Kadena kicks off April MFE

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Zade C. Vadnais
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  Kadena's mission focused exercise began at approximately 6 a.m. April 20 with a base-wide accountability recall, prompting Airmen from around the base to head into work for the first of several days of simulations and tests.

Throughout day one, several events were staged in order to test the readiness of Kadena's personnel, including a simulated aircraft crash, simulated unexploded ordnance and a simulated ballistic missile attack.

The MFE gives Kadena's Airmen a chance to perform their primary duties in a simulated wartime environment while testing their emergency skills such as self-aid buddy care and UXO identification. In real-world situations, it's common for several agencies to respond to a single scenario, and the MFE provides these agencies with a golden opportunity to work together, test their interoperability and improve their working relationships for future contingencies.

Master Sgt. Jeffrey Hansen, 18th Civil Engineer Squadron explosive ordnance disposal technician, explained that MFEs also give older Airmen an opportunity to brush up on their skills while providing younger Airmen a low-risk environment in which they can become more confident in their ability to perform under pressure.

"The MFE focuses on our main reason for being on the island, which is supporting the 18th Wing," Hansen said. "It gives us a chance to practice our mission on a larger scale while working with other agencies in the process."

Throughout the week, Kadena's Airmen can expect to react to simulated chemical and ballistic missile attacks in addition to being evaluated on their ability to assist injured personnel, identify and secure UXOs and otherwise support the 18th Wing in the event of a real-world attack.