Inspection planner has check list for success

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman David K. Flaherty
  • 452nd AMW Public Affairs
MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. --  A 22-year Air Force veteran has been appointed the chief planner for the 452nd Air Mobility Wing's upcoming operational readiness inspection. 

Lt. Col. Kevin L. Krebs, the commander of the 452nd Operational Support Squadron, assumed ORI responsibilities Aug. 5 and became the new focal point for all Air Force inspector general questions. 

"The challenges are enormous here," said Colonel Krebs. "I enjoy it and thrive on the challenge." 

Before Colonel Krebs was chosen as ORI planner, he said his main focus was making sure his squadron's needs were meeting the wing's objectives for the inspection Feb. 3-10, 2008. As he started feeling the extent and volume of the work that was required of him, he said he soon started shedding his squadron responsibilities. 

"There are a lot of issues I'm trying to get my hands around," said Colonel Krebs. "I'm finding out what we have done and what we haven't done. My approach is pretty much the same: I see a problem, I try to identify the problem and I try to correct the problem so I can move on." 

Colonel Krebs joined the Air Force Reserve in 1998 at March ARB as a C-141 Starlifter instructor pilot after leaving active-duty service. He formerly lived in Temecula, Calif., with his wife and three children. The family moved to Minneapolis when he took a job with Northwest Airlines. 

Since becoming the ORI planner, his Reserve job has now become his full time job. 

"He's a good organizer and leader," said Capt. Cyrus Macapagal, the readiness flight officer with the 452nd Civil Engineering Squadron. "He has a good ability to provide direction where direction is needed, and I think that is what we need for this ORI." 

During the ORI, the 452nd will work with Reserve wings from Beale AFB, Calif., and Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, to deploy over 1,100 troops and equipment to a forward operating location, which is still to be determined. The 452nd is the lead wing. 

"This is a test of our wartime mission capabilities," said Colonel Krebs. "It validates what we say we have and what can do, so that the leadership knows that we are capable of supporting their wartime missions." 

The 452nd will perform an operational readiness exercise Oct. 3-10 to practice an ORI scenario. Colonel Krebs says it's OK to make mistakes during this exercise as long as people communicate the problem so they don't compound an error. 

Colonel Krebs said he has a check list for success. 

"We need to concentrate on safety, operational security and computer security, communication and surviving chemical attacks," he said. "I need everyone to train and practice just like they're going right now and they also need to know what the Airman's Manual says. If you haven't done the CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive ordinance) refresher training recently, they need to do that." 

Colonel Krebs said the wing's biggest weakness is communication. If there are concerns, then they need to be addressed properly at each level, he said. 

"We don't want to get blindsided with something because someone didn't share information," said Colonel Krebs. "If we're able to communicate, and people know what's going on, then we should be able to resolve all the issues as they come up." 

While ORI preparation may seem like a daunting task, Colonel Krebs says he is confident in the leadership of March ARB personnel. 

"We have a lot of expertise on this base with people that have been around for years. We need the expertise and the leadership of all the officers and non-commissioned officers to set the example. We need them to lead, we need them to correct and identify mistakes and we need them to continue to step up to the plate."