Communications Squadron Participated in Readiness Exercise at 179AW

Photo By 1st Lt. Christi Richter | Staff Sgt. Caleb Barnett, member of the 179th Airlift Wing Communications Flight, participates in a readiness exercise May 18, 2019, at the 179th Airlift Wing, Mansfield, Ohio. This exercise included training on the ability to survive and operate in a contested and degraded environment, recover from attacks, and execute the mission. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Christi A. Richter)  

MANSFIELD, OHIO, UNITED STATES

05.18.2019

Story by Senior Airman Christi Richter 

179th Cyberspace Wing

“My involvement for this exercise was as part of the Unit Control Center,” said Barnett. “Basically, we’re the direct correlation between the communications flight to our higher command and Emergency Operations Center. We help to maintain accountability of every personnel within the flight as well as help with the PAR routes that are around our specific building. We report any findings back up to the emergency operations center.”
Barnett’s involvement helped the unit to ensure that each and every member of the flight was accounted for.
“This is important because we maintain accountability which is one of the biggest goals of exercises like this,” said Barnett. “In a real-world scenario it’s crucial to know where the manpower is and what’s going on around the base so that’s why it’s one of the most important things to maintain 100% accountability so that we are ready to fight at any given moment.”
Overall, the exercise was relatable and applicable to a real-world situation.
“The reason we do exercises like this is because there is a persistent threat throughout the world that people are looking to take advantage of America,” said Barnett. “ I think the best thing to take from it is that we need to maintain our readiness at all times and to take these exercises seriously because it could one day save your life and the lives of those around you.”
Overall, the readiness exercise helped to prepare members of the 179th Airlift Wing for how to respond to war-time scenarios. Each squadron practiced reacting and responding appropriately to different conditions in an effort to ensure that our members are “always ready”, as promised.

• Date Taken: 05.18.2019
• Date Posted: 05.31.2019 14:00
• Story ID: 324752
• Location: MANSFIELD, OHIO, US