Airmen battle the cold at the Warfighter Training Center Published Feb. 23, 2009 By Josh Aycock 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- The Warfighter Training Center here simulated a cold couple of days at Manas Air Force Base, Kyrgyzstan for 150 base Airmen during an operational readiness exercise held Feb. 17-20. The outdoor training facility put the airmen in a 24-hour operating environment where temperatures dipped as low as 6 F. Using the realistic training environment, base officials tested the Airmen's wartime capabilities based on a fictional scenario in a U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. "The WTC has evolved to be a wonderful tool," said Lt. Col. Michael Vogel, deployed camp commander for the exercise. "I have the utmost confidence in the ability of our Airmen to not only deploy, but deploy as extremely well-trained and valuable assets to our AOR commanders." Airmen from the Aeronautical Systems Center, Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Force Security Assistance Center, and the 88th Air Base Wing participated in the field exercise which focused on training and evaluating Airmen from different functional areas that are the next to deploy. Throughout the day and night, base officials tested the Airmen' s ability to react to a hostile environment with a host of threats including: rockets, mortars, small arms fire, protestors and various other threats, explained Lt. Col. Scott Katz, base director of readiness exercises. "The exercise is a series of challenges which build our Airmen's self confidence and proficiency," said Colonel Katz. The latest exercise also tested the base's emergency management capabilities. Base officials tested this with a simulated increase in the force protection condition to FPCON Bravo. In response, security checkpoints implemented 100 percent identification checks of anyone entering the base. "The exercise as a whole definitely makes sure you are prepared," said Senior Airmen Kristen Lynch, an 88th Medical Operations Squadron medical technician. Airmen received the call to end the exercise and get out of the cold around 5 p.m. on Feb. 20. Airmen returned to base happy to be indoors. "The Airmen who participated in this operational readiness exercise can be proud of how they worked together as team to defend and operate their base in an exceptional manner," said Colonel Katz. "The warfighting skills and self confidence they have honed here will help them in every deployment they support in the future."