Can anyone tell me what to expect during a NEO exercise?

I'm not 100% sure because I've never been to one but my husband is a neo warden for our company and we've had two meetings about it. What we've been told is that we walk in (the post gym is our meeting location)...go to a table that has been set up...show them our packet...they go through it and help us fill out anything that has not been filled out or tell us anything that we're missing. Our company made it sound like that was all. Not 100% sure though.

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Have a Blessed Day!

Michelle

Thanks Michelle! As long as thats all I have I to do, I should be able to handle it. I was kind of afraid I might have to lug some stuff over to base, but I'm going to be 36 weeks pregnant and don't want to have to deal with that!
MAybe I'll just go into labor and miss it! haha...

I don't know about Osan but Humphreys is supposed to be around the clock. It has been suggested to us to go early in the morning or late at night to miss any kind of waiting in line.

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Have a Blessed Day!

Michelle

Matt's commander personally "encouraged" Matt to have me attend! hahaha... I am a bad girl and haven't filled out all my paperwork yet. I was still waiting on some paperwork from immunizations. So I gotta get on that this weekend!

I was the neo warden for my unit when I was in the Army. I liked being a Warden becuase it let me get out of work when the exercises were going on.

Here at Osan they send out an e-mail saying to just bring your packet, but if you don't bring your gas masks to, then they ask you where it is, note it, and then you have people asking your sponser "Why didn't your wife bring everything?!" So just watch out, as usual what they want and what they ask for aren't always the same.

I haven't been through one yet, but I've been told to bring our packet (which is STILL with our neo warden - sore subject), my gas mask, and to make sure you know the name of your neo warden. I've been told also, that if you haven't been through one, I'll have to be there for a long period of time.

Most NEO exercises I've been too are far less painful than you'd think, really.

The key is to be prepared.

If you don't have your paperwork complete, your gas mask,etc.. yes, you could be there for a longer time..and your husband's commander and your NEO warden will get a nice nasty phone call about you. :) Oh,and don't just know the name of your neo warden.. if they ask..you -have- met them :) Trust me, I had that one pushed on me on several occasions.

Most of the time you'll spend will be in waiting, a great deal of how long you have to be there depends on how long the line is. I'd also recommend going fairly early into the neo schedule, as (*G* Short!) some commanders get impatient. ((LOL :) )) , and I know they're shooting for 90+ % participation, which means they're going to want numbers quickly. Here at Osan, the processing isn't a 24 hour thing, there are set hours, your spouses should have gotten emails from your wardens telling you when those hours are.

There's a little more involved to processing here at Osan, you go through the entire line, just as you would if you were actually processing, but.. it's actually no big deal, most of the stations you go through are just "Oh,okay, if this were real , you'd do this", etc.

DEFINITELY bring your binder... your gas mask..your passports (You'll need those!) ..your id.. I've only had to bring the full bag one time and that was when I did the flyaway.. ((which btw, I'd recommend to everyone who is able to do it.. those with small children, probably not, but single or with school age kids, go for it, it was great fun)). You're technically supposed to bring things like your birth certificates, etc., but I've never had anyone actually check my stuff for that sort of thing. If it's your first time at a NEO exercise, you'll have to sit through a video briefing explaining the process.. it's short, no worries :) You will also have the opportunity to be trained on your gas mask, and I'd recommend going ahead and taking that.. it's about 15 minutes of your time that could save your life someday. BTW, don't try to fudge it and say you know how to put it on if you don't.. they may ask you to put it on. :) *G* My first neo they asked me to demonstrate for them,and the guy cracked up, when I actually got it right.

Also, for us pet owners...don't forget, your pets can process too.. in fact they recommend it. Be sure to have your doggie or kitty in their kennel , and don't forget *their* documentation as well..a current up to date shot certificate, microchip stuff ,etc. (that should be affixed to their kennel in a plastic sort of document holder, though I also keep a copy in my binder.)

Honestly, having gone through a few NEO's now, and one full blown flyaway exercise, I can tell you..the more you practice this, the better. Under the *best* of circumstances, unexpected things can happen, things can go wrong,etc...in the event of a real evacuation, you can imagine the chaos that would ensue. These exercises are for our benefit, to prepare us and teach us how to stay safe in the event that something should go wrong...it may be a pain, but again, it could be a pain that's the difference in life and death under the wrong circumstances :)

Have fun,and I hope to see everyone there! :)

Dee :)

Oh and don't think you can wait till the last minute to do it either. Two (?) NEO's ago it was the last day and I planned on going in a little after two (I was going to do it the day before but Kenny hid the gas masks ) after I droped of the kids at pre-school. I got a call at 9:30 in the morning from Ken telling me I had to go process now. So I go in and got through, annoyed that I had to drag the kids along since they wanted to run everywhere. Come to find out that although the hours were from like 8-6 anyone that processed after 1 was going to look like they never did it because they were going to turn the stuff in early. They had called Ken and asked why I hadn't gone yet and he explained that I was going in at two. They said that wasn't good enough that I had to do it now. He told them no, he wasn't going to call me to have me go in now when there was plenty of time left. Thy hung up and called super (or whatever he is) who happened to be sitting next to him and chewing him out. The guy looked over and said can you please just call your wife so this lady will shut up .

Anyway point being just get it done asap b/c as I'm sure every knows by now, what they say and what they mean are two different things. So the next one, which I assume everyone knows, be prepared. Don't worry it's mostly just annoying, and I'm ususally in and out in about 1/2 hour.