Photo By Capt. Francine St Laurent | Master Sgt. Carrie Stokes, 168th Civil Engineer Squadron emergency management NCOIC,...... read more read more
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By: Senior Airman Francine St. Laurent
EIELSON AFB, Alaska – The 168th Air Refueling Wing simulated deploying Airmen, equipment and aircraft during an exercise, called Arctic Raven Aug. 21-23, 2014.
This training allows Airmen to brush up on the procedures preceding a deployment and refresh on training needed at a deployed location.
Airmen in the 168th Logistical Readiness Squadron compiled roughly 160 individual deployment bags for members of the 168th ARW tasked to deploy as part of the exercise.
“This training verifies our process to make sure we know how to compile the proper gear for the proper situation,” said Tech. Sgt. Ken Lewis, 168th Logistical Readiness Squadron mobility non-commissioned officer in charge. “The last thing we want to happen is for them to have the wrong gear.”
After logistical readiness Airmen learned the deployment location and climate, they determined which items the deploying Airmen would need. They then reviewed each deployer’s file to build bags with chemical gear sized for each individual Airman.
During this process, LRS Airmen checked that each item has not expired, Lewis said. Each piece of equipment has a shelf life.
“It’s like yogurt,” Lewis said. “This is good yogurt, this is bad yogurt.”
For example, the gas mask filters used for training were replaced with real-world filters, composed of paper ruffles trapping carbon in between, said Lewis. He describes the as similar to a filter in a fish tank. As someone inhales air the carbon granules, or charcoal, trap contaminants and particles. When the filter becomes full the carbon is saturated and starts to leach.
Right before deployment each mask is tested by a machine through a series of steps to ensure no leak deficiencies exist.
In addition to compiling bags, 168th LRS built pallets and kits with items and parts Airmen in the 168th Maintenance Squadron determined they will need, such as items that are frequently replaced. Airmen then wrapped these pallets to protect them from chemicals before they were sent to the Joint Mobility Complex.
Airmen tasked to deploy as part of the exercise underwent Ability to Survive and Operate training to review how to don chemical gear and gas masks, said Master Sgt. Carrie Stokes, 168th Civil Engineer Squadron emergency management NCOIC. They learned how to detect chemicals with and decontaminate themselves and their equipment.
Additionally, they reviewed recognizing unexploded ordinances.
For Airmen in the 168th Maintenance Group and 168th Operations Group, the exercise presented the opportunity to launch four KC-135s in 30-second intervals to simulate rapid mobility contingency. The 168th ARW aircraft have not launched a four-ship formation of this kind in five years.
Staff Sgt. Jonathan Legan, 168th Air Refueling Wing boom operator said the training was an opportunity to quickly and efficiently respond to a deployment tasking.
“With current events worldwide, who knows when we’re going to have to use it,” Legan said. “This is a good refresher to be proficient at this.”
This wing-wide exercise, which was last performed in 2011, is an opportunity for Airmen to sharpen their skills as they practice the pre-deployment processes.
| Date Taken: | 08.23.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 08.24.2014 12:18 |
| Story ID: | 140240 |
| Location: | EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, AK, US |
| Web Views: | 153 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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