ANG unit powers up facilities in exercise

  • Published
  • By Bud Cordova
  • Nucleus writer
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  

The 150th Special Operations Wing Prime Power flight of the New Mexico Air National Guard completed domestic operation training at Volk Field Air National Guard Base on Monday.

 

The training was part of a national training exercise on domestic response to natural disasters and national emergencies.

 

"The exercise is a combination of Army, Air Force and civilian organizations on how all of us come together during a domestic situation," said Chief Master Sgt. Shawn Benoit.

 

The training was called Exercise Patriot North 2016.

 

Prime Power can supply power from seven generators it uses and maintains. The generators can provide power for 30,000 people or to necessary operations such as hospitals or 911 centers.

 

To get to Volk Field, the 17 Airmen convoyed more than 1,400 miles from Kirtland Air Force Base.

 

"The reason for the convoy is the training, because the furthest our (Federal Emergency Management Agency) response (can go) is to the eastern state line of Louisiana," Benoit said.

 

He said it is approximately a 50-mile difference between the convoy to Wisconsin and the distance they could potentially convoy to respond in Louisiana.

 

The first day the convoy left Kirtland, July 14, the unit encountered problems.

 

Two mobile mechanics traveling with the convoy, Senior Airman Bradley Davis and Tech. Sgt. Stephen Galbiso, had to change four tires.

 

The mechanics also had to fix many more issues with the vehicles during the exercise.

 

The trip to Volk Field took three days to complete.

 

Once there, the Prime Power spent six days, of which three days involved doing the exercise.

 

For one of their missions during training, the flight had to provide emergency power to a 911 dispatch center and a fire department.

 

Senior Master Sgt. Isaac Sanchez said the exercise gave the new non-commissioned officers a chance to take leadership.

 

"They got to make the small mistakes and learn and grow from them," Sanchez said.

 

He also said that as a team they experience growth while running two or three missions at once.

 

"We really couldn't have done a mission like this without employer support," said Senior Airman Jeremy Shaw.

 

To prepare for the convoy and training exercise, Airmen spent time during the week and weekends at the 150th SOW, packing and getting supplies ready prior to the date they left.

 

"The days of one weekend a month, two weeks a year, are gone. We rely so heavily on our Airmen and they always answer the call," Sanchez said.

 

During the exercise, Prime Power learned that no matter the planning and strategizing, there are always things overlooked or done without.

 

"We realized we didn't have some tools that would have been helpful once we were up there, but the only way to have ensured to have had them is to pack an entire shop because it's not something we would normally use," Benoit said.

 

The flight was able to overcome the obstacle and accomplish the mission.