Ramstein units complete offsite ORE despite conditions

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kenny Holston
  • Ramstein Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  The 86th Contingency Response Group and 37th Airlift Squadron worked together to execute an Operational Readiness Exercise which presented valuable training on tactical capabilities such as assessing and gaining control of an airfield, night flying operations and combat cargo offloads, May 16-22.

Despite violent winds and fierce rain showers on the Royal Air Force Fairford, England, flightline, the Ramstein Airmen participating in the eight day ORE were not at all fazed by the challenges presented by the inclement weather.

Tactics such as the ones exercised here have proven vital with real world missions and the AOR. Both the 86th CRG and 37th AS worked around the clock performing and executing such operations to ensure humanitarian relief and aid was delivered to the Republic of Georgia following the Russian invasion last August.

Teamwork was a concept understood and used by Airmen participating in the exercise. All units involved embraced the concept and used it as tools to reach the one goal all units strive for-- success.

"It's been a great opportunity for the CRG to work with the other groups and squadrons from Ramstein," said Maj. Leo Gage, 86th Air Mobility Squadron assistant director of operations, "We have the 37th AS, 435th Services Squadron, and 835th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighters who have all come together during this exercise and really emphasized how important the team Ramstein concept is."

Prior to the exercise, Airmen were given a scenario to keep them focused on key points of training.

"The exercise scenario that we are following is an earthquake in Bulgaria which has required units to perform a quick reaction response and provide humanitarian aid and relief to personnel on the ground," said Major Gage.

To keep the exercise as realistic as possible, units operated between two separate locations, RAF Fairford, the simulated staging base, and West Freugh Airfield, Scotland, the forward operating base.

"We have forward deployed members of the CRG from Fairford to West Freugh," said Major Gage. "There they will establish and gain control of the airfield. After that's accomplished, the aircraft will be forward deployed there to deliver the actual humanitarian aid and relief."

By operating around the clock between the two locations, 37th AS pilots and crew members got the chance to train using night vision goggles executing flying patterns and performing pitch black combat offloads.

"Night operations can play a critical role in mission success," said Tech. Sgt. Vern Miles, 37th AS load master. "It's always good when we get the opportunity to sharpen our skills like this. Night flights and combat offloads in complete darkness is a big part of what we do."

Another key training opportunity RAF Fairford provided is being able to send airfield assessment personnel airborne. Led by the CRG commander, the airfield assessment team comprised of members from civil engineers, loadmasters, communications and security forces. They are responsible for determining requirements to establish an airfield in a deployed area. The ORE gave them a chance to not only use their paratrooper skills, but also to land in the drop zone, gather their gear and assess an airfield.

"It's always tough to evaluate an entire airfield when you only have 13 security forces members performing the task," said Capt. Mark Breed, 786th Security Forces Squadron operations officer. "Throwing the weather in on top of that can make for quite a challenge but we came prepared to overcome these types of challenges, so we can get the mission done."

Unlike most exercises, this ORE challenged the squadrons and groups involved to perform at their maximum capabilities.

"The unique thing about this exercise is that this is the first time that the 86th CRG has forward deployed and shown its full spectrum of capabilities," said Major Gage. "We had an airborne assessment team who jumped into our forward deployed location, did an airfield assessment, and then passed the information back to us to give an idea of what kind of operation is best to set up in that location."

"We also brought in another vital piece of the CRG spectrum-- the contingency training squadron; they began setting up a bare base which allowed follow on units the capability to get through the area," he added.

As operations continued, Airmen not only had to carry on with their tasks at hand, but they were made to do so while dealing with the severe weather conditions. Airmen worked as a team more than ever due to the weather and they had to rely on each other's accuracy for mission success.

"Our operations here definitely require a team effort," said Sergeant Miles. "Because of the severity of the weather, our window of opportunity is small. This means each move needs to be completely accurate, whether it's loading cargo or performing preflight checks, we rely on each other to be on point."

As the exercise came to a close, the Airmen were able to better understand how effective tactics effect the mission not only at the home station but abroad.

"The most important thing we have been able to take from this exercise is that we have the knowhow to utilize and maximize our capabilities," Major Gage said. "We have been able to come out here and prove the full spectrum of what we can do."