Exercise tests McConnell response

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jessica Lockoski
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  A wingman on the ground, suffering from an open chest wound, fading in and out of conscious, while sounds of mortars and gunfire dominate the surroundings in a hostile environment.

It's situations like this that the ability to survive and operate exercise addressed here during the base exercise, Sept. 19-21. It challenged military personnel's capability to respond.

"It has been a long period of time since the base has done an exercise like this and we started from ground zero," said Maj. Michael Rambo, 22nd Air Refueling Wing Plans and Programs office, XP. What we saw as an evaluation team over the course of the exercise was a dramatic improvement from day one to day three. Starting from ground zero you have no where to go, but up. We saw that this should continue with the next exercise."

The McConnell Exercise Evaluation Team presented the wing with multiple scenarios to exemplify the need to always "be prepared" for situations that may arise anywhere and anytime. With this exercise completed and another one on the way in November, the wing is preparing for an Operational Readiness Inspection scheduled June 20-29.

"It was very much a success, as we learned a lot of our weaknesses and flaws we need to work on as a wing as we continue towards our ORI," said Major Rambo.

The ORI will assess McConnell's ability to execute its wartime or contingency mission. The wing as a whole as well as unit and individual operations will be evaluated by the Inspector General.

For now, on a local scale, the 22nd ARW XP carries the responsibility for all wing components through the EET. This includes function group representatives and unit level personnel who are functional experts in their career fields that know what tasks must be accomplished with what criteria.

One of the best ways people can prepare for the ORI is to make sure they fully know their responsibilities in their own jobs, Major Rambo said.

Doing this improves readiness, he said, because when unforeseen elements are introduced, Airmen are able to adapt to them based on their job core knowledge.

But no matter any Airmen's job duty, or assigned unit type code, the ATSO exercise can task anyone to exercise common skills needed to carry out a mission.

No matter what role they played during the exercise, Airmen were alerted to by alarm signals to wear mission oriented protective posture gear (chemical protective equipment) during a series of simulated attacks.

Some responded to evacuations, administered self-aid buddy care, and performed post-attack reconnaissance looking for suspicious activity and unexploded ordinances in the play area.

"I became better adapted to my situational awareness by the end of the three day exercise," said Sr. Airman John Mass, 22nd Communications Squadron. "I was able to pack up my communications equipment faster and make sure I was prepared to evacuate the building when we were told we had to leave."

The major suggested that readiness can be improved in any deployment scenario.

"Readiness is improved when people can adapt through stressful situations in a limited amount of time," he said.

But if there is any opportunity for the 22nd XP team to jog Airmen's memories and keep them up-to-date with details on readiness instruction, it will be done. Even logging onto a Department of Defense computer on base will initiate an ORI question and will remind Airmen of how many days until the big inspection which has taken much preparation.

"XP takes tremendous pride and ownership of the exercise concept for the wing and its Airmen," said Major Rambo. "Strategic plans for this exercise and the upcoming exercise have been made to make sure that what's best for the wing gets completed. We have to make sure everyone is ready."