Exercises help Hanscom hone readiness skills

  • Published
  • By Kevin Gilmartin
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  After completing two comprehensive, week-long Base Readiness Exercises in two months, Hanscom is moving ahead to full readiness, according to exercise officials.

The exercises combined a number of different scenarios to measure how prepared Hanscom Airmen are to deploy quickly, and how prepared Hanscom's first responders are for any emergency that could arise. The four areas measured were: initial response, emergency management, functional testing and ability to survive and operate, or ATSO.  Scenarios and their locations varied, including full deployment lines at base transportation, field operations at Camp Patriot and active shooter exercises and emergency response situations at different locations across the base.

"Overall, we are doing good things during these exercises, and are well on our way to full readiness," said Joe Lawlor, chief of Business Operations in the 66th Air Base Group Plans and Programs office.

One organization that performed extremely well, according to Mr. Lawlor, was the fire department.

"There was not a task in the April exercise where the fire department performed at less than the excellent level," he said. "And, our other first responders, the security forces squadron and the medical squadron, were not far behind."

Airmen are still improving on individual skills, such as ATSO.

"We had an ATSO training day, which was successful, but we still need to work hard to translate those skills to field operations," Mr. Lawlor said. "Examples of those skills include response to chemical, biological, radiation or nuclear explosion attack and self aid and buddy care, or anything that involves working collectively to survive on the battlefield."

As Hanscom Airmen prepare for the next Base Readiness Exercise, which is scheduled for June, they should focus on keeping current in those skills and staying deployment ready, according to Mr. Lawlor.

"Just like the Minutemen in revolutionary times, today's Airmen have to be always ready to deploy," he said.

Hanscom and Electronic Systems Center members will soon get a chance to demonstrate their readiness when the base undergoes an Operational Readiness Inspection, conducted by Air Force Materiel Command. While no date is set, an ORI is anticipated as soon as this fall, but no later than next June, because Air Force Instructions require an organization be inspected every four to five years. Hanscom's last ORI was in June 2007.

"We know an ORI is coming, so these exercises not only ensure we are ready to deploy or respond to any emergency, but they also help us prepare for the ORI," said Lt. Col. Scott Pierce, who leads the ORI preparation committee. "It's up to everyone on base to be prepared. These exercises help us identify areas for improvement, and then demonstrate that improvement in the next one."