MACON, Mo. -- The 509th Civil Engineering Squadron, based out of Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, recently wrapped up a field training exercise at the Macon Training Site outside Macon, Mo. During which, Airmen operated and set up a base operational camp and exercised their ability to manage and recover from simulated CBRN and conventional attacks.
The exercise brought together personnel from multiple career fields to practice expeditionary skills and problem-solving in resource-limited conditions.
“This training allows us to identify and address any issues now, so we don’t encounter them in real-world operations,” said Tech. Sgt. Nathan Whatley, 509th Civil Engineering Squadron PRIME BEEF logistics non-commissioned officer. “It gives us the opportunity to make necessary adjustments and ensure we’re fully prepared for any challenges we may face.”
The training focused on integrating mission support elements, with Airmen from the Mission Support Group working together to establish and sustain a simulated deployed base.
“The goal was for around 40 personnel to gain firsthand experience and understand potential future scenarios,” Whatley said. “We don’t want their first encounter with a situation to be on the battlefield. This training helps instill the right mindset and preparedness, so they’re not caught off guard in real-world situations.”
The exercise required participants to adapt quickly as they encountered unexpected challenges.
“We had players that had to give directions on the fly,” Whatley said. “Teams came down with lower manning, but we were able to continue the mission because others stepped up and worked closely with them.”
1st Lt. Chase Ervin, 509th Civil Engineering Squadron optimizations officer in charge, emphasized the importance of teamwork across different specialties.
“Maintaining and sustaining a limited bare base requires a full team,” Ervin said. “As Civil Engineering, we know how to set up and establish the base, but security measures and communication back to Whiteman are highly technical and beyond our scope. Having the other units there is essential.”
The training also reinforced the importance of physical fitness and resilience in different environments.
“I absolutely think we should be doing things like this more often, where Airmen are uncomfortable, especially in terms of building a warrior mindset,” Ervin said. “When you’re going into a deployed location, you want people who can work for hours on end, get a task done and not have to worry about it. Focusing more on physical fitness and building a warrior ethos is important because that’s exactly what’s going to be required.”
The exercise served as preparation for future training events, including future field training exercises.
“This helps us keep momentum going and know where we need to focus our attention,” Whatley said. “We can identify what we did well and where we need to expand our training.”
By simulating real-world conditions, the participating Airmen gained critical experience in rapid deployment, base setup and mission execution. Skills essential for maintaining operational readiness in a constantly evolving global landscape.