CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
With the May fly-away mobility exercise just around the corner, and the August operational readiness inspection only 106 days away, it's time for Team Charleston to focus on preparation.
Here are ten things Airmen must do to get ready for war in Alpena, Mich.
1. Plan leave and take care of family.
The next four months are going to be extremely busy for the 437th Airlift Wing. Plan leave now because the dates below are absolutely "can't miss" training opportunities. Both the May fly-away and ORI will be in Alpena, Mich. The ability to survive and operate weeks will be held on base and will include initial response drills, installation, ground and unit control center exercises and ATSO training.
All ORI participants must be available for the following dates, so plan accordingly and submit leave requests as soon as possible.
May fly-away May 1-9
MOBEX/ATSO Week June 23-27
MOBEX/ATSO Week July 21-27
ORI Aug. 3-10
2. Inventory mobility bags.
The mobility bag requirements for the A, B, C and personal bags are listed in the Charleston AFB Installation Deployment Plan. The current IDP is under revision and personal bag requirements are changing. Airmen should see their unit deployment manager for specific requirements for all mobility bags and get up to speed today.
3. Inspect gas masks.
It's time to pull the gas mask out of that dusty corner in the garage and give it some love. The Airman's Manual has detailed procedures for conducting a thorough gas mask inspection on the MCU-2 Series Mask in Section 6 Quick Reference on page 206. Properly annotate inspections on the DD Form 1574 in accordance with the procedures on page 212 of the Airman's Munual. Ensure there is a copy of the gas mask fit test certificate in the mask carrier. Remember, the fit test certificates expire every 40 months. If the due date is approaching or will expire prior to Aug. 1, schedule a renewal inspection as soon as possible.
4. Visit the 437th and 315th Airlift Wing ORI 0805B Community of Practice today.
COP is an Internet portal the 437 and 315 AWs have adopted to share information, manage preparation requirements and synchronize the capabilities of Team Charleston. To access the COP, log into the AF Portal. Select the 'COMMUNITIES' link on the dark grey tab at the top right of the Web page. This will take Airmen to the AF Portal Communities Web page where they can 'Search for a Community.' Conduct a keyword search for "437th" or "315th" to list all of Charleston AFB COPs. Select the "437th&315th Airlift Wing ORI 0805B" link.
All ORI participants should become familiar with the materials in the "ORI 101 (Must Reads)" folder located on the COP homepage.
5. Enroll in the 437th Civil Engineer Squadron Readiness ATSO class.
ATSO training is a one-stop training shop to get the chemical biological radiological nuclear explosive, self-aid buddy care, explosive ordnance reconnaissance and weapons handling training Airmen need to prepare for the ORI. The ATSO training is an all-day class and all ORI participants must attend the training twice before August.
To register for the training on-line, log into the "437th&315th Airlift Wing ORI 0805B COP." Each wing has its own registration link on the COP homepage on the right side. To get credit for the training, Airmen must complete the CBRNE and SABC computer-based training, which can take most Airmen up to six hours. Additional information is available on the COP, so check it out and sign up today.
6. Go see the UDM.
Now is the time to update mobility folders. CBTs need to be completed and certificates updated. Go to the UDM and make certain mobility folders are "good to go!" Maintaining current immunizations is a huge part of being worldwide deployable and ready for the ORI. Get shots updated.
7. Study the Airman's Manual and self-aid buddy care.
There is a ton of valuable information in the Airman's Manual. All Airmen should have a goal of reading the Airman's Manual cover-to-cover a minimum of three times before August. That may sound like a lot of reading, but don't fret, there are tons of pictures. To help focus on studying, be sure to check out the practice tests available on the COP.
8. Practice mission-oriented protective posture 2-4 in two minutes.
This really does take practice. Two ATSO training days are not enough to prepare Airmen to properly get to MOPP 4 while under duress in Alpena. Squadrons are encouraged to hold weekly and monthly competitions during training days or hangar talks to determine who is the "quickest on the draw."
For those who are struggling to get that helmet strap secured, here's a hint ... put the gloves on last.
9. Airmen should bring their "A" game.
Attitude is everything during an ORI. It can turn an overall "excellent" grade into an "outstanding." Airmen should know their job. The inspector general functional area experts really are experts in their field. Be ready to show the IG what Team Charleston is all about.
10. Airmen should ask themselves, "Am I a player?"
The answer is an emphatic "YES!" Even if they have not been selected to fight the good fight in August, every person on this base has a role to play in the ORI preparation. Get involved and help Team Charleston leave an "outstanding" impression with the IG.
If there are any questions regarding the ORI, Airmen should contact their group's ORI point of contact.
437 AW Plans chief Lt. Col. Kelly Kimsey
437th Operations Group Lt. Col. Jim Ackerman
437th Maintenance Group Maj. Sara Huiss
437th Mission Support Group Maj. Chris Carter
437th Medical Group Maj. Chris Walker
437 AW staff Staff Sgt. Nysiah Fludd
315 AW Maj. Donna McNabb