OREs making a comeback

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Trevor Saylor
  • 934th Airlift Wing
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL AIR RESERVE STATION, MINN. --  The 934th Airlift Wing Director of Inspections office is working to re-emphasize the Operational Readiness Exercise (ORE) cycle for the wing. The Wing conducted several exercises over the October UTA to gauge readiness and training levels, in order to plan for future needs of the Wing.

In the past, the focus had shifted away from readiness inspections that had been a mainstay. Large, and expensive, wing-wide exercises were conducted routinely to ensure readiness capability remained high among the units on base. However, due to cost-saving moves over the last decade, the focus shifted away from the OREs toward a more compliance-focused approach.

These budgetary constraints are still a reality, in addition to the logistics of scheduling and coordinating these large-scale events, so returning to the older model won’t be smooth sailing. “It’s going to be a stressful, crucial crunch,” said Senior Master Sgt. Matt Russell, inspection superintendent.

During the October UTA, the IGI Office, along with the 934th Emergency Management shop, is helping to coordinate the Ability to Survive and Operate (ATSO) training, where Post-Attack Recovery (PAR) teams of personnel in full chemical gear work to clear the area following a simulated attack. The teams are evaluated on their ability to remember the training they have received over the years; this creates a baseline which helps to inform further training needed to achieve optimal readiness. “IG’s role is to evaluate and make recommendations to Wing leadership,” said Russell.