Photo By Master Sgt. Jessica Wilson | Tech. Sgt. Parry Phanouvong and Tech. Sgt. Teri Skinner, dedicated Command Post...... read more read more
Subscribe
EBBING AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ark. — The alert tone sliced through the air like
a starter pistol. Inside the 188th Wing’s Command Post, phones buzz, monitors flicker, and two
Airmen snap into motion. One calls out updates while the other pounds a keyboard, toggling
through Quick Reaction Checklists with practiced urgency. A missile threat? A fire? A drill? In
that moment, it didn’t matter.
This was routine—and routine here is anything but.
The 188th Command Post operates as the nerve center of the base, quietly orchestrating the flow
of information that keeps every mission, emergency response, and exercise on track. Whether it’s
midnight or Monday morning, the controllers on duty serve as the first link in the chain of
command communication.
“We’re constantly intaking information and sending it to where it needs to go,” said Tech. Sgt.
Teri Skinner, a Command Post controller. “It might look calm from the outside, but we’re always
ready to move.”
From Emergency Action Messages (EAMs) to Operation Orders (OPORDs), controllers process
a continuous stream of classified and time-sensitive data. These messages move swiftly across a
complex web that includes the Air Force Command Center, the Arkansas Joint Operations
Center, and units stationed across the base.
And while the messages are technical, the stakes are deeply human.
“A missed warning or delayed response could impact lives or missions,” Skinner said.
“Everything we do requires intense attention to detail.”
Their toolkit includes the Emergency Mass Notification System (EMNS), which allows them to
reach personnel via phone, email, text, desktop alerts, radios, and even the base’s booming giant
voice system. When every second counts, clarity matters.
“Making sure that the intent of any communication pushed out to the installation is read clear
and concise is the toughest part,” Skinner said. “And there’s always the one person who doesn’t
read the messages.”
Daily operations and drill weekends revolve around much more than just alerts. The team
maintains logs, personnel trackers, and tasking spreadsheets—every line a snapshot of the base’s
status and readiness. They monitor weather, national security updates, and incidents across the
installation, all while staying sharp on regulations, Air Force Instructions (AFIs), and emergency
protocols.
Exercises are designed to simulate chaos—chemical attacks, active shooter scenarios, natural
disasters. In those moments, the command post must remain a calm, coordinated force.
“When an emergency kicks off, you’re not handed a neat playbook,” Skinner said. “You’re fed
information piece by piece as it unfolds. Your training becomes your instinct.”
Controllers typically work in pairs, seamlessly dividing roles to manage multiple crisis tasks.
One may lead evacuation coordination while the other handles alerts to higher headquarters or
local civilian agencies or first responders.
“Military jargon doesn’t always translate well to outside civilian agencies,” Skinner added. “We
have to adapt our language so that everyone understands what’s happening.”
That ability to adapt under pressure is no accident.
The Command Post maintains a rigorous training program: certification exams, real-time
scenario drills, and base-wide exercises that stretch their communication and crisis management
skills to the limit. New Airmen arrive as apprentices and leave as experts.
“You train until it’s reflex,” said Tech. Sgt. Parry Phanouvong, a command post controller.
“Many factors play into a situation that are out of anyone’s control. The best I can do is focus on
the now, follow the checklists, and make decisions that best fit the situation.”
Phanouvong’s calm under pressure comes from experience and confidence in the team’s
preparation.
“The reward is when it all works,” he said. “When you flawlessly execute a situation—sending
clear, timely updates that make a difference. That’s the moment you know it mattered.”
| Date Taken: | 04.14.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.14.2025 13:57 |
| Story ID: | 495271 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 156 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Daily Operations: The Routine that’s Never Routine, by Maj. Jennifer Gerhardt, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
