Push-Pull 2007 wraps up at Sheppard

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jacob Corbin
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Their journey started six weeks ago with a letter that read "by direct order of the president." While some may have become anxious at those words, they soon learned it wasn't as dire a situation as it seemed.

The individual ready reservists, or IRR, are people who have served in the military and are not attached to a reserve unit, were merely being called up for Push-Pull 2007. The exercise was the first complete test of the nations' "full mobilization" processes.

"It's always been the reserve of the reserve," said Noah Gibson III, chief of education, training and readiness policy with the Office of Air Reserve, about the IRR. "When the enemy is coming up on our shores is when we're using the IRR."

Mr. Gibson likened a situation where the IRR would be called up in large numbers to World War II, when the entire nation was mobilized for war. Small numbers of IRR's are sometimes used during less dire situations.

Push-Pull 2007 began testing our response systems at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, when 298 IRR's arrived to begin their in-processing. Each received orders that placed them back on active duty, some after having only left a handful of months earlier. From there, they received a medical evaluation and continued the in-processing back into the Air Force.

"Normally you (in-process and then out-process) in a period of four years, we're doing it in one week," Mr. Gibson said.

After in-processing, 78 were selected to spend an additional five days participating in the exercise, some stayed at Lackland, others went to Keesler AFB, Miss., and then 21 of them came to Sheppard.

Upon arriving at Sheppard, each was assigned to the unit where members of their career field work, including the 82nd Civil Engineer Squadron, the 82nd Medical Support Squadron and other units on base. There, their skills were assessed and what they remembered was tested.

"(The process) went extremely well," said Mary Smith, Sheppard point-of-contact for the exercise. "The evaluators had nothing but praise for the Sheppard team. They couldn't think of one suggestion to give to us to make it run smoother."

Senior Airman Rachel Kemmerer, a medical materiel journeyman, left active duty at Nellis AFB, Nev., in February 2007 to pursue a degree in interior design. Even after attending college and merging back into civilian life, her skills are still sharp.

"Most of the Airmen felt like I was training them," she said. "Though I did learn a few new things."

Airman Kemmerer said that her surrogate-unit was extremely supportive, that "they really took care of me."

All over Sheppard, Airman Kemmerer's story was repeated. Even though some had been away for almost a year, they quickly readjusted to military life.

"In a year a lot can change," said Senior Airman Gareth Price, a medical readiness Airman with the 82nd Medical Support Squadron and 82nd Medical Group Push-Pull point-of-contact. "(But) if they're ever needed I'm fully confident they could do their job. They haven't lost any of their military bearing or skills. It's awesome to see how well they integrate back into the Air Force."

The twenty-one IRR members left Sheppard June 29.