SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- Members of the 20th Fighter Wing began a Phase II operational readiness exercise Sunday to practice employing and deploying combat forces. 

"Each time we complete a Phase II exercise, participants have a chance to learn and practice in a non-lethal environment how they would respond to a real threat in a real-world hostile environment," said Col. Bill Hyatt, 20th Fighter Wing commander. 

With support from Shaw's 682nd Air Support Operations Squadron, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., and Pope Air Force Base, N.C., the wing was able to simulate a hostile Southwest Asia scenario, said Lt. Col. Don Butler, 20th FW Exercise and Inspections chief. 

Shaw is required by the Air Combat Command commander to complete an exercise once each quarter. This particular Phase II exercise was designed to help prepare Shaw members for the upcoming air expeditionary force rotations, Col. Butler said. 

The wing operates similar to a base in the U.S. Central Command Air Forces area of responsibility during an exercise. Members practice the ability to survive and operate in a deployed environment, Col. Butler said. 

During the exercise, wing members were presented with a simulated enemy that had a strong air and ground force and used biological weapons, Col. Butler said. 

Military members were not the only participants in the exercise. Deployable Department of Defense civilians can also be tasked to participate in an operational readiness exercise, said Eric Singletary, 20th FW Exercises and Inspections specialist. 

While it is difficult to completely simulate a deployed environment at Shaw, portions of the exercise are comparable to what they would be during a deployment, Mr. Singletary said. 

A new twist added to this exercise was accountability via each member's common access card. This new system allowed exercise leadership to make sure all members who participated in the exercise received the proper briefings prior to entering the "war" area, Mr. Singletary said. 

Each exercise Shaw completes allows the wing to train for the possibility of a deployment and prepare for upcoming inspections, Col. Butler said.