WIngs combine efforts for upcoming exercises

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. William Farrow
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Eielson's 354th Fighter Wing and the 168th Air Refueling Wing are both immersed in total force integration processes and will show their ability to team together in an upcoming command-led Operational Readiness Inspection in the fall of 2008.

To prepare for that inspection, both wings are taking steps to work together through a series of readiness exercises (three to four exercises over the next year) intended to promote development of Eielson's total force operations such as the air bridge and force reception and deployment, said Lt. Col. Derek Dill, 354th Fighter Wing Inspector General.

"The best way for the wings to gain experience is to work together and the best way to do that is through combined exercises focusing on our shared wartime mission," Colonel Dill said. 

"Since the 168th ARW is an Air National Guard unit, the best time to practice our mission is during drill weekends when the majority of 168th ARW personnel are on base and available for duty."

The next exercise, scheduled Oct. 11-14, is the first of a number of such readiness exercises to prepare Eielson for the ORI. Unlike most past exercises, the one in October will span a weekend. 

According to Colonel Dill, significant effort is being taken to ensure that hours dedicated to the exercise are well invested. 

In order to permit some degree of personal planning, Colonel Dill said members of the 354 FW should expect the exercise to kick-off sometime on Oct. 11  with a pause sometime that evening. He said it will resume at a pre-determined time on the morning of Oct. 12 and run through the night until a second pause on the evening of Oct. 13. He said the exercise will again resume at a pre-determined time on 14 Oct. and end sometime later that day.

In preparation for this inspection, both military and civilians are required  to participate. 

"The inconvenience of civilians working weekend hours will be limited as much as possible, but is absolutely necessary for us to hone our skills and practice war-time scenarios with our Guard teammates," said Deb Czajkowski, 354th Mission Support Group deputy commander for installation support.

To facilitate the exercise, Ms. Sandra Horsman, 354th Force Support Squadron deputy commander will increase staffing in the Two Seasons dining facility, and allow our civilians working the exercise to dine.

She said the dining hall's hours of operations will not change for the exercise and she said that due to staff deployments, the fitness center will close during the exercise.

According to Ms. Horsman, the Eielson Child Development Center and School Age programs will extend their hours on Oct. 11-12 to accommodate a recall and extended duty hours. However, she said parents will be required to make appropriate childcare arrangements Oct. 13-14 which may include use of the Extended Duty Care Program.

"For our military members working the exercise, any care required before or after that time will be provided in Family Child Care Extended Duty Care program," she said. 

She explained that military members working the exercise are authorized EDC, and are required to submit a referral signed by the members' first sergeant.

"Our FCC is pre-arranging the placement of children into FCC homes, and space will be allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis. All care provided in the FCC homes under the EDC program is free of charge to the family and referrals will be accepted for care through Oct. 9," she said.