163d Airmen participate in exercise Grizzly Lightning

Simulated deployment tests wing’s readiness

Story and photos by Staff Sgt. Javier Alvarez
163d Attack Wing Public Affairs

Oct. 20, 2021

MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. – Airmen with the 163d Attack Wing participated in a readiness training exercise at March Air Reserve Base, Oct. 2-3.

The two-day event, dubbed Grizzly Lightning 21-1, was phase one of a three phase exercise in which the wing simulated the deployment of 120 Airmen in response to a conflict with a near-peer adversary, said Maj. Rey Tanuwidjaja 163d Attack Wing director of inspections.

“For the last 20 years we were so focused on counterinsurgency, but now the time is to refocus our efforts and ensure that we are capable of fighting a near-peer threat,” Tanuwidjaja said. “Our goal is to validate readiness. Are we ready to change our posture from peace time to war time, and are we ready to fight that near-peer adversary.”

This type of exercise helps units identify and improve bottlenecks in their process.

“Our warehouse is laid out this way because of lessons learned from other training exercises,” said Master Sgt. Mary Ruiz, 163d Logistics Readiness Squadron senior non-commissioned officer in charge of war readiness. “We can’t be having to pull necessary items off the shelf with a forklift when Airmen need to be going out the door immediately.”

Over the past year, Airmen from the squadron provided logistical support to various mission across the state and overseas.

“We provided gear to service members deploying overseas, as well as some who were responding to the civil unrest mission, food banks, and providing fire support across California.”

Every wing is required to do some form of readiness exercise that the inspector general evaluates annually.

“We’ve captured a lot of good data on possible limitations that could come up,” Tanuwidjaja said. “Learning that in an exercise will help should a real world event play out.”

Airmen of the 163d Attack Wing wait for instructions during a deployment training exercise at the Logistics Readiness Squadron, at March Air Reserve Base, Oct. 2. The training exercise, dubbed Grizzly Lightning, is phase one of a three phase process. The exercise will continue as Grizzly Thunder in early 2022.

Tech Sgt. Renato Mendoza, 163d Attack Wing central storage supervisor, grabs chemical protective gear during a training exercise at the wing's logistics readiness squadron, Oct. 2.

Airmen of the 163d Attack Wing attach luggage tags to their deployment bags during the training exercise.

Airmen from the wing load a bus during a deployment training exercise

U.S. Air Force Airmen of the 163d Attack Wing load a bus during the deployment training exercise.

Airmen of the 163d Attack Wing wait for instructions during a deployment training exercise at the Logistics Readiness Squadron, at March Air Reserve Base, Oct. 2. The training exercise, dubbed Grizzly Lightning, is phase one of a three phase process. The exercise will continue as Grizzly Thunder in early 2022.

Tech Sgt. Renato Mendoza, 163d Attack Wing central storage supervisor, grabs chemical protective gear during a training exercise at the wing's logistics readiness squadron, Oct. 2.

Airmen of the 163d Attack Wing attach luggage tags to their deployment bags during the training exercise.

Airmen from the wing load a bus during a deployment training exercise

U.S. Air Force Airmen of the 163d Attack Wing load a bus during the deployment training exercise.
TopBuilt with Shorthand