Mustangs ace BM 14-02 challenges

A defender from the 51st Security Forces Squadron leads a patrol with members of the Republic of Korea army 4th Battalion during a joint mission as part of Operational Readiness Exercise Beverly Midnight 14-02 in a training area outside Osan Air Base, ROK, Feb. 12, 2014. The 51st SFS and the ROKA train together to enhance cooperation and ensure integration between the services is as smooth as possible during wartime contingency operations. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo/1st Lt. Tate Grogan)

Mustangs ace BM 14-02 challenges

A defender from the 51st Security Forces Squadron and a member of the Republic of Korea army 4th Battalion provide cover from high ground during a joint mission as part of Operational Readiness Exercise Beverly Midnight 14-02 in a training area outside Osan Air Base, ROK, Feb. 12, 2014. Joint training exercises allow the 51st SFS to share their tactical skills and knowledge of the region surrounding the base with their ROKA counterparts. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo/1st Lt. Tate Grogan)

Mustangs ace BM 14-02 challenges

Defenders from the 51st Security Forces Squadron and members of the Republic of Korea army 4th Battalion search for opposition forces role players during a joint mission as part of Operational Readiness Exercise Beverly Midnight 14-02 in a training area outside Osan Air Base, ROK, Feb. 12, 2014. In a real-world operation, the 51st SFS would be responsible for securing the immediate area around the base to help keep the 51st Fighter Wing’s mission up and running. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo/1st Lt. Tate Grogan)

Mustangs ace BM 14-02 challenges

Published Feb. 12, 2014
By Senior Airman Siuta B. Ika
51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- The week-long Operational Readiness Exercise Beverly Midnight 14-02 ended here Feb. 13.

The exercise was conducted in order to test the base's war-time operational capabilities, with special emphasis placed on four different priorities: installation command and control, recovery and defense; maintenance generation; validating combat planning assumptions; and a point of distribution exercise.

"This was a really historic exercise; I know the recall came as a surprise to many of you, but I was impressed with your professionalism in getting the base ready for war in record-setting time," said Col. Brook Leonard, 51st Fighter Wing commander. "We succeed when we challenge ourselves, and as Team Osan we can't wait to meet and overcome challenges."

Perhaps the biggest challenge Airmen faced was getting out of the "exercise" mind set and into the "mission-ready" mind set, said Master Sgt. Carter Urban, 51st FW Inspector General inspections superintendent.

"The biggest thing we're dealing with now is embracing the concept that we're preparing for and ready for war, not just an inspection," Urban said. "That's why during this exercise, we really preached to not just simulate events that you may have in the past, because we want people to start thinking about and doing what they would do normally when an inspector's not watching."

Echoing Leonard and Carter's sentiment, the new 51st FW command chief, Chief Master Sgt. Terrence Greene, said every member of Team Osan must be ready to fight right now, not just during exercises.

"I've only been on the ground now for two weeks, but it's no different than when I got off the aircraft in Kandahar and two days later there was a rocket attack and I had to be ready to fight," Greene said. "This exercise is for us to prepare so that every Airman out there knows what their mission is in defending the Republic of Korea. I was out with Colonel Leonard and was proud to see people getting the mission done with focus and energy. It made me proud to be 'Mustang Chief.'"

As one of the largest forward deployed bases in the world, Osan relies heavily on unpredictable and challenging OREs to ensure their forces stand ready to deter conflict on the ROK at all times.

"The biggest thing to take away from this is that we are a team, and it's the team that's going to succeed in war time," Leonard said. "Not only are we ready to fight tonight, we are ready to fight right now."