Airmen test readiness during phase I exercise

Airman 1st Class Weslee Anderson, 375th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels distribution operator, and Airman 1st Class Eliezer Riviera, 375th LRS ground transportation, load pallets into the LRS warehouse during a mobility exercise, Dec. 4, 2018, at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. During the mobility exercise, Airmen were tested on their ability to deploy at a moment’s notice.

Airmen test readiness during phase I exercise

Staff Sgt. Anthony Johnson-Wilson, 436th Supply Chain Operations Squadron, is given deployment equipment during a mobility exercise, Dec. 4, 2018, at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. During the first phase of the exercise, deploying Airmen are issued a flak vest, helmets, and other necessary gear required for deployment.

Airmen test readiness during phase I exercise

Chief Master Sgt. Leon Calloway, 375th Air Mobility Wing command chief, speaks to Airman 1st Class Lastiwa Hall, 375th Force Support Squadron customer support tecnician, and Staff Sgt. Shenisha Dunn, 375th Force Support Squadron, during the mobility exercise at Scott AFB, Ill. Dec. 3, 2018. During the exercise Calloway visited with multiple Airmen around Scott to see the different missions involved in the exercise.

Airmen test readiness during phase I exercise

Chief Master Sgt. Leon Calloway, 375th Air Mobility Wing command chief, shakes hands with Airman 1st Class John Fields, 375th Security Forces Squadron, during a post check, Dec. 3, 2018 at Scott AFB, Ill. Dec. 3, 2018. During the Mobility Exercise, Calloway visited with members of the 375th SFS to thank them for the work they do around the base.

Airmen test readiness during phase I exercise

Airman 1st Class Eric Renner, 375th Operations Support Squadron, proceeds through the pre-deployment function line during a mobility exercise, Dec. 4, 2018, at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. During the MOBEX, Airmen are given the necessary information from the chaplain, finance, and other agencies from the 375th Air Mobility Wing.

Airmen test readiness during phase I exercise

Staff Sgt. Christopher Britt, 375th Logistic Readiness Squadron data records custodian, and Airman 1st Class Eliezer Rivera, 375th LRS ground transportation, move a pallet full of equipment during a mobility exercise, Dec. 4, 2018, at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. During the exercise, the 375th LRS makes sure that Airmen are issued all the necessary equipment to deploy.

Airmen test readiness during phase I exercise

Published Dec. 10, 2018
By Airman 1st Class Nathaniel Hudson
375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --

A deployment can happen at a moment’s notice, and during a Phase I exercise, Airmen are tested on their ability to answer that call whenever it may come.

To that end, members of the 375th Air Mobility Wing, with help from 932nd Airlift wing, 635th Supply Chain Operations Wing, and the 19th Airlift Wing based out of Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, participated in an exercise Dec. 3-5.

“We’re here to test the readiness of our folks to transition from a peacetime mode into a contingency operation where they will have to forward deploy and do their wartime job,” said Charlie Mills, 375th AMW director of inspections.

During a Phase I exercise all parts of the wing must work together to ensure Airmen are physically, mentally, and emotionally prepared to deploy and properly equip them to perform their job in a deployed environment.

“We have to regularly exercise all these functions to make sure everything is able to run smoothly all the way from the execution order all the way until the last [group of deployers] is out the door,” said Col. Michael Ueda, 375th Air Mobility Wing inspector general. “That includes all the wing functions, Force Support Squadron, Logistics Readiness Squadron, Medical group and Wing Staff Agencies. All those teams work together to make a deployment mobilization happen.”

Mobility exercises like this are held periodically and supports the Air Force’s renewed efforts on full spectrum readiness.

“There’s a lot of new faces and a lot of people in new positions, so it’s going to be a good test to validate training,” said Mills. “It’s one of the necessary things we have to do to maintain the right level of readiness for our nation.”