Wednesday, June 29, 2011

EWO Certification Briefing: The First of Many

After the completion of the training alert at Charlie, my crew commander, Thomas J. Mclaughlin and I spent approximately one week preparing for our Emergency War Order (EWO) certification briefing. The briefing was designed as a crew effort to demonstrate that we knew the philosophy of the Single Integrated Operational Plan (SIOP). This was more for my benefit since Thomas had already certified when he had upgraded to crew commander status a year prior to my arrival. For all practical purposes the briefing was to focus on me.

The briefing was held in the wing commanders conference room which was located in the Wing Command Post. Present for the briefing was Col. James Crouch, wing commander, and LtCol. Frank Zachery, 490th SMS squadron commander. As I can recall, I was nervous, yet stammered through the hour long briefing presentation. As was the custom, Thomas gave one portion of the briefing and I the other. Col. Crouch asked numerous questions, mostly directed towards me which I answered most to his satisfaction. When all was done and said, Thomas and I passed the certification briefing.

This took place in late Feb. 1981. Within the next few days, I was scheduled to pull my first alert at November-01. November-01 would be my home site for the most part of a year.

To this day, I still have my first EWO certificate which was given to me in its original frame.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Training Alert at Charlie-01

After setteling into the squadron and taking care of personal business, such as finding a place to live, it was time for my first training alert. This is where I and two other new deputies were to acutally go out to an operational Launch Control Center and take part in part of the alert duties under the observation of a wing instructor crew. The site chosen for my group was Charlie, C-01. I found it a different environment, since all of the LCCs that I had been in simulators up to this point. I recalled that I had enjoyed it, since we were only down in the capsule for about 4-5 hours. The rest of the time we were topside with the Facility Manager (FM) and the Flight Security Controller (FSC). We spent the remainder of the alert playing cards and shooting pool with the security cops. I recall that we did observe the change over with the instructor crew and their relief crew in the morning.

Thinking about it after all these years, brings back good memories concerning my first two weeks on station. Next up would be my initial EWO certification briefing which my crew commander and myself would present to the Wing Commander.