Preparation O...-R-I Published Oct. 12, 2010 By Airman 1st Class Tiffany M. Deuel 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- The Liberty Wing Airmen recently finished Phase I of the final Operational Readiness Exercise before the Operational Readiness Inspection, and they proved themselves to be fully prepared. "The most recent Phase I was clearly our best yet. Specifically, the aircraft generation was outstanding. I'm very proud of the incredible progress our maintainers have made through great leadership and hard work. I'm looking forward to seeing the Liberty Wing in action during Phase II and I have no doubt that we are ready for the upcoming ORI. I can't wait to show both USAFE and NATO what a great team we've got here at Lakenheath", said 48th Fighter Wing Commander Col. John Quintas. This most recent Phase I was not only a success but also showed notable improvements in comparison to previous exercises. "The wing has seen improvements across the board as we've progressed from July's Phase I exercise through to this final preparatory exercise in advance of the inspection at the end of the month," said Lt. Col. Thomas McGrath, 48th Fighter Wing plans and inspections chief. However, Colonel McGrath added that the wing shouldn't rest on its laurels. "There are always areas we can continue to work on to refine processes and procedures, but the professionals of the RAF Lakenheath team are ready to show the inspectors from USAFE and NATO how well we do our jobs and fulfill our obligations and responsibilities," said Colonel McGrath. The wing will now segue into Phase II, where all the preparation will be put to the test. The ORI is for the entire wing, but it is up to each individual to have their game face on. "The wing is definitely ready and I am confident we will have our A-game on display for the USAFE Inspector General and NATO evaluators," said Lt. Col. John DeYonke, 48th Fighter Wing inspections, exercises and readiness chief.