YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Airmen assigned to the 374th Airlift Wing, alongside participating tenant units, kicked off exercise Beverly Morning 26-1 at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Oct. 14-24.
Exercise Beverly Morning is a biannual readiness exercise designed to enhance base readiness and strengthen Yokota’s capability to sustain and maneuver the joint force across the Indo-Pacific. It challenges Airmen to respond to a variety of simulated real-world contingencies. Throughout the exercise, participants demonstrated their ability to rapidly deploy, operate under high-pressure environments, and maintain mission continuity across multiple scenarios.
“As far as readiness, this exercise has really charged us with focusing on our wartime posture,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Shawn Edgecomb, Logistics Readiness Squadron flight commander. “I’ve seen an amazing amount of passion from the Airmen these last two weeks, remaining positive and focused on the desired outcomes, despite any hurdles.”
Spanning 11 days, Beverly Morning 26-1 challenged Airmen’s ability to work around the clock in dynamic conditions while efficiently coordinating aircraft generation, personnel processing and cargo movement operations. Ultimately, the exercise tested Yokota’s overall ability to maintain operational momentum while adapting to evolving mission demands across the base.
The 374 AW successfully launched 43 aircraft, fulfilling all mission requirements to sustain C-130J Super Hercules operations at a forward location. Among the key components enabling this effort was the generation of the Logistics Quick Reaction Force, or Log QRF, a Yokota-led capability critical to forward logistic support. The team consisted of two air transportation specialists, six security forces defenders; and two communications representatives. Together, they provided essential forward security, aircraft download operations, and initial communication capabilities for the first arriving aircraft at the designated spoke location, ensuring seamless mobility and rapid mission execution in a simulated deployed environment.
“During Beverly Morning 26-1, we stressed the mobility machine by moving 265 tons of cargo, 281 deployers, and generating 43 sorties in less than two weeks,” said Col. Richard McElhaney, 374 AW commander. “We played with heart, we made it happen, and we improved our readiness.”
Throughout continuous training and integration, Yokota Air Base reaffirms its commitment to readiness, ensuring Airmen remain postured to support the joint force and respond to any real-world crisis at a moments notice.