15th AMOS returns from readiness exercise Published April 3, 2009 By Tech. Sgt. Gregory Powell 15th Air Mobility Operations Squadron TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- More than 70 members of the 15th Air Mobility Operations Squadron recently returned from the Republic of Korea after participating in one of the Department of Defense's largest annual combined war fighting exercises. The exercise, known as Key Resolve, is critical to ensuring peace and stability throughout the Pacific theater by maintaining a strong relationship between Republic of Korea Airmen and the Airmen here. "Our role was to partner with the permanent party members assigned to the 607th Air Mobility Division at Osan Air Base in order to plan and execute the full spectrum of air mobility operations in support of Korea's war plan," explained Lt. Col. Laura Lenderman, 15th AMOS commander and the exercise's Air Mobility Division chief. Key Resolve, which replaced the former Reception, Staging, Onward Movement and Integration Exercise, is an annual, two-week long operational-level ROK-U.S. training exercise held peninsula-wide to ensure readiness of air, space and cyberspace operations in the Korean theater. The purpose of the exercise is to demonstrate coalition resolve in supporting South Korea against external aggression while improving Korean and U.S. combat readiness and joint and combined interoperability. Over the past year, exercise planners from the 15th AMOS attended multiple planning conferences and the squadron's training flight developed a training schedule and objectives to prepare for both the exercise and a simultaneous Operational Readiness Inspection. Additionally, they worked closely with Brig. Gen. Barbara Faulkenberry, 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force commander, who served as the Director of Mobility Forces for the exercise. "Participating in this exercise ensures our wing is ready and able to execute the operational plan in conjunction with our Korean partners and defend the peninsula from North Korean aggression," said Colonel Lenderman. The 15th AMOS, along with other Airmen from the 615th Contingency Response Wing, 349th Airlift Control Flight, 21st AMOS at McGuire AFB, N.J., and Headquarters Air Mobility Command also augmented the 607th Air and Space Operations Center during the exercise. "I am very proud of the AMD's performance during this exercise," said the lieutenant colonel. "We performed extremely well and earned an 'Excellent' rating during the Pacific Air Forces ORI." The AMD mission is to safely plan and execute mobility operations throughout the theater, including airlift, air refueling, aeromedical evacuation and contingency response operations such as opening air bases across the peninsula. The AMD successfully planned more than 1,200 airlift and tanker missions and 1,300 aeromedical evacuations during this exercise. The exercise brought together dozens of Air Force Specialty Codes, defining training objectives and synchronizing the mobilization of Airmen from units throughout the Air Force. The exercise also focused on training the Korean Air Force counterparts in order to ensure seamless operations within the coalition. "The performance of our Airmen during Key Resolve clearly demonstrated that they're focused on precision and reliability when conducting the mission," said Col. John Lipinski, 615th Contingency Response Wing commander. "I saw firsthand their outstanding efforts in planning and executing air mobility operations during the exercise."