MUÑIZ AIR BASE NATIONAL AIR GUARD, Puerto Rico — U.S. Airmen assigned to the 156th Wing, Puerto Rico Air National Guard, trained to deploy a Disaster Relief Beddown System (DRBS) and sustain operations throughout the March regularly scheduled drill, Carolina, Puerto Rico, Feb. 27 – March 9, 2025.
One DRBS provides the capacity to shelter up to 150 people, which presented an opportunity for Airmen with the 156th Civil Engineer Squadron, to assemble the system and partner with the 156th Force Support Squadron to sustain daily work operations in support of an exercise.
Some of the capabilities included in the DRBS are electrical, plumbing, water purification and power production, among others, which require specialized proficiency in order to execute those capabilities effectively during domestic emergency response.
“By integrating the use of this system, the 156th Wing ensures that it remains qualified as part of our emergency preparedness,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Evaristo Orengo, commander of the 156th Wing. “By doing so, we assess our Airmen’s proficiency and knowledge of disaster response management during domestic operations.”
The North Carolina and North Dakota Air National Guard transferred the DRBS to the PRANG in 2020 following the impact of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico in 2017.
“The DRBS provides a unique capability and this training not only validates the readiness of our equipment and personnel for hurricane season, but also demonstrates the ability to adapt and respond to any emergency or mission,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Ricardo Basora, commander of the 156th CES. “Whether in peacetime or emergencies, Airmen with the Puerto Rico Air National Guard will always be there.”
With the system set-up and operational, Airmen with the 156th FSS provided the necessary logistical oversight and management of living accommodations supporting those staying onsite.
“Familiarizing ourselves with this unique equipment and its processes helps us all improve for whenever we need to employ this capability during a real-world response,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Raymond Rosa, superintendent of the 156th Sustainment Services Flight. “This system, in addition to our Disaster Relief Mobile Kitchen Trailer and the Expandable Single Pallet Expeditionary Kitchen, allows us to provide mass feeding and completely support our base and communities during emergencies.”
PRANG Airmen will continue to train, maintain proficiency ahead of the hurricane season and leverage capabilities such as how the system was used to shelter troops in support of Mothball 2 Combat Readiness Exercise, which measured the 156th Wing’s ability to generate, employ and sustain contingency response capabilities in a full war-fighting scenario.
