Busy UTA planned for ORI prep

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jason Schaap
  • 931st ARG Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  With an Operational Readiness Inspection less than two weeks away, those leading the preparation efforts of the 931st came together for their last official meeting June 12.

The Unit Training Assembly just prior to when Group members are expected to leave for the inspection is going to be "long and busy," Senior Master Sgt. Colleen Celeski said to those in attendance, referring to the hours she and fellow 931st Aerospace Medicine Flight Airmen are expecting to work.

But as Lt. Col. Keith Kontz, 931st training chief, put it, "preparation for the ORI is the number one priority for the UTA." It will be a long and busy UTA for many.

Medical discrepancies and training bags were among the top concerns discussed. The goal is to get most, if not all, remaining preparation completed by the end of the UTA Saturday.

Everyone heading to Wisconsin for the ORI should expect to put on their complete chemical suits next UTA, Colonel Kontz said. Col. Edsel "Archie" Frye, 931st ARG Commander, wants all ORI participants to make sure they can get their gear on fast enough to satisfy inspectors. Section leaders were also urged to walk through proper gas mask inspections.

The ORI is based upon a 45-day deployment. All participants, to include Airmen who will only participate in the ORI's Initial Response portion, need to make sure none of their training requirements will expire during deployment.

"Anything that drops out before August 4 ... needs to be brought up to snuff before we go," Colonel Kontz said.

The official order for players to deploy is expected to come on Sunday. The 931st's ORI players are expected to start processing for deployment "real early on Tuesday," Colonel Kontz said. Return times will be determined near the end of the ORI.

Although 54 of the Group's Airmen are scheduled to finish their ORI requirement with the end of the initial response, inspectors will look at them as though they will be deploying for the entire inspection.

"Don't get caught up in the 'I'm-IR-only' mindset," Colonel Kontz warned them. He recently watched the Airmen from the 22nd Air Refueling Wing (the 931st's host and ORI lead unit) struggle with an exercise because they thought "'I'm IR only--I don't
need this bag, I don't need this training.'"

Colonel Kontz ended the meeting demonstrating the proper way to use nerve agent antidote injectors, noting "the one in the Airman's Manual is the old stuff" and the kits ORI participants will receive is the "new stuff."

Unit Deployment Managers, the points of contact for most participant questions, are expected to ensure the new antidote procedures are understood. Planners also passed down revised reporting instructions to distribute to ORI players.

"Scrub (the instructions) close," Colonel Kontz urged, "there's a lot of information in there."