Base medical personnel run the 'victim' of a simulated attack through a decontamination tent Tuesday at Misawa Air Base, Japan. (T.D. Flack/Stars and Stripes)
Base medical personnel run the 'victim' of a simulated attack through a decontamination tent Tuesday at Misawa Air Base, Japan. (T.D. Flack/Stars and Stripes)
An F-16 Fighting Falcon takes off Wednesday from Misawa Air Base, Japan, on the final day of an operational readiness exercise. Pilots use the F-16's afterburner, delivering about 27,000 pounds of thrust, to rotate skyward as quickly as possible. (Samuel Morse/Courtesy of the U.S. Air Force)
Front-end loaders from the 35th Civil Engineer Squadron airfield damage repair flight clear debris after a simulated missile impact Monday during an operational readiness exercise at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The mock runway area gives the flight the ability to practice its craft without damaging the active runway or taxiways. (Samuel Morse/Courtesy of the U.S. Air Force)
Staff Sgt. Rebecca Lozano, an allergy immunizations technician, administers a shot to Staff Sgt. Aaron Bogdanovic during an operational readiness exercise on Nov. 5, at Misawa Air Base, Japan. (Chad C. Strohmeyer/Courtesy of the U.S. Air Force)
From left, Andrea Slayton, Staff Sgt. Trisha Mickles and Alica Doyle, Non-combatant Evacuation Operations Tracking System administrators, process simulated incoming evacuees in the Mokuteki Community Center during an operational readiness exercise at Misawa Air Base, Japan on Nov. 4. The system allows bases to keep track of evacuees and make sure they arrive at their destination. (Samuel Morse/Courtesy of the U.S. Air Force)
Base firefighters remove a 'victim' from the scene of a simulated accident and fuel truck spill Tuesday during a training exercise at Misawa Air Base, Japan. (T.D. Flack/Stars and Stripes)
Capt. Cole Taylor, left, and Senior Airman Robert Quinn treat Senior Airman Donald Alsept as a 'victim' of a simulated attack during a training exercise Tuesday at Misawa Air Base, Japan. (T.D. Flack/Stars and Stripes)
A base firefighter responds to the scene of a simulated accident and fuel truck spill Tuesday during a training exercise at Misawa Air Base, Japan. (T.D. Flack/Stars and Stripes)
Staff Sgt. Joshua Eisenman responds to the scene of a simulated accident and fuel truck spill on Tuesday at Misawa Air Base, Japan. (T.D. Flack/Stars and Stripes)
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan — Misawa airmen were put to the test during the past week, as exercise officials gauged their proficiency in deploying troops and supporting combat operations once in theater.
The two-phased exercise, which kicked off Nov. 4 and wrapped up Wednesday, was carried out within the base fence line, except for the F-16 sorties.
Participants said that the realism of the exercise was key to getting the most out of the training.
“It’s a little overwhelming,” said Staff Sgt. Joshua Eisenman, one of two troops to initially respond Tuesday to a simulated accident and fuel truck spill.
While the accident was staged, the hundreds of gallons of water spilling out of a tank helped represent what they could have found in a real-world scenario, said Eisenman.
As water leaked across the pavement, slowly draining into a ditch, Eisenman scrambled to set up barriers to prevent the spillage from spreading.
At the same time, Tech. Sgt. Quentin Sanchez evaluated the condition of five airmen who were spread out around the scene and acting as victims.
Moments later, base firefighters arrived and took charge of the scene, evacuating the “wounded.”
