Intense focus, professionalism on display at 'ORI Survivor' competition

  • Published
  • By Chuck Paone
  • ESC Public Affairs
Apr. 12, 2007 --  After several rounds of intense competition, the 554th Electronic Systems Wing stood as the 'sole survivor' of the April 5 installment of Hanscom's Operational Readiness Inspection 'Olympics.' Last Thursday's event was billed as the ESC ORI 'Survivor' Competition because it loosely followed the format of the popular TV show.

One team from each of the Electronic Systems Center's five wings, one from its center staff and another composed of Hanscom's Air Force Research Laboratory staff competed, with six of the seven eliminated during various rounds.

The 554 ELSW won the very first round, the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives incidents challenge, with a time of seven minutes and thirty seconds. The team with slowest time, the 66 Air Base Wing, was eliminated during that round.

The ESC Command Staff, with a time of four minutes fourteen seconds, won the Self Aid and Buddy Care competition. That round saw the 551 ELSW eliminated.

The Command Staff's victory enabled only a short-lived celebration, as the team was one of two eliminated from competition in the Weapons Challenge, which came up next. The 350 ELSW, which had the slowest time in that round, was also eliminated. Victory in the Weapons Challenge competition went to the 653 ELSW with a time of one minute and eight seconds.

This left just three teams competing for the day's title, with only one event left. The team from among the remaining three with the highest score on the Air Force Manual 10-100 testing challenge would be crowned Sole Survivor.

With a combined score of 71.8 percent, the 554 ELSW was that team.

The event format actually permitted all seven teams to compete in the AFMAN quiz, and the high scorer was the 66 ABW with 73 percent. However, having already been eliminated from the comprehensive competition, the 66th was no longer in the running for the title of Survivor. From among all the competitors on every team, only one, Capt. Jessica Rose of the 554 ELSW, scored a perfect 100 percent.

While the competition began in the afternoon, the April 5 training was in fact a full-day event. Instructors led familiarization training sessions in the morning, from 9 a.m. till noon. That training consisted of 40-minute rotations through four training stations representing each of the competition areas.

Awards and presentations were handed out at the Hanscom Minuteman Club after the competition that afternoon.

"These competitions are important for a lot of pretty obvious reasons," ESC Vice Commander Maj. Gen. Arthur Rooney said. "Clearly we want our folks to be able to perform with great efficiency during the upcoming ORI, but what we really want is for them to be fully ready to deploy anywhere in the world or deal with contingencies here at home, when and if they're called upon."

Planning for the next competition, which is being organized by the 350 ELSW, is under way. Details regarding the date, time, location and format should be finalized soon, according to Maj. Steven Turner of the 951 ELSG, the Hanscom ORI Education champion.

"We saw the 551st emerge as leaders in the first ORI Olympics Competition, and the 554th survived the elimination tournament this time," General Rooney said. "I think everyone is looking forward to seeing which team will rise to the fore next time. It's been tremendous watching everyone work so hard and compete with such team spirit while having a lot of fun at the same time. I'm really proud of the whole Hanscom team."