Photo By Senior Airman Rachel Cox | U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Trevor Hunt, 188th firefighter, works with Ebbing Assistant...... read more read more
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Ebbing Air National Guard Base,Ark. – A Major Accident Response Exercise (MARE) will be conducted here, on August 7, 2026. A MARE is a Full-Scale Exercise (FSE) conducted to evaluate an installation’s ability to respond to and recover from major accidents, including aircraft crashes, train derailments, hazardous material spills, and spacecraft mishaps.
The purpose of the MARE is to assess the Wing’s mission readiness, evaluate existing procedures and operations, and identify areas of improvement. MAREs are an annual Department of the Air Force requirement.
“We began planning this MARE in April because executing an off-base exercise of this scale requires extensive coordination with multiple outside organizations,” said Capt. Brianne Barron,the director of inspections.“We anticipate between 50 and 60 total players, integrating personnel from Ebbing, Fort Chaffee, Razorback Range, and our local civilian partners. Our goal is to test agreements in place with various organizations, such as Little Rock Air Force Base, as well as our existing procedures and Wing checklists to identify areas of improvement.”
The training will also provide an opportunity for a coordinated emergency response with Fort Smith Regional Airport, strengthening ties and cooperation as well as assisting airport personnel in meeting certain training requirements.
“Effective emergency response depends on strong relationships, clear communication, and regular training among all stakeholders,” said Andrew Meyer, the Fort Smith Regional director. “The airport routinely participates in multi-agency emergency preparedness efforts, including a full-scale aircraft accident response exercise conducted on the airfield last year and a large-scale tabletop exercise earlier this year.”
Throughout the MARE simulation, there was increased security during the exercise, including adjusted FPCON levels and more stringent procedures for entering the main gate. Emergency vehicles will also be routed throughout the installation and surrounding areas, which may lead to an increase in traffic. Civilians can expect various alarms and staged smoke to emanate from the simulated crash site and should not be alarmed.
On-base personnel should be prepared for AtHoc notifications, giant voice announcements, desktop alerts, and text messages throughout the day. Recall rosters will be implemented as a base-wide measure.
While the exercise is designed to evaluate emergency response capabilities, it is also an opportunity for every Airman to strengthen the Wing's overall readiness and learn from realistic training.
Col. Jonathan E. Esparza, 188th Wing commander, emphasized the importance of approaching the exercise with a commitment to continuous improvement.
"We expect nothing less than every Airman's full and earnest effort," said Esparza. "This exercise is a chance for us to learn and develop, to prove our capability as a Wing, and to surpass yesterday's readiness as we move forward to tomorrow's mission."
Conducting MAREs is essential for ensuring Ebbing’s readiness to handle catastrophic events. Muscle memory and quick responses developed during training allow personnel to act decisively in order to save lives should a real-world incident occur.
MAREs force communication and cooperation between tactical responders, the Emergency Operations Center, and civilian mutual aid partners, testing the Command-and-Control network and ensuring Ebbing excels in the coordination necessary during such incidents.
When it comes to MAREs, it’s important to note that the goal is not a flawless response in which nothing goes wrong but a unit’s ability to respond appropriately.
“A successful MARE is measured by the organization’s ability to rapidly command, communicate, adapt, and learn under pressure,” said Barron.“We expect areas of improvement as well as lessons learned to take into next year’s exercises.”
| Date Taken: | 08.07.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.07.2026 13:05 |
| Story ID: | 571840 |
| Location: | FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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