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Testing capabilities through exercise

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Christen Bloomfield
  • 64th Air Expeditionary Group Installation Operations Center
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  The 64th Air Expeditionary Group is fully committed to being the hardest target in the area of responsibility through rigorous bi-monthly exercises.

Field exercises don't just give Airmen the opportunity to gain hands-on experience, they allow commanders to plan and prepare for real world scenarios while enhancing readiness. On Jan. 30, about 100 Airmen participated in a field exercise designed to validate the base-wide medical emergency response capabilities. A simulated collapse of a temporary facility involving mass casualties created an atmosphere intended to exceed Southwest Asia's medical capabilities and force emergency responders to simulate having to work with outside agencies.

The exercise coordinator, Capt. Jerry Rives, described how everyone on base participated in the exercise and how important it is to make sure the left hand is talking to the right hand. Security Forces, explosive ordinance disposal and other first responders exercise on their own for routine training, but exercises such as this drive the entire group to work together as a team.

"It's our opportunity to actually test the functions that don't get tested every day," Captain Rives said.

One of the biggest challenges Airmen deployed here face is being able to coordinate and work with off-base agencies. Installation emergency manager Staff Sgt. Jeremy Parks said the extensive exercises planned and run by the 64 AEG are designed to help all organizations here improve communication and increase base-wide readiness for real-world situations.

Sergeant Parks, who's now on his fourth tour in the AOR, says that he has never been a part of an exercise program in this small of an organization that was so robust.
"This is giving us a great avenue to train-to-fight," Sergeant Parks said.

Editors note: The 64th Air Expeditionary Group is part of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing deployed here in Southwest Asia.