Team Travis boosts readiness during Exercise

  • Published
  • By Gary Edwards
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE,Calif. --  

Travis Air Force Base conducted a combat readiness exercise June 30 – July 10, 2025, to test the installation’s ability to respond to emergent threats, maintain security and execute global mobility missions under pressure. 

The exercise included simulated events that evaluated emergency response, installation defense and coordination with base agencies integrating multiple mission sets including fire, security forces, explosive ordnance disposal, emergency medical teams, emergency management and maintenance. 

One scenario included a drone flying off-course, entering controlled airspace near the flight line without authorization. Security forces responded, where they had the option to use electronic countermeasures. The event tested both detection and decision-making timelines for hostile or suspicious aerial systems. 

“It was a great exercise for the world we live in, considering everything that’s going on,” said Justin Houde, 60th Security Forces Squadron (SFS) research protection crime prevention chief. “Drones are an emerging technology that can be employed not only by adversaries but also by various actors who may not have the best intentions. They are the future of warfare now.” 

Houde added that the 60th SFS also uses drones to enhance law enforcement readiness. 

“We’ve used drones for approximately six years at Travis for perimeter checks and monitoring at various events for visual operational oversight,” Houde said. “They give us real-time awareness.” 

Another major scenario involved a simulated aircraft emergency on the flight line. First responders assigned to the 60th Civil Engineer Squadron (CES) fire department coordinated with emergency medical personnel to triage and evacuate mock casualties under simulated conditions. 

“This allowed us to provide some realism in our training,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Zachary Steinkamp, 60th CES fire department deputy Chief. “Especially coordinating with multiple agencies on scene.” 

Military working dog teams were also tested in an entry control point avoidance scenario involving a simulated infiltrator jumping over a fence. Handlers deployed dogs trained in corralling suspects to neutralize the suspect and deny them access to the base. 

“The team was able to deploy the dog and locate the person using scent and it went very well,” said Tech. Sgt. Philip Mason, 60th Security Forces Squadron dog handler. “We felt like the team coordinated really well and the back-up response was within minutes.” 

Additionally, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians assigned to the 60th CES took part in an event requiring disarmament of a drone carrying a simulated explosive payload after breaching the base perimeter.  

“I’ve never done a drone exercise before,” said Senior Airman Joshua Irizarry, 60th SFS patrolman. “It’s really cool to see different career fields working alongside each other.” 

The scenario tested EOD’s ability to respond, deploy equipment, secure the perimeter and neutralize the device in coordination with other units.  

“The real value is being able to coordinate and work with other agencies instead of playing all the roles when we train by ourselves,” said Tech Sgt. Philip Wise, 60th CES EOD team leader. “We train for scenarios like this all the time, but the coordination is invaluable.” 

The exercise not only showcased the base's commitment to readiness and resilience but also strengthened coordination across units. By testing real-world scenarios in a controlled environment, service members were able to sharpen critical skills that directly contribute to mission success.