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Locked and Loaded

  • Published
  • By Airman First Class Jacob T. Stephens
  • 355th Wing Public Affairs

The Airmen of the 355th Wing are committed to readiness and maintaining the ability to deploy at a moment's notice. The individual Protective Equipment Element, assigned to the 355th Logistics Readiness Squadron's material management flight, keeps them ready.

The IPEE has a significant impact on the wing’s ability to stay geared up and lethal. They store, maintain and issue equipment required to support real world deployments, as well as do recurring training to include chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear defense training and combat arms training and maintenance qualification training.

"We have touchpoints with almost every Airmen on base," said Andrew Reisz, 355th LRS IPE Supervisor. "Our team enables commanders downrange to fulfill their mission by sending Airmen with all the necessary equipment in a timely manner."

The IPEE is responsible for an $18 million IPE account with roughly 415 thousand assets and a $1 million weapons account. Within the last fiscal year, they have issued over 43 thousand pieces of equipment to over 1,300 deploying personnel. These Airmen have deployed to 28 various locations in support of several different combat and humanitarian operations.

"We have a direct impact on the wing’s mission because without getting gear out in a timely manner then we can’t have the warfighters downrange when we need them," said Staff Sgt. Davin Richardson, 355th LRS IPE Supervisor. "Without giving out the proper gear, we can’t ensure that Airmen downrange have the best chance to come back to us. We impact the wing and the Air Force as a whole by doing our best to bring Airmen back safely."

The IPEE has a significant role in keeping the dynamic wing in a state of readiness. Their mission enables Airmen to rapidly deploy by shortening turnaround time.

The Airmen of the 355th LRS, more specifically the IPEE, are committed to constantly becoming more efficient to increase the readiness and lethality of Davis-Monthan.