Aviano excels during TACEVAL

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Sarah Gregory
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Aviano Air Base, Italy --  The results from the base's recent Tactical Evaluation, conducted Feb. 26 through March 9, proved Aviano Airmen are prepared to support the Global War on Terror. 

"We received an overall mission capable rating," said Master Sgt. Warren Chesebro, 31st Fighter Wing inspections superintendent. "Out of 11 areas evaluated, Aviano received six excellents and five satisfactories." 

About 115 NATO members from around the world visited the base to evaluate more than 600 Aviano Airmen. The TACEVAL consisted of two parts - the Preparation, Deployment and Integration section and the Operations Evaluation. The U.S. Air Force equivalent of this NATO evaluation is a Phase I and Phase II inspection. The deployment simulation ran from Feb. 26 to March 2 and the operations evaluation - the employment or fight phase - ran from March 5 to 9. 

The TACEVAL tested the strengths and readiness of units from the 555th Aircraft Maintenance Unit and 555th Fighter Squadron to the 31st Security Forces Squadron and the 31st Logistics Readiness Squadron. 

Security was tested using mock protestors and simulated weapons attacks, while logistics was tested when the fuels flight needed to constantly refuel jets for sorties. Maintainers ensured the F-16s could continue flying and the weapons loaders did their part to load the aircraft with the correct munitions for the tasked sortie. Pilots were tasked in close air support and offensive counter-air operations, and were opposed by F-16s and Eurofighter 2000 aircraft flown by the Italian air force. 

"It was a full spectrum evaluation - we had intruders, weapons of mass destruction attacks, conventional and mortar attacks, denial of resources and suicide bombers," said Maj. John Bosone, 31st FW chief of inspections. "They threw everything at us. The wing was well prepared and trained hard as a team for this evaluation. The excellent grades are well deserved." 

"Aviano is the first U.S. Air Forces in Europe base to receive a PD&I evaluation, and we set the bar high for everyone that follows" said Major Bosone. 

Most of the exercises Aviano experiences are conducted by the U.S. Air Force, but TACEVALs are run through NATO and are only conducted every three to five years. Aviano's last TACEVAL was in 2004 and tested an in-place fighting force rather than a deployed force scenario. 

"I've never been prouder of an organization I've commanded," said Brig. Gen. Robert Yates, 31st FW commander. "The challenge, response of this wing and superb results we delivered in this TACEVAL are the highlight, to date, of my Air Force career. I say this because this TACEVAL tested every facet of a combat wing's capability - to pack up and get out of town, fight in an austere location, survive the most lethal threats in the world, all the while generating combat sorties in support of America and the NATO alliance. We shone in every challenge every way every day - once again earning our title the 'World's Finest.'"