KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Members of the 403rd Wing participated in an exercise here Saturday of the November 2018 Unit Training Assembly to test their ability to survive and operate in a deployed environment.
Reservists from various units within the wing donned their mission oriented protective posture gear, or MOPP gear, to help protect them from simulated chemical and biological attacks.
Personnel also trained in applying self-aid and buddy care, as well as chemical warfare detection while testing their ability to survive and operate while accomplishing their assigned tasks.
According to Lt. Col. Mark Grunsky, 403rd Wing chief of wing plans, this particular exercise built upon the previous one the wing performed in November 2017. While last year’s exercise took place only at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, this year’s exercise took place both at Keesler AFB and at Camp Shelby, Mississippi.
“This exercise basically has two phases,” said Grunsky. “Phase one is getting people ready to deploy, getting them spun up with all the training and the necessary requirements and equipment they need, and then processing and simulating getting them to the deployed location. Phase two involves our ability to survive and operate while conducting the mission.
The 403rd Wing is tasked with supporting the combatant commander in theater through providing tactical airlift and aeromedical evacuation, if needed.
One of the flying squadrons that is primarily tasked with tactical airlift and aeromedical evacuation is the 815th Airlift Squadron, which flies the C-130J Super Hercules aircraft. This particular exercise involved a two-ship formation to simulate the 815th AS airdropping supplies to troops in the field. In addition, the 815th also provided airlift for the 36th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron during their portion of the exercise.
Members of the 36th AES, which is also a part of the 403rd Wing, staged themselves at Camp Shelby to practice handing off wounded troops to medical personnel on one of the 815th’s aircraft for a simulated medical evacuation. The C-130J then ferried the three “injured” personnel back to the exercise area at Keesler AFB.
Maj. Frederick Schrock, 36th AES medical services corps officer and operations support flight commander, noted that while down range, reservists in the aeromedical squadron and the wing would more than likely be interacting with service members from several different career fields and branches of the military, and as such this type of training was essential for teaching them how to interact with others during high-pace, high-stress situations.
“This exercise gives people who have never been out to the field a little taste of what it’s like to function as a part of a team in that kind of environment,” said Schrock.
Col. Robert J. Stanton, 403rd Wing vice commander, summed up the main reason for training the wing’s Reserve Citizen Airmen using exercises like this.
"Our mission is to train and equip Airmen to provide combat-ready forces to answer our nation’s call,” said Stanton. “Exercises such as this ensure our Citizen Airmen maintain the highest levels of proficiency and readiness.”