Kirtland AFB prepares for ORI

  • Published
  • By Stefan Bocchino
  • 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
Kirtland Air Force Base --  Kirtland Air Force Base will have an Operational Readiness Inspection Sept. 8 through Sept. 20 involving multiple units.

The units involved include the 377th Air Base Wing, 498th Nuclear Systems Wing, 898th Munitions Squadron, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center and Air Force Research Laboratory.

To prepare for this inspection, the base will have an Operational Readiness Exercise from Aug. 5 to 12 said Estevan Trujillo, 377th Air Base Wing installation exercise chief. The exercise will affect key mission partners that are part of the ORI; some public areas could also be affected.

"The 377 ABW ensures that these exercises are mirrored as closely as possible to an actual inspection," said Trujillo. "The intent of the exercise is twofold. One is to prepare the installation for the inspection and to show higher headquarters and the public that we're prepared to do the mission. Secondly, it's to prepare for a genuine deployment, if needed."

ORIs are conducted in accordance with Air Force Instruction 90-201, Inspector General Activities. They are normally conducted every five years, said Trujillo. The last inspection at Kirtland AFB was in May 2006.

There are four major graded areas during the ORI said Trujillo. They are prepare the force, deploy the force, employ the force and the ability to survive and operate.

"During an ORI, every regulation and reference is open to inspection," said Trujillo. "This includes everything you could possibly do, from the traditional deployment function to your homestation mission, including the ability to protect and defend the installation."

Though only selected units are graded during the inspection, all of Kirtland AFB is involved. Different scenarios during the inspection may affect different areas and will require participation by those personnel otherwise not part of the inspection, said Trujillo.

"On Kirtland AFB, we're one team, one family," said Trujillo. "Our hard work and dedication in these exercises show our leaders that we are highly motivated and capable of doing the job."