Edwards performs its best ORE

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Julius Delos Reyes
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
Edwards performed its Operational Readiness Exercise Jan. 30 to Feb. 2.

This ORE is the last one before the Air Force Materiel Command's Inspector General Operational Readiness Inspection beginning March 1.

"It is probably the best ORE we have since we started doing this about two years ago," said Pierre Poudevigne, Air Force Flight Test Center Inspector General's senior exercise planner. "It appears that the troops are ready. They have their game faces on. They performed their part with a sense of urgency and that is what we are looking for. They are also performing their tactics with their (Air Force Manual) 10-100."

From the recall to the management of the deployment process, the attacks on the communications infrastructure and the operation in Camp Corum, everything went really well, said Col. George Sciss, AFFTC Inspector General.

"Are there still some things to fix? You bet," Colonel Sciss said. "Could we do better? You bet. But by far this is the best exercise we have seen here to date."

During Phase I of the exercise, the base received a simulated intelligence report about a terrorist organization trying to penetrate military bases.

As part of the scenario, the IG had people penetrate gates with fake identification and even had a group take over one of the gates.

"Based on that report, we set up our people to try to get into the base," said Maj. Stephen Harvey, AFFTC IG chief of readiness. "Then we had 'terrorists' blow up our communication building."

The destruction of the building was part of the mass casualty exercise. This led to people in need of medical assistance. Base personnel had to perform self aid and buddy care and search and recovery. This also tested the alertness and process of the Edwards Fire Department, paramedics, security forces and other organizations.

Local in-house scenarios were also performed to include bomb threats, flightline penetration, dumpster diving, surveillance of senior personnel, and command and control relocations.

Phase II of the ORE was a typical austere condition with insurgents penetrating the deployed perimeter, mortars launches, missiles, and rocket attacks.

This also tested Airmen's ability to don their chemical gear within a short amount of time. They also had to perform unexploded ordnance sweeps, SABC, transportation of wounded to casualty collection points in addition to performing their jobs.

"With the different scenarios that we give the base to respond to, we have an idea of what the outcome should be," Major Harvey said. "But the base did a fantastic job. We gave some difficult scenarios for them to deal with, but they made it look so easy."

The ORE certainly improves every time the base has exercise, he said. The teamwork and cohesion has really come together. Communication between people is exceptional.

"Team Edwards showed their colors this last exercise," Colonel Sciss said. "Everyone had great attitude. Everyone worked together."