Fit to fly: Generating aircraft

by Airman 1st Class Zachary Kee
35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

3/20/2013 - MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- When it comes to the task of generating F-16 Fighting Falcons and the first line of defense, Senior Airman Teddy Longnecker, 13th Aircraft Maintenance Unit avionics technician, said the rule is simple, "don't fail". 

One of thousands of Airmen, Longnecker, was put to the challenge of participating in an Operational Readiness Exercise, March 18.

ORE evaluations assess the wing' s ability to respond to accidents, disasters, increased states of readiness and deployments in support of worldwide contingency operations. Squadrons were stressed to see how well they would react to generating aircraft and preparing personnel and cargo processing for deployment.

Maintainers were required to generate multiple aircraft in less than 24 hours. Longnecker said the job was like preparing jets for war and that the main function of a generation is to load live ammunition, called combat loads, to prepare a jet to head into battle.

Longnecker added it's also an opportunity for maintainers to show that they're on their game and assess their readiness and execution.

While overseas, it may seem exercises happen often, but what is asked of service members is ever-changing.

"There is always something new and different; and the fact that we have new Airmen coming in fresh out of training and have never done a 12-hour shift makes it a good experience," said Longnecker, who is nearing his four-year point at the job. "Exercises prepare us just in case the real thing was to happen."