Wing awaits ORI results

Staff Sgt. Joe Embrey, 442nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, loads liquid oxygen onto an A-10 Thunderbolt II from the 442nd Fighter Wing during an operational readiness inspection October 24, 2009, at Whiteman AFB, Missouri. The wing's pilots depend on the liquid oxygen, or LOX, to supply breathing oxygen during flight operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kenny Holston) Hi-res

by Maj. David Kurle
442nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

10/27/2009 - WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- The field exercise portion of the 442nd Fighter Wing's operational readiness inspection ended early in the morning Oct. 27 but the wing is still awaiting its "report card" from the Air Combat Command Inspector General team.

The IG team arrived Oct. 23 to evaluate and validate the Air Force Reserve wing's combat capability, which was followed by three days of field exercises to simulate a wartime environment to test the wing's ability to survive and operate, launch and recover combat A-10 sorties and strike enemy ground targets.

While he didn't yet know the wing's inspection grade, Col. Mark Clemons, 442nd Fighter Wing commander said, "I saw this wing perfom at a level far above any of the exercises we held to prepare for the ORI.

"I saw outstanding motivation, a great sense of humor and a wing that sprinted during the entire inspection and never let up," he said. "We have proven we can execute our mission no matter the magnitude of challenges."

Currently, the ACC inspection team is tabulating and validating the results of the inspection, which are expected to be announced Oct. 29.

This was the wing's first operational readiness inspection since 1997.



Lt. Col. Mike Bever, an A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot in the 303rd Fighter Squadron, heads to the flightline with a positive mental attitude during the 442nd Fighter Wing's October 2009 operational readiness inspection at Whiteman AFB, Missouri. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kent L. Kagarise) Hi-res

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