8th FW familiarizes civilians with evacuation processes Published Dec. 14, 2023 By Staff Sgt. Jovan Banks 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- Airmen of the 8th Fighter Wing participated in a noncombatant evacuation operations exercise, led locally by the 8th Force Support Squadron at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Dec. 6th, 2023. NEO involves the authorized departure of civilian noncombatants and nonessential military personnel from dangerous events to a designated safe area. Being familiar with these processes aids service members' dependents and civilian personnel in quickly evacuating in the event of an emergency, such as a natural disaster or act of aggression. 1st Lt. Susan Pelechek, 8th FSS sustainment services flight commander, acted as the wing NEO officer in charge of the exercise. “Our objective is to get our non-combatants and 8 FW NEO personnel familiar with the processes so we can make sure everyone is tracking if something were to kick off,” said Pelechek. As noncombatants were in-processed, one thing that all sections focused on was their safety and security during each brief. “If we were to experience an act of aggression, we want to make sure we get our families out of harm's way so that we’re not worried about them during the fight,” said Pelechek “This allows people to focus on the mission, knowing their dependents and other loved ones are far away from the area.” As the Airmen of the Wolf Pack are constantly training and always ready, it is also a priority to ensure dependents and civilian workers are prepared to respond to an emergency at a moment’s notice.