28th BW participates in ORE

by Senior Airman Hailey Staker
28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

11/5/2015 - ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE S.D.  -- The 28th Bomb Wing recently participated in a base operational readiness exercise Oct. 20 through 22.

Exercises evaluate the wing's ability to meet wartime and contingency tasks of employing and sustaining forces, and maintaining the ability to survive and operate in a deployed location.

"The intent of this readiness exercise was to evaluate the 28th BW's ability to execute and sustain combat power from a forward operating environment," said Tech. Sgt. Danielle Kahler, 28th Bomb Wing Inspector General Inspections wing inspection team manager. "A variety of base-wide support was evaluated to employ and sustain operations in a contested combat environment, including Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High Yield Explosives (CBRNE) reconnaissance, SABC response and post-attack recovery."

Airmen were also tested on unexploded ordnance identification, marking and evacuation procedures, and contamination avoidance.

"The Air Force defines the most probable threat as tactical ballistic missiles," Kahler said. "Through readiness exercises, we develop tactics and procedures to continue mission operations after conventional and irregular biological warfare attacks."

Conducting exercises would not be possible without Wing Inspection Team members and 28th Civil Engineer Squadron emergency management flight personnel.

"Their dedication to getting the job done correctly and efficiently allowed us to put this exercise together in a timely manner and meet all objectives," Kahler added.

One of the objectives met during the exercise was satisfying pre-deployment requirements.

"The IGI office worked with [28th] CES emergency management and put together a mass CBRNE training class in the Pride Hangar Oct. 19," Kahler said. "This met requirements for more than 180 military members."

In supporting the B1- bomber mission at home and abroad, OREs allow Ellsworth to bridge the gap between training and real world so Airmen can continue to win the fight.