By Kevin Gilmartin
ESC Public Affairs

In preparation for the June Operational Readiness Inspection, teams of military members from all five Electronic Systems Center wings will have a chance to demonstrate their skills while competing against other wing teams during the ORI Olympics, ending with awards and fun at the Minuteman Club.

The first of four monthly ORI Olympic events will take place from noon to 3:30 p.m. March 9 in the Tennis Bubble. Each event will be sponsored by a wing, with the 551st Electronic Systems Wing heading up the March 9 competition. Each wing will have the opportunity to define where and how the competition will take place. Judges will be from the ESC Inspector General’s Office.

These will be “hands-on events demonstrating individual proficiency,” said Maj. Steven Turner, who is heading up the Olympics. “I expect we will expand in events and level of participation as we go.”

According to the major, the first competition will be a four-stage “round robin” focused on the four main focuses of preparation for deployment: Self Aid Buddy Care, AFMAN knowledge, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives incidents training, and weapons familiarization. Prior to the event, the 551 ELSW will sponsor weapons familiarization training from 9 to 11 a.m.

Following the March 9 competition, participants and onlookers will reconvene at the Minuteman Club for a recap of events and presentation of team and individual medals, leading into First Friday at the Club.

Wing teams will consist of from 4-10 members. Civilians are welcome to join in the fun by cheering on their favorite team during the events and joining in the medal ceremony and later fun at the club, Major Turner said.

“This is a chance to show what we’re made of,” said ESC Vice Commander Maj. Gen. Arthur Rooney. “As military members, we need to be ready, not just for the ORI, which will validate our readiness, but for real world situations.”

“We are a nation at war. We have real-world examples of where Self Aid Buddy Care has saved lives,” the general said. “Learning to fire and take care of a weapon was interesting during the Cold War, but when you deploy today, there is a good chance you might have to use your weapon. So being able to practice those skills in a fun, team-building competition, and then retiring to the Club for some Friday evening socializing is a win-win situation.”

“While this is all about preparation, it’s also about having some fun and competing against other organizations on base,” Maj. Turner said. “Each month’s winning team will take home a medal, but more importantly, will have bragging rights until the next competition.”

For information on the March 9 ORI Olympic events, contact 1st Lt. Leslie Bell at (781) 377-1003.
 

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