USS Shiloh Sailors Strengthen Bonds with Philippines

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Raymond D. Diaz III, USS Shiloh Public Affairs

SUBIC BAY, Philippines (NNS) -- The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67) departed Subic Bay, June 2, after a four-day liberty port visit.

This was Shiloh's second visit to the Philippines in fifteen months, the first being a port visit in Cebu early 2014.

During the visit, Shiloh Sailors participated in numerous community outreach events to include basketball and soccer games with local teams, spending an afternoon with students from the Association of Differently Abled Persons of Zambales in Olongapo City, and a flag raising ceremony at Olongapo City Hall.

"Of the more than 380 crew members aboard, 31 Filipino-Americans call Shiloh home," said Capt. Kurush F. Morris, commanding officer of Shiloh. "This visit gave many Sailors the opportunity to meet up with family and friends during our stay."

While the Shiloh was in Subic Bay, some of the Sailors who had family members in the Philippines had an opportunity to visit their relatives.

"I'm from Dagupan, which is three-to-four hours away from Subic and Olongapo," said Machinist's Mate 1st Class Mylene Abrajano. "Instead of going back home, I told my father we'll stay in Subic to do some sightseeing. "My dad always told me Subic and Olongapo are really nice - they have nice beaches, nice people and rich in history."

Naval Base Subic Bay closed in 1992, and since then the Philippines converted the area into the Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ), which is the first of its kind in the country.

"I'm really proud of my crew; they really put their best foot forward, and I'm happy moving forward knowing we departed Subic Bay leaving a positive impression from both perspectives, created lasting memories, and laid a positive foundation for future port visits," exclaimed Morris.

Shiloh, forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, is on patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Asia Pacific region.

Leaders from 11 nations meet to discuss Arctic Security

by 2nd Lt. Meredith Mulvihill
871st Air Expeditionary Public Affairs

6/8/2015 - REYKJAVIK, Iceland -- Military leaders from across Europe and North America met in Reykjavik, Iceland to discuss security related issues within the Arctic Circle during the Arctic Security Forces Roundtable May12-13, 2015.

Held annually since 2011, the ASFR is a multi-day conference designed to promote regional understanding and enhance multilateral security operations within the Arctic area. This year's forum was hosted by the Icelandic Coast Guard, and focused on events and challenges within the Greenland and Norwegian Seas region.

According to U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Randy Kee, one of the leaders of the ASFR, a big part of the conference is learning about potential issues that could result from increasing human activities in the Arctic, and how defense and civil authorities can work together to respond to them.

"This is an opportunity for us to come together as military professionals and focus on those issues where we bring the open hand of help," Kee said. "We can learn how we can bring military capabilities to bear that are meaningful in areas such as domain awareness, humanitarian assistance and disaster response."

During the conference, representatives from seven nations with Arctic holdings and four observer nations listened to a variety of presentations from civil and industry leaders in the region. These culminated in a theoretical training exercise where attendees worked together to plan disaster response for a hypothetical volcanic eruption.

According to Norwegian Army Maj. Gen. Odin Johannessen, who co-led the conference with Kee, the ASFR allows both military and civilian participants to gain a greater understanding of the Arctic and their potential roles in it.

"The different actors [in the Arctic] all have different purposes," Johannessen said. "If all of these actors can work together, it will be a benefit for all of us."

Civil engineers deploy to renovate Romanian medical clinic

by Tech. Sgt. John Hughel
142nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

5/26/2015 - MANGALIA, Romania -- Framed by the backdrop of the Black Sea shoreline, Oregon Air National Guardsmen from the 142nd Fighter Wing Civil Engineer Squadron traveled nearly halfway around the globe to renovate a medical facility here as part of the U.S. European Commands' Humanitarian Civic Assistance Program.

The restoration of Pavilion C at the Mangalia City Hospital is a Humanitarian Civic Assistance (HCA) project funded by the United States European Command (EUCOM) with the participation of nearly 90 U.S. military Airmen from Alabama and Oregon Air National Guard units. The estimated total cost of this renovation is $60,000.

The Airmen addressed a rooftop terrace, treatment rooms, bathroom upgrades, as well as other building projects at the clinic. The project was started by the Alabama Air National Guard's 117th Air Refueling Wing, and then handed over to the Oregon citizen-Airmen to complete. Romania is a state partner with Alabama, under the National Guard's State Partnership Program.

"The project is the duration of two rotations," said Lt. Col. Jacob Skugrud, 142nd Fighter Wing Civil Engineer deputy commander and project officer. "Our sister unit in Alabama started the work and then the Portland team followed in their footsteps to complete the project."

While some of the civil engineers took on the water damage repairs, a significant aspect to the project was building a wheelchair ramp to the Pavilion C entry.

Dr. Liviu Mocanu, hospital director, said the wheelchair ramp was vital to the overall construction project.

"To have a current health license for the building the addition of the access ramp was necessary to serve those with disabilities," he said.

When the 142nd CES arrived, the basic concrete structure still had to be completed. Modifications to the handrails, additional concrete forms and a tile surface on the ramp took another eight days to complete.

"This hospital is special to this region of Romania, and it is a great honor to have been chosen for the assistance," Macanu said.

Pavilion C specializes in oncological medicine. The severity of the water damage forced several of the treatment rooms located on the third floor to be decommissioned, forcing the practitioners to work in other facilities in the area.

The damage to the treatment rooms transpired over time from the forth floor terrace, as water exploited weaknesses in the building's structure. The Alabama team pulled the damaged floor tile and installed a new sealing membrane to keep water out, prior to laying the new tile. With the roof project partially complete, the Oregon Airmen continued to install the remainder of the tile roof, spending a majority of time with detailing the final pieces and grouting until complete.

"The new membrane will keep water from seeping into the rooms and hallway renovated on this project," Skugrud said. "The team from Alabama had a bigger crew with about 50-plus members, so they were able to keep the project on pace and prep other areas for our team to finish."

After arriving almost two days late to the site in Romania due to airlift glitches, and with a smaller crew of 33 members, the 142nd Airmen had to quickly pick up the pace on the clinic renovations.

Not only had the water damage affected the treatment rooms inside the clinic but it also deteriorated the exterior stucco of the building, damaging electrical lighting and fixtures both inside and out.

"The folks from Alabama had done the major prep and demo to the exterior," said Capt. Lucas Smith, 142nd CES, who served as the project lead for the building exterior renovations. "We had to go from the bare concrete to primer and then to applying the stucco."

Applying stucco was a new experience for the Oregon Airmen, and allowed for most of the crew working with Smith a chance to cross-train and develop new skills.

"We've had an enthusiastic team during this process and I have no doubt our younger Airmen have learned a great deal more than just how to apply stucco," Smith said.

Deployments For Training (DFT) give Air National Guard units like the 142nd CES the opportunity to enhance existing skills while deploying outside the United States, at the same time developing a sense of responsibility in those host nations, Smith added.

"We preform DFT projects approximately once every three years, depending on real-world deployments and our annual training commitments," said 142nd Fighter Wing Civil Engineer Commander Lt. Col. Jason Lay.

According to Lay, a key decision on why this project was selected is the diversity of skill sets within one project. Once on site, he quickly put smaller teams together to tackle different areas of the building.

"There's a synergistic effect; people like working alongside each other, camaraderie and team building occur naturally while accomplish an objective together," Lay said.

"Out of the group here in Romania, about two-thirds of them are on their first DFT project."

One of the more experienced members of the Romanian deployment is Senior Airman Zachariah Lewis. As a civilian carpenter and contractor, he brought many of the skills necessary to finish renovating the treatment rooms.

Yet Lewis is also completing back-to-back international deployments, having just returned from Vietnam in a similar role with Oregon's State Partnership Program. Oregon also has Bangladesh as its state partner.

When Lay asked for volunteers to be project leads the first day on site, Lewis immediately stepped up.

"I was confident that I can bring my knowledge to the team, and teach them how to do the job," Lewis said.

He quickly put together a group of six to eight Airmen to finish paint scraping, plaster repair and eventually painting the water damaged treatment rooms and connecting main hallway.

"I work a lot with general contractors and typically know how the work flow goes, and have a sense for how the end results need to be," Lewis said.

Touring the project during the final week, Macanu was visibly happy when he inspected how the final part of the project was coming together.

"I wish that we could have our American friends come back and work on other projects in the future that need more work," he said.

During the two-weeks the 142nd CES spent repairing the clinic, citizens of Mangalia watched the work in passing with wonder and often smiles as the work progressed. A new and growing sense of camaraderie as well as a heightened willingness between the Air Guardsmen and citizens of Mangalia, Romania, began to develop in with the progress made on the medical clinic.

Since becoming a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member in 2004, Romania has continued to foster better affiliations with partner nations. As the project concluded, a formal ribbon cutting ceremony, on May 20, allowed U.S. and Romanian officials the opportunity to highlight this shared bond, as U.S. Charge d'Affairs ad interim Dean Thompson and the mayor of Mangalia, Romania, Radu Cristian, celebrated the renovation to Pavilion C.

"It is a gift from the American people to the citizens of Mangalia and the surrounding towns, villages and communities. Better healthcare leads to better outcomes and will help the future of the region to grow and prosper," said Thompson.

The deployments are an important aspect to sustain a positive U.S. military presence while preparing National Guardsmen to stay prepared to perform their mission; whether home or aboard.

"By building partnerships within these communities this has been a great training opportunity through the DFT program, while at the same time it has also been a chance to broaden our influence throughout Europe," said Patrick Considine, HCA program manager for EUCOM.

Meeting the 142nd CES Airmen on hand for the ceremony, Considine praised the knowledge, the skill and professionalism, which contributed to the success of this project.

"Hopefully we can replicate what you guys did here, going forward with the next 20 HCA projects slated for this season, it will be tough to match because your team really knocked it way out of the park," Considine said.

B-52s to Demonstrate Long-Range Strategic Capabilities in Europe

by United States Strategic Command Public Affairs

6/5/2015 - OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- Three B-52 Stratofortresses assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, deployed today to Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford, United Kingdom. The deployment demonstrates the United States' ability to project its flexible, long-range global strike capability and provides opportunities to synchronize strategic activities and capabilities with allies and partners in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) area of operations during the month of June.

During the short-term deployment, the strategic bombers, supported by more than 330 Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen, are scheduled to conduct training flights with ground and naval forces around the region and participate in multinational Exercises BALTOPS 15 and SABER STRIKE 15 over international waters in the Baltic Sea and the territory of the Baltic states and Poland. The bombers will integrate into several exercise activities, including air intercept training, simulated mining operations during SABER STRIKE, inert ordnance drops during BALTOPS, and close air support. Each activity provides unique opportunities for bomber crews to integrate and train with other USEUCOM components and regional allies and partners while exercising the U.S.'s key bomber capabilities.

"This deployment to RAF Fairford was specifically designed and closely coordinated with the United Kingdom and our regional Allies to ensure maximum opportunities to synchronize and integrate our bomber capabilities with their military assets," said U.S. Navy Adm. Cecil D. Haney, U.S. Strategic Command commander. "Participation of B-52s in Exercises BALTOPS and SABER STRIKE demonstrates our nation's steadfast commitment to promoting regional stability and security, fostering cooperation and increasing interoperability as we work alongside our allies toward mutual goals."

The deployment demonstrates the long-standing relationship between the U.S. and U.K. Elevating RAF Fairford to active status is a key component to this deployment due to the critical capabilities of the base. The fully-developed and tested infrastructure and support facilities at the airfield, as well as its strategic location and unique capabilities, establish the base as a key location for large-scale exercises and readiness operations and an ideal site for bomber operations.

RAF Fairford has a long history of bomber operations, serving the contingency requirements of the U.S. and Royal Air Forces and their NATO partners since it first opened in 1944. Most recently, RAF Fairford served as a forward operating base for deployed B-52s and B-2s in June 2014. Both platforms conducted training evolutions in and around the U.K. during this time and B-52s participated in the 70th anniversary of D-Day commemoration events.

USSTRATCOM's bomber force regularly conducts combined training and theater security cooperation engagements with allies and partners. B-52 participation in Exercises BALTOPS and SABER STRIKE follows several global missions during the past year to enhance interoperability.

Two B-52s participated alongside Jordanian forces in U.S. Central Command's (USCENTCOM's) Exercise EAGER LION 2015 in May. The mission consisted of a nonstop 30-plus hour sortie from the continental U.S. to the USCENTCOM area of operations.

In April, four B-52s flew round-trip flights to the Arctic and North Sea regions. The training mission, POLAR GROWL, enabled bomber crews to conduct air intercept training with fighter aircraft from the U.K., Canada and the Netherlands.
B-52s also participated in NATO Exercise NOBLE JUSTIFICATION in October 2014, during which the bombers assisted in the exercise's focus of validating the Spanish Maritime Force as the 2015 Maritime NATO Response Force.

USSTRATCOM is one of nine DoD unified combatant commands and is charged with strategic deterrence; space operations; cyberspace operations; joint electronic warfare; global strike; missile defense; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; combating weapons of mass destruction; and analysis and targeting.

Whiteman Airman receives Lance P. Sijan award

by Senior Airman Joel Pfiester
509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

6/5/2015 - WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- A Whiteman Airman was recently named the 2014 Lance P. Sijan award recipient in the company grade officer (CGO) category.

Capt. John Sullivan, 509th Security Forces Squadron operations officer was recognized May 28 during a ceremony hosted by Air Force Global Strike Command commander Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson.

The award, first presented in 1981, was established in honor of the first U.S. Air Force Academy graduate to receive the Medal of Honor. Capt. Lance P. Sijan was a fighter pilot who was shot down over Vietnam Nov. 9, 1967, and was later killed while a prisoner of war.

The Sijan award recognizes the accomplishments of officers and enlisted members who have demonstrated the highest quality of leadership in the performance of their duties and their personal lives.

This is Sullivan's first time winning the Lance P. Sijan award at the Air Force level. However, he received the wing-level Sijan award in 2010 while assigned to the 87th Air Base Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey.

A humbled Sullivan credits his success to the team work that goes into the mission at Whiteman.

"The mission of the 509th BW is tremendous," said Sullivan. "I am just lucky enough to be the operations officer for the 509th SFS and that I get to be a part of this fantastic team."

Sullivan is responsible for the one of the Air Force's largest nuclear deterrence security forces squadrons, overseeing more than 550 personnel who protect Whiteman's greatest resources.

Sullivan orchestrated the security plan during two major exercises, and manages the physical security for more than $45 billion worth of aircraft and munitions on a daily basis. He was named the 8th Air Force 2013 Company Grade Officer of the Year (CGOY) as well the AFGSC Security Forces CGOY in 2013.

Sullivan's consistent demonstration of leadership led to him receiving the award.
"I don't know if people realize what a big deal that is," said Wilson. "First of all, he's an outstanding leader. To be recognized amongst Whiteman's best would be phenomenal but to be recognized as the Air Force's best CGO (in the leadership area) is spectacular. It is indicative of the talent we have here at Whiteman. He is a rock star. He is one of those role models leaders who will go on to do great things for our Air Force."

Continuing the legacy: Tibbets takes command of 509th Bomb Wing

by Staff Sgt. Brigitte N. Brantley
509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

6/5/2015 - WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- During a historical ceremony June 5, Brig. Gen. Paul W. Tibbets IV took command of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.

Tibbets' grandfather, Brig. Gen. Paul W. Tibbets Jr., was the pilot of "Enola Gay," the B-29 Superfortress known for dropping the "Little Boy" atomic bomb Aug. 6, 1945, on Hiroshima, Japan.

At the time, the then-colonel was assigned to the 509th Composite Group, a predecessor unit to the 509th Bomb Wing.

Now, his grandson is in command of the world's only fleet of B-2 Spirits and the 5,500 Airmen who make the stealth bomber mission possible.

The outgoing commander, Brig. Gen. Glen VanHerck, is headed to be the Air Force Global Strike Command director of operations at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.

During his final farewell, VanHerck focused his speech on thanking those in attendance: the chaplain for the invocation, his family for their support and finally, the men and women of the 509th for their hard work during his tenure.

"Stay razor sharp and ready to go," said VanHerck in the final farewell to his Airmen. "It's a matter of when, not if, you will be called upon again. Keep leading and own it every day."

Tibbets is coming from an assignment as the deputy director for nuclear operations, Global Operations Directorate, U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. He has been stationed at Whiteman twice before in multiple roles including a B-2 pilot, deputy chief of wing standardization and evaluation, director of operations, and commander of the 393rd Bomb Squadron.

Like VanHerck, Tibbets' speech focused largely on thanking people: the Lord for making all things possible, the state and federal officials for their attendance and finally, the men and women of Whiteman.

"Thank you for the time, energy, passion and devotion you have dedicated to welcoming my family to Whiteman for the third time," said Tibbets, who in past interviews has credited his father with helping inspire him to join the Air Force.

Tibbets said he hopes for three things from the base's Airmen: that they take care of themselves, that they take care of their families and to be excellent in their duties.

"If my grandfather was here today, he would tell all of you how proud he is of the great things you do for our nation," he added. "Each one of you is a source of power for the mission - you make it happen each and every day. I will serve with passion, humility, courage and respect every day, and I ask the same of you."

Leadership stresses care in Travis visit

by 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

6/4/2015 - TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Lt. Gen. Carlton Everhart II, 18th Air Force commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Rob Rodewald, 18th AF command chief, stressed the importance of Airmen taking care of themselves and their families June 1 to 3 during a visit to Travis Air Force Base, California.

The 18th AF is the operational arm of Air Mobility Command, the major command under which Travis falls.

The pair visited the base dining facilities, air traffic control tower, radar approach control, dormitories and stopped at David Grant USAF Medical Center, the Air Force's largest medical facility in the continental United States.

Everhart called the Airmen at Travis "unbelievable."

"I'm telling you, from the ground to the air to the air to the ground, you are getting it done all over the place," he said. "We are the world's greatest airpower. ... You know how to make that happen."

Everhart and Rodewald also flew on a C-17 Globemaster III sortie and visited the leadership of the 349th Air Mobility Wing and the 621st Contingency Response Wing as well as the host 60th AMW.

The two spoke to Airmen for more than an hour during an all-call at the Base Theater, touching on subjects such as the revamp of the Enlisted Performance Review, the ongoing fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and the possible restructuring of Basic Allowance for Housing for dual-service couples.

Rodewald used the all-call as an opportunity to urge members to seek help when they need it, citing the number of service members who have committed suicide this year.

The chief touched on his understanding and experience, emphasizing that having a "source of hope" is necessary for everyone.

"I'm married," he said. "I have five wonderful children. I've thought about some of the worst things that can happen to me and it's not fun, but I need to do that. I need to find out what my source of hope is. It's going to get me to the next day."

Rodewald also discussed the new enlisted evaluation system, saying the new system will emphasize feedback focused on duty performance.

"Taking classes and other stuff is important, but none of that matters if we lose the next war," he said.

The command chief spoke on the service's ongoing effort to increase awareness of sexual assault and sexual violence, telling the audience that in his first 15 months as 18th AF command chief, almost every incident involved alcohol.

"We can stop this problem right now," he said. "There's a continuum of harm. We need to stop that. We have the power to stop that. Take care of your wingmen."

Everhart told Airmen that the future of the Air Force lies with them. He urged them toward innovation and fresh ideas and asked people to come to him when policies aren't in line.

"I never want to hear you say, 'Well, that's the way we've done it before,'" he said. "If there are roadblocks there, you need to tell me.

Face of Defense: Soldier Finds a Family in the Army

By Army Capt. Jessica Meyer

2nd Combat Aviation Brigade

CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea, June 5, 2015 – The U.S. Army is about being a team member, leading soldiers to complete the mission and at the end of the day being there for each other.

Soldiers can find a family inside their unit that can help push them and motivate them to become better and provide support and resiliency.

The Toughest Talon is a competition that soldiers in the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade here participate in each year. It is the ultimate physical and military skills challenge.

The event includes an Army Physical Fitness Test, rope climbing, cross fit, tire flipping, litter carrying, road marching, stress shooting and a nine-line medevac radio transmission. Only a handful of selected soldiers participate in the competition from each battalion.

During his assignment to South Korea, Army Sgt. Timothy K. Han, a command group driver assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, participated in three Toughest Talon competitions and two Best Warrior Competitions sponsored by the 2nd Division.

Why would Han participate in all of these competitions?

Setting an Example

“I want to set an example to other soldiers that you can do competitions even after the daily tasks that we all have to do,” Han explained.

Army Sgt. Ken Chambers, a senior signal support specialist who have been working with Han over the past 7 months said Han “is competent and motivates his fellow soldiers to work harder.”

Han also is the remedial physical training instructor for the Headquarters and Headquarters Company here. Every evening, he wears a tactical vest and instructs PT for the soldiers who need help.

Han said he wears the vest “to understand the difficulty that the overweight soldiers face when they do pushups and other exercises.”

Lost Friend Provides Motivation

Although he has a passion for challenges, Han added that he does find the physical competition to be extremely stressful. Every time he wants to quit, Han said he thinks of his friend, Kevin Tran, which helps him find his motivation.

“I met Kevin when I was in the 7th grade and we hung out all the time until he passed away my junior year in high school,” Han said.

Having grown up without the support and care from his parents, Han said the loss of his best friend crushed his heart.

“When Kevin passed away and my brother joined the Air Force, there was nobody around for me,” Han said.

He said he thought he could get over the sorrow of losing his friend by joining the Army.

‘I Love the Army’

“I have never done any competition before, never won awards, and never had meals three times a day before joining the Army,” Han said. “I love the Army, and I have such a large amount of support from my chain of command.”

During his assignment in South Korea, Han said that he plans to join the Sgt. Audie Murphy Club, a private U.S. Army organization for enlisted noncommissioned officers.

For his long-term plans, Han said he wishes to have a family and become a good dad because he never had that growing up.

Joint, Allied forces prepare to honor heritage

by Senior Airman Nicole Sikorski
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

6/4/2015 - NORMANDY, France -- More than 100 U.S. Air Force Airmen are in Normandy, France, finalizing preparations to commemorate the 71st anniversary of D-Day.

Airmen from the 86th Airlift Wing's 37th Airlift Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, will use four C-130J Super Hercules to provide air support for a D-Day commemoration ceremony on June 7.

Throughout the week leading up to the celebration of France's liberation from Hitler's control during World War II, the 37th AS is conducting low-level formation flights. They will also participate in memorial ceremonies to honor the fallen comrades who gave their lives on June 6, 1944, during Operation Neptune.

"We're very proud to be here and to be a part of this," said U.S. Air Force Capt. Chad Thompson, 37th AS pilot. "It is very humbling to come here and to see our heritage and celebrate what our forefathers did before us."

Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines have come together to show support during this week for not only Americans who served, but to strengthen partnerships abroad.

"It is surreal to visit and see the places where many men died for our freedom," said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Gerhart, 6th Ranger Training Battalion ranger training brigade instructor. "I enjoy working with (joint and allied forces) to be able to celebrate those who paved the way for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization foundation."

Many French nationals come from all over to celebrate with patriotic clothes and decorations around the community to thank Americans for their service to their country.

"I am very proud to see the support from our American allies," said Phillip Catherine, Picauville mayor. "We are very appreciative for this here. For us, this is a (vivid and emotional memory.)"

On June 6, 1944, U.S. and Allied forces dropped more than 13,000 paratroopers from aircraft to liberate France of Nazi control.

American military forces and locals have come together to recreate that memory for Normandy.

"It's an honor to be out here remembering what Americans did during WWII," said Staff. Sgt. James Gaston, 37th AS loadmaster. "I'm humbled to participate with my team."

Military presence will continue to provide support to honor the fallen, who died to pave the way for the next generation.

First to fight

by Airman Christopher R. Morales
JBER Public Affairs

6/4/2015 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- The U.S. Army Alaska Combatives Tournament, sponsored by the Arctic Warrior Combatives Academy, finals are scheduled June 5 at the Buckner Physical Fitness Center on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

The tournament, during Military Appreciation Week, is a chance to demonstrate the warrior ethos and show camaraderie between military members.

"The purpose for the USARAK tournament as a whole is to take the Soldiers who wanted to come out here and put them in a stressful situation putting their training to the test," said Sgt. 1st Class Chad Veagley,  AWCA noncommissioned officer in charge. "We have teams from most of the Fort Richardson battalions, and Fort Wainwright came prepared too. It's going to be a good competition overall."

Battalions and independent groups were allowed to submit a team of up to two fighters in each weight class. More than 100 fighters will participate.

The bouts are scheduled in brackets of one-on-one fights, and began with a standard rule set progressing into intermediate, and the advanced rule set is saved for the finals.

"The tournament is running real smooth; we haven't had any hiccups so far," Veagley said. "The event is going great, we have a real turn-out and a lot of participation."

Individual fighters compete for medals in each weight class; teams compete for a traveling trophy as incentive for more teams next year.

"We try to push Soldiers not to hesitate and see their own potential in the future. We tell Soldiers at classes 'if you're not moving forward, you're dying.' said Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Jones, AWCA senior instructor and combatives tournament director. "All those other nice little quotes, we mean it here."

"It's interesting to see Soldiers come into the academy so hesitant and by the end of the class we have Soldiers with a completely different mindset, one that pushes fear out of their mind rather than letting fear limit them." Jones said. "Minus the pain, there is a light at the end of the tunnel."

Six countries send personnel to Papua New Guinea to build ties, capabilities

by 1st Lt. Michael Trent Harrington
JBER Public Affairs

6/4/2015 - EASTERN HIGHLANDS PROVINCE, Papua New Guinea  -- Seventy-two years ago this month, gray banks of low fog split open in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, bursting forth yellow tropical light and the hollow plunk of imperial Japanese artillery.

On Monday, the six-nation team of Pacific Angel 15-4 arrived in the Eastern Highlands Province allied against much longer-established tropical enemies: disaster and disease.

The Pacific Angels - doctors, dentists, plumbers and planners from Papua New Guinea, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines and Indonesia - tumbled out of trucks Monday in Goroka, a town of 20,000 a mile above sea-level, to deliver humanitarian assistance and build disaster relief abilities with the Papua New Guinea Defence Force.

The rumble of Japanese engines still punctuated the background hum of jungle crickets, though now they were Toyotas and Nissans scrambling up mountain roads joining highland villages for the first time. The thunder came only from storm clouds, and "flame of the forest" was just the local name for a scarlet climbing vine.

In a country that ranks 157th on the United Nations Human Development Index and receives nearly U.S. $1 billion in foreign aid annually, the few hundred thousand dollars dedicated to the crew and equipment of the Pacific Angel Papua New Guinea mission are just a drop of sweat in the fluctuating tide of aid funds to the country's shores.

Yet the value of the exchanges taking place in tropical medicine, public health and engineering belie the relatively low bottom line. The Pacific Angel approach encourages partner countries to build relationships and make do with the resources available at the nearest highlands hardware store - versus a Lowe's in California or an Army supply depot in Hawaii.

Pacific Angel is about taking the complexity of managing peacetime in Papua New Guinea and giving it a structure that might withstand worse, said Air Force Lt. Col. Jim Fowler, the Pacific Angel Papua New Guinea mission commander.

Pacific Angel missions to Nepal in 2012 and 2014, for instance, helped more than 9,000 people in that country. More critically, the missions brought together the Nepali, American, Australian and other military and civilian aid agencies who later formed the joint task force that responded to the chaos following the devastating earthquake near Kathmandu six weeks ago.

"Disaster is chaotic enough," said Lt. Col. Courtney Finkbeiner, a U.S. Air Force nurse and leader of the operation's medical subject matter expert exchange teams. "All of the [Papua New Guinea] medical professionals know how to care for patients; we only try to show them how to organize in a crisis."

The operation helps Papua New Guinea military and civil health groups recognize and cope with the complexity of a disaster, Finkbeiner said, like the typhoons, tsunamis, earthquakes and floods characteristic of the South Pacific.

A litany of American briefings and supply handouts might not resonate in a country where conveniences like freeway-width roads and cross-country shipping can't be taken for granted, even in the best of times.

Papua New Guinea is located in the Pacific "ring of fire," at the collision point of several tectonic plates. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and floods are a part of life here, which makes disaster relief capabilities vital both to individual countries within the ring and their neighbors.

The PNG National Disaster Centre, first developed in concert with the U.N. Development Program, now has one of the most active disaster response, mitigation and relief programs in the South Pacific.

"We have to leave our [Western] urge to instantly 'fix' everything at home," said Air Force Col. Joseph Anderson, the Pacific Air Forces command surgeon. "Instead of writing checks for equipment, we're investing in sustainability."

The Pacific Angel mission attempts to build relationships, working more with the people of Papua New Guinea's military and medical teams and less with their gear.
"The time to exchange business cards is not at the scene of a disaster," Anderson added.

Appreciating that context of mutual reliance and assistance is critical to understanding the aid picture in the South Pacific.

John Donne wrote that "no man is an island." No country is an island, either, even if its geography consists of lots of them.

In that sense, Finkbeiner said, "if we did Power Points every day, we'd entirely miss what it's all about, and what life here actually looks like."

The Pacific Angel approach emphasizes cooperation over one-way instruction, building friendships which lead to cheaper and unexpectedly simple solutions.

"We all have different outlooks," said Philippine Army Capt. Donald Palmer, a doctor with the Philippines Medical Corps, "but in a situation like Pacific Angel, we have to consult with each other. We take our [national] experiences and turn them into multilateral ability, where each country can help the other."

In the initial days of the mission, U.S. and Papua New Guinean biomedical equipment technicians - repairmen for sensitive and expensive hospital machines - made the rounds of a military hospital outside Port Moresby, the capital.

A rediscovered screw brought one stalwart machine built in the 1960s back into order. Repairing a single broken switch on another faulty appliance fixed another. The two repairs doubled the number of functioning X-rays in the country.

Buried under paperwork in another office stood a foreign-donated ultrasound machine which the resident radiologist said had sat, unused, for half a decade.

The machine, it turned out, was fine. No one could turn it on because the buttons were labeled in Mandarin. Last week, Papua New Guinean and U.S. technicians knelt side-by-side, punching through a painstaking array of button keys, and finally the machine clicked to life. Now there are English labels.

The ability to look at babies in the womb has breathed new life, such as it were, into the clinic, too.

Thus, missions like Pacific Angel attempt to help local government and international aid agencies respond more quickly to crises within a country's borders and assume control of recovery more quickly in their wake - enabling them to better use the equipment, training and connections they already have.

A number of the same groups who worked and trained together in previous Pacific Angel and humanitarian assistance missions are together again in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, including the Guam-based 36th Contingency Response Group - specialists in crisis logistics - along with USAID, engineers and medical teams from all branches of the American and Pacific partner militaries.

For many of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force members, all the disaster training and activity resonate strongly with their experiences.
"We've been through the real things, many times before," said Papua New Guinea Defence Force Maj. Wilson Andrews, lead host nation planner for Pacific Angel.

This summer marks the eighth year of Pacific Angel missions. The teams will be training in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief through June 8.