PDF line prepares Airmen for 'Base X'

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE MILDENHALL, England --  More than 100 Airmen processed through a personnel deployment function line in preparation for an operational readiness exercise here Oct. 3 - 5.

The PDF line ensured Airmen were medically, legally and financially ready to deploy. It also included 100th Logistics Readiness Squadron, 100th Mission Support Squadron and chapel staff to address other deployment-related concerns.

"It's impressive to see that with very little input, the deployment machine spins up and Airmen take care of themselves and each other," said Maj. Joseph Okasinski, 100th Air Refueling Wing Plans and Programs Office.

Two chalks of passengers processed during the Phase I portion of the ORE, and according to 1st Lt. Kandis Lutz, 100th FSS Military Personnel Center chief and the PDF's officer in charge, the result was impressive.

"Organization is a challenge in any PDF line but things came together great today," said Lutz. "We have a lot of new [unit deployment managers] so this exercise should give them valuable first-hand experience."

Many exercise deployers agreed that in real-world taskings, finance is a vital link. Service members need to ensure their affairs are in order.

"On top of all the stressors in a deployed environment, the last thing anyone wants to think about is their finances, especially if they have a family back home," said Senior Airman Shea Townsend, 100th Comptroller Squadron. "Everyone wants to be certain their loved ones are being cared for."

For that reason, Townsend meticulously verified each member's pay summary as they processed the PDF line.

The line was condensed and didn't include members from Royal Air Force Lakenheath's 48th Medical Group, as a PDF for a full-blown ORE or a real-world deployment would.

As the PDF line wound down, one real-world deployment veteran reflected on the PDF process.

"Deploying real-world through a PDF line is a big benefit because you have all the needed agencies right there and you can easily get your affairs in order at one centralized location prior to deploying," said Staff Sgt. Sergio Santos, 100th Communications Squadron.

Santos processed through a PDF line prior to deploying to Ali Base, Iraq, and said what he experienced during the ORE was very similar to what he saw real-world, only on a toned-down scale.

Regardless, the PDF line tested organizations and Airmen's ability to take care of personal issues prior to deploying to 'Base X,' where they'll be tested on an array of deployment issues during Phase II of the ORE Oct. 5.