Exercise and Inspection: The Test of an Airman

  • Published
  • By Airman Mariah Markus
  • 140th Wing Public Affairs
BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --  To the outside world. the Air Force is the United States' primary organization for conducting air, space and cyberspace warfare. The operations depicted on recruiting commercials give testimony to the Air Force's mission to fly, fight and win.

As glamorous as these commercials appear, little attention is given to the work that goes on behind the scenes that make the Air Force - and the Air National Guard - capable in carrying out wartime and contingency missions.

The Operational Readiness Inspection is such an event that helps Air Force personnel attain and remain at a high state of readiness at all times. Come May 2012, the 140th Wing of the Colorado Air National Guard will be subject to undergo an ORI conducted by an Air Combat Command Inspector General team.

The purpose of this inspection is to determine the operational readiness of the members of the 140th Wing and its ability to fulfill wartime missions and deployments.

However, the ORI not only tests combat readiness, but also determines whether or not a base continues to carry out normal everyday operations according to standards.

To prepare for this ORI the 140th Wing is participating in a Phase II Operational Readiness Exercise which is the second ORE the Wing has conducted this year. During a three-day period from Oct. 13-15, more than 800 members participated in the exercise and experienced real-world scenarios ranging from simulated missile and chemical attacks, to general military operations while on a simulated deployment.

The ORE tests not only mission capability but also the cohesiveness of the Wing's members and their ability to work as a team. Each job involved in the ORE has an integral part to play; without a full deck of cards one cannot expect to be able to play the game properly.

One such integral part is the Single Exercise Entry Point. The SEEP is responsible for ensuring that all members who process in and out of the area of operations have all appropriate gear for wartime operations, that each player is duly informed of all information that pertains to the ORE and helps them with their operations.

The SEEP makes sure members have appropriate gear and body armor and are overall ready to play war, stated Airman 1st Class Janine Bobby, 140th Maintenance Squadron.

Bobby was assigned to the SEEP during the October Phase II ORE. Bobby went on to state that the ORE and ORI is a "necessary evil."

The ORI is fast approaching and the months that lie ahead are bound to be filled with more preparation and practice, so the 140th Wing has all of its cards in one deck and is ready to play the game for the official ORI.