Deployment readiness a vital skill Published March 7, 2008 By Holly Birchfield 78th ABW/PA Robins Air Force Base, GA -- Being ready to deploy is a key factor for the Operational Readiness Inspection in April. It's a skill Robins Airmen are on top of. Col. Patrick Higby, 78th Mission Support Group commander, who is the daytime Warrior Air Base commander and Emergency Operations Center director for the ORI, said Airmen are showing they're ready for game day. "The ORI is sort of the Super Bowl for us in terms of determining our warfighting readiness," he said. "We deploy real world every day in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. We do it extremely well. We're the number seven deployer in the U.S. Air Force in terms of our throughput to support wars." Colonel Higby said in Phase I, Air Force Materiel Command's inspector general team will evaluate how Robins rallies its forces, gains accountability and processes Airmen for deployment. In Phase II, Airmen's ability to deploy will be put to the test. "Phase II is how we actually fight in the field," Colonel Higby said. "Can we demonstrate the ability to survive and operate? How do we demonstrate self-aid buddy care? How do we demonstrate our combat arms training and maintenance skills?" Colonel Higby said Robins's deployment skills are improving. "The improvements have been phenomenal," he said. "When I look back to October, there was a lot of disorganization and uncertainty about what we were doing and what our mission was. Since then, we've really come a long way." Lt. Col. Monica Kopf, 78th MSG deputy commander and nighttime WAB commander and EOC director, said people are on the path to ORI success. "There have been significant improvements between the initial exercises and now," she said. "People have checklist discipline. They're complying with the ground rules we've established and they need to keep it up." Colonel Kopf said Airmen need to be well versed on the Airman's Manual so they can find answers in situations they're unfamiliar with. While having a sense of urgency is critical for the ORI, the right attitude can score points with inspectors. "They need to make sure their attitude is in the right place," she said. "If you keep the right attitude throughout the game, you're going to do well." Chief Master Sgt. David Berry, 78th MSG superintendent who will help unit deployment managers prepare their Airmen for Phase I, said Airmen need to remain flexible. "Sleep will be missed," he said. "There will be some meals missed. There will be long hours worked. So, Airmen need to get ready for that." Whether in a leading or supporting role, everyone is important to the ORI, Colonel Higby said.