War in Dogpatch

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Andrew Biscoe
  • 439th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Members of the 439th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron honed their wartime skills Oct. 1-2 at the Dogpatch training area. The training took place amid perfect fall weather conditions in the training area.

“This is what is so great, seeing our younger troops benefiting from this training,” said Chief Master Sgt. Catherine J. Skalecki, AES standardization evaluation chief. “We have junior enlisted and junior officers out here.” 

AES members trained while huddled under a large tent, known as a mobile aeromedical staging facility. Chief Skalecki said all reservists with unit tasking codes (UTCs) took part in the training which also included ability to survive and operate (ATSO) training held Oct. 2. Other 439th units that participated included civil engineering, services, airlift control flight and the aeromedical staging squadron.

Elsewhere at Westover, there was more evidence of base-wide preparation for the “big wing” Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI). Members of the 439th Logistics Readiness and Communications squadrons, suited up in full MOPP gear, performed sweeps by the Westover Conference Center. 

More than 600 wing members will deploy in August 2006 for the “big wing” ORI. The inspection will evaluate the Patriot Wing’s ability to deploy and sustain its forces in a wartime setting.