RAF Lakenheath deploys exercise skills Published July 27, 2007 By Airman 1st Class Kristopher Levasseur 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- RAF Lakenheath's Liberty warriors tested their combat capability and readiness over a one-week period as part of a Phase I operational readiness exercise July 23-27. The purpose of Phase I exercises is to practice and prepare for real world deployment situations. "Many newly assigned Airmen have never had the opportunity to employ the skills they have learned in basic training," said Lt. Col. Douglas Jenkins, 48th Exercises and Inspections chief. "This is an opportunity to employ and grow those skills in a controlled, low-threat environment, not in a real-world contingency." Phase I exercises cover everything from running deployment lines to preparing aircraft and equipment for deployment. Personnel going through the deployment line will sit though briefings from intelligence, legal, public affairs and more. After being briefed, deployers will visit stations for finance, immunizations, legal, personnel and manifesting. Other optional stations are available such as finance and the chapel. After processing through the deployment line, personnel receive a final briefing before picking up their mobility bags and leaving to their deployed locations. These exercises are in preparation for the USAFE Inspector General Phase I inspection Nov. 5 to 9, said Colonel Jenkins. The base is also preparing for a NATO Operations Evaluation Nov. 12 to 16, he added. "We have exercises to verify our readiness to execute our mission in a challenging scenario," said Colonel Jenkins. "They prepare all personnel for over the shoulder type inspections and real world operations in any environment." Local inspections and exercises are required to prepare for higher headquarters inspections or as 48th FW leadership directs. "The exercise gave our Liberty Warriors the opportunity to think through and practice a mass deployment scenario," said Brig. Gen. John Hesterman, 48th Fighter Wing commander. "I'm pleased with the effort every organization put forward to make the exercise as real as possible." In conjunction with the Phase I exercise, an emergency management exercise was initiated July 26. EME's are designed to test RAF Lakenheath's effectiveness when responding to major accidents. During an EME, Liberty Warriors are responsible for everything from medical response to local media coordination. The 48th FW successfully completed both the Phase I exercise and the EME by sticking to its motto -- Anytime, anywhere, whatever needs done.