Exercise season outlook Published March 1, 2012 By Colonel Gabriel V. Green 4th Fighter Wing vice commander SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- 4th Fighter Wing Airmen - thank you for the incredible work you do serving our Air Force and nation. America trusts us for protection against our enemies. We live in turbulent times and our ability to navigate through complex problems creates stability and security across the world. Have no doubt that what you do every day matters. We are about to begin the 2012 Operational Readiness Exercise (ORE) season. Over the next 12 months, Seymour Airmen will practice deploying and engaging in combat operations so that we will not only succeed in the March 2013 Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI), we will be better prepared to respond the next time a combatant commander calls. Many of you may wonder, given our pace of real-world deployments, why do we have to do an ORI if we do the real thing all the time? That is a great question! Here's the answer - the current Air Expeditionary Task Forces task only a portion of the wing to deploy in support of limited combat operations. OREs/ORIs, on the other hand, evaluate our ability to deploy and employ ALL of Team Seymour. This test of our full mission capability will involve every group in the 4th Fighter Wing and will demonstrate our true combat capability. Just like parts of basic training, OREs are designed to stress our team in order to make us better. This is intentional because history shows that plans rarely survive first contact with the enemy. Therefore, we must be able to think on our feet and react properly. To get there, experience matters and we will build upon past lessons and learn through repetition. Remember that a positive, can-do attitude is a critical component in finding solutions. The process of preparing for this ORI is already underway. Representatives from every group have provided inputs on the best way to start our ORE season while succeeding at real-world taskings. For individual Airmen, this means preparing physically, mentally, spiritually, and socially to fulfill our responsibilities. Rest assured that we will help you with the training and equipment needed to get the job done. For our support network of family and friends, OREs mean that, during certain periods, we will reduce some support services. We will limit these inconveniences and ask that you please remember the worthy reason for these adjustments. We will communicate any changes through the base paper and 4FW Facebook page. This is an exciting time to be an Airman at Seymour Johnson AFB. The 4th Fighter Wing has a long, distinguished history and we add to that lineage of success daily. Before us lies the opportunity to once again demonstrate our ability to fly, fight, and win. I can say this confidently and know that together, we can get this done, because we have a proud tradition, a vital mission, and a promising future.