ORE back again: maintainers twist buzz into roar

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kenna Jackson
  • 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  It's the beginning of an operational readiness exercise here and the base is buzzing with energy. Thanks to a group of Airmen with more busted knuckles than days off, that buzz will soon turn into a roar.

For those who don't know, the ORE is designed to test Airmen on their knowledge of individual duty requirements and proper wartime techniques.

The ORE is divided into two phases intended to assess the wing' s capability to deploy personnel and aircraft, as well as test the Airmen' s ability to survive and operate in simulated wartime contingencies. All while fulfilling their primary duty of defending the base, often times bearing the extra toll of wearing chemical protection gear.

For the maintainers on the flight line, however, it's just another day in the office ... or in this case, hangar.

"Really, it's business as usual out here," said Staff Sgt. Michael Schafer, 35th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, referring to life on the flightline. "Aside from having to wear the phase two chemical gear, there's really very little different about our day."

According to Schafer, a maintainer's job doesn't change just because there is an exercise. As a maintainer, evaluation and timeliness are part of the career field. So, aside from simulating being in a war time scenario, nothing' s drastically different.

Schafer does admit though, the work tempo has increased, if only slightly. The requirement of wearing chemical protection gear while doing their job can make things nearly unbearable as well.

He pointed out some skinny spots around a jet that can be a struggle to maneuver because of the bulky gear and extra 20 or 30 pounds of added weight.

"It can be a real pain sometimes because you're getting frustrated, but it's something that we have to deal with," he said. "It's our job; we've got to do it."

While mounds of sweat and frustration build up during shifts stretching well beyond 12 hours, they're quickly taken over by a sense of family, for those who adopt the hangar as a "home away from home".

"When you like the people you work with, you tend to talk more," said Schaefer. "Communication is key to doing the best we can in keeping the mission going."

The mission of the 35th Fighter Wing is the suppression of enemy air defenses, and could not be done without the critical work of maintainers on the ground.

"The ORE challenges us and gives us the opportunity to prove we are mission capable," said Schaefer. "It also helps to re-familiarize ourselves with regulations for pre-deployment situations. The last thing the wing needs is to panic when the situation requires us to keep our head on straight."

Whether it's training or a real world contingency, the Airmen of the 35 FW are prepared to complete the mission at a moment's notice.

"We're good at what we do," said Senior Airman Jacob Gonzalez, 35th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief. "Nothing' s going to stop us from getting jets in the air."