KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- The Wolf Pack executed the latest iteration of its readiness exercises, Beverly Sentinel 25-3, at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Aug. 5-7.
This iteration of the exercise focused on refining and practicing command and control and intra-Wing communication to learn and improve so Wolf Pack members are ready to execute the 8th Fighter Wing mission.
Routine readiness exercises like Beverly Sentinel, evaluate the wing’s ability to survive and operate under hostile conditions including ground assaults, drone attacks, theater ballistic missiles and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive attacks.
“Exercises are how we stay razor sharp,” said Chief Master Sgt. Amanda Aaron, 8th Fighter Wing command chief. “Frequent repetition under high pressure situations ensures every Wolf Pack member knows their role, trusts their team and can execute the mission without hesitation.”
Airmen took an active role in base defense and were armed with M4 carbine rifles with blank firing adapters by the 8th Logistics Readiness Squadron “Wraith Nation.” General arming during exercises allows members of the Wolf Pack to remain familiar with weapons and procedures reinforcing their confidence, sharpening operational skills and strengthening overall readiness.
“The cornerstone of readiness, general arming, is a critical component in the transition from routine operations to a fully postured force,” said Senior Master Sgt. Josephine Santana, 8th LRS material management flight chief. “This exercise showed real progress - faster execution, tighter coordination, and better accountability across the board. Compared to previous iterations, we’ve reduced friction points, improved command and control, and elevated the sense of urgency.”
Striving to continuously improve, the “Wraith Nation” refined the GENARM process during Beverly Sentinel 25-3 to issue weapons in 90 seconds to each Airman. This was a significant increase compared to past exercises where issuing weapons took approximately four minutes per Airman.
Airmen from every AFSC came together to arm the base, proving that when it’s time to fight, we won’t hesitate to decisively deliver combat power,” said Santana.
The 8th Civil Engineer Squadron “Red Devils” engineers exercised Rapid Airfield Damage Repair where they practiced the ability to quickly restore damaged airfields after attacks, enabling flight operations to continue. These repairs consisted of prepping concrete mixing trucks, operating pavement saws, removing sections of damaged pavement, mixing quick concrete, and filling and flattening patches to holes.
“The runway is critical for mission success, making it a high-priority target for enemy missile strikes,” said U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Cassie Herda, 8th CES design cell officer in charge. “RADR is all-hands on deck, requiring all Red Devils to be on the airfield, working together to repair craters to enable sortie generation.”
As the 8th FW transitions towards supporting the Super Squadron Phase II test, units are maintaining a high standard of readiness and a reputation as elite professionals on the Korean peninsula.
“By design, this exercise presented a realistic threat environment, causing our teams to face uncertainty, make decisions and execute orders with violence,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Kathryn Gaetke, 8th FW commander. “It was incredibly powerful to watch the Wolf Pack rapidly develop and implement changes day to day, and we’re just getting started. Fight’s on.”