JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- Airmen from the 156th Force Support Squadron, Puerto Rico Air National Guard, joined nearly 100 force support professionals from four Air National Guard units and one Air Force Reserve unit from across the nation for the fiscal year 2026 Home Station Readiness Training at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, June 15-23, 2026.
The HSRT brought together force support Airmen from Puerto Rico's 156th FSS, Hawaii's 154th FSS, Oregon's 142nd FSS, Colorado's 140th FSS and Nevada's 926th FSS in a total force integration effort designed to strengthen contingency operations.
"Our greatest strength in the force support community is our ability to operate as one integrated team, and during this joint readiness event we significantly enhanced those skillsets," said Senior Master Sgt. Raymond Rosa-Rivera, sustainment services superintendent, 156th FSS.
Conducted over multiple periods, the HSRT combined classroom instruction, hands-on practical exercises and a culminating field exercise to prepare personnel and services Airmen for operations in deployed and contested environments. The training emphasized the Air Force’s force support mission of sustaining combat capability while supporting commanders and Airmen during crisis and contingency operations.
Throughout the event, participants developed and refined mission-essential skills in personnel accountability, Personnel Support for Contingency Operations, reception, staging, onward movement and integration, casualty reporting, mortuary affairs, contingency feeding, force beddown planning, contingency quarters, morale, welfare and recreation, command and control, vehicle operations, and field sustainment. The final exercise required the integration of these capabilities while responding to realistic operational scenarios under expeditionary conditions.
“In contingency operations, Airmen are exposed to a constantly evolving battle space, and in today’s combat environment, all Airmen performing sustainment operations must be ready to plan and adapt in short notice to meet operational needs,” said Master Sgt. Roberto Escabi, base services specialist, 156th FSS.
The joint environment fostered collaboration among experienced subject matter experts, strengthened professional relationships and provided an opportunity to work alongside force support professionals from geographically separated Air National Guard units, sharing best practices, standardizing procedures, and improving interoperability across the total force.
Rosa said “Training alongside Airmen from Hawaii, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada was an invaluable opportunity that allowed us to exchange ideas, validate our processes, and strengthen the partnerships that will be critical during future contingency and disaster response operations.”
Hosting the event in Hawaii reinforced the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific region, providing participants with realistic operational challenges. According to training objectives, the exercise supported the National Defense Strategy by improving readiness, integrated operations, and the ability to project and sustain combat power.
“By investing in joint training opportunities and collaborative readiness initiatives such as this, we continue to ensure force support Airmen remain prepared to provide critical personnel and sustainment capabilities in support of combatant commanders worldwide,” said Rosa
The successful completion of the FY26 Home Station Readiness Training demonstrated the commitment of Air National Guard force support units to maintaining a highly trained, mission-ready force capable of supporting Air Force operations across the full spectrum of military missions.