CE-xcellence

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Tabitha Dupas
  • 403rd Wing Public Affairs
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, MISS. --  The 403rd Civil Engineer Squadron proved that they are ready for combat with an excellent rating during the Operations Readiness Inspection at the Combat Readiness Training Center in Gulfport, Miss. Jan. 31-Feb. 4.

CE not only received an excellent rating, but also outstanding team honors, an individual recognition, and two Airmen received Inspector General Coins.

The CE team was mainly graded in hardening the base, airfield damage repair, disaster assistance response teams, and command and control of the Unit Control Center.

"We were responsible for making bunkers and hardening the base upon arrival," said Chief Master Sgt. Eugene Wilcox, Jr., 403rd CES, chief of operations.

According to the chief, during alarm black, when the post attack reconnaissance takes place, the airfield damage assessment team is the first to roll out and assess the airfield. The DART are expedited as directed and their job entails facility damage assessments. They both report back to CE UCC who then communicates the information through the necessary channels to start the repair process.

"They assess the damage, what is needed as far as building equipment, manning and how much time it will take for the repair," said Tech. Sgt. Daisy Grotsma, 403rd CES operations manager and one of the recipients of an IG coin. 

"Sergeant Grotsma ran the UCC," said Wilcox. "I was not at all shocked that she received an IG coin."

Before the ORI, Grotsma was able to create call sheets and organize a system to help the information flow as efficiently as possible during emergency situations.

They were ready when the Emergency Operations Center had to evacuate their primary location and go to an alternate facility during one scenario. Upon the evacuation, the CES was left to absorb their responsibilities.

"We knew it was coming and we just went down the list," said Grotsma. She expressed how this training would be helpful in a deployment because "it's a matter of knowing the process and communication."

"I learned a lot during the ORE (Operational Readiness Exercise) and RAVs (Readiness Assistance Visits) and was able to implement that into the ORI," she said.

Though she was able to have prior training for the ORI, most of CE was not so fortunate.

"I'll be honest, I was truly worried," said Wilcox. "The stage was not set for us."

Some of the players were deployed to Afghanistan for six months and returned only two weeks before the ORE and therefore were unable to attend the training. According to Wilcox, they hardly trained at all for the ORI. On top of not being able to train, CE had a replacement commander from May to December.

"I went into the ORI not feeling adequately prepared, but our guys rocked it," said Wilcox. "I'm still flying high and ecstatic over our rating. The IG out-briefing was like the Oscars, and our guys swept them." 

"The IG team commented on the attitudes of our Airmen saying they were fantastic," he added. "I believe that helped the overall rating."

With the adversity the 403rd CES faced, they kept a positive attitude, did what they went there to do and ended in excellence.

"It was a very difficult year, but my people came through and did surprisingly well," said Wilcox. "I'm more proud than words can say."