Ready, set,...go

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Alyssa Blom
  • 934th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Minneapolis-St. Paul Air Reserve Station --  The 934th concluded a RAV I during the November UTA, and is gearing up for the RAV II, in April at Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center, Miss. A Readiness Assistance Visit exercise prepares the wing for success in an Operational Readiness Inspection.

"Reservists don't usually get combat skills training during a drill weekend. The RAV allows them to get this training as a team which is the best way to ensure success when the shop deploys," said Lt. Col. C. J. Bentley, 934th Operational Readiness Inspection planner and Exercise Evaluation Team Chief.

The RAV I consisted of two elements and is a preparatory version of a RAV II, taking place at home base. A RAV II starts with the players in the wing boarding aircraft and flying to a different base, as if they were deployed to war. From there, they in-process and are assigned lodging. Then, they set up work centers, complete with communications and shelter hardening.

"When you go into the RAV II with the right frame of mind, it is great. You put yourself in that situation, think, 'what would I do',?" said Maj. Andrew Staut, 934th Aircraft Maintenance Operations Officer. "You have to be able to carry on the mission of the unit and try to learn from the RAV II."

In the RAV II, the skills learned in the RAV I are put into operation. The players fill their own sand bags, are issued real weapons, and build real bunkers, as they would in an actual deployment.

"The RAV II gives us a chance to get into the operational environment with real-time training," said Major Staut. "We're planning as though it's an Operational Readiness Inspection, trying to take time to grab every bit of knowledge we can, and take it back with our unit."

Once the RAVII begins, the players are given just-in-time training relevant to the inspection, in the form of a classroom instruction over two days. These classes build on the initial basics learned in the RAV I. After the classes, a two day non-stop war simulation kicks off and wing members are tested on what they have learned. This is the second part of the crawl-walk-run model used by the wing in preparation for the ORI.

"It's all about flow of communication between the centers," said Master Sgt. Danielle Romero, 934th Aeromedical Staging Squadron Critical Care Air Transport Team coordinator. "It's critical to talk to other sections for a successful RAV and ORI. It's important not to get too caught up in the tasks at hand and forget to communicate."
These skills learned and practiced during the RAV II are critical for the ORI, but more importantly, for deployment.

"This training is worth a lot, and you don't realize how valuable it is until you are deployed to a war zone," said Sergeant Romero. "I was amazed at how much of a difference it makes when you're down range. Self-aid and buddy care is huge out there. I've seen it personally, that if a unit is on patrol and someone gets shot or steps on a mine, it can save someone's life."