Air Force continues force management programs

Published March 15, 2014

LIEUTENANT GENERAL SAMUEL D. COX

Washington (AFNS) -- Air Force leaders announced a resumption of all force management programs March 15 following a recently discussed strategic pause.

“After providing senior leadership a chance to evaluate the programs and assess our early progress, we are ready to resume immediate processing of voluntary applications in most categories and begin notifying Airmen of their status,” said Lt. Gen. Sam Cox, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services. “We expect to receive final approval authorities early next week for a select few categories, like rated and health professions, at which point we will be actively processing all voluntary applications.”

Notifications to Airmen could start as early as next week, the general added.

Cox also confirmed previously-announced force management boards would proceed as currently scheduled. The eligible populations for those boards will remain the same with the exception of a small group of about 500 Airmen who will no longer be eligible for the current voluntary or involuntary programs. Those individuals will be personally notified of their eligibility status by the Air Force Personnel Center.

“Resuming the current programs on the previously announced schedules and under the same basic criteria means minimal changes for our Airmen,” Cox said.

One item assessed during the pause was the pace of the programs and whether or not the Air Force could achieve required reductions on the original schedule. The analysis revealed the need to include a second round of programs in 2015.

“Airmen who were eligible for programs during the first round in 2014 will not be eligible for the retention boards in 2015, unless they have specific negative quality force indicators,” Cox said.

Ensuring well-performing Airmen are not subject to multiple involuntary programs is key, according to the general.

Details on the nature and timing of the second round of programs will be announced in the coming weeks.

The general continues to encourage eligible officers and enlisted Airmen to apply for the Temporary Early Retirement Authority and Voluntary Separation Pay programs. The current TERA application window remains open to March 26 and the VSP application window is open to May 1.

For more information on force management, force shaping, reduction in force and other personnel programs, go to the myPers Web site at https://mypers.af.mil.

Commander, U.S. Strategic Command talks deterrence

by Staff Sgt. Alexandra M. Boutte
509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

3/13/2014 - WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo.  -- U.S. Navy Adm. Cecil D. Haney, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, visited Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., March 10 to observe the mission here and share his thoughts with base personnel on issues facing the command and how the B-2 is important to STRATCOM's mission and goals.

Haney began his visit by having breakfast with company grade officers here at Whiteman. He fielded questions from the group of lieutenants and captains, discussing current issues in the Air Force and describing the success of Whiteman's deterrence and assurance mission, specifically mentioning the impact of the B-2's participation in Exercise FOAL EAGLE in March 2013. He also discussed the importance of integrity at all levels.

Losing one's integrity does not happen all at once, Haney said. Instead, people typically lose their integrity as part of a process. He said one small decision after another eventually erodes one's integrity, and developing personal guidelines and expectations is key to preventing that from happening.

Haney also visited Airmen on the job, receiving a tour of the B-2, as well as various munitions the aircraft would drop in combat situations.

At lunch, Haney asked Airmen about their concerns and ideas for improving working and living conditions. He also stressed the importance of their contributions to our nation's nuclear deterrence mission, and stressed the same message of integrity that he had emphasized at breakfast.

"Do not sacrifice your integrity for anything," Haney said. "Integrity is the key to success."

He ended the lunch by posing the question, "Who is your mentor and who are you mentoring?"

During a session with Whiteman's officer corps, Haney reiterated that the B-2 plays a key role in the global strike mission, and the combined efforts of the various other USSTRATCOM missions are what make each individual mission collectively strong. He stressed the importance of the nuclear triad and the B-2's unique capability to deter and assure threats now and in the future.

USSTRATCOM relies on various task forces for the execution of its global missions, to include space and cyberspace operations, missile defense, global command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, global strike and strategic deterrence, and combating weapons of mass destruction.

Haney's final challenge to Whiteman Airmen - never stop learning.

Aircraft Carrier Extends Operations in Mediterranean Sea

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 14, 2014 – The aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush will remain in the Mediterranean Sea a few days longer than originally scheduled, a Defense Department spokesman said here today.

Army Col. Steve Warren told Pentagon reporters the extension allows for additional training and enhances maritime capabilities in the region.

“This is a few more days over what the original plan was,” he said. “There’s two reasons: one is to conduct these additional training opportunities, and frankly, because a lot of what we’re doing there now is an effort to reassure our allies.”

The carrier left Norfolk, Va., to support maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.

On the situation in Ukraine, Warren said the department continues to monitor situation “very closely” and continues to call on Russia to de-escalate the situation.

“Russian intervention in Ukraine, we’ve said all along, is a violation of international law and international agreements to which Russia is a signatory,” he said.

Reserve C-17 crew diverts mission to help sick child

by Stacy Vaughn
445th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

3/14/2014 - WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- A 445th Airlift Wing C-17 Globemaster III was on a routine passenger movement mission March 7 when it was diverted to Yokota Air Base, Japan, to pick up a sick 2-year old child that needed to be transported to Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, for medical treatment.

The original mission called for the 11-person crew composed of reservists from the 89th Airlift Squadron, 445th Operations Support Squadron and 445th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron to stop at March Air Reserve Base for an aircraft swap, then fly to Kadena Air Base to pick up 45 Aerial Port Squadron Airmen from Pope Army Airfield, N.C. for transportation back home.

The routine mission changed with a phone call from Hickam asking for help.

"We got a call from PACAF air mobility division out of Hickam March 7 asking us if we would be able to support a medical evacuation mission. We called our Air Force Reserve Command point of contact and he touched base with the Force Generation Center Battle Watch and they worked the legwork with PACAF to get our crew to Yokota," said Master Sgt. Steven Palsgrove, 445th Operations Support Squadron current operations planner. "By that evening, everything was worked out. The crew was on its way the following morning."

Capt. Ryan Fallon, 89th AS aircraft commander, said when they got the call from the AFRC Command Post asking for support, he and his crew didn't hesitate. "Yes of course we'll support!"

The tasking was a challenge at first for Fallon as this was his first mission as a new aircraft commander.

"It was actually the first trip that I was in charge on paper. It was interesting being on the ground floor when it all changed and then trying to coordinate everything that needed to happen. One of the biggest hurdles was all the coordination that had to take place. We were doing a lot of coordination in the air and were making phone calls from the airplane to get as much information as we could and to put it together," Fallon said.

Fellow 89th AS pilot Maj. Ryan Wellman said at the beginning they didn't know the patient was a child or the medical circumstances. They were only told it was an emergency medical evacuation. "It wasn't until we were about to land in Yokota that we found out that the patient was a toddler," Wellman said.

"I asked the AE before we left Kadena what's the particulars of the patient and she said she was a toddler and that's all she knew. By the time we got to Yokota, as they were getting ready to load her, she had heard that the child had leukemia."

Wellman said with the new mission, the whole crew stepped up to the plate to meet the additional requirements needed. Oxygen and fuel requirements changed, extra crewmembers were on board now, plus the constant communication with the air evac medical personnel.

"I'm so thrilled it all worked out. We faced some challenges but were able to make it happen. Since the crew had never been to Yokota before, we had to figure out how much gas to take on to fly the mission and we had to fly through Tokyo air space," Wellman said.

Master Sgt. Jerald Cremeens, Jr., 89th AS loadmaster, was in the back with the passengers and coordinated the equipment placement with AE and made sure the patient and other passengers were comfortable.

"The whole air evac mission is pretty special but when it involves children, it's more emotional because most of us have kids. This mission was a team effort on all accounts," Cremeens said.

Aeromedical evacuation crews are trained and ready to fill the need when events, such as this one, are required. AES teams usually consist of a medical crew director, flight nurse, a charge medical technician and two medical technicians. The crew carries with them the necessary equipment to turn any cargo aircraft in the Air Force inventory into a flying ambulance almost instantly.

When the crew landed at Hickam, the child was taken to medical facilities at Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii. The C-17 then completed its mission.

"Teamwork was key from the very beginning until the end--our current Ops, AFRC, PACAF AE, maintainers at Kadena working with our flying crew chief to get us out of Kadena, our crew. It's also a story I'm sure the Pope APS Airmen told their families when they got home since they stayed on board for the whole ride," Fallon said.

Public Health Flight commander has roots in India

by Airman 1st Class Kiana Brothers
375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

3/12/2014 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Frigid cool air flows through the small, brick cement homes. Water is not a constant utility, and heating or air conditioning is uncommon. Neighboring homes sit attached on each side and yards are scarce near these flat roof homes, but clothes lines are easy to notice.

This describes the small Indian town of 11,000 where Lt. Col. Anoop Attreya, the Public Health Flight commander, grew up--a stark contrast to his life in America and the Air Force now.

"I attended a semi-private school and walked every day because there were no buses," said Attreya.

Children only attend school until the 10th grade in India. After graduating high school, students complete three years of additional education to earn their bachelor's. Attreya received his degree in Ayurverdic Medicine and Surgery.

After receiving his degree, Attreya entered into an arranged marriage. Before he was married, Attreya had met his wife once for a brief moment.

"I met my wife only one time for five minutes at her house," he said. "We had a very small talk, and I asked her if she liked me, she said, 'Yes'."

After they married, he and his wife decided to come to the U.S., where her family had been living for awhile. In 1987, they landed at the crowded Atlanta airport, which was full of unfamiliar people.

"The first thing I noticed was how big Americans were," said Attreya. "In India, everyone is about the same size and skin tone."

Attreya and his wife began their trip through Georgia to Alabama. Once they reached Alabama they stopped at a rest station that was having a soda promotion.

"We use to hear, in America, they had those," said Attreya, referring to the soda machines. "I was just so tickled to experience it for the first time!"

After settling in Alabama, Attreya continued his education. He received a master's in public health, administration, and took two semesters of health education. After working for the Alabama State Health Department and Tuskegee University, he decided to enter the Air Force in 1995 as a Public Health Officer.

Attreya did not initially think about joining the Air Force, but his boss, an Army reservist, and his brother-in-law, a physician in the Indian Navy, who worked with Attreya, played a part in his decision.

He has now been on several deployments throughout his career, and has also worked with and trained many people.

"I enjoy every deployment, but I really enjoyed being able to train members from Pakistan in their own language," said Attreya. "I really do enjoy the way we work in the Air Force, and I love preventative medicine."

When he is not performing his Air Force duties he still stays connected with family in India.

"I try to go to India every year because my parents and sisters still live there," said Attreya, a 19-year veteran.

The last time he visited the country he grew up in was for his son's wedding in June 2013. His son is currently in the U.S., but his daughter-in-law is waiting for her visa.

AFA honors Air Guard

by Master Sgt. Marvin R. Preston
Air National Guard Readiness Center Public Affairs

3/14/2014 - ARLINGTON, Va.  -- The Air Force Association's D.W. Steel Sr. Memorial Chapter hosted the 12th Annual AFA Salute to the Air National Guard recognizing members assigned to the National Guard Bureau during a ceremony March 13 at the Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel here.

"We've done these salutes and it is always a highlight of the year for us when we are able to partner with the ANG and honor the annual award winners," said Kevin Lewis, AFA chapter president.

This year, the organization recognized 14 members of the National Guard Bureau staff for their professionalism, leadership and dedication to the success of the ANG and Air Force mission.

Those members honored representing a wide range of specialties were:

• Senior Master Sgt. Darin Mauzy, office of the director of the ANG
• Maj. Kristin Haley, command staff
• Richard Morgan, financial management
• William Mace, safety
• Lt. Col. Darrick Cunningham, office of the Air Surgeon
• Staff Sgt. Jarrett Harris, human resources
• Senior Master Sgt. Mikel Clendenen, manpower, personnel, and services
• Maj. Christopher DiNote, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
• Master Sgt. Tyrell Scott, air, space an information operations
• 1st Lt. Eddie Smith, logistics
• Maj. Scott Gilloon, plans and requirements
• Senior Master Sgt. Robbie Hunt, communications
• Jacque Nino, installations and mission support
• Dave Pacheco, plans and programs

"Opportunities like this, to recognize people are important and to recognize people is the best part of this job," said Lt. Gen. Stanley E. Clarke III, director of the ANG.

Clarke also went on to discuss the vital role the Air National Guard Readiness Center staff plays in supporting the 54 ANG states and territories, Joint Forces Headquarters, and more than 105,000 Airmen; a number larger than any Air Force Major Command.

"They do such a great job of it and they make it look easy," Clarke said. "They do that all the way down [to] the basic Airman in the field, to support them so they can do the mission of the war-fight, human operations or security cooperation."

The AFA is a non-profit, independent, professional military and aerospace education association that promotes a dominant Air Force and a strong national defense, and honors Airmen and our Air Force heritage.

Commander leads and exceeds at 375th Operations Group

by Airman 1st Class Megan Friedl
375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

3/12/2014 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- As a young girl, Col. Jeanette Voigt first dreamed of becoming a pilot, just like her father. So that's exactly what she did.

At that time women were not allowed to be pilots in the Air Force, but that never stopped her from going after her dream with her father's encouragement. By the time she was accepted to the Air Force Academy in 1987, the Air Force had been allowing women to fly for 11 years.

After pilot training, she began her career flying the KC-135R at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. As a young lieutenant, Voigt said it was a high point for women's leadership. More than half the flying squadron commanders at that time were women, which was rare.

Seeing women in these leadership positions inspired Voigt and she is now an accomplished 22-year veteran who serves as the 375th Operations Group commander. She is one of two female Operations Group commanders in Air Mobility Command.

Her responsibilities include managing seven squadrons and one detachment located at four different locations within the U.S., and she leads a group of 524 military, civilian and contract personnel.

In addition, she also manages a family with two sons alongside her husband, who is also a colonel in the Air Force.

"I feel like I have never had anything held back from me because of being a woman," said Voigt. "I really believe that I've gotten opportunities here in the Air Force that I never would have gotten out in the civilian world."

Voigt said the best part of being the OG commander now is interacting with her Airmen across a wide range of missions and seeing them in action, such as Capt. Shannon Williams, 458th Airlift Squadron executive officer.

Williams said, "I prefer not to dwell on gender in analyzing leadership qualities, however it is encouraging to see another female aviator who has been so successful."

For anyone interested in joining the Air Force, Voigt encourages them to pursue leadership, excellence and education.

"The Air Force is an environment to develop yourself, no matter what your gender or background is," said Voigt. "The Air Force does a great job of incorporating everyone into the service and drawing out the best in what people have to offer."

Air Force-Wide BAH recertification

by Staff Sgt. Candice C. Page
Headquarters Air Combat Commanad Public Affairs

3/14/2014 - LANGLEY AFB, Va.  -- An Air Force-wide Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) recertification for Airmen currently receiving with-dependant Rate BAH began March 1 and is scheduled to be completed by December 2014.

Master Sgt. Danny Avery, 633rd Comptroller Squadron financial services officer, said after discrepancies were found in the BAH recertification process during a recent Department of Defense-wide audit, the Headquarters Air Force Accounting and Finance established the requirement for a one-time BAH recertification for all Airmen receiving the dependant rate.

"As good stewards of our resources and our dollars we are required to ensure members are getting paid the correct entitlements," Avery said.

Local base Financial Services Offices are offering appointments and mass briefings monthly for Airmen to recertify their source documents in a timely manner.

Not responding to the established suspense will result in the reduction of an Airmen's BAH to without-dependant rate.

Airmen are required to bring a marriage or youngest child's birth certificate or a court order that shows custody of a dependant. The AF Form 594, (Application and authorization to start, stop or change basic allowance for quarters (BAQ) or dependency redetermination), will also be completed during the recertification appointment which is approximately five minutes.

If you have not been informed on the local recertification process, contact your local Financial Services Office for more information on appointments and briefing schedules.

Changes coming to deployed Airman pay

3/14/2014 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Starting June 1, Airmen deployed to several locations will see significant changes to pay programs.

The biggest change includes the discontinuation of imminent danger pay, or IDP, in multiple countries.

The DOD-wide announcement impacts Airmen deployed to 15 countries.

"The IDP recertification process is an assessment that includes input from combatant commands, the joint staff and the military services," said Lt. Col. Kevin Naman, of the Air Force Compensation and Travel Policy Division. "The resulting discontinuation of IDP at a certain location by no means diminishes the hard work and sacrifices our Airmen make at these locations daily."

Locations where IDP designation is discontinued include:

The six land areas and the airspace above Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Serbia and Montenegro

The nine land areas of East Timor, Haiti, Liberia, Oman, Rwanda, Tajikistan, United Arab Emirates, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan

The water and air space above the Persian Gulf

The IDP changes will not impact deployed members' combat zone tax exclusion status except for Airmen serving in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Personnel serving in these locations will no longer be eligible for the CZTE, which includes pay exclusion from gross income and extension of most tax action deadlines.

Reductions in IDP will be offset somewhat by increases in Hardship Duty Location Pay, or HDP-L. HDP-L monthly rates will increase to $150 in East Timor, Haiti, Liberia, Montenegro, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The HDP-L rate for Airmen serving in Bahrain will be established at $50.

Members deployed to the impacted locations cannot be grandfathered into the previous pay entitlements.

"These adjustments are going to be effective on 1 June 14 so the best way to prepare is to know how your location will be impacted," Naman said.

Airmen deployed in the following locations will see no changes June 1, and will continue to receive IDP. Those include:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Burundi, Chad, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Greece (Athens only), Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Yemen, Mediterranean Sea and Somalia Basin.

If Airmen have any questions about their pay, Naman encourages them to visit their local financial services office.

First female assumes command of ANG fighter wing

By Lt. Col. Gary A. Daniel, 124th Fighter Wing / Published March 14, 2014

BOISE, Idaho (AFNS) -- Col. Sherrie McCandless, the first woman selected to command the 124th Fighter Wing and first female wing commander in Idaho Air National Guard history, assumed command in a ceremony on March 2, at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho.

"We have a no-fail mission. It is absolutely imperative that we respond diligently -- as you have throughout the years," McCandless said.

"We are going to remain trained, focused and responsive on our current mission here and now. It is difficult to see clearly into the future, but what I see extremely clearly is our airmen. The equipment can be replaced, but our airmen remain. It's the lifetime patriots that we are; we get up in the morning and head into work."

McCandless just completed service as the director, plans and requirements, at the National Guard Bureau. She is a former airlift squadron commander, a command pilot with flying experience in the T-38 Talon, F-16 Fighting Falcon, C-40 Clipper and C-38 aircraft, an air liaison officer and a combat veteran. She has served as the executive officer to the chief of the Air National Guard, as aide-de-camp to the chief of the National Guard Bureau, and as a congressional liaison officer.

McCandless became the fifteenth wing commander of the 124th Fighter Wing.

"Any time you are moving into a position of leadership like this, you are always standing on the shoulders of those commanders that stood before you," she said.

"I would like to extend a personal thank you to Col. Chris Rood (the outgoing wing commander) for all his support during this transition. Thank you, General Nolan, (a previous wing commander) I know it takes everything that you've got to lead an organization at this level," she said.

Brig. Gen. Michael Nolan, the assistant adjutant general, Air, commander Idaho Air National Guard, presided over the ceremony. As he began to address the historic wing change of command he remarked upon the static A-10 Thunderbolt II just to right of the ceremony stage.

"She is a workhorse, and the hundreds of combat hours she has flown is a fine representation (of the 124th FW)," he said.

He thanked Col. Chris Rood for his service as 124th FW commander, vice commander and for his leadership through the process of a successful outcome to the 2013 consolidated unit inspection.

"The success of those inspections was in large part due to your efforts and the efforts of those you led," he said.

He proceeded to address the future of the Idaho Air National Guard.

"Today we find ourselves navigating a bit of rough air facing a potential divesture of the A-10 mission," he said. "Despite our confidence that has come with years of success, we find ourselves anxious about an uncertain future. But we are navigating, we are not adrift, we are flying a charted course. Our mission is clear, it is to fly, fight, and win.

"We are not in uncharted waters; the uncertainty we face is mission change," he continued. "We have successfully navigated mission change on several occasions. As always, we will succeed. Let's not focus on uncertainty, but on opportunities that come with certain change. They are numerous."

As he summarized the resumé of incoming fighter wing commander McCandless, he said, "We will capitalize on your unique experience and qualifications. I anticipate that you'll be a collaborative, articulate, well informed, and experienced leader capable of moving the wing forward."

As she addressed 124th FW's Airmen McCandless said, "We've accomplished nine aircraft conversions here, our Airmen have retrained and quickly regained their combat mission readiness as rapidly as possible each time and they have continued to serve with distinction."

McCandless thanked her husband, Lt. Col. Chris Sheppard, of the District of Columbia Air National Guard. Sheppard, a traditional guardsman, is commander of the 121st Operations Support Squadron.

"I'm extremely proud of his deployment record to Iraq twice and to Afghanistan," she said. "I'm not only a deployer myself, but I'm also a spouse. I wait and worry just as other spouses do for their spouse to come home from combat.

"I pledge my personal best to you all," she said. "I intend to uphold the promise of 'first class or not at all.'"

Frank Cable Upgrades Medical Department

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Greg House, USS Frank Cable Public Affairs

POLARIS POINT, Guam (NNS) -- The submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40) upgraded its medical department's patient care medical records system from a local-only paper medical record system to the Theater Medical Information Program (TMIP) system, March 11.

TMIP allows Frank Cable's medical department to communicate their crew member's medical encounters to the DOD's electronic medical record system called AHLTA, the current electronic medical record storage system that communicates with all military treatment facilities worldwide and is an information source for the Veteran Administration's medical system.

This is a first in that Guam operational platforms can now share medical encounters with Naval Hospital Guam and all other military medical facilities, thus providing better care for all military members.

"The software tracks patient encounters more efficiently than other systems. This system makes it possible to track your progress fleet-wide," said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Sharron Tate, Frank Cable's petty officer in charge of training for the TMIP system.

Using TMIP can also act as a safeguard if something happens to a patient's medical record.

"Even if your paper medical record is lost, this system will retain the data about all previous visits," said Tate. "This will streamline medical treatment and make treatment information more accessible to other military providers."

Patients are not the only ones reaping the benefits of having this program installed on Frank Cable.

"Our staff will greatly benefit from utilizing the TMIP program by allowing us to use the same program that other military hospitals and operational units are currently using," said Tate. "We all can communicate on the same system allowing for maximum treatment services for all of our armed forces."

Frank Cable also recently established a link into AHLTA as an actual clinic, with assistance from Naval Hospital Guam. This capability is used while in port. The next planned phase of bringing the electronic medical record systems to the waterfront, now that Frank Cable was able to demonstrate operational success, will be to establish both AHLTA and TMIP clinics for all associated platforms with medical assets.

Frank Cable, forward-deployed to the island of Guam, conducts maintenance and support of submarines and surface vessels deployed in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility.

12 F-16s, 200 U.S. personnel arrive in Poland

by Airman 1st Class Ryan Conroy
U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa Public Affairs

3/15/2014 - LASK AIR BASE, Poland -- In an attempt to augment U.S. military presence in the region, twelve 555th Fighter Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcons and about 200 personnel assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy, arrived at the U.S. Air Force Aviation Detachment here, March 14-15.

At the invitation of the government of Poland, U.S. Air Forces in Europe will be conducting an off site training event that demonstrates the U.S.'s commitment to collective defense responsibilities under NATO's objectives.

"One of NATO's objectives is to develop bonds so if something happens, and NATO has to take action in a real-world environment, you want to have trained together in advance," said Lt. Col. John Peterson, 555th Fighter Squadron commander. "You want to develop those tactics, techniques and procedures before you're in a combat environment."

Peterson explains that without a consistent training platform, the U.S. risks the incapability to develop and analyze strengths and weaknesses with partnering countries.

"The devil is in the details," said Peterson. "Unless you figure out how to work together at a tactical level -- from the squadron commander to the junior Airman turning wrenches -- you lose out on the opportunity to know each other's strengths and develop your weaknesses."

The objectives for the off site training are in line with the aviation detachment's original intent, which is to remain ready to operate across the range of military operations with precise, full-spectrum capability, according to Maj. Matthew Spears, U.S. Air Force Aviation Detachment commander.

"The aviation detachment consists of a small team of U.S. Airmen, in country, on a prolonged basis to act as a coordinating element for joint training between the U.S. and Poland," said Spears. "This is why the AvDet is in place and this is why we are an active detachment."

The detachment was activated in November 2012, and marked the first enduring presence of U.S. military members on Polish soil. The Aviation Detachment's presence in Poland makes it possible to host multiple allied Air Force elements and serve as a regional hub for air training and multi-national exercises. They also facilitate and enable combined U.S. and Polish training and exercises to increase air support to NATO.

The current presence of common assets recently obtained at the detachment marks another milestone in the rotational deployment of U.S. military resources since 2012.

"With the arrival of the F-16 Fighting Falcon and the C-130 Hercules in Poland we have seen a strengthening in our partnership between the U.S. and Poland, which is in line with making us interoperable," said Spears.