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Fairchild prepares for strategic defense exercise

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Connie L. Bias
  • 92nd ARW Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  The 92nd Air Refueling Wing's day-to-day operations fall generally under the U.S. Transportation Command, the combatant command that provides air, land and sea transportation for the Department of Defense. 

The work load for this responsibility is daunting; USTRANSCOM air missions alone average more than 1,900 each week, with an additional 25 ships in use and 10,000 ground troops operating in more than 75 percent of the world's countries. The Air Mobility Command provides airlift, air refueling and aeromedical evacuation services within this mission, and Fairchild supports this with its aircrews and KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft. 

The wing also supports a strategic deterrence mission. For this responsibility, the 92nd ARW answers to the U.S. Strategic Command, headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. The command's mission includes global deterrence and combating adversarial weapons of mass destruction. Called a "global integrator," USSTRATCOM leads such missions as space operations, information operations and integrated missile defense, among others. 

Fairchild is gearing up for an exercise, date to be announced, that will "focus on the wing's readiness to support this strategic mission," according to Col. Scott Hanson, 92nd ARW commander. 

"The critical nature of strategic defense demands that the men and women of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing give their full attention and support to this exercise," the colonel said. "Put your minds and abilities into global response mode - if we're called to provide support to a large-scale, strategic-level emergency, we must be ready." 

Exercise features may include full aircraft and aircrew generation, alert force command and control, aircrew and command post controller testing, and an alert force response, said Herb Henderson of wing plans. This alert force exercise is a "critical part" of the event and will include the sounding of klaxon horns and flashing of red lights at many Fairchild intersections. 

"These audio and visual alarms indicate that a response to alert aircraft is in progress," said Mr. Henderson. He added that during the alert force response, alert vehicles may drive through two- or four-way intersections without stopping. 

"Drivers should pull to the side of the road and let the responding vehicles pass," he said. "Proceed with caution when the flashing intersection lights go out." 

As wing leadership solidifies exercise dates and specifics, personnel involved will receive additional information and directives. In the meantime, Fairchild Airmen should know they're vital to the country's strategic defense mission, said Colonel Hanson. "This is huge," the commander stressed. "I want every Airman working on the base from the flightline to the front gate to understand their role in the strategic defense of our country. This exercise is critical training for everyone."

(Information from www.stratcom.mil and www.transcom.mil was used in this story.)