model when they’re asked to do so,” Choquette said. “We made investments in ourselves to obtain realistic training props to exercise cash disbursing operations, a key skill required in the future fight.”

During the exercise, 5 CPTS Airmen operated from a simulated main base set up in tents. They practiced core finance tasks such as exchanging currency, processing emergency purchases, handling invoices and vouchers, and paying simulated local vendors with physical cash.

The field setup helped Airmen practice skills they do not often use during day-to-day work.

“The financial management community has decided that we are putting the warfighter back into finance,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Erik Odegaard, a 5 CPTS quantitative analyst.

Comptroller teams had to secure financial records and contingency funds, close their vault, pack equipment and continue operations while tracking multiple currencies, including U.S. dollars, Australian dollars, Korean won and Hong Kong dollars. The exercise also tested how Airmen would respond if normal systems became unavailable. In the scenario, a simulated cyberattack disabled network systems, followed by a simulated strike that cut power. Airmen secured funds, put on Mission Oriented Protective Posture gear, sheltered in place and later conducted a post-attack reconnaissance sweep.

An Airman counts foreign currency by hand. — U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Alexander Stojadinovic, 5th Comptroller Squadron (5 CPTS) noncommissioned officer in charge of budget operations, counts foreign currency as part of Exercise Prairie Gold at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Aug. 12, 2026. The exercise was the first of its kind for the squadron and helped set a standard as the comptroller career field renewed its focus on contingency operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kendra A. Ransum)

“Our Airmen, when forward deployed to serve Global Strike forces, special operations or any other theater, will be able to arrive with a bag of cash ready to acquire the resources needed to continue to project power,” Choquette said.

The exercise also included the simulated arrival of a 54 HS UH-1 Iroquois, which required the immediate deployment of a paying agent, a finance Airman responsible for carrying funds and making purchases during contingency operations.

The exercise was the first of its kind for the squadron and helped set a standard as the comptroller career field renews its focus on contingency operations.

The 5 CPTS will continue to hone their skills sending a team to compete in the inaugural Iron Ledger competition where they will be graded on their ability to perform comptroller contingency operations in a small team.

“This exercise has never been done, and it was an incredible challenge, but it helped set the bar for comptroller squadrons across the Air Force as the career field transitions to a renewed focus on contingency operations,” said Choquette. “Our NCOs and Junior Officers put in an immense amount of effort to make this exercise an overwhelming success and only further shows ONLY THE BEST COME NORTH!”