Deployment managers prep expeditionary Airmen

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Greg Biondo
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
The mission of the 4th Fighter Wing is to deliver air power, on-target, on-time for America. Unit deployment managers help to ensure the mission is realized. 

"UDMs are proficient and experienced in the deployment processes and systems that support those processes," said Vickie Dowless, 4th Fighter Wing installation deployment officer. 

They are responsible for preparing Airmen for deployments and temporary duty assignments. Training, immunizations, briefings, issuing gear and overseeing equipment are just a few things that are constantly on a UDM's radar. 

Due to the high operations tempo of the wing, Airmen are always training to be more capable warfighters. 

Expeditionary combat skills training, M-16 qualification, chemical warfare readiness, and self-aid and buddy care need to be up-to-date. UDMs work closely with Airmen's unit training managers to ensure Airmen are current on all their required training, said Tech. Sgt. Tyler Grieser, 4th Equipment Maintenance Squadron unit deployment manager. 

UDMs deal with medical issues by ensuring that Airmen's immunizations are up-to-date and that they are medically qualified to deploy. 

"Keeping Airmen world-wide qualified is one of our main goals," said Sergeant Grieser. 

UDMs play a big part in operational readiness exercises and inspections. OREs and ORIs are training exercises that test certain aspects of a deployment and an Airmen's ability to accomplish the mission in a simulated deployed environment. ORE and ORI timelines are simulated and shorter than an actual air expeditionary force deployment, said Ms. Dowless. 

Team Seymour UDMs contributed to the wing receiving an excellent rating in the first-ever two-day ORI in January. 

"UDMs are the backbone to receiving an excellent, outstanding or any rating received during an ORE or ORI," said Ms. Dowless. 

The Air Force is continuously training and preparing for the Global War on Terror, so UDMs continue to help ensure that Airmen are ready to fly, fight and win America's wars.