Beverly Sunrise sets on Misawa

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Eric Fontanilla, 13th Aircraft Maintenance Unit weapons load crew chief, ensures munitions are properly fitted to an F-16 Fighting Falcon at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Dec. 4, 2014. Fontanilla and his team worked quickly to arm the aircraft during exercise Beverly Sunrise 15-1. Misawa, along with other wings in the Pacific Air Forces are working together in a newly designed exercise system. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Patrick S. Ciccarone/Released)

Beverly Sunrise sets on Misawa

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Eric Fontanilla, 13th Aircraft Maintenance Unit weapons load crew chief, consults a technical order checklist at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Dec. 4, 2014. Fontanilla and his weapons load crew team worked together to arm an F-16 Fighting Falcon in support of exercise Beverly Sunrise 15-1. During this exercise, several F-16s and approximately 200 Misawa Airmen will deploy to support exercise operations, making this exercise the first of its kind. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Patrick S. Ciccarone/Released)

Beverly Sunrise sets on Misawa

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Kaitlyn McKenzie, 35th Maintenance Group weapons load crew member, and Staff Sgt. Eric Fontanilla, 13th Aircraft Maintenance Unit weapons load crew chief, tighten a stabilizer fin on an AIM-120 missile at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Dec. 4, 2014. During exercise Beverly Sunrise 15-1, McKenzie and fellow load crew members ensured munitions were properly affixed to all aircraft. Several F-16s and over 200 Airmen will deploy in support of this newly redesigned exercise in the Pacific region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Patrick S. Ciccarone/Released)

Airmen tested in new ORE procedures

Published Dec. 4, 2014
By Staff Sgt. Alyssa C. Wallace
35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Personnel from the 35th Fighter Wing responded to a no-notice recall Dec. 3 in support of Beverly Sunrise 15-1 operational readiness exercise operations.

Following an evaluation from Pacific Air Force's Inspector General Team, multiple PACAF bases, including Misawa, reconstructed exercises to more effectively carry out mission requirements. The largest modification led to approximately 200 Airmen and several F-16 Fighting Falcons deploying during this exercise to an alternate location within the Pacific Theater.

In the past, Airmen would practice the wartime mission in two phases at home station; this marks the first time, in recent years, Airmen have relocated with Misawa-based aircraft in support of an operational readiness exercise.

For crew chiefs on the flight line, this new way of exercising allowed them to practice real-world scenarios and streamline processes.

"During regular operations we usually know which jets we need to get ready for flying," said Staff Sgt. Justin Fernando, 35th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "This is different because we didn't know what was going to come of it. We were flying normal tempo yesterday, and now we're flying at a higher tempo today."

As with implementing any new procedure, there were a few obstacles the crew chiefs had to overcome. Each jet required an inspection before being cleared "green" for takeoff, but with several team members scheduled to deploy, there were only a handful of crew chiefs available to complete this daunting task.

"We've been getting everything done as fast as we can," said Fernando. "We had a jet down earlier for heavy maintenance, but we were able to ops check it with the pilots on the spot and get it ready to go within five minutes."

These quick-turn exercises are the new standard for Misawa Airmen.