Base personnel prepare for natural disaster, overseas deployments Published March 27, 2007 By Brandice J. Armstrong 72nd Air Base Wing, Public Affairs Tinker Air Force Base Okla. -- Several Tinker agencies prepared for real-world catastrophes in two exercises that extended from late February to early March. Operational Readiness Exercise Resolute Warrior 07-02 and a Major Accident Response Exercise allowed base personnel to prepare for overseas deployment scenarios and natural disasters. The exercises were held simultaneously, to better facilitate the base's daily operations. "We want to stress the system to realize our capabilities and limits, and work hard at a joint hot-wash to capture lessons learned to get even better next time," said Col. Brad Ashley, 72nd Air Base Wing vice commander, who's acting as the Deputy Crisis Action Team Director for the Resolute Warrior exercise. The Resolute Warrior exercise initially included most base agencies and several other bases, participating in ground training. But due to real-world operations, an exercise of such magnitude was not doable at this point in time. Our real-world commitments take priority, Col. Ashley said. Instead, Resolute Warrior activities were mainly performed by the 3rd Combat Communications Group, which set up deployable communications and airfield operations equipment at the Tinker airfield and Glenwood training area. "Our scenario is that an overseas base was hit by a natural disaster and we needed to set up services in that area, as if no services existed," said Maj. Steven Sweeney, the 3rd CCG's 34th Combat Communications Squadron commander. Maj. Sweeney acted as the Expeditionary Communications Squadron commander for the exercise. Maj. Sweeney said Resolute Warrior provides a realistic simulated environment that allows combat units to resolve problems here and now, while in a permissive environment versus a real-world scenario. "In a real-world scenario, some key processes either don't exist or when they are implemented, they don't work right," Maj. Sweeney said. "Here we can learn what goes wrong and how to fix it, which we did. "I'm extremely proud of the performance and professionalism our troops displayed against countless real - world and purposely - injected exercise limiting factors." In addition to the 3rd CCG's mission, the 552nd Air Control Wing is participating in the exercise with a flying mission. "The 552nd ACW originally planned to participate in the combined ORE exercise with the 72nd ABW and the 3 CCG at Tinker," said Lt. Col. Charles Burgess, 552nd ACW Inspections and Readiness director. Instead, the 552nd ACW is participating in a flying exercise with the 27th Fighter Wing's ORE at Cannon Air Force, N.M. and at least five other wings from military installations throughout the United States. "The scenario involves deployment to a distant area of the world, to join the combined joint theater forces conducting a war already in the fourth day of air operations," Col. Burgess said. "Flying operations will be conducted in airspace and bombing ranges in west Texas and New Mexico." The exercise involves simulated air-to-air combat, suppression of enemy air defenses, electronic warfare, deep strikes and close air support, Col. Burgess said. "We attempted to create an exercise involving a wide variety of systems and missions to duplicate the air combat environment expected in an actual operation," Col. Burgess said. "We think we've created an opportunity to 'train like we fight' during the ORE." "The warfighter spirit and focus on the mission is outstanding," Col. Ashley said. "The cooperative spirit at all levels is unprecedented; we have the same sight picture and are marching toward success." Similar expectations were predicted for the MARE. Held March 2, the exercise aimed to heighten base personnel's awareness about what to do when a natural disaster, such as tornado strikes. "We reemphasized to take shelter and know where shelter is should the worst ever happen," said Paul Logan, 72nd Air Base Wing Inspections and Evaluations exercise designer. "We're in tornado alley. "We could be hit," Mr. Logan said. "We have been hit over and over through the years and, although we might have had a light tornado season the last few years, that's all the more reason to reemphasize protective measures and not get complacent." The MARE scenario revolved around an F1 or F2 tornado touching down at Tinker, Mr. Logan said. Winds for a tornado of that magnitude are determined by the Fujita Scale and range between 73 and 157 miles per hour. Typical damage for this type of tornado includes ripped-off roofs, large trees obstructed or uprooted and vehicles blown off or lifted from the road, according to an Internet encyclopedia. To make the exercise seem real, several obstacles - including an overturned vehicle spilling fuel and injured people - were set up to challenge base personnel. "It also emphasizes the protective measures available to people and gives base emergency responders a little practice to some of the challenges they may face during a real-world tornado," Mr. Logan said. Airman 1st Class Michelle Grant of the 72nd ABW's 72nd Operations Support Squadron Flight Management office and Airman 1st Class Cory Lincoln of the 552nd Air Control Wing's 552nd Training Squadron were among the mock victims. Both pretended to be hit by debris and their fake injuries ranged from Airman Grant's knocked out teeth, bleeding ear and black eye to Airman Lincoln's bleeding face and forehead and black eye. "I haven't participated in anything like this before, but I thought it would be a good experience to let people know what to do if something like this were to really happen," Airman Grant said. Tinker has been hit by several tornadoes, with the most recent two striking May 3, 1999 and May 8, 2003. On May 25, 1948, Tinker was directly hit and damaged was estimated at $10 million at that time. "Exercising like this (with MARE) can really save lives if we ever have another tornado," Mr. Logan said.