Senior Airman Devin Britton, 446th Security Forces Squadron, detains a mock suspect played by Tech. Sgt. Eric Ellis, 446th SFS, while training here, July 14. Reservists from the 446th SFS are preparing for their unit’s first ever participation in an Operational Readiness Inspection at Volk Field, Wis., in October. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Elizabeth Moody)
Reservists from the 446th Security Forces Squadron at McChord Field, Wash., render self-aid buddy care while training July 14, 2012. Tech. Sgt. Randall Cross (left) and Senior Airman James Dean (right) dress mock head injury wounds for a victim of sniper fire, played by Senior Airman Joshua Hartford. Pictured center is Staff Sgt. Christopher Janson, providing first-aid instruction. Members of the 446th SFS are preparing for their unit’s first ever participation in an Operational Readiness Inspection at Volk Field, Wis., in October. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Elizabeth Moody)
(Left to right) Senior Airman James Trevizo and Staff Sgt. Samuel Roman, 446th Security Forces Squadron at McChord Field, Wash., practice barrel changes on an M240 7.62mm machine gun from a defensive fighting position while training July 14, 2012. Reservists from the 446th SFS are preparing for their unit’s first ever participation in an Operational Readiness Inspection at Volk Field, Wis., in October. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Elizabeth Moody)
Tech. Sgt. Peter Ahn, 446th Security Forces Squadron here, renders self-aid buddy care by applying a tourniquet to a mock leg injury while training at McChord Field, Wash., July 14, 2012. Reservists from the 446th SFS are preparing for their unit’s first ever participation in an Operational Readiness Inspection at Volk Field, Wis., in October. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Elizabeth Moody)
(Left) Senior Airman Barrett Horn, 446th Security Forces Squadron at McChord Field, Wash., stands guard over a mock suspect (right) played by Tech. Sgt. David Buchanan, 446th SFS, while training July 14, 2012. Pictured center is Staff Sgt. Casey Drab, 446th SFS, who is conducting an initial vehicle search for explosives. Members of the 446th SFS are preparing for their unit’s first ever participation in an Operational Readiness Inspection at Volk Field, Wis., in October. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Elizabeth Moody)
(Left to right) Tech. Sgt. Alfredo Garza, 446th Security Forces Squadron at McChord Field, Wash., learns how to operate a 10K all terrain lifter from Master Sgt. Michael Pate, 446th SFS training NCOIC. Reservists from the 446th SFS are preparing for the September Operational Readiness Exercise and October Operational Readiness Inspection during their Unit Training Assembly, July 14-15, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Elizabeth Moody)
Reservists from the 446th Security Forces Squadron at McChord Field, Wash., practice Mission-Oriented Protective Posture level two, or MOPP 2, by donning chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosive protective wear, July 14, 2012. The 446th SFS is preparing for their unit’s first ever participation in an Operational Readiness Inspection at Volk Field, Wis., in October. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Elizabeth Moody)
by Tech. Sgt. Elizabeth Moody
446th Airlift Wing, Public Affairs
7/16/2012 - MCCHORD FIELD, Wash. -- Many people ease into a Saturday morning with the morning paper in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. Reservists from the 446th Security Forces Squadron here are a little different.
Wanting to do more than just augment active duty security forces, the Defenders volunteered to participate in an upcoming Operational Readiness Exercise and Operational Readiness Inspection.
This meant getting up in the wee hours of the morning and easing into July's Unit Training Assembly by suiting up with protective overgarments and practicing Mission-Oriented Protective Posture level two, or MOPP 2.
Early-rising civilians might be searching for the brew buttons on their coffee makers while the eager Citizen Airmen continued their ORI preparations by setting up entry control points and vehicle and personnel search areas, establishing a Base Defense Operations Center, a landline and radio communications system and multiple defensive fighting positions.
"The 446th SFS has never participated in an ORI because historically our mission was backfilling for the active duty and providing law enforcement," said Maj. Raymond Schierhoff, 446th SFS commander. "We used to be a strategic Reserve but we are quickly becoming an operational Reserve."
The Defenders had a long list of things to do before they could even think about what was on the day's lunch menu.
"When boots hit the ground at the ORI, we have a limited amount of time to set up operations," said Schierhoff, who is also a Washington State trooper. "They are working hard now to prepare them for the ORE in September and ORI in October."
Two squads from the 446th SFS trained for a number of scenarios in a mock deployment to a remote air base with an enemy that has various weapons capabilities, said Senior Master Sgt. Michelle Helpenstell, 446th SFS operations superintendent.
"We have a lot of knowledge and experience in our unit," said Helpenstell. "As a leader it's very important to ask what scenarios our forces want to see and train for because through the line, they know what they need to practice; we try to make our training as realistic as possible."
Gaining support from the active duty and other Reserve units at McChord Field, was a crucial step in preparing the 446th SFS for the ORE and ORI.
"I can't emphasize enough how much our active duty and Reserve counterparts have supported us," said Helpenstell. "From providing sandbags, barriers and vehicles, the active duty and other Reserve units have bent over backwards to help provide the equipment necessary for us to train effectively."
"The process of training for the OER and ORI preparation has had a dual effect," said Master Sgt. Michael Pate, 446th SFS training NCOIC. "We've had to take that training with our new wartime task mission and give our newer members an overall view of our future mission for security forces. The preparation has shown us our strength and weaknesses, our equipment and personnel shortfalls and now we have a forward-looking goal of our next fiscal year to continue to train and prepare for any wartime tasking."