Phase II ORE to help hone "Attack, Rescue, Protect" skills

  • Published
  • By Col. Gary Henderson
  • 23rd Wing commander
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  The 23rd Wing remains one of the busiest organizations in the Air Force. We continue to support many real-world operations and training commitments throughout the world.

We must remain focused on making sure we can provide combat forces to theater commanders, which includes maintaining skills needed to deploy our people and equipment in a rapid manner, as well as accomplishing our combat tasks once we get there.

As I have stated before, every Flying Tiger has a role to play on our road to success in all our missions. I want to share with you my viewpoint on how we will make sure the Flying Tigers are out front and punching above our weight.

Next week we will participate in the first Phase II Operational Readiness Exercise in more than a year. This is no small effort, as it will be only the second Phase II ORE since the 23rd Fighter Group and supporting units moved to Moody in the summer of 2007. The integration of thousands of Airmen and 56 aircraft into the planning and execution of the ORE is something we need to carry out in earnest.

Why we are having this ORE?
Due to the small amount of previous experiences, we need to "take the pulse" of how we are set up to provide the necessary venues and training opportunities. Additionally, we need to validate where we are on training our Airmen to accomplish their combat tasks. We will need this foundation, both to build on and to help ensure success in future deployments and inspections.

Plan for the Future:
We will continue to schedule and participate in regular OREs and training days throughout the future. This will not only help us to hone our skills for a Phase II ORI in 2011, but it will also guarantee we have the right training and equipment to successfully accomplish our wartime tasks.

As I have said before, teamwork, attention to detail and training are the critical areas of success. Teamwork within the wing and with all our wing partners is essential to performing our missions. We will leverage the knowledge of our great Airmen along with assistance from various experts to strengthen our programs and readiness.

To accomplish these tasks consistently and with precision, we will continue the robust training events for all facets of the wing. This emphasis will hone our ability to fly, fight and win.

Our wing mission involves being "out in front" providing unmatched combat power to "Attack, Rescue and Protect" worldwide. We must also lead the way in how we prepare for and execute our tasks on a daily basis.

Exercises that increase and evaluate our operational readiness are an important part of demonstrating to our leaders and to the world our ability to meet these commitments. Our nation relies on us to fulfill our responsibilities to defend our national interests; we will not let our country down.

The 23rd WG and Team Moody continue to accomplish great things. With its two wings, I believe Moody is the most relevant base to today's combat operations. We all have an important role in maintaining that relevance.

With our teamwork and commitment, we will demonstrate how we deliver the best game-changing effects on the battlefield while we continue to take care of our families and deployed Airmen.