Ensuring personal mobility readiness is everyone's responsibility Published Feb. 12, 2008 By Holly Birchfield 78th ABW/PA Robins Air Force Base, GA -- While mission readiness is everyone's personal responsibility, Maj. Curtis Lee, an operations officer in the 78th Logistics Readiness Squadron, said Robins Air Force Base has measures in place to help them get there. Major Lee, who has been an operations officer in his unit for almost two months, said Robins installation deployment officer, Bill Haffner, who works in the 78th LRS, ensures that people and equipment that are needed for a mission are ready to deploy when called upon. Unit deployment managers are one resource the IDO uses to ensure Airmen are ready to deploy, Major Lee said. "Each one of the squadrons on the base has its own unit deployment manager, and every squadron has the responsibility to get its people ready. Whether it's getting people to get their wills or power of attorney, going by the (Airman and Family Readiness Center), (ensuring) the medical readiness, the unit deployment manager is actually the agent for the commander (to get the unit's people ready)." Major Lee said the 78th LRS sends any necessary guidance for deploying Airmen out through the IDO and UDMs. Guidance is specific to where Airmen deploy. Often, the 78th LRS will form a processing line to ensure Airmen have the necessary items before heading out. These processing lines give Airmen a centralized location to tie up loose ends before deploying. Still the responsibility lies with the Airman, Major Lee said. "Sometimes, people show up and they look down at their folder and it might be the first time they've looked at that information," he said. "It's really incumbent on that member to (be proactive)," he said. "Even if I were to issue someone an A bag and then (he or she) is getting ready to deploy, if you don't pack that stuff in your luggage when you get ready to go, we don't have time to check your bags." Major Lee said Airmen are responsible for packing what they need for deployment; however, if there are any questions, unit deployment managers can provide answers. Major Scott Hall, 78th LRS commander, said Airmen need to familiarize themselves with their personal readiness folders. "I encourage Airmen to go out there and look at their personal readiness folders," he said. "Go see who (your) UDM is and ask (him or her) if there's anything (you) need to get done and if there is, get it done before we have an Operational Readiness Exercise." Major Hall said points of contact for the items in the folder are ready to help Airmen. The 78th LRS commander said he thinks Robins could do better in personal mobility readiness. "We need our Airmen out there to raise their game and take personal responsibility to ensure that their items are good to go," he said. Master Sgt. Kimberly Charney, Plans and Readiness Section chief for the Services Division in the 78th Mission Support Group, said her people are 100 percent trained and ready for ORI 2008. The division's 30 plus members have been practicing self-aid and buddy care, putting up tents, and brushing up on a host of training since the August, September 2007 timeframe. While some new Airmen may be nervous, Sergeant Charney said she's confident her folks are ready. "We have a lot of new Airmen and they are really enthused and excited about the training because for a lot of them it's their first time ever doing something like this," she said. "They're eager to learn and they've really been doing well." Sergeant Charney said as the April deadline nears, her team is stepping up to the challenge. "We're looking to get an outstanding, if not an excellent," she said. "With all of the training that we've been doing, the only thing that I would think could probably get them would be their nerves." Sergeant Charney said Airmen should stay on top of their information. "Any time there is a change with your situation, let your UDM know exactly what's going on," she said. "Keep your training up to date. Everyone knows which training is due and when it's due. If it's once-a-year training and it's going to expire in October, you know at least by August, September you need to have that training done again." Sergeant Charney said Robins knows what it takes to deploy and now is the time to show it.