The 9th Reconnaissance Wing conducts Full-Scale Readiness Exercise Published June 12, 2023 By Staff Sgt. Frederick A. Brown 9th Reconnaissance Wing BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The 9th Reconnaissance Wing kicks off Exercise DRAGON FANG, an Air Force Force Generation (AFFORGEN) centered exercise June 12-16 here. “The purpose of this exercise is to test and evaluate our ability to survive and operate during combat operations,” said Col. Geoffrey Church, 9th Reconnaissance Wing commander. The Full-Scale Readiness Exercise will test the wing’s ability to rapidly deploy and perform mission essential tasks while in a mock deployed setting. The 9th RWs Inspector General’s Office (IG) planned the exercise and will evaluate throughout the week as personnel are tested in different scenarios to meet mission objectives. Exercise DRAGON FANG planners collaborated with the wing commander, unit commanders and the wing inspection team to create scenarios that will test and evaluate how well the Airmen perform their specialties. DRAGON FANG involves 13 9th RW units, the 195th Air National Guard Wing, and the California Army National Guard A Company 3-140th Security and Support Aviation Battalion. The 9th RW will provide two elements of the AFFORGEN model, Command and Control and Establish the Air Base, to stand up initial operating capability. Exercise DRAGON FANG will prepare members for the AFFORGEN model transition by ‘training like we fight’. The first day involves preparing the Airmen to deploy. Airmen proceed through a pre-deployment function line that handles administrative needs and informs them of all necessary information. “The exercise going to be action packed, expect to see players with [chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, explosive] gear and M4 training weapons,” said Master Sgt. Mariamonicagrace Talbott, 9th RW inspection planner. “Unit readiness will be evaluated through performance-based observation of completed mission essential tasks.” The end goal of this exercise is to prepare the wing to transition to the new deployment model, by testing the wing’s capability to generate, deploy, and project rapid global mobility around the world. Under AFFORGEN, Airmen will train, deploy, and recover as cohesive war-fighting units.