Malabar 2014 Kicks Off

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Joshua Hammond, Navy Public Affairs Support Element Japan, Sasebo Det.

SASEBO, Japan (NNS) -- Naval forces from India, Japan and the United States will participate in exercise Malabar 2014, July 24 - 30.

Malabar is a complex, high-end warfighting exercise that has grown in scope and complexity over the years. Malabar 2014 is the latest in a continuing series of exercises conducted to advance multinational maritime relationships and mutual security issues.

The exercise will feature both ashore and at-sea training. While ashore in Sasebo, Japan, training will include subject matter expert and professional exchanges on carrier strike group operations; maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations; anti-piracy operations; and visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operations.

"The United States, India and Japan hold common values and seafaring traditions, making our navies natural partners," said Vice Admiral Robert Thomas, Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet. "We believe that building maritime partnerships through exercises like Malabar foster security and stability in the entire Indo-Asia Pacific region."

The at-sea portions will be conducted in the waters south of Japan. They are designed to advance participating nations mil-to-mil coordination and capacity to plan and execute tactical operations in a multi-national environment.

"This [Malabar 2014] will certainly advance professional interaction and understanding between our Sailors and help us to achieve better synergy to tackle common maritime challenges," said Indian Navy Rear Admiral A. K. Jain, Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Fleet. "This will also help us to take naval cooperation between the U.S., Japan and India to a new level."

Events planned during the at-sea portions include liaison officer professional exchanges and embarks; communications exercises; search and rescue exercises; helicopter evolutions; underway replenishments; gunnery exercises; VBSS; and anti-submarine warfare exercises.

"Throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans the U.S. 7th Fleet and its allies, Japan and partner India, maintain a consistent presence; it's absolutely critical that we train together and build our maritime partnership and understanding," Captain Shan M. Byrne Commodore Destroyer Squadron 15. "Exercises like Malabar continue to help maintain and strengthen stability and security in the Asian Pacific and Indian Ocean region."

Malabar is a yearly exercise between the Indian and U.S. navy and has been going on since 1992 and has featured the Japanese Navy on three separate occasions.

Navy Surgeon General Addresses Future of Navy Medicine at Navy Now Forum

By Chantel Furbert, U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery Public Affairs

ARLINGTON, Va. (NNS) -- Vice Adm. Matthew Nathan, Navy surgeon general and chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, spoke at the Navy Now Forum in Arlington, Virginia, July 23.

The Navy Now Forum provides a unique opportunity for business leaders to network with the leading names in the naval industry and gain critical insight on the inner workings of the Navy.

During the forum, Nathan discussed the mission of Navy Medicine including its strategic priorities of readiness, value, and jointness.

Nathan covered a range of important topics, such as medical readiness, health information technology, medical research and development, and the Navy's enduring commitment to recovering warriors. He also addressed the importance of building partnerships with the private sector to deliver the best of patient care and leverage cutting-edge innovations.

"After more than a decade of war, we have continuously implemented medical lessons learned and increased life-saving capabilities unseen in previous wars" said Nathan. "We have made significant strides in areas such as the care provided to wounded warriors, including the diagnosis and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and rehabilitative care."

Nathan noted that these advances in military medicine have been shared with the civilian medical community, and in turn have helped developed significant partnerships with academic and industry leaders at home and abroad. Many breakthroughs in combat casualty care have been adopted by civilian trauma centers and emergency rooms.

"Navy Medicine's many partnerships continue to create robust advancements in medicine such as infectious disease research, including malaria vaccine development currently underway at our research labs," said Nathan.

He went on to explain how such innovations and collaborations will help Navy Medicine be better prepared to meet the challenges of the next conflict, contingency, or natural disaster.

Nathan stressed the importance of harnessing virtual medicine as the next revolution in the health care industry. His forward-looking approach aims at innovations in technology and delivering care that will lead to an integrated system of telemedicine and care delivered outside of the hospital or clinic. He stressed that Navy Medicine is focused on improving the overall health of patients as opposed to simply delivering health care.

U.S. Navy Medicine is a global health care network of 63,000 Navy medical personnel around the world who provide high quality health care to more than one million eligible beneficiaries. Navy Medicine personnel deploy with Sailors and Marines worldwide, providing critical mission support aboard ship, in the air, under the sea and on the battlefield.

Mercy and NEPMU-6 offer Preventive Medicine Classes during RIMPAC Exercise 2014

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Justin W. Galvin, USNS Mercy Public Affairs

PACIFIC OCEAN (NNS) -- Navy Environmental and Preventive Medicine Unit Six (NEPMU-6) conducted classes on environmental health, industrial hygiene and pest management throughout the week of July 21 to hospital corpsman aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2014.

Mercy, with the help of NEPMU-6, is provided these lectures and hands-on training to further the skillsets of Mercy's corpsmen.

"These classes offer a general overview of what we do with respect to preventive medicine," said Lt. Cmdr. Toby Palmer, an entomologist with NEPMU-6. "It will also help them become better corpsmen who will know how to prevent diseases and prevent injuries further down the road."

Many of the corpsmen in the class learned new and relevant information not typically received in a medical work environment.

"The most interesting aspect of the preventive medicine training thus far has been the food handling lesson," said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Stephanie Cilo. "It really gave me perspective on the importance of healthy practices within the galley and on the mess decks."

Topics discussed throughout the week ranged from water quality and shipboard sanitation to infections and diseases transferred by insects.

"As a corpsman you are expected to know and do a lot of things," said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Dylan Rich, a preventive medicine technician with NEPMU-6. "You never know when you may be called upon to be a preventive medicine authority where you'll have to draw on the information learned here."

With Mercy's missions largely consisting of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, Palmer feels this training is of even more importance to those involved.

"In the future they will be the ones going into Pacific Commands area of operation and looking at different disease," said Palmer. "They'll have the ability to recognize some of the signs and symptoms and be able to make determinations on how to control and handle the diseases when they get there."

This year's RIMPAC marks the first time in the exercise's history that hospital ships have participated. Twenty-two nations, 49 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC exercise from June 26 to Aug. 1, in and around the California coast and Hawaiian Islands.

Airman Helps to Restore B-29 Superfortress

By Air Force Airman 1st Class John Linzmeier

22nd Air Refueling Wing

MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan., July 25, 2014 – As a child, he spent countless hours drawing aircraft from his World War II book collection, daydreaming about what it would like to be fly in one of them.

Now, as an adult with 19 years of Air Force service, his aircraft dreams are still alive and are even more vivid as he spends much of his free time restoring one of the last flyable B-29 Superfortress bombers.

Tech. Sgt. Geoffrey Jensen, 22nd Maintenance Group logistic resource management program noncommissioned officer in charge, became a volunteer for the “Friends of Doc” restoration project in March and has been hooked on helping ever since.

Doc, a B-29 named after a character from the fairy tale "Snow White," was built in Wichita, Kansas, during World War II. It has been parked inside a Boeing hangar next to McConnell Air Force Base, close enough for Jensen to do a little work during his lunch break, something he does frequently.

“It’s like bringing history to life,” Jensen said. “There are a lot of people who have never even heard of this airplane. It’s the same model that dropped the atomic bomb and ended World War II, and it’s so cool that I get to be a part of that.”

Working on an aircraft is nothing new to Jensen. He was a flightline crew chief for 18 years and has brought all of his experience with him to aid the restoration project. But he’s not the only one involved in the project who has military experience.

“We’ve got a large number of veterans helping out here, including a 95-year-old,” said TJ Norman, volunteer manager. “It’s so nice having these Air Force guys over here, because all I have to do is show them what project we are working on, and they know exactly what to do.”

The aircraft is being pieced together to resemble its original image with a few modifications for increased safety. Jensen said he has helped to implement modern avionics technologies while trying to maintain the aircraft’s originality.

Jensen’s enthusiasm for the restoration project has spread to other members of his family. His wife is helping to manage operational aspects of Project Doc, and even his father has joined him on a few occasions.

“When my dad helped me install the pilot seat, he said that it was one of the best days he’s ever had, because he was able to help restore it and we worked on it together,” Jensen said.

Doc’s restoration in Wichita began 14 years ago, and the airplane has been grounded for more than 50 years.

Thanks to sponsors and the support from Jensen and other volunteers, the project is on track, Norman said, with the first test flight planned for late October or early November.

While he has spent his entire Air Force career working on the maintenance side of flying operations, Jensen said, he is aiming to become a part of Doc’s aircrew after he retires in April. “We want to try to get him in as a flight engineer, which is the most important job on this airplane,” Norman said.

Out of the six crew members needed to fly a B-29, the flight engineer is the one who is responsible for controlling the throttles, monitoring engines and fuel and more.

The volunteers still have a lot of work to do for the B-29 to take flight again, Jensen said. Still, he added, he is honored to be a part of the effort of bringing history to life.

“I’m trying to do as much work as I can on it,” he said. “It’s a huge, prideful thing to do. This truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Scott Honor Guard serves near and far with dignity

by Senior Airman Sarah Hall-Kirchner
375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

7/25/2014 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- 

"Handpicked to serve as a member of the Scott Air Force Base Honor Guard, my standards of conduct and level of professionalism must be above reproach, for I represent all others in my service."

 

Each weekday, the ceremonial guardsmen of the Scott Air Force Base Honor Guard practice for any type of detail which might occur: they practice flag folding, rifles, and colors.

 

"Being able to provide closure to the families, to anyone who's been in the Air Force for that matter, I think helps with the grieving process and provides honor to the fallen," said Tech. Sgt. Thomas Diehl, 375th Force Support Squadron, Honor Guard NCOIC.

 

Every member of the United States military, past or present, can be afforded military funeral honors of some sort. The Scott Honor Guard renders honors for Air Force and Army Air Corps members in a six state radius. Honor Guard members travel to Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Kentucky.

 

Having such a large area of responsibility means that members of the honor guard can travel up to 7.5 hours from Scott or 500 miles each way.

 

Recently, the Scott Honor Guard traveled to Elwood, Indiana, for a unique dignified arrival and funeral.

 

The remains of 17 military members were recovered recently in Alaska from a C-124 Globemaster II crash site from 1952.  One of those servicemembers, Airman 3rd Class Howard Martin, was returned home to Elwood for burial with military honors provided by Scott's Honor Guard unit.

 

"It truly is an honor to be a part of the Scott AFB Honor Guard," said Tech. Sgt. James McBride, 375th FSS ceremonial guardsman. "Every ceremony we participate in basically 're-blues' me and continues to show me inside why I do the job that I do."

 

Military members who pass away while on active duty are afforded full honors.

 

Full honors includes: a colors presentation by a four-person team with the American and Air Force flags; a seven-person pallbearer team which carries the flag-draped casket and folds the American flag; presentation of the flag to the next-of-kin; an eight-person rifle team which shoots off three sets of seven volleys; and "Taps" played by a bugler.

 

Each member of the Scott Honor Guard is a volunteer. At any given time, there are approximately 35-40 members of honor guard.

 

"I volunteered for the challenge, the number of Airmen I get to mentor and influence, and for the families of all who have served," said Diehl.

 

Members of the honor guard may all have their own reasons for serving, but they all honor those who have fallen with dignity.

 

"Representing every member, past and present of the United States Air Force, I vow to stand sharp, crisp, motionless ... for I am a ceremonial guardsman."

Senate Confirms Officers for Key Military Posts

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, July 25, 2014 – The Senate this week confirmed President Barack Obama’s nominees for four key military posts:

-- Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., to be commandant of the Marine Corps, succeeding Gen. James F. Amos;

-- Army Gen. John F. Campbell, Army vice chief of staff, to be commander of the International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Afghanistan, succeeding Dunford;

-- Navy Adm. Bill Gortney, commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command, to be commander of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, succeeding Army Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr.; and

-- Army Lt. Gen. Joseph L. Votel, to receive his fourth star and serve as commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, succeeding Navy Adm. William H. McRaven.