Readiness accomplished through exercising

  • Published
  • By Charles Stewart
  • 301st Mission Support Group
Fort Worth, TEXAS --  Someone once said, "Sending troops to war with equipment they have not been trained to use is the same as sending them with no equipment at all." The recent Enemy Attack Exercise (EAE) is one part of the triad training process within the 301st Fighter Wing. It's an opportunity for everyone to practice skills necessary to cope with the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) threat. 

Additionally, the act of terrorism is always a factor, improvised explosive devices, vehicle borne improvised explosive devices and medical threats, just to name a few. To provide a more realistic view at today's asymmetric threat we implemented intelligence injects to give the wing a look at the whole spectrum of events that may happen at a deployed location. 

Military personnel know that wearing chemical protective equipment is uncomfortable and hot. The temperature ranges from 70 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit from March to September in Iraq. The ability to drink water while wearing the mask looks simple and is sometimes ignored as an essential skill but is very important to keep personnel safe from heat stress or stroke. This is why we practice drinking water with the mask and other equipment usage such as decon kits and nerve agent injectors. 

Supervisors played an important role in preparing for and completing the EAE. No one knows more about their part of the mission than supervisors. This is why section heads, commanders and other supervisors provide inputs to the scenario concerning what needed to be practiced. 

Commanders and section heads were tasked with a vast amount of intelligence that affected their specific mission requirements. Some intelligence was masked to make the member's data link other previous intelligence reports to sway the members to think another incident may occur. However, experts from different specialties such as medical, security forces, emergency management, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and operations came together as a team called the Threat Working Group. The TWG took all the intelligence and recommended to the deployed wing commander security postures to mitigate or counter the threats. 

It is important to prepare and practice our wartime skills while encumbered in protective equipment whether it's flying jets, loading bombs, fixing the runway or securing the perimeter. This is only some of what we do. The goal: Keeping you trained, equipped and fit to do the wartime mission and return safely to the 301st Fighter Wing.