PDF Line streamlines out processing ops for Airmen

U.S. Air Force Capt. Jaime Samson, an 18th Agressor Squadron air battle manager, gives a pre-deployment brief to more than 100 Airmen Jan. 13, 2015, at the Stevens Joint Mobility Complex at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. More than 150 Airmen from the 354th Fighter Wing will participate in the COPE NORTH exercise and are expected to perform more than 500 hours of flying. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ashley Nicole Taylor/Released)

PDF Line streamlines out processing ops for Airmen

U.S. Airmen from the 354th Fighter Wing receive a pre-deployment brief Jan. 13, 2015, at the Stevens Joint Mobility Complex at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. Multiple base agencies briefed Airmen to prepare them for the COPE NORTH exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ashley Nicole Taylor/Released)

PDF Line streamlines out processing ops for Airmen

U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots and maintenance personnel assigned to the 18th Aggressor Squadron and 354th Maintenance Group, receive a pre-deployment brief Jan. 13, 2015, at the Stevens Joint Mobility Complex at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. More than 150 Airmen from the 354th Fighter Wing will participate in the Cope North exercise and are expected to complete more than 250 sorties. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ashley Nicole Taylor/Released)

PDF line streamlines out processing ops for Airmen

Published Jan. 13, 2015
By Staff Sgt. Shawn Nickel
354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- The 354th Logistics Readiness Squadron hosted a pre-deployment function line at the passenger terminal Jan. 13 for more than 150 Airmen deploying for the Cope North exercise.

The line streamlined the deployment process for the large group, saving time for the Airmen and for base agencies required to brief deployers.

"Time is money, so essentially we are sticking to our leaderships priorities of 'Every dollar counts,'" said Tech. Sgt. Barbara Wyatt, the 354th LRS NCO in charge of installation deployments. "It would create an enormous strain on base agencies to process this amount of individually. A group process alleviates that stress."

Flight medicine, finance, chapel and Airman and Family Readiness Center staff provide standard deployment information and give updates on changed policies to inform the group. In addition, questions and answers that apply to the deployment are provided to everyone.

"It would take days to process each person individually," said Airman 1st Class Alex Westing, a 354th Comptroller Squadron financial services journeyman. "If I get one question about per diem, you can be sure a few other people are wondering the same thing. Answering in the group setting gives everyone the knowhow."

Wyatt said the pre-deployment function line is not just a benefit to save time, but it's also an excellent opportunity to train for real world contingency operations.

"Even though this is considered a real deployment for an exercise, we get to put together and streamline our process in case of an emergency operation so we can respond to anywhere in the world," she said. "There is an incredible amount of coordination from ticketing to budgeting and moving people and parts when it comes to operations-situations like these keep us polished for the long haul."