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***image1***Everyone knows preparation is a vital part in accomplishing a goal. In sports, teams must practice to win, to pass a test one must study, and in the military Airmen have to be ready to accomplish the mission.
The 86th Operations Support Squadron Intelligence Flight guarantees that all Airmen are prepared for the types of dangers and hazards they could encounter while deployed or TDY. The flight also does research and keeps both wing leaderships and other commanders up-to-date on what’s happening in the world.
“A lot of stuff goes on in the world that you just don’t hear about,” said Capt. Anne Catino, 86th OSS Intelligence Flight commander.
The flight, which has only 14 Airmen, researches world events and passes on information that could potentially require action by U.S. Air Forces in Europe leadership to ensure there is no surprise to commanders and Airmen when a mission comes down.
The intel flight also holds daily briefings, including pre-mission and pre-deployment briefings. These briefs prepare aircrews for the locations they are going to and anything they might encounter while there. The aircrews learn about enemy weapons they could come in contact with while conducting operations.
“We train them on what the weapons are, how they can impact their mission, what they can do to their aircraft and how to avoid them,” said Captain Catino.
Not only is the flight key in mission success for the 86th Airlift Wing but it is actively involved in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions, such as the recent humanitarian effort for the school in Beslan, Russia.
“We play a big role in everything that goes on here at Ramstein,” said Airman 1st Class Jonathan Brown, 86th OSS intelligence flight applications journeyman, who returned in November from a humanitarian aid mission in Rwanda, Africa.
The 86th OSS intelligence flight provides the right information to the right people. All the information they give is vital to completing the mission and completing it safely, said Captain Catino. There is only so much information that can be obtained without the help of the intelligence flight.
