Spangdahlem wraps up successful two-week readiness exercise

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Austin M. May
  • 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

The 52nd Fighter Wing hosted a two-week exercise here March 5-15, testing the base population’s response to a variety of potential scenarios.

The exercise was about readiness, assurance, and deterrence, said Lt. Col. Oliver Lause, 52nd FW Inspector General.

 

“We aggressively got after our Secretary and the Chief's number one priority: readiness,” Lause said.  “(We) assured allies by testing our ability to accept forces with Theater Security Package participation from our total force partners, and deterred potential adversaries through rigorous training to uphold the region's sovereignty and security.”

 

In addition to personnel permanently stationed at Spangdahlem, the exercise included members of the 112th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron participating in a TSP rotation.

 

Throughout the two-week exercise, base personnel faced a high operations tempo, ranging from sortie generation to scenarios testing Self-Aid Buddy Care and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High-Yield Explosive Defense skills, according to Lause. The additional participation of the 112th EFS tested the wing’s ability to host and integrate forces.

 

Lause said the exercise objectives were successfully met, and the participants made tremendous progress in demonstrating the ability to fulfill potential U.S. Air Forces in Europe taskings, improving command and control, and protecting the base population.

 

“This exercise showcased the fantastic capability our total force brings to bear,” he said.

 

Readiness exercises are commonplace at Air Force installations worldwide, and Lause said Spangdahlem will continue to test its populace regularly.

 

“Saber personnel and the local area can expect events like these on a more routine basis,” he said. “Robust training in these exercises is essential to improving readiness and forms the backbone to credible deterrence.”