Exercises ensure Wing ready to fight

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kristin High
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Team Barksdale participated in a Nuclear Operational Readiness Exercise here June 3 through 12.

The exercise allowed the base to validate and improve Air Force Global Strike Command's strategic bomber potential by demonstrating the ability to successfully complete nuclear related tasks in a time constrained environment.

"This has an opportunity for the base to train like we fight, so when the flag goes up, we're ready," said Lt. Col. Melvin Green III, 2nd Bomb Wing Exercise Planning deputy director. "More importantly, we were able to demonstrate our nuclear capabilities."

A NORE is one of many training exercises the XP office develops in order to ensure the 2nd Bomb Wing is able to accomplish its mission.

These exercises are conducted not only in preparation for upcoming inspections, but also to ensure and help maintain a state of readiness throughout the wing.

"We prepare to be war-ready by providing safe and reliable munitions and support to our customers anytime...anywhere," said Master Sgt. Kelvin Samuel, 2nd Munitions Squadron systems flight chief. "During the NORE we had 45 Airmen deliver starter carts to the flightline. Additionally, we had 20 Airmen help the Navy with munitions builds."

The wing also recently wrapped up a Consolidated Unit Exercise which demonstrated its conventional capability. NOREs provide an opportunity for the wing to focus on its nuclear mission.

"Conducting an exercise at this junction allowed us to better understand or work out nuclear procedures in order to prepare for the upcoming Nuclear Operational Readiness Inspection this fall," said Green.

NORIs are conducted, by regulation, every 36 months. In conjunction with that, the XP office tries to plan two major exercises for the wing per calendar year.

"If there is something the bomb wing commander feels we need to improve upon, it's up to our office to implement that exercise," said Green. "We schedule and plan it, so if there's a skill the base needs to improve upon, we'll be better prepared. In the grand scheme of things, if we fail these inspections, what we lose is confidence. Not only does our nation lose confidence in our ability to carry out our nuclear mission, but both our allies and enemies are aware and take note of our failure to carry it out. By demonstrating our ability we deter our enemies and assure our allies that we are ready and able."

According to Green, the strategic mission can be equated to muscles. Muscles need to be exercised to remain strong and able to perform any task.

"The minute Team Barksdale stops exercising is when our skills to perform are diminished leaving us in a weakened state," he said. "A capability is not a capability if it's not exercised."