Photo By Tech. Sgt. Richard Mekkri | A crew chief assigned to the 113th Wing, marshalls a U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting...... read more read more
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JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. — Airmen assigned to the 113th Wing tested their ability to generate combat airpower and prepare forces for deployment during Exercise Muddy Waters here Sept. 11–13, 2026.
The three-day combat readiness exercise simulated a no-notice tasking that required the wing to prepare aircraft, personnel and equipment for movement within 72 hours. It was the culminating event in a training cycle that began with a no-notice aircraft-generation event in March and continued through months of planning updates and changing requirements.
According to the commander’s intent memorandum signed by Col. Clifford Taylor, 113th Wing commander, the exercise was designed to validate the wing’s ability to generate combat-ready F-16 Fighting Falcons while operating under contested and degraded conditions. The scenario included simulated kinetic threats, small unmanned aircraft attacks, cyberattacks, communication outages, infrastructure failures and limited external support.
Taylor characterized the event as an in-crisis generation – presenting both kinetic and non-kinetic attacks not typically associated with a CONUS generation exercise. To create that environment, planners removed key leaders from play, disrupted communications and simulated the destruction of mission-essential infrastructure while a peer adversary attempted to prevent the wing from deploying combat forces.
“Success will be measured not only by mission completion, but by the Wing’s ability to adapt, manage risk, and execute mission command under active attack,” Taylor wrote in the memorandum. He said those conditions required a different approach to force generation. “That’s a new mindset and represents a hard pivot in our readiness posture to deploy.”
The exercise simulated a full mission generation force element and included all associated cargo and personnel. Airmen from organizations across the wing participated, including civil engineering, logistics readiness, public affairs, security forces, communications, force support, maintenance, operations, medical and comptroller units. Agency partners from the 316th Logistics Readiness Squadron, 89th Aerial Port Squadron and 69th Aerial Port Squadron also participated, strengthening coordination across the total force during the wing-wide exercise. Lt. Col. James Miller, 113th Wing inspector general and exercise director, said Muddy Waters assessed how quickly the wing could move from routine operations to mission execution.
“The primary objective is to assess the 113th Wing’s ability to rapidly transition from day-to-day operations to mission execution,” Miller said. “The exercise gives our Airmen an opportunity to demonstrate readiness, teamwork, adaptability and the ability to accomplish the mission under demanding conditions.” Operating the exercise during a three-day drill weekend placed participating units on a compressed schedule. Two shifts worked throughout the event as commanders balanced mission requirements, personnel accountability, cargo preparation and changing scenario conditions.
“A compressed timeline requires Airmen to establish priorities quickly and focus on mission-essential tasks,” Miller said. “It challenges the organization to communicate effectively, make timely decisions and execute without unnecessary delay. That provides a valuable measure of how prepared we are to respond when time is limited.” One of the exercise’s most visible efforts was the staging and inspection of deployment cargo. Capt. Audrey Meakin, 113th Logistics Readiness Squadron, said her team expected to process approximately 70 pieces of cargo during the event. Each item had to be documented, checked for hazardous materials and verified as safe for airlift.
The process ended with a joint inspection that simulated the checks required before cargo could be loaded aboard a C-17 Globemaster III or C-130 Hercules. Although no airlift aircraft transported the cargo during the exercise, passing inspection demonstrated that the equipment was prepared for the next stage of a deployment. Meakin said the effort brought together Airmen from the 113th Wing and active-duty organizations at Joint Base Andrews. Cargo increment monitors served as subject-matter experts for their units’ equipment, while inspectors checked documentation and airworthiness.
“The level of integration between different units—active, Guard and Reserve—being able to coordinate across a flight line, coordinate across multiple locations, coordinate through things like communications outages, learn lessons quickly and ensure that this volume of cargo is airworthy in such a compressed amount of time is a huge win,” Meakin said.
The staged equipment represented requirements from across the wing. Maintenance units prepared tools and equipment needed to support F-16 operations, while logistics Airmen assembled spare-parts kits and palletized mobility bags containing chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear protective gear. “It’s a huge volume of work,” Meakin said. “It demonstrates major capability and integration at a scale that is difficult to achieve. We’re super proud of this team.”
Wing Inspection Team members and subject-matter experts evaluated how units adapted to changing requirements, communicated risk, maintained accountability and completed deployment tasks. The evaluation focused on decision-making and risk management as well as task completion. Lessons identified during the exercise will be used to refine procedures and shape future training.
The exercise began on the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, giving the readiness event added meaning for Airmen serving in the National Capital Region.
“September 11th has special significance for the National Capital Region and for the men and women who serve here,” Miller said. “It is a reminder that our nation may call upon us with little warning. For today’s Capital Guardians, readiness is how we honor that responsibility—by ensuring we remain prepared, professional and ready to respond whenever our nation needs us.”
| Date Taken: | 09.16.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 09.17.2026 13:56 |
| Story ID: | 575001 |
| Location: | MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 54 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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