JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson kicked off Polar Force 17-1, the semiannual two-week exercise designed to test JBER’s wartime operational limits, Oct. 31.
The exercise tests the installation in conducting deployments, receptions, noncombatant evacuations and employment operations, said Brad Harris, 673d Air Base Wing inspection planner.
“JBER supports and defends United States interests in the Pacific and around the world, providing units capable of worldwide airpower projection and meeting the Pacific Command theater’s staging and throughput requirements.” Harris said. “In short: global power, global reach, homeland defense, and expeditionary combat support.”
The first week of the exercise primarily involves evaluating JBER’s abilities: rapidly deploying personnel and equipment, staging and integrating forces, as well as conducting noncombatant evacuation operations, Harris said.
During the second week of the exercise, 25 Airmen from each of the 673d ABW units are selected to be evaluated in chemical, biological, radiation and nuclear defense tactics as well as self-aid and buddy care competence, Harris said.
Each Polar Force is uniquely tailored to the needs of the installation at the time.
This Polar Force included a unique Mission Assurance Exercise, the likes of which has not been executed in several years, said Stephen Spealman, Wing Inspection Team manager and Mission Assurance Exercise planner.
Spealman launched the MAE Nov. 1.
This time, he focused on command and communication effectiveness, rather than physically executing a simulated terrorist attack.
“In this one, we really pinpointed on the antiterrorism force-protection requirements,” Spealman said. “We didn’t have an attack; it was message-driven. That allows us to really focus the evaluation on the steps needed to perform those tasks.”
Spealman said because the wing has had the same inspection planners since 2010, they are able to plan long-term for the rare MAE that does not involve all the normal logistical complications.
“That’s allowed us to do a message-driven exercise like this every two or three years,” Spealman said. “It’s often something the current wing command hasn’t seen. For example, we didn’t actually do an exercise like this while our previous commander was here, so we actually skipped one.”
While MAEs are a separate evaluation from Polar Force, by streamlining the process, the inspection team is able to evaluate many JBER entities on multiple facets with minimal base disruption.
“At the end of the day, it’s not one-person focused,” Spealman said. “It’s the whole installation that we’re looking at.”