JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
U.S. Airmen assigned at Andrews processed through a Personnel Deployment Function line in preparation for Bivouac 26, a week-long expeditionary skills training exercise at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, April 24, 2026.
This training aims to cultivate a combat readiness mindset by exposing personnel to austere environments, ensuring they are prepared for deployment scenarios in support of Department of War missions.
Ken Wagner, 316th Logistics Readiness Squadron chief of operations and lead Wing Inspection Team member, spent three months preparing to process exercise participants to simulate a real-world deployment. Wagner oversaw the processing operations and emphasized the importance of balancing speed with safety during the deployment phase.
“We have to get these people out the door as quickly as possible, but we train to ensure that we’re also doing it as safely as possible," Wagner said. "I want everyone to have everything taken care of at home when they’re down range so they can focus on the mission with all the proper tools.”
This extensive planning ensures the exercise effectively tests the knowledge of personnel ranging from civil engineering to finance. U.S. Air Force Maj. Daniel Mitchell, 316th Wing Inspector General, stated that Airmen from every Air Force Specialty Code were recruited to help develop the training.
“Every Airman needs to be prepared, so we've pulled experts from every AFSC to cultivate an exercise that encompasses the combat readiness mentality.”
The 316th Civil Engineer Squadron managed the planning for technical aspects, while the 316th Logistics Readiness Squadron coordinated transportation for participants traveling to Pennsylvania. While not all leaders behind the scenes will participate in the field training, their preparation ensures every Airman is ready to answer when duty calls.