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Kadena tests readiness with Beverly High 15-3

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Kieran Keelty, 18th Mission Support Group deputy commander, briefs approximately 50 Airmen at the reception processing unit during a Mission Focused Exercise on Kadena Air Base, Japan, Aug. 5, 2015. The exercise, known as Beverly High 15-3, is the third MFE conducted at Kadena Air Base for Fiscal Year 2015. It is designed to simulate contingency operations taken from one or more of the wing's mission sets such as forward power projection with the purpose of polishing procedures and demonstrating capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class John Linzmeier)

Kadena tests readiness with Beverly High 15-3

U.S. Air Force Airmen go through a reception processing unit as part of a Mission Focused Exercise on Kadena Air Base, Japan, Aug. 5, 2015. Representatives from various base agencies provided booths for mock-deployers in order to quickly and effectively prepare them for their simulated assignments. MFEs are designed to simulate contingency operations taken from one or more of the wing's mission sets such as forward power projection with the purpose of polishing procedures and demonstrating capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class John Linzmeier)

Kadena tests readiness with Beverly High 15-3

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Estrella Breazell, 18th Legal Office civil law paralegal, delivers a legal briefing for Mission-Focused Exercise participants on Kadena Air Base, Japan Aug. 4, 2015. MFEs test Airmen’s ability to deploy forces and cargo while maintaining mission proficiency in a simulated environment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lynette Rolen)

Kadena tests readiness with Beverly High 15-3

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Latasha Barnette, 18th Aerospace Medicine Squadron Public Health technician, briefs Mission-Focused Exercise participants about health habits during deployments on Kadena Air Base, Japan, Aug. 4, 2015. The MFE was designed to test Kadena’s ability to forward project forces and cargo to a simulated deployed location. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lynette Rolen)

Kadena tests readiness with Beverly High 15-3

Airmen wait in line to have their documents processed by personnel during the Mission-Focused Exercise August 4, 2015 at Kadena Air Base, Japan. During this exercise, personnel ensured that participants’ documents were up-to-date and accurate. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Lynette Rolen)

Kadena tests readiness with Beverly High 15-3

Published Aug. 5, 2015
By Airman 1st Class John Linzmeier
18th Wing Public Affairs

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- The 18th Wing conducted a Mission Focused Exercise Aug. 3-5, in an effort to self-assess the effectiveness of current operations and make improvements for future activities.

The exercise, known as Beverly High 15-3, is the third MFE conducted at Kadena Air Base for Fiscal Year 2015. It is designed to simulate contingency operations taken from one or more of the wing's mission sets such as forward power projection with the purpose of polishing procedures and demonstrating capabilities.

"Each MFE is drastically different from one another," said Andy Morris, 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron logistics manager and LRS Wing Inspection Team lead for the exercise. "The previous one focused a lot on the phase II - operations, mission assurance, command and control, PAR sweeps and bombs dropping - while the current exercise is specifically focused on how we, as a wing, deploy forces out and how we receive them, so they can support combat operations."

During the exercise, the 18th LRS partnered with the 733rd Air Mobility Squadron to process and inspect roughly 250 Airmen and enough cargo to fill eight cargo aircraft, validating their new procedures.

"This particular time, we may have put our Airmen through quite a bit of stress, but in the end I think it really does help," said Senior Master Sgt. Demetrius Jones, 18th Mission Support Group WIT lead. "It's one of our commander's mission focuses -- putting our Airmen in realistic situations. When you do that, you're going to have to think a little bit more, and you're most likely going to have to ask for help."

Preparing for a military assignment can require a lot of multitasking, from taking care of health needs to making sure family members are given the support they need. However, Airmen from multiple agencies around the base established a one-stop shop for deploying exercise participants. Representatives from each agency provided booths to form a personnel deployment function line, a quick and effective way to process a large number of people.

"Exercises are planned to simulate as many real-world stresses as possible," said Lt. Col. Justin Vincent, 18th Wing inspector general. "Airmen can draw upon these lessons learned when faced with similar situations during deployments. These experiences provide Airmen with knowledge, training, and overall confidence they can use during deployments."

Training and newly implemented practices from BH 15-3 were conducted to highlight areas for improvement in the wing's installation deployment plan in order to streamline the process for short-notice contingency responses.

"When we actually go through these scenarios in the real world, it's not going to be something we haven't experienced before," said Jones. "We are in the arena where someone could actually pose a threat. So when it's time to pull our people out, we're ready to send them to where they need to be."