 The Air Force Reserve regularly conducts training, mobilization, and deployment exercises to test its readiness posture. One such exercise, Paid Redoubt 80, was conducted in June 1980. Lasting two weeks, this command-wide exercise was planned and monitored at Air Force Reserve headquarters, Robbins Air Force Base, Georgia, and was the largest and most comprehensive readiness exercise in the history of the Air Force Reserve. Paid Redoubt realistically demonstrated that if an actual mobilization is needed, the Air Force Reserve will live up to its motto, Ready Now. An important part of the exercise began in Denver. Here at the Air Reserve Personnel Center, Lowry Air Force Base, mobilization procedures for non-unit reservists were initiated following notification by the Pentagon. Focal point for these activities was the Personnel Mobilization Center. Here, its commander directed his officers to initiate the telephone notification system. Over 4,000 reservists were contacted in this test operation. Concurrently, a group of 1,100 reservists were selected to test the center's Mobilization Mailgram system. Computerized mobilization orders were transmitted by commercial telegraph to offices nearest the reservist's home. Home delivery largely was accomplished within 24 hours. These orders explained the reason for the exercise and informed the recipients to call a toll-free number to report when their mailgram had been received. Computers also identified shortages of certain job categories among active force units, then screened and selected qualified individual replacements from the reserve ranks. Other banks of computers at the Air Force Accounting and Finance Center converted a sampling of the reservist's pay records into jumps, the Joint Uniform Military Pay System, to simulate the conditions of entering onto active duty. At Hill Air Force Base, Utah, other exercise activities were already underway in the shadow of the snow-capped Wasatch Range. Here at the headquarters of the 508th Tactical Fighter Group, the host activity of this segment of the exercise, considerable advanced planning had already taken place prior to the arrival of the deploying units. Then on June 7, C-141 Star-Lifters carrying personnel and equipment from the 301st Tactical Fighter Wing, Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, became the first to arrive. Members of the 67th Aerial Port Squadron assisted the 508th with equipment offloading and provided transportation to ferry the incoming reservists to their billets. The pace of the arrivals quickened as C-130s touched down on a prearranged schedule, peaking with the landing of a C-5 Galaxy, the world's largest aircraft. They carried support personnel from the 301st Tactical Fighter Wing, scheduled to undergo an operational readiness inspection as they're part of paid readout AD. K-loaders easily tackled the problem of unloading large quantities of equipment and baggage in a short time. More than 62 tons were efficiently offloaded and stored for use by the time all 442 reservists had arrived. The following morning, the sound of F-105s heralded the arrival of the remaining wing personnel. Colonel Roger F. Shear, the 301st Wing Commander, led the first group of F-105 Thunder Chiefs to touch down in taxi to their assigned positions on the flight line. Every man and woman of the 301st Tactical Fighter Wing has worked long and hard for this day. I know we're all glad that it's finally arrived and we're ready to get it on. With all wing personnel in place, the ORI was ready to begin. Huey helicopters departed on a simulated mission. We left at dawn on a simulated rescue. We flew west for about 50 miles. Our mission was to locate two downed airmen somewhere in the desert. We were given the general location coordinates, but there's a lot of sand down there. Then we saw the flashes and moved closer to confirm our targets. While the other chopper gave us cover, we dropped down to make the pick-up. Ground temperature gets pretty hot out here this time of year. So when the guys climbed the port, they were glad we found them without too much delay. A surprise attack by F-16 signaled the beginning of an air-based security test. An aggressor force manning a UH-1 hit the field undetected in a simulated attempt to disable the parked F-105s. At the same time, another UH-1 landed outside of the 301st Wing Headquarters, hoping to capture and hold as hostage the Wing Commander. The aggressors make their way toward the command post. On the flight line, the attack is pushed forward with small arms fire and smoke grenades. Flight line security forces mount a counter attack. In the confusion, the Wing Commander has made good his escape, leaving the building under siege. Now only partially complete, the aggressors make their escape. Successful completion of the hill portion of Paid Redoubt 80, the 301st Tactical Fighter Wing made a final flyover. They had proven to themselves and to the Air Force that they were ready. Another phase of Paid Redoubt 80 was underway at Volk Field, Wisconsin. Part of the challenge for everyone was learning to adapt to the limited facilities at Volk, which are typical of the austere overseas basing they'd face if mobilized. Improvising and coping in a very different environment made the experience a carbon copy of what reserve members could expect if deployed. Hello, I'm Colonel Bill Bastnet, Commander of the 414th Provisional Wing here at Volk Field, Wisconsin. We're a part of Exercise Redoubt 80, which is a test of the deployment, mobility and combat readiness of the Air Force Reserve. Volk Field here was a bare base just a few short days ago, and we've brought in reservists from all over the country to open the base and set up our combat operations. The training that we'll receive here is extremely realistic, and our operations with the Army will provide some of the best training that is possible. The Army, 82nd Airborne, has a unit working with us that is also being tested for their combat readiness. We feel that after this exercise we'll be ready to take our place anywhere in the world in support of intensity operations with the United States Air Force. Elements of the 82nd Airborne Division arrived at hourly intervals in 25 C-141s. Nearly 1,200 active and reserve paratroopers had disembarked, bringing base strength to well over the 2,500 mark. Their equipment offload was accomplished by members of the 442nd maps. I'm Staff Sergeant Terry France, and I'm an Air Cargo Specialist using the skills that I learned while on active duty. While we're here, we're in charge of loading and offloading all of the aircraft, and nothing moves till it moves through us. With all of the units assembled, the extensive combat readiness exercise began. Final briefings were held, orienting personnel to their designated tasks. A-37s taxied to the end of the runway and awaited takeoff instructions. Receiving final clearance, they took off in pairs, climbing high in the Wisconsin sky. On the ground, Jump Masters supervised paratroopers as they made last-minute checks of their shoots and equipment, after which they boarded their aircraft and prepared for takeoff. Planning to the flight crews, operations, and maintenance personnel. The tactical missions began as the A-37 Dragonflies made low-level suppression runs on simulated fuel reserves. Their flying accuracy with each pass over the targets. Shoot spilled the skies, dropped from C-130 Hercules, C-123 providers, and C-7 Karabu aircraft. F-105s provided close air support for the descending troopers, then returned to formation as the 82nd Airborne landed. Later, the troops regrouped with their respective units, following the prescribed scenario. An HH-3 Jolly Green Giant had completed its in-flight refueling when its course was altered to begin a search-and-rescue attempt at a nearby lake. I'm Senior Master Sergeant Jim Massering, a pair of rescue men from the 305th Aerospace Rescue Recovery Squadron. Our mission here while at Vogue Field is to provide rescue coverage for the variety of operations that are going on, whether it be on mishap in the water, on down-pilot, or in mountain emergency. I've got the survivors in sight. 20 yards out. First PJ's away. Second PJ's away. Both PJ's are in the water. Okay, clear to turn. Be deployed. 15 down. This is a mobile aeromedical staging facility where simulated casualties are brought for continued treatment and preparation for aeromedical evacuation. From here, they're transported by aircraft to a fixed medical facility for more extensive treatment and observation. The tension of the day and night exercise activity was broken by an Air Force tradition. After completing his final A-37 mission, marking the end of his flying career, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Kane was posed down by his comrades. During the last several years, we have slowly been increasing our manning and our professional airmanship. We have demonstrated to the public and to the world the combat readiness of the Air Force Reserve. Our assigned missions are typical of the kinds of things that citizen airmen can do. The Air Force Reserve is truly a combat-ready force prepared today to perform its wartime mission.