931st MARE share a total-force first

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Jason Schaap
  • 931st Air Refueling Group Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  The 22nd Air Refueling Wing needed some crash victims. The 931st Air Refueling Group needed some exercise training. So they joined forces and another Total Team McConnell milestone was the result.

Airmen from the 22nd ARW, the 931st's host unit here, responded to a simulated KC-135 Stratotanker crash on Sept. 30 as part of a Major Accident Response Exercise. Reservists from the 931st, complete with fake blood and fictitious gore-filled injuries, were strewn about the crash site.

The exercise, or "MARE," as it is more commonly referred to, is an annual event for the 22nd ARW and neighboring emergency response agencies. This was the first year the 931st was included as a main component.

"We need to have a strong exercise program," Col. Edsel "Archie" Frye Jr., the 931st commander, said in a meeting the day prior to the MARE. "This is a good opportunity."

The exercise was centered around a simulated 931st ARG mission involving the transport of Reservists called to duty. KC-135 crew members, other Reservists and some volunteer high schoolers who acted as crash victims represented those who had been called up.

The crash initiated participation for most MARE players, to include local police, paramedics, firemen, hospitals, the Red Cross and Salvation Army. But for 931st unit deployment managers, the crash represented an urgent trip back to the drawing board.

Without the Group's UDMs, there was no crash. They were the ones who managed the many moving parts needed to get 32 Reservists out the deployment door. The taskings were simulated, but the UDM workload was very real. And when their deployers became crash victims, the UDMs went back to square one to meet the Air Force mission.

"We came back to them and acted like (Air Force Reserve Command) wanted replacements," Maj. Martha Kuder, the central MARE coordinator for the 931s, said.

Major Kuder described the UDMs as "the key pivot points of the exercise." The performance of the 931st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron UDM office, led by Tech. Sgt. Trevor Derenthal, and its supporting leadership was "absolutely extraordinary" during the MARE, she added.

"They really embraced the philosophy of leaning forward and doing what is tasked," Major Kuder said.

A humble Sergeant Derenthal deferred commenting about the MARE success to his chain of command. But Maj. Richard Rogers, his squadron commander, was eager to recognize Sergeant Derenthal's proactive approach to the exercise.

"After the crash, he immediately began putting together a list of replacements, ensured their mobility readiness, and loaded them into the system when the replacement tasking came down," Major Rogers said. "This sharp-thinking and lean-forward mindset is key to the UDM shop success and is a testament to previous and current UDMs who have kept this tradition going within the unit."

Roughly 75 members of the 931st participated in the MARE in one way or another, Major Kuder estimated, and UDMs were not the only Airmen put to the test. Other scenarios, derived from real major accidents, were presented to see how Group personnel would respond. Colonel Frye, for example, was said to have given an award-worthy performance playing the part of a crash victim's family member looking for a quick life insurance pay out.

"We threw some crazy things at them," Major Kuder said, "and they remained flexible and proceeded accordingly."

Team McConnell's first total-force MARE let the 931st test its processes during a time of great change. The Group's recruitment numbers are way up and are expected to get even bigger. As the 931st ARG continues to grow, the chances of a McConnell-related accident or incident involving Reservists will increase.

"The 22nd and 931st fly, fight, and win together every day. In a major accident scenario, this relationship also has to be seamless," said Maj. Jeff Mrazik, 22nd ARW Plans and Programs officer. "It really boils down to training like we fight; the more realism that we can bring to any scenario, the better we'll be prepared in an emergency."

More total-force testing for Team McConnell is already on Major Mrazik's calendar. The 931st is scheduled to take part in a 22nd operational readiness exercises in November. And next year's MARE, the major said, will be built upon "the lessons learned" this year to make it "even better."