Hickam Airmen 'deploy' during readiness exercise

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Mike Meares
  • 15th Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (AFNS) --  Airmen tested their ability to respond to contingency operations in the Pacific during Beverly Kahuna 2010-F, an initial response readiness exercise Oct. 20 and 21.

For the first time since Pearl Harbor Naval Base and Hickam Air Force Base joined their borders to become a joint base, the efforts of members of the 15th Wing, the 154th Wing, the 647th Air Base Group, the 515th Air Mobility Operations Wing and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam joined forces to deploy Airmen from multiple organizations to respond to a "contingency operation."

"This is the first time since full operational capability that we have exercised for a full-scale deployment," said Lt. Col. George Fritts, the 15th Wing inspector general.

According to Hickam leaders, the units in Hawaii continue to set the benchmark of total force integration, now adding another element of integrating their Navy partners.

"This is significant because the majority of the individuals who make up the deployment line are now Navy employees, working day-to-day for Fleet Industrial Service Center-Hawaii," Colonel Fritts said. "We also operated closely with our total force counterparts, as well as other critical mission partners, to work toward a single, mission-minded focus."

This exercise was designed to mirror the 15th Wing's wartime mission: "Warrior Airmen projecting peace and power in the Pacific and beyond." The "deployment machine" was put to the test as eight C-17 Globemaster III missions were generated, more than 200 Airmen were processed through a deployment line and more than 140 short tons of cargo were prepared and loaded on an aircraft. Airmen were processed through the mobility line to ensure that they met all requirements for the operation.

"It is important that we are able to execute this mission at a moment's notice," the colonel said. "Exercises take a lot of resources, in terms of time, manpower and money, so it is important that we take full advantage of every exercise opportunity."

Colonel Fritts said each exercise provides many learning opportunities. For this particular IRRE, cargo- and passenger-processing were one focus. The basic "blocking and tackling" of getting people downrange in order to support operations plans, humanitarian missions and other contingency operations was a major focus.

Since the relationships with joint base personnel is relatively new, learning to develop new ways to communicate across cultural differences will ensure all the appropriate organizations get the information they need in order to make time-critical, life-or-death decisions, Colonel Fritts said.

"This mission we train for is unique and tough," he said. "It is critical that we are able to execute this mission flawlessly at a moment's notice, should the need arise."