Readiness Exercise

SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany – Staff Sgt. Julio Bernal, 52nd Component Maintenance Squadron, speaks with a representative from the 52nd Force Support Squadron during the Personal Deployment Function portion of the exercise, Aug. 23, 2008. During the exercise, 52nd Fighter Wing Airmen met with numerous services including personnel, finance, and postal to prepare themselves for deployment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Staci Miller)

Readiness Exercise

SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany – Staff Sgt. Justin Cedarleaf, 52nd Component Maintenance Squadron, moves to the Force Support station during the Personal Deployment Function portion of the exercise, Aug. 23, 2008. During the exercise, 52nd Fighter Wing Airmen met with numerous services including personnel, finance, and postal to prepare themselves for deployment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Staci Miller)

Readiness Exercise

SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany – Senior Airman Kindra Hunt and Airman 1st Class Manuel Andrade, 52nd Force Support Squadron, assist Airmen during the Personal Deployment Function portion of the exercise, Aug. 23, 2008. During the exercise, 52nd Fighter Wing Airmen met with numerous services including personnel, finance, and postal to prepare themselves for deployment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Staci Miller)

Sabers take part in readiness exercise

Published Aug. 25, 2008
By Senior Airman Clay Murray
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- The 52nd Fighter Wing conducted a Phase 1 exercise and three emergency management exercises Aug. 19 and Aug 22-23.

"The Phase 1 exercises test how well the wing can respond to a short-notice deployment tasking," said Lt. Col. Mark Lambertsen, 52nd Fighter Wing plans and programs office. "These exercises make sure we know how to generate our combat force quickly."

While the wing has a list of objectives to achieve, the exercise is geared to help Airmen train for last-minute deployments.

"We want this to be a reminder of how different it is to deploy at a moment's notice," Colonel Lambertsen said. "This exercise is a good reminder and learning lesson for both old and new Airmen," he said. "We get used to having time to get prepared for our Air Expeditionary Force taskings, but the world is still a volatile place, and we never know when we'll be called on to respond instantly."

Several units from the base have been able to benefit from this exercise and others. It is the wing's goal to involve as many Airmen as possible to see that they are prepared.

"We have involved the whole base so that everyone gets some training," said Colonel Lambertsen. "The personnel and cargo deployment functions take most of the focus in a Phase 1, as well as the maintenance group in getting our jets ready."

A lot like with every new sports season, every exercise presents new challenges and twists.

"We've got a lot of people in new positions around the base, so there's a lot of learning going on," said Colonel Lambertsen. "We're getting our people and equipment out of town, but not without a few bobbles, as expected for our first true Phase 1 since February 2007."