LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Virginia –
The Phase I exercise is an opportunity for a wing to prepare for contingency operations by practicing mobilization and deployment of assets.
“A Phase I is preparation to go into a wartime posture,” said Tech. Sgt. Marie Shipley, 1st Fighter Wing Exercises office. “This preparation is animportant part of the deployment puzzle, as it helps the wing learn how to take what it needs to both built-up and bare-base forward operations.”
The 1st Fighter Wing Installation Deployment Officer agreed on the emphasis of the importance of that preparation. A Phase I exercise is to stress the capability of the wing to meet a threat by moving personnel and cargo in a systematic process to a forward location, said Daniel Owens.
The exercise is not accomplished by one group, but by several. Phase I exercises include seven major parties, including the wing commander, the groups, the squadrons, the installation deployment offi cers, the personnel deployment facility, cargo deployment facility and the deployment control center.
“All of these groups work to ensure there is positive control in moving personnel and cargo in the smoothest and quickest manner,” said Mr. Owens. “It’s a collective, all working together to ensure it all gets done.”
At the center of all seven parties is the DCC, which is the focal point of Phase I preparations. This group provides cargo and personnel management and leadership feedback on progress and projections throughout the exercise. The benefi ts of having Phase I’s are widespread. From pilot to cook, everyone is prepared in one way or another.
“The individual units get to practice things they don’t do every day,” said Sergeant Shipley, “so it’s good training for the unit deployment managers, the ‘deploying’ personnel and helps the wing commander know how well his people could deal with an operational readiness inspection or a real-world deployment.”
The preparations benefi t all who participate, but normal day-to-day operations can suffer during these periods.
“Exercises can affect several major areas of the base in manning and timeliness,” said 1st Lt. Shawnee Williams, 1st Logistics Readiness Squadron Plans and Contingency offi cer. “The communications, mission support and services squadrons are all affected because of support and participation.”
The Phase I starts with the drop of a prepare-todeploy order, usually followed by a recall, whose nature will be dictated by wing leadership. After the PTDO and the recall of wing personnel, Phase I operations kick into 24 operations, which encompasses the production of Deployment Schedules of Events, pre-staging and marshalling the cargo and passengers, all before making sure the planes get off the ground at the right time.
Ultimately, the Phase I is the same as a family packing the car before a trip, only wing trips are not for vacation and the timetable is short for such a large family. It’s up to the members of the wing to come together to dig in, keep the appropriated timetable and get troops to where they’re needed.