Kansas Coyotes refuel Spangdahlem fighters

by Airman 1st Class Luke J. Kitterman
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

9/19/2014 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- At more than 28,000 feet above ground, a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker and its crew assigned to the 117th Air Refueling Squadron in Topeka, Kansas, executed an aerial refueling mission with 52nd Fighter Wing F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft Sept. 18 at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.

Aerial refueling is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight to allow aircraft to be airborne longer, extending its range and mission capabilities.

"The F-16 usually has a mission time of about an hour to an hour and a half," said U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Andrew J. Taylor, a 52nd FW F-16 pilot. "Being able to use the tankers and refuel in the air is awesome for us. It allows us to do longer missions. We can set up a scenario, go fight and then go get fuel in the air to go back and fight again."

During the refueling process, the aircraft receiving the fuel is within about 30 feet of the tanker. The fuel is transferred through the flying boom, a telescoping tube with movable flight control surfaces that an operator on the tanker aircraft extends and inserts into a receptacle on the receiving aircraft.

For one Airman, operating the flying boom is as rewarding as it gets.

"Getting to do this for a living is amazing," said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ben Tressler, an in-flight refueling specialist from the 117th Air Refueling Squadron. "I joined the Air Force to travel and I've been to 29 different countries because of this job. To me, there's not a better gig in the world."

Since the KC-135 was from the Kansas Air National Guard and was taking off from Spangdahlem runway for their training, it gave a small group of Spangdahlem Airmen the opportunity to fly with the crew and observe in-air refueling operations.

"Most of the time it's routine training," Taylor said. "This time it's a little more exciting because it allowed some of our maintenance Airmen, the people who take care of our jets, to get a front row seat to what we do up there. It shows them how their work on the ground enables us to do our work in the air."

For many Airmen on board, it was their first time seeing the refueling process.

"Seeing the boom hook up with the F-16s was awesome," said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Francisco J. Bautista, a 480th Air Maintenance Squadron electrician. "We work with the F-16s every day and to get to see them in action from the tanker was a great experience."

Air Force Reserve, Army units collaborate on World War II chapel renovations

by Christina Carmen Crea
Northwest Guardian

9/19/2014 - JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- Turning a World War II-era chapel into an Environmental Education and Conference Center here has connected Washington National Guard's 176th Engineers and 446th Airlift Wing Citizen Airmen in a unique way.

It was a chance for Army and Air Force components to collaborate on a project outside of combat training or operations.

"This is unique in troop construction," said JBLM Directorate of Public Works project manager and 176th Engineer Maj. Matthew Weeks. "It's above and beyond what normal troop construction has been with all of the wars going on the past few years. What makes this unique is it's truly a joint operation. You've got the Air Force Reserve and the Army National Guard working together on a military base."

Instead of going through a contractor to rebuild the chapel, Weeks said he wanted to go with military engineers and tradesmen who were already trained and on the clock.
"This project came up and I realized that they have the right skills sets and it's good to put them to work," he said.

The 176th Engineers are the lead on the project with support from the 446th Civil Engineer Squadron.

Staff Sgt. Dustin Buel, 446th CES, said sometimes it's challenging for the Army and Air Force to work together, but this project is a good example of their collaboration.

"There's a lot of great people to learn from, we learn from each other," he said. "Since we're already on one base, why go somewhere else when there's knowledge right across the street? And it saves the public money."

In return, service members get hands-on cross-training.

"It's a win-win situation for all parties," Weeks said.

Staff Sgt. Shane Little, 446th CES Heating, Ventilation, and Cooling technician, said it's been a great opportunity to learn how the Army operates.

"There are different rules for them compared to us (Air Force)," he said. "I enjoy this project, I like working with my hands. My trade is HVAC, but with this project I get to learn different skills such as putting beams up and pouring concrete. I don't do this on a daily basis so it's good to learn."

Staff Sgt. Jose Espinomella, 446th CES, said it correlates with the joint missions of JBLM.

"We all have the same mission and vision," he said. "It's one fight."

Chief of the Environmental Division Branch of JBLM DPW project manager Ken Smith said it's a new approach for public works to use Army and Air Force for projects.

"This is a test to see how effective it would be and so far I'm very impressed with the quality of work and attitude of folks who get the job done," he said. "Hopefully more projects will be handed off to them to utilize the workforce already here."

This project has also been a "check" off of Smith's bucket list.

"I'm pretty excited from both a personal and professional aspects," he said. "We've got a few sustainability projects going on at the same time to make JBLM the most sustainable place in the Army."

Smith added that the location, size and amenities of the new building will be much better than the current building.

"There's a storm-water retention pond we can use for our environmental projects right next to the building," he said. "Right now there's always so many people who take our classes that the lines go out the door. This space is triple what we have now and will have lots of data ports for students."

This project originally started 20 years ago and faced some construction setbacks - but since October of last year, they've planned to start the project again with construction officially starting on Aug. 1.

"Back in 2007, we did a sustainability project to show that a lot of old buildings could be renovated and reused as opposed to going to the landfill," Smith said. "Of the 13 buildings removed, we have 96 percent of our materials come out of those to be re-used."

The renovations to the chapel include a new HVAC system, electrical, plumbing, interior walls, sidewalks and other interior amenities.

"Essentially, the only things it had was a roof and exterior walls and frames," Weeks said.

Dan Fry, electrical inspector for JBLM DPW, said he thinks it's "fantastic that the troops are out there practicing their skills to get the facility done."

Fry was involved in the project years ago and is excited to see it completed.

"It's great the Soldiers can actually see something happen here from start to finish. See the results of their labor," said Lt. Col. Jennifer Phelps, 627th Air Base Group deputy director of JBLM DPW.

This project is also part of the "Net Zero" mission at JBLM.

As old buildings are being removed to make way for newer, more modern and energy efficient facilities, Weeks said they too often see the loss of something special regarding the heritage represented by the buildings being replaced.

They are using durable, cost effective "green" material systems and sustainable design will be used for everything from the foundation, windows, doors, wall assemblies, insulation and roof. The reclaimed exterior wood siding (which is prime quality, old-growth wood) will be reused on the interior and the final structure will end up retaining its historical design.

"We wanted to reuse the building because the actual structure was sound," Weeks said.

This has also allowed the troops the ability to be creative and make adjustments to the design.

"We are basically creating something new with the frames," he said.

Construction will continue throughout the year, with completion expected by the end of the year.

Pope Field spouses take flight

by Tech. Sgt. Elizabeth Moody
440th Airlift Wing, Public Affairs

9/21/2014 - POPE ARMY AIRFIELD, N.C.  -- The 440th Airlift Wing sponsored a spouse flight aboard a C-130 Hercules here, Sept. 21.  About 50 spouses took to the skies to see first-hand what it is their reservists do supporting the wing's mission at Pope Field.

"The goal is to have a nice introduction of the C-130 flying community and extend that to the spouses so that they understand the importance of what their spouse does every day in terms of flying," said Maj. Kristie Piotrowicz, 95th Airlift Squadron navigator, here.

For many of the spouses, this was their first flight on a military aircraft.  The training mission took the participants through their spouses' work day starting with a pre-flight mission briefing before moving to the C-130 aircraft. The two-hour flying mission then took the spouses on a track south to Charleston, S.C., and back.

Crystal Maver, married for four years to Master Sgt. Michael Maver, 53rd Aerial Port Squadron cargo supervisor here, said she was particularly excited about the orientation flight because she loves every aspect of her husband's military career.

"I love him being in the military and I'm super proud of him," said Maver.  "Michael thought this would be a good way for me to see what he does on the weekends and how they actually operate."

Making sure spouses and families know how important they are is a top priority of the 440th Airlift Wing leadership.

"Brig. Gen. Scanlan, Col. Schmitkons and Chief Master Sgt. Hart are serious about Airmen," said Col. Sharon Johnson, 440th Maintenance Group commander here.  "We can't have Airmen without their families and one thing that the general can do for recruiting and retention is to allow their spouses an opportunity to experience a little bit of our life."

A big part of that life at Pope Field is supporting the C-130 mission.

"Our wing leadership wanted to offer this opportunity for our Airmen and their spouses," said Johnson.  "That's how much we value them."

It's important for spouses to be agile and understand when we have to deploy, said Johnson.

"So we're here supporting them, showing them what we do and giving them a taste of what we're all about."

Charleston reserve maintainers covers flightline during active duty wingman day

by Staff Sgt. Rashard Coaxum
315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

9/20/2014 - JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Joint Base Charleston's 437th Maintenance Group got to take a break from work yesterday to enjoy time together courtesy of the 315th Maintenance Group.

The 315th MXG came to tap in for the 437th MXG and take control of all flightline and maintenance operations as the 437th MXG participated in the active duty's wingman day activities here.

"We're filling in in various aspects of both production and supervision throughout the entire maintenance group, however most of the focused effort is in the 437th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron," said Chief Master Sgt. Christopher Mong, the 315th MXG superintendant.

"Our main focus today is on the flightline," he said. "We are covering the aircraft flying schedule, we have higher headquarters missions that we have to get off the ground as well as the reserve shuttle we are covering."

Mong - a 24-year veteran of the Air Force - said that for the last year and a half to two years, the reserve MXG has had the opportunity to proudly fill in for their active duty counterparts on several occasions here.

Being able to support the active duty on wingman day plays into the Air Forces concepts of total force integration as well as comprehensive health, he said.

"I think it's very critical and crucial," Mong said. "We have an outstanding partnership with the 437th, specifically in the 437th Maintenance Group, and I look at us as a great example of total force integration and that's vital to both 437th and 315th MXG existence."

"We really back each other up because they need us as much as we need them," he said.

"It allows them to participate as a unit and unit cohesion is a crucial part of wingman day activities," he said. "By us taking over for them, it enables all of their maintainers - not just a portion and not just a couple of men and women, but the entire unit - to participate as a group in all of the wingman day activities."

Senior Master Sgt. Michele Summers - the lead production superintendant with the 315th AMXS and night shift supervisor - said that being able to fill in for the active duty for an occasion like this is not just about coming in to work for another shift, but it was more about having the chance to allow them to decompress but still find continuity within their unit.

"It's really nice to be able to step up and say 'Hey, you know what active duty...I want you do your wingman events and go build your camaraderie among one another and not have to worry about what's going on on the line," Summers said. "It's nice to be able to say 'We got this for you guys'."

Stepping in for the active duty served a dual purpose, Summers said. The airmen she supervised got the chance to not only give the active duty much needed wingman time, but it also gave them a chance to show how capable her reserve airmen really are.

"I love the 315th AMXS and I know what we are capable of," Summers said. "We have the knowledge and we know what we need to do out there and these are the type days that give us this opportunity."

Mong echoed the same comments and added that the ultimate goal in covering operations like these expands far beyond what one might see on the surface level.

He said that it was important to remember that supporting the active duty counterpart in this way benefits each wingman - both active and reserve -  and that it's crucial to successfully fulfilling the mission here at JB Charleston.

"We have adopted their mission statement and their mission statement is our mission statement to the very core," he said. "We really are one team no seam here and that's always been our mantra we operate on."

Korean War vets visit Seymour Johnson

by Airman 1st Class Shawna L. Keyes
4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

9/19/2014 - SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- A group of Korean War veterans and their families held their annual 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing reunion here Sept. 11-13.

The veterans, who were assigned to the 4th FIW during the Korean War, toured much of the base and held several functions over the course of their three-day visit.

The 4th FIW and the Korean War: A brief history

The 4th FIW was assigned the F-86 Sabre jet just prior to the Korean War. The unit was the first to commit F-86 Sabre jets to that conflict. 4th FIW Airmen destroyed 502 enemy aircraft (54 percent of the total), becoming the top fighter unit of the Korean War. Twenty-four pilots achieved ace status. The wing's role in the Korean War is widely recognized by historians as one of the Air Force's earliest displays of air dominance.

The wing moved to Japan following the Korean armistice in 1953, continuing training and tours to Korea. The unit moved to Seymour Johnson AFB Dec. 8, 1957.

4th FW embraces its history

After one of the functions during the veterans' tour, a tearful veteran, Francis Halogan, expressed his appreciation for what happened during a visit to the 4th Maintenance Group earlier in the day where the unit lined the hallways giving the group of war veterans and their families applause as they toured the building.

"Seeing all those Airmen - I waited 60 years to have a welcome home like that from war," Halogan said.

Retired Senior Master Sgt. Carlos "Marty" Martinez, a 4th FIW veteran, said he'll never forget how the 4th MXG greeted them.

"I'm very impressed with the way the younger Airmen handle themselves and how they are serving their country," he said.

After the applause, Col. Darrell Steele, 4th MXG commander, provided the group with a briefing on the history of the wing since the group's service in the Korean War.

Col. Marl Slocum, 4th FW commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Jeffery Craver, 4th FW command chief, also took time to greet the veterans and their families. Slocum thanked the veterans for serving during one of the most demanding times in U.S. history and for establishing and developing the legacy of the 4th FW.

Upholding the 4th FW legacy

On the final evening of the visit, the group held an informal dinner at the 334th Aircraft Maintenance Unit hangar, where they had an opportunity to talk about the tour and share their experiences with Airmen who've recently joined the Air Force.

As the guest speaker of the event, Steele took time to thank the group for their visit and express his gratitude in serving as a group commander in the wing that the veterans in attendance built from the ground up.

"The stories that you all have selflessly shared help inspire, guide and remind us of our rich heritage and history," Steele said. "It's our job as an Air Force and nation to ensure we never forget the many sacrifices of our veterans."

At the conclusion of the event, the veterans and their families expressed their gratitude for the 4th FW hosting the event.

"It's humbling to see how the wing has grown over the years," Martinez said. "Hopefully we can hold an event here again in the near future. There is no place like home."

403rd Wing hosts recruiting event for Airmen impacted by proposed deactivations

by Maj. Lisa L. Kostellic
3rd Mission Support Group

9/22/2014 - KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Approximately 120 personnel and leadership in the 403rd Wing and recruiters from Alabama and Mississippi participated in a recruiting event here Sept. 13.

In March, the 403rd Civil Engineer Squadron was one of several Air Force Reserve Command units identified in the President's 2015 Proposed Budget to deactivate.

Although the audience was primarily made up of CES personnel, the event was open to the wing, especially those in maintenance and operations career fields affected by the proposed deactivations of the 345th and 815th Airlift Squadrons.

"We stand to lose about 500 personnel from the 403rd Wing in the near future. It's imperative we do everything we can to help these trained Citizen Airmen find a place where they can continue to participate in the national defense of our country," said Col. Frank L. Amodeo, 403rd Wing commander.

Twenty Guard and Reserve recruiters provided a multitude of choices for Airmen, who have to make life- and career-changing decisions based upon the decisions made by the Air Force and AFRC.

"It was a surprising blow for us (CES), finding out we'd be deactivating. Once we got over the initial shock, we started working on ways to help our civil engineers transition. We hope this recruiting event was a significant help to everyone who attended," said Tech. Sgt. Charles L. King, Jr., event coordinator.

Of the many guest recruiters, Col. David M. Kennard, the mission support group commander from the 186th Air Refueling Wing, Mississippi Air National Guard, drove to Keesler from Meridian to share his wing's experience to higher headquarters-driven changes and show support for the 403rd Wing's present and future challenges.

"We understand what you are going through. We've been through four types of airframes in the past five years. Recently, we got the message for our Detachment 1 to stand down. In the end, we were able to retain about 120 out of 250 members," said Kennard.

The 186th MSG commander and the rest of the recruiters briefed their missions, vacancies, and transfer requirements. After their remarks, the audience was free to move about and talk to recruiters, on-on-one.

"This a difficult situation for everyone involved. As a senior leader in an affected wing, we have to play the hand we are dealt," said Amodeo. "We want to do everything we can to support our Airmen and their families; that means offering options. This recruiting event today does that. We will continue to provide ways to help our Airmen make the most informed decision possible.".

Meet the 90th SFG Global Strike Challenge team

by Senior Airman Jason Wiese
90th Missile Wing Public Affairs

9/19/2014 - F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- At this year's Global Strike Challenge, defenders from the 90th Security Forces Group are poised to take on their counterparts from across 20th Air Force.

"Global Strike Challenge is all the bases under [Air Force] Global Strike Command competing in their specific career field," said Senior Airman Colton Schoenegge, 90th Security Forces Group Tactical Response Force and 2014 90th SFG GSC team member. "So, [security forces are] going to be competing in different categories that relate to our job."

The defenders will be evaluated in their use of weapons, manipulating weapons, traversing an obstacle course, displaying tactics and demonstrating land navigation skills.

"It's a test for yourself, a test for your team," said Senior Airman Gerald Brown, 2014 90th SFG GSC team member from the 790th Missile Security Forces Squadron. "It brings up team morale and the competitive spirit."

Preparing for the challenge puts the competitors in a different mindset and keeps them from getting complacent, said Senior Airman Richard Purrier, 90th Security Forces Group Tactical Response Force and 2014 90th SFG GSC team member.

"My favorite part of the competition -- easily -- is getting to go out and do a lot more PT than usual, getting some more time to train with tactics, more shooting time -- all the stuff you sign up to do in the military, I'm getting to do that every day," Brown said.

With all eyes on them, the competitors realize the importance of the GSC.

"GSC is important because each base is able to broadcast their abilities and how good they are at what they do every day," Schoenegge said.

The GSC shows everyone that Mighty Ninety Airmen are highly motivated to do their jobs -- that they do their best to support nuclear deterrence, Purrier said.

A lot of time and effort goes into training for the challenge, Schoenegge said.

"We're very prepared," he said. "We've been doing [physical training] twice a day, and we've also been doing some training in between.

"For the other teams, I just hope they're ready."

Team members

2nd Lt. Jeffery Davis, 90th MSFS

Staff Sgt. Lance Bollenberg, 90th MSFS

Senior Airman Gerald Brown, 790th MSFS

Senior Airman Richard Purrier, 90th SFG TRF

Senior Airman Colton Schoenegge, 90th SFG TRF

Airman Riley Borges, 790th MSFS

Military Continues Battle Against Suicide

By Lisa Ferdinando

Army News Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2014 – Every suicide in the force is tragic, a top National Guard leader said recently, and the number of these deaths needs to be reduced to zero.

Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Michael E. Bobeck, special assistant to the director of the Army National Guard, spoke Sept. 19 at the Psychological Health and Resilience Summit at Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, Virginia. His topic was “Resilience and Psychological Efforts in the DoD.”

“Suicide and high-risk behavior reduction remains an incredibly difficult problem and has the top interest of our Army senior leaders as well as our Department of Defense,” Bobeck said. “We need to continue to work and strive to reduce high-risk behavior and suicides across our force.”

Number of soldier-suicides down

Bobeck said the Army National Guard had 120 suicides in 2013. There have been 44 this year, he said.

“That’s tragic that we’ve even had 44, but that’s a significant difference in number,” Bobeck said. “We’ve made a tremendous investment in our resiliency campaigns and our resiliency training. Can we tie that directly to that? We’re still looking at that, but we know we’ve had a significant reduction.”

Yet, each soldier’s suicide “is still tragic,” said Bobeck, who noted the necessity of reducing the incidence of such tragedies “to zero.”

Eliminate stigma of seeking help

The stigma associated with getting help for psychological issues needs to be eliminated, he said. Soldiers seeking treatment also need to fully disclose their conditions and not be afraid to report the issues they are facing, he added.

National Guard soldiers face challenges in accessing health programs, Bobeck said, as many live in communities far from where the military health programs are offered.

“Because of our geographically dispersed, part-time nature of our force, our behavioral health programs have to adapt to serve our unique needs,” Bobeck said. “Our soldiers don’t live near large bases, we don’t have continual access to clinics and we don’t come together on a daily basis.”

‘Invisible’ wounds can emerge

National Guard soldiers are screened before, during and after deployments, Bobeck noted. Follow-up assessments need to occur in the months and years after deployments, he said, when the “invisible” wounds can emerge from traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress disorder.

“What we’ve found is that many of the DoD and the Army health programs are designed for active-duty soldiers and that component,” Bobeck said. “We have to think differently on how we deliver services to our men and women in this unique population.”

Duty status also impacts the availability of health care, he said.

Bobeck said the National Guard and Army Reserve are looking at several different unified budget legislation actions to help change some policies and allow members to access care regardless of their status.

Nation at war

Members of the National Guard are citizens who work, go to school, live in their communities, and are always ready to serve the nation whenever called upon, Bobeck said.

“They have been heavily engaged in combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past 13 years, and as well as responding to national emergencies at the national level as well as at the state level,” he said.

“Our men and women serving in the National Guard today are not in a Guard that their grandfather served in,” Bobeck said.

“We are definitely training more than a weekend a month and two weeks during the summer, and that shows by the readiness of our men and women to respond to emergencies in their state as well as being able to quickly mobilize and deploy for operations overseas.”

Health and resiliency programs need to address the needs and challenges of the diverse National Guard locations, Bobeck said.

“One program does not fit all 50 states and territories,” he said.

Fiscal challenges

Budget cuts are forcing “tough resource decisions,” Bobeck said. The Army across the force has allocated a “tremendous amount of time and resources” over the past 13 years for resiliency programs for family support, employment assistance, substance abuse and programs to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and sexual assault, he said.

“We know that these budget cuts that are coming are forcing us to take a hard look at all of those programs, balance those resources, look for program efficiencies, as well as partner with other not only services but other organizations to continue to provide that access for our men and women,” he said.

“And it’s hard to do,” the general added.

Former 419th reservist to compete in Warrior Games

by Master Sgt. Jamie Hamilton

9/19/2014 - HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- A former reservist in the 419th Fighter Wing is set to compete in the 2014 Warrior Games competition Sept. 28 to Oct. 4 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Tech. Sgt. Andrew Evans served in the wing's 67th Aerial Port Squadron for 10 years before being medically retired in June. Evans suffered spinal injuries during a hiking accident while on annual tour in Alaska in 2013 and is paralyzed from the waist down.

The Warrior Games are designed to introduce wounded service members and veterans to adaptive sports and encourage them to stay physically active.

Evans attended trials at Nellis AFB, Nevada, in April and was one of 40 athletes selected to represent the Air Force during the games, which include archery, cycling, shooting, sitting-volleyball, swimming, track and field, and wheelchair basketball. Evans will compete in the shooting and cycling events.

The 419th alum is training hard for the competition's six-mile race.

"Two times a week I do intense elevation climbs, and the other days I focus on distance," Evans said.  "My goal changes each day, but I usually try for about 15 miles each day."

Evans' motivation to join the Warrior Games stems from his love of sports and the camaraderie he feels with his teammates, he said.

"These men and women have faced the harshest adversity of their life but they never give up," Evans said. "They are true inspirations because there's not one person who would give up the sacrifice they paid for these injuries."

Airman comes home after 62 years

by Tech. Sgt. Andrew Caya and Staff Sgt. Stephanie Sawyer
914th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

9/19/2014 - NIAGARA FALLS AIR RESERVE STATION, N.Y. -- ""We never expected it -- it's a miracle," said Mary May, as she watched the dignified arrival of her brother's remains, U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. William Irving Turner at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, New York, Sept. 18.

The Niagara Falls ARS Honor Guard conducted the arrival, and a military escort remained with Turner to his hometown of Coudersport, Pennsylvania.

"The most rewarding job we can have in the military is honoring the fallen," said Master Sgt. Lisa Sveda, superintendent of the Niagara Falls ARS Honor Guard.

According to the Department of Defense, on Nov. 22, 1952, a C-124 Globemaster aircraft crashed while en route to Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, from McChord Air Force Base, Washington, with 11 crew members and 41 passengers on board. DOD officials stated adverse weather prohibited immediate recovery attempts. In late November and early December 1952, they added, search parties were unable to locate and recover any of the service members.

On June 9, 2012, an Alaska National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew spotted aircraft wreckage and debris during a training mission over the Colony Glacier, immediately west of Mount Gannett. Three days later, another Alaska Guard team landed at the site to photograph the area and found artifacts at the site that related to the wreckage of the C-124 Globemaster.

Later that month, the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and Joint Task Force team conducted a recovery operation at the site and recommended that it continue to be monitored for possible future recovery operations. In 2013, additional artifacts were visible, and JPAC conducted further recovery operations.

Earlier this year, the Defense Department scientists from the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used forensic tools and circumstantial evidence in the identification and recovery of 17 service members, including Turner.

The remaining personnel have yet to be recovered, officials said, and the crash site will continue to be monitored for possible future recovery.

The remains of the following service members have been recovered and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors:

Army Lt. Col. Lawrence S. Singleton; Army Pvts. James Green Jr. and Leonard A. Kittle; Marine Corps Maj. Earl J. Stearns; Navy Cmdr. Albert J. Seeboth; Air Force Cols. Noel E. Hoblit and Eugene Smith; Air Force Capt. Robert W. Turnbull; Air Force 1st Lts. Donald Sheda and William L. Turner; Air Force Tech. Sgt. Engolf W. Hagen; Air Force Staff Sgt. James H. Ray; Air Force Airman 1st Class Marion E. Hooton; Air Force Airmen 2nd Class Carroll R. Dyer, Thomas S. Lyons and Thomas C. Thigpen; and Air Force Airman 3rd Class Howard E. Martin.

RAF Alconbury hosts multi-national POW/MIA remembrance run

by Staff Sgt. Jarad A. Denton
501st Combat Support Wing Public Affairs

9/22/2014 - RAF ALCONBURY, United Kingdom -- It was his 23rd mission - flying directly over Hanoi, North Vietnam, Oct. 26, 1967. Everything was fine until "a Russian missile the size of a telephone pole came up."

The sky was full of them, the U.S. Navy pilot said. It blew the right wing off his Douglas A-4 Skyhawk and sent him into an uncontrollable, downward spiral.

Frantically, the pilot pulled the ejection handle and was instantly knocked unconscious by the force at which he was thrown from the aircraft. Although he didn't realize it at the time, he had suffered a broken leg and two broken arms. His seemingly lifeless body hung by the strings of his parachute like a marionette as he slowly descended toward the Western Lake of Hanoi - extremely hostile territory.

...

Nearly 47 years later, Service members began tying their shoes in preparation for a POW/MIA Recognition Run at RAF Alconbury, United Kingdom, Sept. 19, 2014. Prisoner of war stories, like those of the downed-Navy pilot over Hanoi, spurred them onward.

"We are here to show our support and let POW and MIA personnel know they are not forgotten," said Master Sgt. Kaden Brooks, U.S. Africa Command Joint Analysis Center theater intelligence group superintendent. "These are guys missing in war. They pretty much gave everything."

Motivated by the memory of those who are not forgotten, Brooks pushed himself to complete 20 laps, totaling five miles, around the track. Every time he passed the starting line Brooks would see the names and faces of several prisoners of war and missing in action personnel, posted to a nearby canopy.

"It's important to come out here," Brooks said. "We need to send a message that we are still looking for them and we won't give up until they are found."

...

The days following the pilot's crash were spent in a daze. He remembered several North Vietnamese pulling him from the lake and stripping him - their standard procedure. As he fought through the pain of broken bones and nearly drowning, a nearby crowd began to taunt and assault him. One slammed the butt of a rifle on his shoulder, while another stuck a bayonet in his foot. Death seemed to be inevitable until someone called the mob off and had the pilot transported to Hanoi's main prison.
Every day the guards would "quiz" him several times. They charged him with war crimes, beat him unconscious and tortured him.

"You will not receive any medical treatment until you talk," one of the guards shouted.

Each day he would only respond with his name, rank, serial number and date of birth, as required by the Geneva Conventions and the Code of the U.S. Fighting Force.

"I didn't believe this," the pilot said during an interview years later. "I thought that if I just held out, that they'd take me to the hospital. I was fed small amounts of food by the guards and also allowed to drink some water. I was able to hold the water down, but I kept vomiting the food."

The days passed and the pilot's condition worsened. His knee began to resemble the size, shape and color of a football. He was dying and all his captors cared about was obtaining military information.

...

Though unique, the pilot's story is not uncommon. To date, there are 83,189 U.S. Service members unaccounted for from past conflicts dating as far back as World War II. For five-and-a-half years, the pilot lived the life of a POW in North Vietnam. His pain from living with minimal care in abhorrent conditions was solemnly honored when British nationals working at the 423rd Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department showed up to the Alconbury track wearing full firefighting gear and ready to run.

"I think it's important to remember the POW's and those persons missing in action," said Terry Beal, 423rd Civil Engineer Squadron fire department crew manager. "I personally know several who were British veterans of the Korean War, and they have friends who were left behind there."

While many of those missing-in-action Service members have been confirmed as killed, Beal said many have yet to be transported home, and some are still unaccounted for.

"We are running in full gear to remember what these people did - the sacrifices they made," he said. "We also remember what some of them might still be going through."

...

Days turned to weeks, weeks to months and months rolled by into years as the pilot survived through periods of favorable and unfavorable treatment. Once his captors learned his father was a Navy admiral, the pilot was given access to medical treatment that ultimately saved his life. However, despite his overall health improvement, the torture and abuse continued.

"They would beat the hell out of me and say I was going to see a delegation," the pilot said. "I'd respond that I'd see a delegation, but I would not say anything against my country and I would not say anything about my treatment and if asked, I'd tell them the truth about the conditions I was kept under."

The North Vietnamese never took him to see a delegation and the maltreatment continued.

"I was down to 105, 110 pounds, boils all over me, suffering dysentery," he said. "Finally came the day I'll never forget - the 18th of December, 1972. The whole place exploded when the Christmas bombing ordered by President Nixon began. They hit Hanoi right off the bat."

By late January of 1973, the pilot and his fellow POWs knew the end of the war was near. Conditions had improved dramatically, until March 15 when they boarded buses bound for Gia Lam Airport.

"When I read your name off, you get on the plane and go home," a guard said.

Until then, the pilot had not allowed himself anything more than a feeling of "cautious hope." However, the reality of the situation sank in when his name was called: John McCain.

"There is no way I can describe how I felt as I walked toward that U.S. Air Force plane," McCain said. "I think America is a better country now because we have been through a sort of purging process, a re-evaluation of ourselves. Now I see more of an appreciation of our way of life."

McCain said the personal support he received from family, friends and strangers has been overwhelming.

"I've received scores of letters from young people, and many of them sent me POW bracelets with my name on it," he said. "This outpouring on behalf of us who were prisoners of war is staggering, and a little embarrassing because basically we felt that we are just average American Navy, Marine and Air Force pilots who got shot down. Anybody else in our place would have performed just as well."

40th AS returns home after successful deployment

by Senior Airman Kia Atkins
7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

9/15/2014 - DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Over 70 personnel and several C-130Js from the 40th Airlift Squadron, assigned to the 317th Airlift group here, returned to home station Sept. 15, 2014, following a deployment to the Central Command Area of Responsibility.

Operating as the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, the 40th AS provided tactical airlift and airdrop capabilities in direct support of coalition ground forces engaged in combat operations throughout Afghanistan.

As part of the 774th EAS, 40th AS Airmen executed the first humanitarian relief operations to aid more than 120,000 Badakhshan mudslide victims in northeast Afghanistan. They flew the first aircraft into the area, providing critical supplies of food, water, tents, blankets and a forklift to support follow-on relief operations. In total, they delivered 25,000 pounds of supplies..
"It was very rewarding to be a part of the humanitarian relief efforts in Badakhshan," said Lt. Col. Joseph Miller, 40th AS commander. "These Afghans needed our help and support, and we responded to the call. We were humbled to have the ability to relieve them."

While deployed, the 40th AS flew over 4,500 combat sorties and 925 combat missions. Aircrews performed more than 4,000 combat flight hours, and evacuated approximately 500 aeromedical patients, saving countless lives. Furthermore, the 40th AS airdropped 25,000 tons of cargo and delivered 28 tons of cargo to austere drop zones.

The 40th AS, known for developing innovative tactics at home at abroad, developed benchmark instrument let-down and arrival procedures to facilitate all-weather operations, which were approved and distributed for the entire area of responsibility to use. The 40th AS was also the first unit ever to employ the Wireless Gate Release System, a new technology, to multiple drop zones at once.

Upon arriving at home station, Miller remarked on the accomplishments of the 40th AS throughout the unit's six-month long deployment.

"The men and women of the 40th AS are awesome," Miller said. "They executed the mission without hesitation in a flawless manner. They never complained or questioned anything. They are simply incredible Airmen."

At Dyess, Airmen from the 40th AS were greeted by friends and family members.

"It feels great to be home just in time for my son's birth," said Senior Airman Dakota Sizemore, 317th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aerospace maintenance journeyman. "Nothing makes me happier for the chance to be there for him and my wife."

In the past year, the 317th AG has seen a high operations tempo, at times supporting all geographic Combatant Commands simultaneously. The 40th AS homecoming marked the third group of 317th Airmen to redeploy in less than a week. 317th AG members also returned from deployments in support of U.S. Air Forces Europe, U.S. Central Command and U.S. Africa Command.

POW/MIA weather Airmen never forgotten

by Staff Sgt. Rachelle Blake
55th Wing Public Affairs

9/19/2014 - OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb.  -- The Air Force Weather Agency hosted a Prisoner of War/ Missing in Action ceremony Sept. 19 as part of POW/MIA recognition day.

This day, observed on the third Friday in September every year, was authorized by Congress in 1971 and honors POW/MIAs and their families. During the AFWA event, ten weather Airmen from WWII and the Korean War were acknowledged, two of which had family members present.

"The two families were here to celebrate Master Sgt. Thomas S. Smith and Capt. Dewey Keithly Jr. and both were presented the Prisoner of War Medal," said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. John Hendricks, 2nd System Operations Squadron systems flight chief.

The families also received a flag and were given an opportunity to speak about their loved ones.

Keithly, a weather observer and forecaster, was a Prisoner of War for several years during WWII and endured the Bataan Death March along with several prison camps. He was released at the end of the war and reenlisted. He then went on to serve in the Korean War where his B-50 weather reconnaissance aircraft crashed and he lost his life.

"My dad reenlisted after the war, but prior to then when he was released from the POW camp in Japan he weighed about 95 pounds," said Dewey Keithly III, son of Keithly. "He was sent to Ft. Carson, Colorado, where my mother was an Army Air Corps nurse. She happened to read his medical chart and realized their birthdays were on the same day. She was a little bit of a flirt, so she went up to him and that is how they met."

Keithly III said his dad passed away when he was six, but he still remembers some things about him.

"He loved to play the violin," Keithly said. "He loved to entertain. My sisters and I would sneak downstairs and listen to the conversations that were going on...He also taught me how to ride a bike. But the thing I remember most, is just how much we enjoyed the military family."

Smith, also a weather observer and forecaster, was forced to parachute from a B-17 bomber in 1947, minutes before it exploded. He and his entire crew were captured immediately. Thankfully, all were returned home safely after the war ended. Smith reenlisted and went on to serve for 20 years.

"He had been listed as missing in action and killed in action," said Patricia Law, daughter of Smith. "His mother had received news within weeks of each other that both of her sons had been killed, but she didn't believe it. She was right and they both came home."

She said her dad told here during his six-week captivity he lost 55 pounds because there was no food or supplies and even the guards began to abandon their posts. He was one among 76,000 prisoners.

"I would like everyone to reflect on their unique stories of these individuals, fathers, brothers, sons and Americans who sacrificed and kept faith in their God, family and their follow captives and brothers in arms," said Col. William J. Carle, AFWA commander. "They did this while enduring great hardships, torture both physically and mentally, solitary confinement, disease and starvation, and for some of them a lonely death away from their home, their country and their families. These Airmen are truly heroes and an inspiration to us all."

The event also featured a special POW/MIA table ceremony.

"There are still 83,189 personnel listed by the Department of Defense as missing and unaccounted for since WWII, 73, 536 of them from WWII, 7880 from the Korean War, 126 from the Cold War, 1,641 from the Vietnam War and six from Iraq and other conflicts," Carle said. "Today, not only do we honor and pay tribute to these ten Airmen, but let us keep trust and faith with those servicemen and women as well as their families, who are still unaccounted for."

Mobility Squadrons 'Round Up' top performers

by Staff Sgt. Christopher Ruano
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

9/19/2014 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany  -- The 726th Air Mobility Squadron, an Air Mobility Command tenant unit, hosted the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing Round Up on Spangdahlem Air Base, pitting several AMC squadrons in U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa against one another in one location Sept. 15-16, 2014.

"The round up is an event that we usually do every two years, where we come together as maintenance and aerial port teams to run challenge events in our career field," said  U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Wilbur George, 726th AMS aircraft services superintendent and native of Clarksville, Tennessee. "The round up is compiled of a challenge course to see which teams are the best."

The first day of the Round Up, service members had to perform their Air Force specialty challenges.

"For aerial port, you have to do 10K and 25K obstacle courses, and pallet buildup," George said. "Everything that we do on day one are things they've learned throughout the job."

The second day consisted of a 3-mile run with more than 10 obstacles.

"This competition gives everybody an outlook of how we do things, why our job is important and how we help sustain the Air Mobility Command mission by moving cargo and making sure planes stay in the air," said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Clifford Browne, 729th Air Mobility Squadron, Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal, and native of Newport News, Virginia. "This is good practice and a fun way to stay interested in our job, to know what we actually do and stay focused for the bigger mission."

The overall winners of the obstacle course in the maintenance and aerial port categories were teams from the 721st Aerial Port Squadron and 721st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

"The camaraderie really stands out to me" said competitor U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Kevin Dunn, 52nd Logistics Readiness Squadron and native of Fresno, California. "I think it's really cool that we all get together, meet people from all around USAFE-AFAFRICA. Even though you have never met them you still have that connection doing the same job.

Are you ACE'ing your wingmen?

by Gina Randall
100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

9/22/2014 - RAF MILDENHALL, England  -- September is when the U.S. observes Suicide Prevention Month and military members could be more at risk for suicide than others.

Long deployments far away from loved ones, leaving family behind, a new home and way of life, long work hours and the sights of a deployed location could all have an effect on an Airman.

The chaplains are here to provide any military member with advice, or they're just someone to listen.

"Everyone is entitled to feel down or be in a funk for a period of time due to personal hardships or circumstances. However, when that funk turns into thoughts of suicide or prolonged depression, it's important to get help," said Maj. Randy Croft, 100th Air Refueling Wing deputy chaplain. "The Air Force offers numerous agencies of care (i.e. mental health, psychologists, counselors and chaplains) for Airmen dealing with suicidal ideations, but the first line of intervention is almost always a friend or co-worker."

The Air Force recognizes that many Airmen could be at risk and has launched initiatives to help. One such initiative is RUfit (previously called Comprehensive Airmen Fitness) which focuses on individuals being more likely to be able to identify risk factors and seek help if required. It also focuses on maintaining a balanced and healthy lifestyle and includes physical, mental, social and spiritual pillars.

Even people who take care of all these areas of their life could need help at some time.

There are many areas of a person's life that could increase the risk of suicide. These include money issues, family breakdown, loneliness, career problems and many more. Each person reacts differently when life throws challenges at them.

At times, just being able to talk to another person could help.

"We don't have to be experts in suicide prevention, but we can all take notice in our co-workers if something looks different. Engage with others who may be going through emotional or mental hardship, ask about their welfare, and show genuine care and support," Croft added. "I'm familiar with numerous Airmen who were struggling with thoughts of suicide, but received critical help only after a wingman or friend got involved and showed genuine concern."  

This intervention could lead to a very different outcome for someone who thinks they have no way out. Prevention could mean saving a life.

"Prevention begins with each individual working to strengthen and maintain their overall well-being across all (RUfit pillars), as well as being able to identify when they need help. A good wingman offers help knowing what resources are available, and follows up to stand by their side throughout a challenge," said Lt. Col. Kathleen Crimmins, Air Force Suicide Prevention manager. "Assisting Airmen to get help ... whether peer or professional is what a wingman does."

The Air Force also launched "ACE" - Ask your wingman, Care for your wingman, Escort your wingman. This could save a life of a colleague who thinks no one cares. Just a simple question could open the door for them to reach out, "How are you today?" could be all it takes to break down walls and start a conversation with someone who thinks they have no one to turn to.

"We can all make a difference by helping our wingmen understand they are not alone," advised Crimmins. "Sharing our stories and highlighting our own personal resilience and perseverance will let others know their Air Force family is behind them and those needing help are not alone."

Air Advisors Branch reaches new level

by Senior Airman Armando A. Schwier-Morales
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

9/22/2014 - RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany  -- The 435th Air Ground Operations Wing's Air Advisor Branch executed five missions at once, the most it has ever done in one week, Sept. 15-19 in three NATO countries.

The Air Advisor Branch is reaching out to three partner countries with five different missions traveling to learn and develop from each other in order to allow streamlined work and partnership in the future. The Air Advisor Branch has executed more than 70 missions across Europe and Africa since formed in 2012. Until recently the average number of mission in a single week had been two.

"We have never executed this many at once during a single week," said Maj. John Sherinian, 435th Contingency Response Group Air Advisor Branch chief. "These (missions) represent months' worth of diligent work, for which there are no set checklists for our Airmen to follow. Every mission is a little different and has its own nuances, and the AGOW's air advisors executing these missions have met the challenge."

These missions are critical to helping Airmen learn to work and develop with NATO countries because they may have to deploy with them in the future. Knowing how each other works allows them to be in sync from the beginning.

To accomplish five missions at once, the advisors required coordination with U.S. Air Force in Europe and Africa, embassy staff, state partnership program Guard members in the U.S. and directly with host nations to plan, overcome obstacles and execute the missions.

Airmen from medical, communications, operations, fuels and safety are traveling to Latvia, Poland and Bulgaria with the intent to develop each other.

"Each of these missions helps build partnership capacities in three ways," said Sherinian. "We advise our partners on tactics, techniques and procedures on Air Force missions that they want to improve or learn how to execute themselves. We introduce our USAFE professionals to the various people and cultures around Europe, which allows for relationships to grow, and that in-turn fosters partners to work with in the future. We learn from them. Building partnerships is a communicative process. We share with them, and they share their processes and experiences for us to learn and develop."

The five missions will come to an end Sept. 19, with organizers hoping all parties took something away to that may help in the future.

Ramstein jet draws crowds as part of total force team at AAD14

by Staff Sgt. Travis Edwards
U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa Public Affairs

9/21/2014 - WATERKLOOF AIR FORCE BASE, South Africa -- Hundreds of thousands people from all over the world gathered in line to see a C-130J Super Hercules from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on display at the Africa Aerospace & Defence Expo here Sept. 20-21.

The nine-Airman crew from the C-130J was part of a total-force team of Guard, Reserve and active-duty Soldiers and Airmen. A C-17 Globemaster III crew from New York and an Army RQ-7B Shadow joined the C-130J at the show.

The Super Hercules crew made the two-day trip from Germany to explain the aircraft's capabilities and allow the nearly 350,000 visitors of the expo to see first-hand what the aircraft looks like up close and ask questions of the crew. There was so much public interest in the aircraft and crew, the line to view it extended about as far as the C-130 is long.

"We're here to showcase the aircraft for the trade show," said Senior Airman Nick McVittie, 37th Airlift Squadron loadmaster. "We explain what we do, where we are from and answer any questions they might have."

McVittie explained that their mission isn't just for the public's understanding of their capabilities, but the partnership with African nations that makes the trip worthwhile.

"It's very important for us to share experiences and knowledge with each other," he said. "Showing the capabilities of the C-130J to our African partners is a big deal -- the more familiar we all are with each other's aircraft the easier it will be for all of us to work together in the future.

However, when these Airmen aren't opening the ramp and doors to the public morning to evening, they are training or transporting.

"Normally we use the 'Herc' for air drops and passenger and cargo transport -- we can fly over marked landing zones and offload the troops in the back or the cargo," said Capt. Lindsey Kinsinger, 37th AS pilot. "This is an amazing machine. I love flying it because it is so functional and I'm able to employ its tactical-airlift capabilities at moment's notice."

In addition to training drops, C-130Js from Ramstein have been known to show up in other public events and real-world missions like Operation Market Garden, D-Day re-enactments, airfield-seizure exercises and it has even converted into a mobile emergency room for potential evacuations from hazardous areas.

"This is such a versatile machine," said Kinsinger. "Today we are doing the air show, but next week we could be working with another country's paratroopers, working together and them jumping out of the plane with our guys; you never know what the next week or even month holds."

The 37th AS is part of the 86th Airlift Wing, the host wing at Ramstein AB, Germany. Ramstein is assigned to U.S. Air Forces in Europe and is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization installation.

The mission of the 86th AW is to provide combat airlift and operate the Air Force's premier installation to enable and assure strategic capabilities.