35th Fighter Wing scores 'Satisfactory' on ORI

  • Published
  • By Airman Kenna Jackson
  • 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  Col. Michael Rothstein, 35th Fighter Wing commander, held an operational readiness inspection out-brief for airmen at the Enlisted Club's ballroom here, Dec. 11.

During the briefing, Rothstein congratulated the wing for passing last week's rigorous, 7-day inspection with an overall "Satisfactory" rating.

"The satisfactory means that we know how to do our job," said Rothstein.

Rothstein added that airmen responded to event scenarios with motivation and impressive adaptability which helped allow Pacific Air Forces' inspector general team to give the wing the Air Force's stamp of approval.

ORIs are conducted to evaluate a unit's ability to perform its wartime or contingency missions. A five-tier rating system - outstanding, excellent, satisfactory, marginal and unsatisfactory - is used for major graded areas and overall wing performance.

The IG team's mission is to provide the Pacific Air Forces commander an independent assessment of the wing's ability to prepare for and conduct combat operations within a robust and realistic Pacific scenario.

The team graded the wing on four major categories: positioning forces, employing forces, sustaining forces and the ability to survive and operate.

Although it may have been the first time for many to be inspected by the IG team, airmen were not unfamiliar with processing through mobility lines, deploying to simulated war zones and being poised to carry out their war-time missions.

To prepare for the ORI, the wing participated in many different exercises throughout the year. Airmen worked their way through four operational readiness exercises, two combat employment readiness exercises and two initial readiness response exercises.
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During the ORI, airmen from across the wing worked as combat enablers as they set up their units in their deployed environment. In addition to generating and launching the wing's war-fighting F-16 Fighting Falcons, the airmen also repaired airfield and facilities, defended the base from multiple simulated attacks, and identified post-attack hazards.

Other members of wing leadership echoed Rothstein's praise on a job well done.

Lt. Col. Steven Jantz, 35th Operational Support Squadron commander, said he is extremely proud of the members of the 35 OSS and their outstanding efforts to repel simulated aggression from adversaries in the Pacific.

"Through accurate weather forecasting and reporting, aggressive airfield management, amazing aircrew flight equipment efforts, effective intelligence dissemination, timely personnel recovery coordination, flawless command and control, and expert mission planning, they enabled 154 combat sorties in three days," said Jantz.

At the end of the ORI out-briefing, Rothstein said he is very happy with the IG team's grade, bearing in mind the wing's constant execution of ongoing missions, real-world deployments and answering the call to provide disaster relief during Operation TOMODACHI.

"I could not be more proud of this wing," said Rothstein.

Generally, ORIs are conducted every 18 to 24 months, and can be followed by an extensive unit compliance inspection which evaluates a wing's programs and policies. The wing's UCI is scheduled for August 2012.