Bloody Hundredth Airmen test base readiness

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  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

The 100th Air Refueling Wing held a readiness exercise Feb. 10-12 that tested agility and measured responses throughout the wing.

The main purpose of the exercise was to demonstrate how rapidly 100th ARW Airmen are able to organize an entire wing when faced with possible real-world scenarios.

“The overall objective was to see how our Bloody Hundredth Airmen would be able to execute the mission through Agile Combat Employment, which allows for us to deter, defend and win,” said Senior Master Sgt. Aaron Winslow, 100th ARW inspector general superintendent.

The exercise focused on cargo deployment processing, aircraft generation, intelligence gathering and distribution as well as emergency situations and more.

“They’re so vital to our everyday mission because exercises reveal to decision makers at all levels how ready we are as a force,” Winslow said. “We’re also given the chance to show our major command leadership how prepared we are to face anything which comes our way.”

There are always different objectives to be met for every exercise, but mission readiness and efficiency with which a mission is conducted is a priority.

“The bottom line is, when real-world meets exercise situations, you have a lot of competing priorities and our decision makers are often required to make decisions which aren’t necessarily in favor of one thing or another,” Winslow stated. “A balanced response is what’s needed most and our Airmen and leadership were able to come together as a team and execute to the best of their abilities.”

This exercise was performed in alignment with 100th ARW commander Col. Troy Pananon’s goal of having the 100th ARW become an even more prepared and proficient unit, capable of dealing with any critical situation.

“Exercises like this hone our abilities to execute rapidly across the spectrum of conflict,” Pananon said. “Our Airmen put in the maximum effort needed to take on any real-world challenges and adversaries which may come about in either Europe or Africa. We will continue to train in any way we can to ensure the Bloody Hundredth remains at the highest state of readiness.”