Teamwork contributes to successful base exercise

Published May 14, 2010
By Tech. Sgt. Thomas Dow
5th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Minot AFB conducted a Bomber Strategic Aircraft Recovery Team mobility training exercise to help the base practice and prepare for deployment scenarios.

During the exercise, held May 3 to 7, units from across the base came together to process passengers, mobility folders and cargo in support of B-52H Stratofortress operations.

Staff Sgt. Paul Haisty, 5th Logistics Readiness Squadron contingency plan supervisor, said while the base had not conducted an exercise like this for about a year, it went very well.

"Every process has its hiccups," said Sergeant Haisty. "With 35 different agencies involved, teamwork and timing are important factors. But it went very well."

Dave Heath, 5th LRS alternate installation deployment officer, said the base was graded in specific areas involving loading of cargo and personnel, processing personnel and mobility folders, and verifying those numbers with manpower and the installation personnel readiness element.

"Based on start times for passenger and cargo processing, we had no busted suspenses," Mr. Heath said.

That in itself was a tremendous accomplishment, said Mr. Heath. It takes more than 100 people working together just to process cargo and passengers.

"We were very happy with what we saw," said Mr. Heath. "As with any exercise there were lessons learned, but we also saw that we have very good processes already in place."

The base has more exercises like this planned for the near future. With the ever increasing operations tempo of deployments, having well-trained, ever-ready Airmen like those at Minot Air Force Base will make the deployment process run safe and efficient.