Sabers prepare for combined exercise Published Feb. 18, 2010 By Senior Airman Clay Murray 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- Like faint headlights on the autobahn approaching another car, inspections are sneaking up on the 52nd Fighter Wing. Before Sabers know it, they'll have to change lanes to make room for the fast-paced exercises, inspections and operations. This summer, Spangdahlem Air Base will take part in both a NATO Force evaluation and operational readiness inspection to assess the capabilities of the installation. "Including these next two weeks, from here on out we will be exercising about every month," said Col. Kevin Anderson, 52nd Fighter Wing vice commander. "It's like a dress rehearsal before the ORI and NATO Forceval. (Inspectors) are expected to challenge us and task us with some things that may put us in a bind, and we have to be ready." The upcoming exercise is a combined Phase I and II, the first one in preparation for the stringent inspections. Operations are expected to run a little different than the norm to keep Sabers on their toes and prepare them as well as possible. "We need to practice timeliness - expect a real-world style recall," he said. "You might not be up and awake with a cup of coffee in hand and your bags in the car already. Phase II will also be a little different - not everyone is going to be a player, as there will be many of us in and out." Several inspection officials have shed light on expectations, plans and keys to success during recent visits, and base leadership incorporated that information into the upcoming exercises. "We now know more because of the previous visit with USAFE and NATO personnel, and that gives us a great idea of what we can expect," said Maj. Sean Cosden, 52nd Fighter Wing deputy chief of wing inspections. "There will be some taskings for new and different operations, things we aren't used to and don't usually do. We will see more aircraft, more cargo and more personnel than before." In the coming weeks, Sabers will shift gears to better prepare for such interactions and expectations. Practice makes perfect, and near-perfection is what the wing is aiming for. "NATO has placed a lot of emphasis on how well we work with other countries in theater," Major Cosden said. "How we interact with the host nation is also going to be looked at. How well we deal with them is very important for this upcoming inspection. "As with many exercises and inspections, we will be evaluated on our reaction to situations," he said. "It is possible that there will be more difficult and frequent injects for the inspections. With the proper practice and preparation though, it'll be a piece of cake."