HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Base officials completed a two-week readiness exercise earlier this month designed to evaluate the installation’s ability to respond to scenarios while continuing its core mission.
Midnight Ride 2026 included drone attacks and incursions, simulated chemical attacks, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear contamination preparedness, cyberattacks, a simulated large-scale public health emergency response at a nearby sports facility and a continuity of operations tabletop discussion.
“We need to test the ability to generate military members, deploy them and sustain the installation in the face of threats that could possibly be executed against us here,” said Thomas Ruud, 66th Air Base Group Inspector General.
The exercise brought together personnel from multiple functional areas throughout the two-week period, including emergency management, security forces, logistics, finance and other installation support functions.
The scenarios provided an opportunity for officials to evaluate the installation’s ability to respond across multiple mission areas while identifying strengths and areas for improvement.
“We will always find things that we can improve,” said Ruud. “A successful exercise is one where you find things that you can go and make better.”
Exercises allow the inspector general’s office to evaluate installation readiness, identify strengths and pinpoint areas requiring additional training, coordination or procedural improvements.
“It comes down to having the organizations across the installation take part in the scenarios, but it is all learning,” said Ruud. “It helps people refine procedures and fix issues for the next exercise or real-world situation.”
With the operational portion of the Midnight Ride 2026 complete, the focus now shifts to evaluating the results and identifying areas for improvement.
“We ask that the base population not wait for a named exercise or operation,” said Master Sgt. Kenneth Souheaver, 66ABG IG superintendent. “Units should be working within their functional communities on a weekly, monthly, quarterly basis or how often they see fit.”
Souheaver said units can start with a tabletop exercise and expand their training from there.
Personnel may have experienced minor disruptions during the exercise, but organizers were able to maintain the realistic training environment needed to evaluate the installation’s response to scenarios.
“Thank you to all the folks who helped plan, coordinate and execute the exercise,” said Souheaver. “This exercise does not go off without them.”
Lessons identified during Midnight Ride 2026 will help shape future planning, training and preparedness efforts across the installation as officials prepare for future exercises and real-world contingencies.