Airlift hub displays readiness during ORE

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Desiree Economides
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  While overcoming many real-world challenges, the 374th Airlift Wing participated in an Operational Readiness Exercise July 15 - 18, putting its professional airlift capabilities to the test.

The ORE focused on measuring the wing's ability to execute its mission as the sole airlift hub in the Western Pacific through quick response in assembling personnel, supplies and aircraft for a simulated humanitarian mission.

"Having an exercise during PCS season and with new commanders can be challenging. Those are opportunities for the 374th to go back to our priorities as a professional airlift organization," said Col. Mark August, 374th Airlift Wing commander. "Throw in the challenges of a real-world unexploded ordnance and we had a unique chance to bring on board our new team."

As August mentioned, the wing was able to test its emergency response operations July 15, when base personnel responded to World War II era UXO unearthed at an on-base construction site. Upon discovery, emergency responders established a 500-foot cordon, notified Japanese authorities and contacted an Explosive Ordnance Disposal team at Yokosuka Naval Station, Japan. The munitions were disposed of successfully by the EOD team on July 16.

"It was great to see our installation emergency response structure work as designed to safely resolve a real world incident," said Lt. Col. Christoff Gaub, 374th Civil Engineer Squadron commander and Emergency Operations Center director during the UXO disposal. "It just goes to show that we have doctrine, policy, standard operating procedures, and continuous training for a very good reason - team members may change, but emergencies will still happen."

Maj. Yancey Walker, Chief of Wing Exercises and Inspections agrees.

"There were a lot of people recognizing and overcoming challenges during the exercise," Walker said. "We try to plan for everything, there are many times when unexpected situations arise and we have to utilize what we have and adapt."