CAFB receives satisfactory ORI rating

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Danielle Hill
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
Columbus AFB received a 'satisfactory' rating on its 2008 Operational Readiness Inspection.

More than 100 inspection team members evaluated every aspect of Columbus AFB during a ten-day evaluation period.

The 14th Flying Training Wing also received one outstanding rating, 11 excellent ratings and eight satisfactory ratings among its subordinate groups and squadrons. The 14th Operations Group and 14th Medical Group received overall excellent ratings. The 14th Mission Support received an overall satisfactory rating. The Commander Items also received an excellent overall rating.

"My hats off to you for completing this tough ORI," said Col. Troy Dixon, Air Education and Training Command Deputy Inspector General, during the final outbrief at Kaye Auditorium Tuesday.

The AETC IG team recognized five top performers at the ceremony Tuesday. These performers proved to be outstanding in their duties. The top performers were: Maj. Eric Fiederer, 49th Flying Training Squadron; Master Sgt. Larry Conger, 14th Contracting Squadron; Tech. Sgt. Tara White, 14th FTW Legal office; Airman 1st Class James Lucarz, 14th Security Forces Squadron; and Linc Weinrich, 14th Civil Engineer Squadron. 

The three major parts of the ORI were the Unit Compliance Inspection, the Major Accident Response Exercise, and the Deployment Exercise. The UCI is the largest part and was conducted to ensure Columbus AFB follows all the Air Force regulations and instructions. Second, during the MARE, CAFB personnel exercised operations and control centers, recall and Force Protection Conditions systems and responded to a variety of exercise scenarios. During the deployment exercise, CAFB simulated the deployment of more than 50 Airmen to a forward location and tested their ability to survive and operate under simulated conventional, biological and chemical attacks.

"A satisfactory rating means you are meeting the requirements of the mission," said Maj. Gen. Irving Halter, 19th Air Force commander. "It is a tough business but you did it just like we knew you could."

"My team of Headquarters Air Education and Training Command inspectors was unanimously impressed with the drive and expertise of the personnel we encountered in virtually every work center across the wing" noted Col Ward Juedeman, Chief of Inspections. "An ORI is not an easy inspection ad meeting mission requirements is a challenge - but the 14th Flying training Wing rose to that challenge."

Colonel Dave Gerber, 14th FTW commander, congratulated the BLAZE Team on a job well done.

"Now we can take the things we learned during the ORI and improve on them," said Col. Gerber. "We do an excellent job on our mission here and I am happy to have the privilege to lead you."

Colonel Gerber also recognized BLAZE Team members for their top performance during the inspection and during the months of preparation that went into it. The recipients of the BLAZE bullets that Col. Gerber handed out were: Lt. Col. Tor Dietrichs, 14th FTW; Lt. Col. Keith Kenne, 14th MSG; Maj. Paul Porter, 14th CONS commander; Lt. Col. Cory Bennett, 14th FTW Wing Plans; Maj. Brandon Thomas, 14th FTW Wing Plans; Chief Master Sgt. Ray Paul, 14th MDG; Elise Branson, 14th Logistics Readiness; Capt. Mark Miedziak, 14th Operations Support Squadron; Waimon Hendrix, 14th CONS; Maj. Jeff Buckland, 50th Flying Training Squadron; Beth Sherman, 14th MDG; Maj. Jennifer Fiederer, 41st Flying Training Squadron; Luis Valentin, DynCorp; Jackie Ehrhart, DynCorp; Winston Partin, DynCorp; Tech. Sgt. Paul Treece, 14th FTW; Capt. Cory Fullmer, 14th FTW; Howard McCollum, 14th FTW; Tech. Sgt. Chris Barnett, 14th SFS; Senior Airman Ben Brown, 14th CONS; Christina Conwill, 14th Force Support Squadron; Tech. Sgt. Heidi Benge, 14th Medical Operations Squadron; Tech. Sgt. Joseph Edgell, 14th MDOS; and Staff Sgt. Erica Solis, 14th Medical Support Squadron.

Congratulations BLAZE Team for a job well done! Keep up the great work!