Team McGuire completes Operational Readiness Inspection

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Charles Kramer
  • 514th Air Mobility Wing
MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE --  MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, NJ - A year of intense preparations paid off as the 514th Air Mobility Wing, 87th Air Base Wing and 305th Air Mobility Wing recently completed their combined Operation Readiness Inspection with passing marks. The Air Mobility Command's Office of the Inspector General conducts ORIs to test a unit's deployment, war fighting and redeployment capabilities. 

The three wings combined forces to create a simulated air expeditionary wing and deployed more than 700 Airmen, 300 short tons of equipment and 14 aircraft to the Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC) just outside of Alpena, MI. Participants underwent a week of exercises testing them on their initial response, employment, mission support, ability to survive and operate and redeployment. 

"Our warriors made us proud!" said Lt. Col. Robert Kownacky, commander, 514th Logistics Readiness Flight. "They successfully completed their mission and returned safe. They proved that the men and women of the 514th, 87th and 305th are war ready," he added. 

During the war fighting portion of the inspection, ORI participants experienced multiple missile, mortar and ground attacks requiring them to use their chemical protection suits and gas masks many times. As part of the inspection, operations had to continue in spite of the attacks. Aircraft continued to be launched and recovered during the simulated attacks, which were made all the more realistic by the IG's use of ground burst simulators, smoke grenades and air cannons. Inspectors dressed up as enemy special forces units and attempted to infiltrate the base on several occasions testing the capabilities of the Wing's air base ground defense skills. 

The ORI was preceded by two exercises to help prepare for the inspection. A mobility exercise last September at home station and an Operational Readiness Exercise (ORE) at a training center in Mississippi helped Team McGuire sharpen its ability to survive and operation (ATSO) skills. 

As with all inspections there were areas that needed improvements, but there were also many areas that earned the players high grades. In the ORI out brief on June 26th, 14 outstanding individual and five teams were recognized and presented citations and IG coins for their exceptional performance. 

With the successful conclusion of this ORI, joint base members will not see another ORI until 2012.