'XP' helps base prepare, perform mission

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jason Burton
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Exercises and inspections are a common part of Air Force life, however, few Airmen are fully aware of the complexities involved in preparing a wing for these events. 

The 39th Air Base Wing Plans and Readiness office, commonly recognized as 'XP,' organizes, plans and implements all of the different exercises to prepare the wing for real-world events and outside agency inspections. 

"We help the base prepare and perform its chartered mission," said Maj. Jeff Katzman, 39 ABW Plans and Readiness chief. "Through exercises and outside inspections, we ensure the wing is ready." 

While each base has certain exercises required by Air Force Instructions, installations must also focus exercise scenarios based on local threats. For instance, Incirlik focuses on surety; force protection; CBRNE; extreme weather; natural disaster; and Non-combatant Evacuation Operations exercises. 

Regardless of the type of exercise, XP plans and coordinates these events with the assistance of the Exercise Evaluation Team 

"Depending on the scope of the exercise, it takes at least two weeks to prepare for it," said Captain Robert Merwin, 39 ABW Plans and Readiness office deputy chief. "If the inspection involves an outside agency, it could take two to three months." 

The Mass Casualty Response exercise at the Incirlik Unit School in December is a recent example. 

"This exercise took several more weeks of advanced planning to ensure parents, teachers and faculty knew what was happening and what the objectives of the exercise were," said Major Katzman. 

Exercise planning cannot be accomplished by the three man XP office alone. For that reason, XP is augmented by the 70 base members who comprise the EET. 

"We rely heavily on EET subject matter experts within each unit," said Maj. Katzman. "As an office, we focus the wing's efforts during exercises and make sure the right people are in the right place at the right time." 

Since every exercise has its own unique elements, each is planned somewhat differently, however, each planning phase follows a similar pattern, explained Captain Merwin. 

The XP office will determine the requirements and scope of the proposed exercise, identify the exercise's main players, and schedule a meeting with the main players to discuss exercise objectives and scenarios. 

"We look back and examine what we've done in past exercises," said Captain Merwin. "Then we analyze the findings from previous exercises to see if there's anything we need to focus on." 

The XP and EET members then develop realistic, locally based scenarios and a schedule of events known as the Master Schedule Events Listing. 

Following this, the EET members develop exercise injection cards based on the MSEL. These 'inject cards' are given to exercise participants to inform them of exercise events such as attacks or injuries. Prior to the exercise, XP and EET members meet once more to finalize the scenario's schedule and determine where EET members will inspect and when they will drop inject cards. 

"In concept, the planning sounds simple," said Captain Merwin. "However, it takes a lot of time and effort to get the scenario and schedule right." 

When the exercise is complete, XP has even more to do. 

"Once you hear endex, that's when we really start working," said Captain Merwin. "We start gathering inputs, findings and corrective actions from our subject matter experts to use during the evaluation process." 

After all of the findings and observations from the EET members are collected, XP begins tracking write-ups and discrepancies. 

"Once findings are identified, it's incumbent upon this office to track them to fruition," said Major Katzman. "We provide unbiased, feedback to commanders so they can make adjusts to their programs or refocus a training event." 

When providing feedback to commanders, XP does not just focus on negative findings. 

"During every exercise we make a concerted effort to focus on the positive," Major Katzman said. "We try to identify superior performers, best practices and strengths of individuals and teams so we can give positive feedback as well as constructive criticism." 

Major Katzman said XP, with the help of base EET members, ensures Incirlik Airmen perform the job they are trained to accomplish. 

"We want the wing to be successful," he said. "This office is a resource for the wing, commanders and even Airmen at every level. We help them understand how they're performing their mission and make sure they're earning the trust America places in them." 

With the constant rotation of Airmen, the 39th ABW Plans and Readiness office remains gainfully employed keeping Incirlik Airmen ready to Ensure Freedoms Future.