Photo By Senior Airman Derrick Bole | Airmen assigned to the 50th Air Refueling Squadron check out equipment for a...... read more read more
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MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Service members and civilians base-wide at MacDill gathered for the base’s first ever Synchronized Nuclear Operational Readiness Training exercise at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, Mar. 4-6, 2024.
Participants in the exercise practiced readiness through fast aircraft takeoffs, increment monitor training, cargo handling, and other facets that cater to MacDill’s mission in support of nuclear operational readiness.
“At the end of the day, we know our training will pay off,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Ed Szczepanik, 6th Air Refueling Wing deputy commander. “The SNORT allows us to train our Airmen’s speed, knowledge, and capability to defend our great country.”
The training contained an 801X exercise, which tested aircrew on their ability to get a KC-135 Stratotanker in the air as fast possible, consisted of 18 teams of six Airmen from the 6th Operations Group and the 6th Maintenance Group. Each group l fought to be the fastest and most efficient team to get a KC-135 flying. The best three teams were awarded gold, silver and bronze medals, respectively.
“The SNORT helped to keep our Airmen in the best shape for readiness,” said Szczepanik. “Above all else, the SNORT was about deterrence. Exercises like this let our adversaries know that we can respond fast to any situation, no matter the circumstance. Our Airmen are fast, and we proved today that we can react to anything.”
The SNORT is the 6th ARW’s newest addition to nuclear operational readiness. Quarterly, the wing completes a Nuclear Operational Readiness Exercise (NORE) to practice the skills needed in such a high-paced environment. This year, the 6th ARW is heavily focusing their efforts in preparation for the Nuclear Operational Readiness Inspection (NORI), designed to evaluate the wing’s capabilities in a nuclear event.
“We want to ensure that we stay in the best shape we can for a real-world event,” said Chief Master Sgt. Raun Howell, 6th ARW command chief.. “This training improves our scores for a NORI as well as our response time to a worst-case scenario environment”
Getting aircraft in the air fast isn’t all about aircrew, though. Airmen from across the base used the exercise as additional time to practice alert force response checklists and predeployment training like increment monitors.
Airmen selected to be increment monitors must build and break down pallets of equipment that their unit will use during a deployment. This equipment is then used by other exercise participants to simulate a deployed environment. When a real-world event occurs, these Airmen, as well as Airmen from the 6th Logistics Readiness Squadron, must gather equipment quickly to aid those responding to the disaster.
The SNORT is an innovative new way for Airmen to become more proficient in every aspect of their mission. It showcases MacDill’s ability to react to real-world threats with speed and power, and respond in the face of crises.
| Date Taken: | 03.06.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 03.08.2024 13:00 |
| Story ID: | 465743 |
| Location: | MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 315 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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