MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. – Tech. Sgt. Herschel Brown, 22nd Air Refueling Wing, and Tech. Sgt. John Bryan, 931st Air Refueling Wing, wait while a ground burst simulator explodes during the Ability to Survive and Operate exercise Nov. 05. XP uses ground burst simulators to simulate air and ground attacks on the compound. (Photo by Senior Airman Roy Lynch)

MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. -- Tech. Sgt. Herschel Brown, 22nd Air Refueling Wing, and Tech. Sgt. John Bryan, 931st Air Refueling Wing, throw red smoke canisters during the Ability to Survive and Operate exercise Nov. 06. Smoke canisters come in multiple colors like red, green and yellow and are used to mainly simulate fire and cover. (Photo by Senior Airman Roy Lynch)

MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. -- Maj. Michael Rambo, 22nd Air Refueling Wing, watches while Senior Airman Gregory Beamon, 22nd Security Forces Squadron, defends the alert facility on the flight line Nov. 06. XP continuously exercises to prepare for inspections and practices on the weekends so the 22nd Air Refueling Wing can include the 184th Intelligence Wing Kansas Air National Guard and the 931st Air Refueling Group in the exercise. (Photo by Senior Airman Roy Lynch)

Plans and Programs preps Team McConnell

MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. -- Major Michael Rambo, 22nd Air Refueling Wing Plans and Programs, questions Tech. Sgt. Genevieve Morris, 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs chief, on local news media operations during an ability to survive and operate exercise, Sept. 20. Major Rambo, in conjunction with exercise evaluation team members, tested the wing’s ability to survive and operate in hostile situations. (Photo by Airman Justin Shelton)

Plans and Programs preps Team McConnell

MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. -- Major Leslie Maher, 22nd Air Refueling Wing Plans and Programs chief, briefs fellow team members on location of upcoming exercises at building 1, July 9. Plans and programs office prepares for upcoming exercises to prepare Team McConnell for success. (Photo by Senior Airman Roy Lynch)

Plans and Programs preps Team McConnell

Published July 10, 2008
By Senior Airman Roy Lynch
22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. -- With the Operation Readiness Inspection over, the Plans and Programs team can start preparing Team McConnell for its next inspection.

The Plans and Programs office prepares Team McConnell for upcoming inspections by having base exercises. The Plans and programs office tests the wing's ability to survive and operate in hostile situations and individual's knowledge on related topics.

"It's tough, but it becomes easier with time," says Staff Sgt. Tommy Holland, 22nd Air Refueling Wing Plans and Programs.

The Plans and Programs office conducts exercises realistically as possible to simulate actual contingency operations.

They use ground burst simulators to simulate air and ground attacks. Also, they use smoke canisters that come in multiple colors such as red, green and yellow which are used mainly to simulate fire and cover. The Plans and Programs office takes exercises personally and will go to great lengths to ensure the simulation is as real as possible.

"The Plans and Programs office might be considered the bad guy when it comes to base exercises" said Maj. Leslie Maher, 22nd Air Refueling Wing Plans and Programs chief, "but we don't mind the reputation; we keep the standards on base."

With such a demanding job, good leadership can help a unit function more cohesively.
"The Plans and Programs office can not operate without the office leadership of Majors Leslie Maher, Michael Rambo and Dan Haman," said Tech. Sgt. Herschel Brown, 22nd Air Refueling Wing Plans and Programs. "The majors give noncommissioned officers and senior noncommissioned officers freedom to run programs and make decisions."

Master Sgt. Darrell Baker, 22nd Air Refueling Wing Plans and Programs said "They are the hardest working officers I've seen."

The 22nd Air Refueling Wing has exercises on the weekends in order to include the 184th Intelligence Wing Kansas Air National Guard and the 931st Air Refueling Group prepare for IG inspections.

The Plans and Programs office will be conducting several exercises to keep Team McConnell up to speed for upcoming inspections.