Exercise Beverly Palm 13-5 to begin Sept. 9 Published Aug. 20, 2013 By Senior Airman Robert Hicks 36th Wing Public Affairs ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam -- Operational Readiness Exercise Beverly Palm 13-5, a base-wide exercise testing the wing's ability to perform its wartime mission, kicks off Sept. 9-12 on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. According to the 36th Wing Inspector General's office, the organization tasked with evaluating the exercise, an ORE is one of many realistic exercises designed to test a base's ability to deploy at a moment's notice and conduct operations while simultaneously responding to a variety of circumstances testing Andersen's ability to meet those requirements such as simulated conventional attacks with missiles, rockets, mortars or attacks from chemical, nuclear, biological, radiation or energy weapons. "Operational readiness exercises are vitally important to Team Andersen to ensure we can fulfill our wartime mission," said Maj. Ross Sutherland 36th Wing interim inspector general. "Andersen holds strategic importance to the execution of operational plans and our ability to meet those requirements must be validated." During the ORE, the wing inspection team members verify participants appropriately respond to exercise events and act with a sense of urgency. Airmen are required to understand why the wing is deploying and receiving forces from other locations and why aircraft are flying combat sorties within the simulated context of the exercise, according to the IG officials. Additionally, the new Air Force inspection system emphasizes a focus on mission readiness versus inspection readiness. Focusing on executing the assigned offensive plan missions is one key component to ensure the 36th Wing is inspection ready for the May 2014 Consolidated Unit Inspection. "A large focus of this exercise is to introduce new 36th Wing personnel to the offensive plan requirements and conduct a separate Ability to Survive and Operate event," Sutherland said. "During the ATSO rodeo a selected population will be evaluated on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (warfare) survival skills, self-aid and buddy care and weapons handling procedures." The wing IG strongly suggests Airmen study and use their Airman's Manual during the ORE. "The Airman's Manual is an essential tool to have readily available during any type of contingency," Sutherland said. "It covers the basic warfighting skills needed to successfully complete the mission."