Upcoming exercises to cause delays Published Feb. 21, 2008 By J. Paul Croxon 319th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Residents and visitors to Grand Forks Air Force Base may find themselves facing a longer than usual wait at the gate and other areas of the base due to upcoming exercises. In preparation for April's Unit Compliance Inspection, which will evaluate the day-to-day workings of the base and its ability to respond to major accidents, the wing will be conducting increasingly more complicated exercises. The next exercise will be on March 12 with another on April 4. According to the 319th Office of the Inspector General, these exercises will test the base's reaction to increased force protection conditions including the implementation of cordons and restricted movement of non-essential personnel. Instead of remaining at home or venturing out on base during the exercise, the inspector general recommends non-exercise players take the opportunity to spend time in the local community. "Traveling on base will be very restrictive," said Maj. Steven Dougherty, 319 IG. "We recommend that all non-exercise players plan to have a day in town. They should leave at around 8 a.m. and not return to the base for a few hours." Going to town for the day isn't just a precaution against inconvenience. Many of the facilities on base will be locked down to simulate increased force protection conditions. "If the facilities are within the security forces-established cordon, the non-exercise players will not be able to go to those facilities," said Major Dougherty. "If we are in [Force Protection Condition] Delta, there will be a change in facilities' access procedures." Remember, upcoming exercises are designed to test the base's ability to respond to increasingly more complicated accidents. For non-exercise players, leaving for the day will eliminate the nuisance; otherwise, patience might be tested along with the base's response to emergencies.