Countdown - Flyaway final test before February 2013 inspection

  • Published
  • By Senior Amn. Amelia M. Leonard
  • 349th Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Nearly 800 Airmen from the 60th and 349th Air Mobility Wings teamed up for an Operational Readiness Exercise that took them to Mississippi during the week of Dec. 2, 2012. Held at the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Facility, it was the third ORE this year, but the first to take place outside of Travis.

These types of exercises aim to test a unit's ability to deploy at a moment's notice, efficiently set up and maintain a base under various threat conditions, while still providing airlift, air refueling and aero-medical evacuation support.

"Operational Readiness Inspections are designed to validate readiness to execute wartime or contingency missions, driven by designed operational capability statements," said Capt. Jacqueline Nickols, former director of the U. S. Air Force Inspectors Course, Secretary of the Air Force Inspector General, Inspections Directorate.

The team practiced working in an austere deployed environment to better prepare them as warriors, and United States Airmen. During the week-long mock deployment, Airmen utilized their extensive training in post-attack reconnaissance, force protection conditions, alarm conditions, clearing and cleaning of weaponry, self-aid buddy care, defensive tactical warfare, defensive fighting position construction, and chemical warfare mission oriented protective posture, (MOPP,) while maintaining their ability to work in their respective career fields.

"The purpose remains to assess the entire unit's ability to execute its wartime mission, and the wing commander is charged with the responsibility to assure his wing is ready to meet DOC taskings," said Nickols.

Although OREs are a great learning experience, they can also be exhausting for the participants. Airmen were pushed to work hard and think harder, during their 12-13 hour shifts.

An exercise evaluation team, composed of subject matter experts in every career field, was on hand to grade the participants in their ability to adapt to the ever-changing situation, think quickly on their feet, and ultimately respond to crises, even while under distress. In order to do this, EET members injected various scenarios into a series of ongoing events. They also tested Airmen on their knowledge of the Airman's Manual, (AFPAM 10-100.) Although the primary job of the EET is to evaluate the capabilities of the players, they also were on hand to answer questions, and help guide Airmen to make the correct choices and learn from their mistakes.

This was the final ORE leading up to the Operational Readiness Inspection, scheduled for Feb. 3-10, 2013, at the Gulfport CRTC.