Wing awaits ORI results

  • Published
  • By Maj. David Kurle
  • 442nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  The field exercise portion of the 442nd Fighter Wing's operational readiness inspection ended early in the morning Oct. 27 but the wing is still awaiting its "report card" from the Air Combat Command Inspector General team.

The IG team arrived Oct. 23 to evaluate and validate the Air Force Reserve wing's combat capability, which was followed by three days of field exercises to simulate a wartime environment to test the wing's ability to survive and operate, launch and recover combat A-10 sorties and strike enemy ground targets.

While he didn't yet know the wing's inspection grade, Col. Mark Clemons, 442nd Fighter Wing commander said, "I saw this wing perfom at a level far above any of the exercises we held to prepare for the ORI.

"I saw outstanding motivation, a great sense of humor and a wing that sprinted during the entire inspection and never let up," he said. "We have proven we can execute our mission no matter the magnitude of challenges."

Currently, the ACC inspection team is tabulating and validating the results of the inspection, which are expected to be announced Oct. 29.

This was the wing's first operational readiness inspection since 1997.