Bivouac, Team March style Published April 26, 2010 By Staff Sgt. Paul Duquette 163 RW Public Affairs MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. -- At March Air Reserve Base, the 163rd Reconnaissance Wing, Air National Guard and 452nd Air Mobility Wing, Air Force Reserve, participated in a joint bivouac exercise for the first time in the units' history, April 8 - 11 at the Regional Training Site. Defined by Webster, a bivouac is a temporary shelter, but the Air Force adopted the word and changed its meaning. Now defined by the AF, a bivouac is a very realistic deployment training exercise conducted on base, which is operated much like an expeditionary unit overseas. The exercise April 8-11 included more than 150 members from both the 452nd and the 163rd Civil Engineering Squadrons, over 20 members from the 163rd Force Support Squadron and more than 30 members from the Sustainment Services Flight. During the first day, specific teams were created to construct what the members called tent city, which included 13 Alaskan Tents. Twelve of the shelters were assigned for sleeping quarters and the other was a recreation tent. After the construction of tent city was completed, the Sustainment Services Flight assigned all the members a tent and a bed, employing a process called Force Bed Down. The first two days were filled with round robin training, which rotated groups of 30 to 40 members through four classrooms. Some of the training for CE included combat skills training, heavy equipment, emergency management, air conditioning units, generators, water purification systems and other Air Force specialty codespecific training. Senior Master Sgt. John Nortz was one of the individuals on the guard side to help organize this massive exercise. "This exercise really gave us a great opportunity to train troops in a variety of jobs," said Sergeant Nortz. "Some of the combat skills training we did was joint air base defense, defensive fighting positions, night convoy and tactical convoy operations." Even the Explosive Ordnance Disposal experts had a chance to practice their trade during the exercise. "During some of the combat skills training, we were exploding smoke bombs for effect and we had two duds," said Sergeant Nortz, "So we had to call out the EOD guys to dispose of the UXOs." During the shop-specific training, air conditioning mechanics were able to train on systems they will see when they deploy. Power Production Technicians operated several classes of generators, ran distribution wiring for the tent city and trouble shot problems as they came up. Emergency managers had a chance to work together with their Team March counterparts during their training. The first portion of their training was classroom instruction and demonstration. After classroom training, they moved to the field and put in to practice everything they learned while in full chemical warfare gear. The bivouac presented a unique opportunity to gain invaluable deployment training for Services as well. They were able to conduct morale, welfare and recreation services that they would provide overseas, as well as mortuary affairs services like search and recovery. Some of the events they hosted were movie night, a barbeque, bingo night and a volleyball and ping pong tournament. They also cooked and served two meals during the exercise. Despite working 10 hour days, the morale during the bivouac remained high, according to Lt. Col. Robert Sauer, 452nd Civil Engineering Squadron commander. "The team enjoyed the events, which included everything from volleyball, movies, music and games in the recreation building," said Colonel Sauer, who was pleased with the outcome of the bivouac. "I think the training was very successful on a number of fronts," Colonel Sauer said. "First, we accomplished all the wartime training we set out to do in terms of convoy procedures, airbase defense and night operations, etc. Second, we were able to complete a lot of shop-specific training. Finally, we were able to train along side of civil engineering troops we don't normally get to work with from the 163rd Civil Engineering Squadron."