18th CES Conducts Readiness Exercises at Kadena Air Base

Recent routine readiness exercises at Kadena Air Base, Japan, involved multiple units demonstrating their preparedness for potential real-world threats in the Indo-Pacific region. The 18th Civil Engineer Squadron practiced rapid response to post-attack scenarios, including airfield damage assessment and unexploded ordnance clearance, highlighting the importance of maintaining perishable skills for operational recovery. Airmen also ensured personal readiness by preparing '72-hour bags' containing essential items for immediate contingencies, enabling them to focus on mission-critical tasks. Simultaneously, the 33rd Rescue Generation Squadron tested their ability to rapidly deploy and sustain operations under degraded conditions, performing maintenance on HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters and organizing security teams. These exercises underscore the strategic importance of Kadena Air Base as a staging location for projecting U.S. airpower and deterring regional adversaries, while validating new warfighting tactics and agile combat employment concepts. Overall, the exercises reinforce the necessity for readiness, flexibility, and interoperability among forward-deployed U.S. forces.