First Stop: War Published March 13, 2009 By Staff Sgt. Genevieve Armstrong 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- Imagine that beyond Shaw Air Force Base's Hangar 1200 lies a desert wasteland, riddled with IEDs buried beneath the sand. Mere miles away, terrorists ready their ground assaults and load chemical-agent bearing missiles for launch. Such is the scenario of future wars; wars that today's Airmen may encounter during their careers. And to that end, Shaw Air Force Base prepares through operational readiness exercises or OREs, during which Airmen are tested on their preparedness and responsiveness to the potential danger. Once a person steps out of Hangar 1200's doors, they are in that war. And while at the time people may see the transition area, or TA, as being an obstacle to getting to work or home, they will surely miss the security of the TA should they deploy downrange. "Otherwise you would have no idea," Master Sgt. Katrina McIntosh, NCOIC of the Transition Area, said while explaining the functions of the TA. "You would not know what is going on." In an actual deployed environment, Airmen are given a force protection brief to inform them of the current situation. Shaw's TA provides that function during exercises. Battle staff directives, sign and countersign measures, even weapons and meals are provided to equip Airmen with everything they need for the fight. And to further ensure those war fighters are ready, TA staff checks their gear at the door. Sergeant McIntosh said that Airmen may notice stricter inspections on their way out, to include quizzes on information presented to them within the TA. This step up in training is to help ensure every Airman's success during the Operational Readiness Inspection, or ORI. "Because of the inspectors, this is the last chance to get it right," she said. Shaw's ORI is scheduled for June 2009, and the base populace will be performing regular OREs in preparation for it. Airmen can expect to process through the TA each time, and little is expected to change in the routine before the ORI. "I think we've got this down to a science," Sergeant McIntosh said.