US Army,
SAN ANTONIO: More than 150 Individual Ready Reservists finished a week-long active duty tour June 22 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
The five-day tour of duty was the conclusion of the “Push” portion of the “Push-Pull 2007” exercise. The exercise tests and evaluates the IRR mobilization process, said Lt. Col. Steven Cramner, the Reserve adviser at the Air Force Personnel Readiness Division at the Pentagon.
“It is a real test of our mobilization system for Individual Ready Reservists,” Colonel Cramner said.
The Push-Pull exercise is usually done once every other year. This year's exercise is routine and not a step toward activating the IRR, but it will help give the Air Force insight into the availability of skilled individual reservists for critical contingency requirements.
The “Push” portion of the exercise focuses on things like evaluating Airmen for medical qualifications. They will go through uniform issue, records review and other requirements that would be necessary to re-enter the active duty Air Force. For Airmen who are no longer serving the Air Force actively, this means re-orienting themselves into “the Blue.”
“It was actually fairly confusing at first,” said Senior Airman Cesaron White who was formerly assigned to the 375th Medical Group at Scott AFB, Ill. “I've definitely learned a lot of different things. There have been some necessary and some interesting changes since I was in the Air Force.”
Airman White separated from the Air Force one year ago June 25 to pursue his interest in ministry. Today, he is a Christian hip-hop musician who recently released an album. Despite his success in the civilian world, being back in uniform in the Push-Pull exercise has reminded the former pharmacy technician how difficult it was to leave the Air Force.
“It wasn't dislike that made me leave the Air Force,” he said. “I really wanted to devote more time to ministry. But being back here, I have learned about myself, and honestly, I do miss the Air Force.”
But Push-Pull is not a recruiting tool. It is a real-world test of Air Force capability — a test many of the participants see as a success.
“I think it has been successful,” Airman White said. “Sure, there have been some glitches and some people have been grumbling under their breathe about why things haven't been running smoother. But, I think you have to expect some glitches to happen. That is why they are testing the system.”
With the conclusion of the “Push” portion of the exercise, about 100 Airmen are “pulled” into the second stage of the exercise, which runs from June 23 to 29. During the Pull, Airmen will be evaluated on their Air Force specialty code skill levels and be assigned to units and used at those bases for the remainder of the Push-Pull exercise.
Airmen participating a Push-Pull exercise receive active-duty pay and allowances commensurate with their rank and years of service. Airmen required to participate in the exercise are protected by law from any repercussions by their civilian employers.
And while this year's Push-Pull exercise is only testing the Air Force's capability to use highly skilled professionals from the Reserve, at its core the exercise helps the Air Force better serve its missions.
“A lot of people think that their service commitment ends after they get out,” Colonel Cramner said. “But there are still ways to serve after they get out. Push-Pull is one of them. We are fighting a war, and if the need should arise we will be ready to provide a highly skilled Reserve force that will be able to carry the torch anywhere.”
