Condor Crest spreads wingspan, preps Airmen for ORI

Published Feb. 25, 2009
By Thea Skinner
21st Space Wing Public Affairs

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Condor Crest swooped through the 21st Space Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, as Airmen replicated mock emergency and situational awareness scenarios Feb. 9 - 12.

Condor Crest exercises increased to every other month in the summer of 2008 to evaluate internal processes for efficiency in preparation for the upcoming Operational Readiness Inspection in March 2009.

"There are a lot of repercussions if you fail an inspection. We expect to conduct flawless missions," said Staff Sgt. Stacy Haga, exercise evaluator overseeing about ten scenarios. "The purpose is to make sure we are keeping shape on our operations."

One-hundred and eighty-two scenarios occurred wing wide including geographically-separated units (GSUs). Military and civilian personnel, along with contractors, participated in scenario activities throughout the 21st SW.

The 21st SW commander-directed exercise evaluates deployment operations and emergency management response, in accordance with Department of Defense, Air Force, Air Force Space Command Headquarters, 21st SW and other guidance.

Unit commanders, unit evaluators and squadrons collaborate to establish the scenarios, such as a hostage situation or a chemical attack. Unit commanders create objectives and unit evaluators analyze them. Internal scenarios involve processes that use checklists and in other scenarios notifications are supplied to external agencies.

The Family Practice section of the 21st Medical Group Clinic acted out a Code Blue scenario reviving an unresponsive "patient," a junior cardiopulmonary resuscitation mannequin. The 21st MDG used a checklist to complete the mock scenario.

The scenario tested the members of the 21st MDG with their ability to respond to an unconscious patient and follow procedures and advanced Cardiac Life Support protocols, said Capt. Catherine Ortega, AF Space Command, 21st Aerospace Medicine Squadron.

"Code Blue involves doctors, nurses, physician's assistants and medical technicians. Three different cardiac rhythms were analyzed and treated, saving the patient," she said.

A host of scenarios occurred at Peterson AFB including: bag drags, recalls, mishap reporting, building evacuations, suspicious packages, computer viruses, bomb threats, deployment tasking and Self Aid and Buddy Care.

GSUs also participated in scenarios as such: recalls, Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear High Yield Explosives, also known as CBRNE, scenarios, no notice evaluations and fire drills.

Although the exercise does not involve real scenarios, the scenarios are potential harms. To report real-world suspicious activities or persons contact Eagle Eyes through the Security Forces Control Center at 556-4000.