Photo By 2nd Lt. Heather Cozad Staley | Air National Guardsmen assigned to the 242 Combat Communication Squadron check Joint...... read more read more
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. — Reserve Citizen Airmen assigned to the 446th Airlift Wing conducted Exercise Rainier Kraken on March 18-20, 2022, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.
Exercise scenarios included, a deployment processing line, a single palletized expeditionary kitchen (SPEK), dining tent set up, and mission oriented protective posture gear (MOPP) readiness. Being able to practice in a deployed environment helps to prepare Airmen for a real deployment.
“It's as close as you can get, with the flak vest, the jackets, with everything,” Said Master Sgt. Christopher Sveda, a load planner with 36th Aerial Port Squadron. “As a Reservist we don't get to practice that a ton, so it's really good to participate in exercises to be able to be ready.”
Exercise Rainier Kraken also showcased multiple services and air reserve components giving an opportunity for Reserve Citizen Airmen to collaborate with U.S. Army Soldiers and the Washington Air National Guard.
Aboard a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft, Soldiers assigned to the 9th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives Company exercised and evaluated their procedures to ensure mission effectiveness. Exercise Rainier Kraken provided the opportunity for Reserve Citizen Airmen to practice working together with Soldiers, as they would in a deployed environment, exercising different tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).
"We got to work our own TTPs and learn how to integrate with the Air Force," Said U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Daniel House, a company warrant officer assigned to the 9th CBRNE Company. "It was good practice all the way around, building up to be more integrated and be more prepared for movements in the air.”
The Air National Guard provided communications capabilities during Exercise Rainier Kraken.
"This is the first time we have done a Joint Incident Site Communications Capability exercise with the majority of the 194th Mission Support Group,” said Master Sgt. Casey Cason, a JISCC non-commissioned officer in charge assigned to the 242nd Combat Communications Squadron. “We work together to maintain and operate the JISCC terminal."
For Staff Sgt. Patrick Trepanier, a load planner assigned to the 36th Aerial Port Squadron, this exercise was helpful to get him into the right mindset.
“It helps to get in the right mindset, this all happened pretty quickly, but that's exactly how a deployment can happen and it can catch you off guard.” Said Trepanier. “I appreciate being able to do something like this before a deployment.”
In a deployed environment, all forces are unified and working the same mission, which is why it is important to train together as a unified team.
“It's important for the Guard and Reserve to exercise together because deployed we all have the same mission,” said Master Sgt. Kadesha Mullgrav, a base services manager with the 194th Force Support Squadron. “Whether we are in Alaska or in Florida the SPEK sets up the same, the overall mission is the same.”
Though Exercise Rainer Kraken was a small-scale exercise, its focus was to train and evaluate Reservists in realistic and challenging scenarios.
| Date Taken: | 03.20.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 05.01.2022 15:07 |
| Story ID: | 419706 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 50 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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