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Kadena Airmen practice wartime skills during week-long exercise

  • Published
  • By Maj. Dani Johnson
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  "We are at war."

Four words that sent a buzz of anticipation through the majority of Kadena Air Base as Exercise Beverly High 07-2 kicked off Monday with the receipt of a deployment order to move forces forward to another country in the Pacific Region.  This exercise tested the wing's ability to mobilize and forward deploy people and cargo, respond to crises, survive and operate in a simulated combat environment, and project combat airpower.

As the mobility machine geared up, organizations across base dusted off their plans and started to prepare to fight at a forward location and here at home to ensure peace and stability in the region. 

Security forces implemented force protection measures while the 18th Communications Squadron looked at network defense. Members of the 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron and 18th Mission Support Squadron activated the Installation Deployment Readiness Center to begin the cargo and passenger processing.

According to Col. Max Kirschbaum, 18th Mission Support Group commander, once Airmen have been identified to move forward, they process their mobility records through the IDRC to ensure they have everything they need. Units needing to send equipment palletize the items and clear them through the cargo processing line. In BH 07-2, 541 passengers and 379 short tons of equipment were processed to move forward to the deployed location.

On Wednesday, the Shoguns transitioned from focusing on mobility to focusing on wartime taskings at a forward-deployed location. Airmen began wearing field gear and donned mission-oriented protective posture gear. All realized attacks were imminent. Brig. Gen. Punch Moulton, 18th Wing commander, reminded everyone to "not forget where we are. We are at war and it is vital we keep our war face on."

Aircrews conducted air operations with goal of gaining air supremacy over enemy airspace. Fighters, tankers and command and control platforms worked together through the mission planning cell to achieve these goals.

While the mission planning cell monitored the air tasking order and the air war, the survival recovery center oversaw base protection and when attacked ensured accountability and safety of Airmen and resources.

"After an attack, it can get chaotic with information flowing in from everywhere," said Lt. Col. Bill Gerhard, 18th Communications Squadron commander and the SRC director. "It's extremely important we train our people on how to report accountability and damages. With our deployments into Afghanistan and Iraq, this could easily become reality for some of them."

Airmen also practiced operating in a chemical environment. "Practice makes perfect," said Colonel Kirschbaum. "It's important for all of our Airmen to be comfortable with their equipment and to trust its ability to protect them. The only way to do this is to conduct exercises like this."

Airmen not only responded to base attacks, they also had to accomplish their mission in a contingency environment. Scenarios ranged from a terrorist attack on the base to a rescue mission of a downed pilot.

"These scenarios, among a dozen others, are designed to help 18th Wing Airmen develop combat skills needed to defend U.S. interests in the Pacific region and worldwide," said Lt. Col. Mark Arlinghaus, 18th Wing inspector general. "We've learned a tremendous amount about what areas we need to refocus our training as well as further our tactical development.

The exercise ran from Monday through today. It was the first exercise since October to test these skills. The next exercise is scheduled for August.