LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Virginia –
To put any difficulties in the past and focus on opportunities ahead, 1st Fighter Wing Airmen test themselves to find their strengths and weakness with a Phase I exercise.
“This exercise has highlighted certain challenges on getting our generation timing and deployment timing more in sync,” said Installation Deployment Officer Daniel Owens. “The exercise has generated many lessons learned in areas like command and control, operating with squadron and group commanders, and coordination with the Unit Control Centers.”
The exercise kicked off around 4 a.m. Jan. 30, and ran as long as the wing’s last Phase I in September. This Phase I, however, was plagued with delays.
“We experienced heavy thunderstorms and fog that forced a halt on all cargo operations and a real-world Weapon System Evaluation Program to Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., both significantly slowing down cargo processing,” said Deployment Control Center Officer in Charge 1st Lt. Shawnee Williams. “On top of that, it was the first time we had to process two airframes at the same time, as well as processing the F-22 through its first Operational Readiness Inspection.”
Accompanying the challenges above, this is the first time that a single F-15 squadron has not only had to process people and cargo at the same time, but also generate the required amount of airframes. Historically, the fighter squadrons balanced the load -- one squadron would process while the other generated. This time there was only one, which created its own problems.
With the numerous challenges, however, came opportunities to become better at the deployment process.
“We originally began the exercise with hopes to see how the units could simultaneously generate their aircraft and process their pax and cargo in the prescribed time line,” said Mr. Owens. “In the end, what we had was a lot of new information, from the battle staff to the UCCs, on how to properly phase aircraft generation and the deployment process into a seamless flow.”
For one thing, said Mr. Owens, there was 100 percent accountability for the exercise augmentees in all shifts. This hasn’t happened in a long time.
Phase I exercises are opportunities for units to not only prove themselves ready to go to war but also to train those who yet need the experience to prepare for deployments.
Leadership stressed the importance of everyone staying on task and keeping focused throughout each exercise.
“The Phase I, like any exercise, is an opportunity for 1st Fighter Wing members to come together and learn to prepare for contingency operations,” said Lt. Col. Russ Handy, 1st Fighter Wing vice commander. “Everyone should play their part in order to make the exercise successful, be willing to adapt and communicate, and remember to maintain the level and sense urgency that is appropriate for the situation.”
Colonel Handy also emphasized the value of learning.
“It’s important to remember what works and what doesn’t,” he said. “Learning from mistakes is vital to improving our force and its ability to further Air Force operations worldwide.”