MA support moves to Pentagon

by Master Sgt. Timm Huffman
HQ RIO Public Affairs

1/12/2015 - BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The Headquarters Individual Reservist Readiness and Integration Organization's support for Air Force Reserve Mobilization Assistants moved from Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, to the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., Dec. 15.

The MA population is now managed by HQ RIO Detachment 7, Operating Location-Pentagon. The staff from the Readiness Management Group's Detachment 29 provided oversight to the population through Dec. 12.

MAs are Individual Reservists, with ranks of colonel or above, assigned to back-fill general officer active-duty billets.  They are senior leaders in the Air Force Reserve that provide strategic and operational support to their active-duty Air Force organizations.

"Detachment 29 processed about 3,000 orders per year and oversaw $15,000,000 in manpower dollars," said Col. Jeffrey Moore, the outgoing Detachment 29 Commander.

Now that HQ RIO has assumed responsibility from the RMG, RIO Detachment 7, OL-Pentagon, will continue that support. The relocation of this function to the Pentagon will allow those supporting MAs to leverage the capabilities and expertise of Detachment 7, which supports Individual Reservists assigned in the National Capitol Region. Additionally, the move will allow the OL staff to synchronize MA support efforts with the Pentagon office that oversees all Air Force Reserve general officer billets.

According to Col. Christopher E. Cronce, HQ RIO commander, the move is important because it puts the staff in close proximity with the members they serve. "By moving to the Pentagon, my staff will be able to provide face-to-face service to the mobilization assistants," he said.

Lt. Col. Dion R. Flynn, the OL program manager, said the MAs will receive her office's full attention.

"This OL is committed to ensuring MAs maintain their readiness, complete their participation and execute orders," she said. "Our job is to provide administrative support to MAs, enabling them to perform their duties to support the AD mission; and that's the thrust of the Detachment 7 motto: 'That others may fly, fight, and win!'"

HQ RIO manages Individual Reserve Airmen that support over 50 separate active-duty major commands, combatant commands and government agencies.

Unlike traditional Reservists, who are assigned to Reserve units that regularly perform duty together, IMAs work with their active-duty supervisors to create a custom duty schedule that helps their unit meet mission requirements.

"We plan to continue providing the premier level of customer service that our MA population has come to expect," said Flynn. "This will enable them to continue to set the example for all Individual Reservists in terms of mission contribution, readiness and participation."

Incentive pay for nuclear mission reaching Malmstrom

by John Turner
341st Missile Wing Public Affairs

1/13/2015 - MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- Airmen performing critical intercontinental ballistic missile-related duties and recently authorized to receive additional compensation are now seeing it in their paychecks, according to leadership here.

Incentive pay for critical nuclear-related tasks went into effect Oct. 1, 2014. Most Airmen eligible for incentive pay at the start of the fiscal year should now be receiving the pay, though the delivery of first payment depends on when paperwork was submitted on the member's behalf.  All Airmen who qualify for incentive pay will receive retroactive back pay once their records are updated.

The incentive pays affirm the Air Force's commitment to the nuclear enterprise.

"People assigned to these demanding and exclusive nuclear positions take on an extraordinary amount of responsibility, workload and inspection rigor for the world's most lethal weapons," Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James said when the incentive pays were announced Sept. 15. "The nuclear mission is our number one mission and we're going to compensate our Airman accordingly."

Officers assigned to and working in critical nuclear billets with primary duty in the missile fields are eligible for Assignment Incentive Pay of up to $300 per month. This pay is open to missile combat crew members, missile maintenance officers, and security forces officers.

AIP is the military's preferred way to compensate troops from all of the services and is often paid to service members for unusual or extended assignments, according to defense.gov.

Enlisted personnel serving in select nuclear specialties including missile maintenance, security forces, and missile alert facility mangers and chefs are eligible for Special Duty Assignment Pay of up to $300 per month. The SDAP program enables the Air Force to fill top priority positions and allows the Air Force to compensate Airmen for the exceptional requirements of these positions.

SDAP considers the scope of responsibility, deviations from specialty responsibilities and skill, and prerequisites or education requirements that exceed those of other Airmen in the same specialty and rank to ensure that the right people are compensated at the appropriate level based on the complexity, difficulty, and degree of responsibility required of the duty, according to Air Force Personnel Center. Biennial reviews ensure that SDAP is paid only to Airmen whose duties are extremely difficult or involve an unusual degree of responsibility.

"This money to us reflects that our leadership appreciates us and understands the importance and relevance of our job," said Tech. Sgt. Harrison Roberts, 341st Maintenance Squadron missile maintenance team critical task supervisor.

Approximately 1,300 enlisted Airmen are eligible to receive SDAP at Malmstrom. SDAP is initiated or changed through AF Form 2096 and processed through the 341st Force Support Squadron's force management section. Members can call 731-3230 for assistance.

The total number of officers eligible to receive AIP here is not immediately available since AIP is administered through individual squadrons.

Reserve C-17 crews familiarize Guardsmen with helo loading

by Army Maj. Cindi King
South Carolina National Guard Public Affairs

1/12/2015 - EASTOVER, S.C. -- Air Force Reserve crews taught South Carolina Army National Guardsmen how to load UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters onto an Air Force C-17 Globemaster III during familiarization training at McEntire Joint National Guard Base here Jan. 10.

A crew from the 315th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, flew their C-17 to McEntire JNGB for their drill weekend to execute the air transport training.

"The last time the majority of our Soldiers loaded one of our helicopters into a cargo aircraft was in 2008 for deployment to Iraq," said 1st Sgt. Kenneth Caldwell, Company A, 1-111th Aviation Battalion, S.C. Army National Guard. "We have many young Soldiers who have never had a chance to see how this works."

Master Sgt. Eric Walker, a loadmaster with the 315th Airlift Control Flight, said the training went very well and they hope the two units can train more in the future.

"There are lots of areas where we can help and be creative with training opportunities," said Walker. "Sometimes the first step is just asking the question, can it be done?"

"Training like this is important because we can identify issues now, so if have to load for long distance deployments and can't self-deploy, our Soldiers will know how it is done," said Caldwell.

The morning included a safety brief, a loadmaster overview of what would take place, preparations for the UH-60 Black Hawk to be pushed onto the C17 ramp using a small tow and then carefully guiding it on the ramp.

The goal was to load one helicopter nose first, and the other one tail first to demonstrate to the teams how each is configured when secured on the Globemaster III. After one of the Black Hawks was loaded, the C-17 pilots took the Soldiers for a short takeoff and landing so they could see how cargo is secured and have the experience of being in a large cargo aircraft with their Black Hawk.

Caldwell added the training was equally valuable to him, because he recently returned from a state partnership engagement in Colombia, where he assisted the Colombian military practice loading their helicopters onto a cargo aircraft.

"There are many skills that are a part of the air load, to include folding the blades, removing antennae and hazardous materials certification," Caldwell added.

WW II Vet presented overdue medal at Dobbins ceremony

by Senior Airman Daniel Phelps
94th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

1/12/2015 - DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. -- An 89-year-old World War II veteran was surprised by a special treat and members of his family during the 94th Airlift Wing commander's call Jan. 10.

U.S. Army Air Corp Staff Sgt. William Hughey and his wife of 50 years were invited to the January unit training assembly as a special guest. What he didn't realize was that they were invited there as a ruse.

Hughey was called up to the stage after an introduction by Col. Brett Clark, 94th AW commander, and presented the Army Good Conduct Medal for his service 70 years ago during WW II.

The award was made possible by Gen. Mark Welsh, Air Force chief of staff, Pam Younkers, CSAF Civic Leader advisor, and officials at the Air Force Personnel Center. The presentation was organized by Clark and the Cobb Chamber's Honorary Commanders Association.

"We have got to rectify a wrong," said Welsh. "He is certainly a pioneer in our Air Force who set the example for all of us."

Hughey had been told that the reason he hadn't received it was because he had to have been under the same command for a year, which he never was because of the war.

"I didn't know the Air Force could be so sneaky," joked Hughey. "I am glad, better late than never."

The WW II veteran volunteered at 18 for the draft in 1942. He reported for duty Jan. 1, 1944.

"I almost didn't get in the war," he said.

His goal was to be a pilot; however, he ended up being a B-17 ball turret gunner.

"If they had let me be a pilot, I could have blown the Luftwaffe out of the sky in six weeks," he said. "Instead, it took me six months as a ball gunner."

During his time, he successfully completed 35 combat flying missions.

"Missions became like you people coming to work every morning," he described. "You don't think about it."

Throughout these missions, Hughey's aircraft sustained heavy fire from enemy aircraft, and on one occasion, was shot down. He and his crew survived the crash landing, and were rescued by Soviets. Hughey also participated in the famous Christmas Eve mission in 1944 in which mission leader Brig. Gen. Frederick Castle's plane endured a head on enemy fighter attack, dropped out of formation and subsequently crashed.

"If I had a 10-foot pole, I could have reached out and touched his airplane," the WW II vet said. "We lost 13 ships in 13 minutes in that fight. I thought I was going to be dead. I thought if I'm going go, I'm going to take as many with me as I could, so I got real cranked up."

Hughey was honorably discharged from the military in 1945 at the age of 20. In 1983, he helped form the Georgia Chapter of the 8th Air Force Historical Society, for we which he is a longtime president.

"Few opportunities in your career come before you like this, to be able to make a presentation to someone from the greatest generation," said Clark. "This was such a privilege. He set a standard that is difficult to eclipse and few of us will have the opportunity to show the grit, courage and fortitude that he has."

(Georgia Public Broadcasting and Senior Airman Christina Norris contributed to this article)

February Programming Aboard the Battleship NORTH CAROLINA

WILMINGTON, NC – The Battleship NORTH CAROLINA announces the programming schedule for February, 2015.

Firepower!

February 21, 2015

Time: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

$95 per person.  $85 for Friends members or active military (plus tax).

Learn about and explore the Battleship's 16-inch and 5-inch guns from the gun houses to the ammunition loading compartments; the 40mm and 20mm guns, and the weapons that they replaced (1.10 and 50 caliber guns). The finest guns are of little use without the means to direct their fire accurately at the target. Presenters will discuss the various types of fire control equipment (directors/optical range finders, radar, computers) and how main and secondary battery plotting rooms and the combat information center operated. Participants will enjoy a lively, engaging, in-depth program with presentations, hands-on experience, and serious exploration for adult learners.

The program is for adults only (ages 16 and up) and limited to 40 participants. It is not appropriate for those who may have difficulty climbing narrow ladders. Wear warm, comfortable, washable clothing, sturdy, rubber-soled shoes and bring a camera! Registration and payment are due by Thursday, February 13th.  Event is $95; $85 for Friends of the Battleship or active military plus tax. Program includes a box lunch. Call 910-251-5797 for reservations.

About Battleship NORTH CAROLINA

The Battleship NORTH CAROLINA is self-supporting, not tax supported and relies primarily upon admissions to tour the Ship, sales in the Ship's Store, donations and investments. No funds for its administration and operation come from appropriations from governmental entities at the local, state or federal levels. Located at the junction of Highways 17/74/76/421 on the Cape Fear River.   Visit www.battleshipnc.com or follow us on Facebook.com/ncbb55 and Twitter.com/battleshipnc for more information. Relive with the crew on the Battleship Blog http://seastories.battleshipnc.com/. The Battleship NORTH CAROLINA is an historic site within the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources (www.NCCulture.com).

New Director of ANG Chaplain Corps: ‘Proud to serve’

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

1/13/2015 - JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. -- The work of the Air National Guard Chaplain Corps isn't always noticed and is sometimes a bit difficult to measure, but that doesn't worry Chaplain Col. William T. Yates, director of the Air National Guard Chaplain Corps.

Yates' favorite quote, "not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted," has been attributed to Albert Einstein and others, but what's important is its meaning.

It takes a great deal of strength and faith to help Airmen through difficult times and Yates understands the care and relief the chaplains and chaplain assistants bring. The work they do every day for Airmen really counts; even if it's not easily measured.

Recently selected as the new Director of the ANG Chaplain Corps, Yates describes how he felt when he learned the news.

"It was both humbling and exciting," said Yates. "I am surrounded by brilliant and capable people at the [Air National Guard] Readiness Center and in the field. I learn something new every day."

Yates' grandfather served as a maintainer during World War I, keeping biplanes flying over the skies of Europe and his father served as a fighter pilot during World War II, flying the same skies, so service in the Air Force was the natural choice.

The path for Yates began more than 29 years ago, at K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan in the Air Force Reserve, and on to the 101st Air Refueling Wing, Maine ANG, the 181st Fighter Wing, now Intelligence Wing, Indiana ANG and on to Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hawaii, where he served as ANG Assistant to the Command Chaplain.

"I learned about the chaplain corps through the encouragement of several ANG chaplains who were friends and ministers I highly respected," said Yates. "In time and through prayer, I came to see that this was part of God's calling for me. I took the step forward, never looked back and I'm glad I did."

Today Yates serves at the Air National Guard Readiness Center and advises the Director of the ANG and Headquarters United States Air Force Chief of Chaplains on all matters that pertain to religious freedom, accommodation, morale, and related activities of the ANG Chaplain Corps.

"I often stop and think to myself, I can't believe I get to do the things I'm doing with the people I'm doing them with," said Yates. "I'm proud to serve and it's a joy to lead."

In his new capacity as director of the ANG Chaplain Corps, Yates' top priorities uses the acronym PROS and focuses on Professional development, Readiness and religious Support, Operational knowledge and experience, and Strong Bonds.

Professional development

"We are deeply committed to the professionalism of our nearly 600 chaplains and chaplain assistants so that we present the most capable personnel to our states and nation," said Yates.

Readiness and religious support

"We focus on training and resourcing the field so that our chaplain corps is mission ready and capable of delivering the best spiritual care and religious support possible to the men and women of the ANG," said Yates. "It's part of our first freedom, the First Amendment guarantee of the free exercise of religion. In addition, we are ready to serve and support both religious and non-religious members with Comprehensive Airman Fitness, resiliency training, counseling, human care and support of families. We are always looking for ways to creatively address emerging issues and needs".

Operational knowledge and experience

"We continually focus on training and equipping the ANG Chaplain Corps to be effective in both global deployments and homeland all-hazards operations," said Yates. "Our Directorate plans and executes the chaplain corps piece of the annual Patriot Exercise. This is the only accredited field-based joint training exercise in our country and we are proud to have the experts on religious support on our staff here at the National Guard Bureau."

Strong Bonds

"This program receives DANG approval and has touched close to 30,000 Airmen and family members over the years with tools to strengthen marriages, increase resiliency and reduce factors that lead to relationship failures and suicide," said Yates. "I encourage everyone to participate in a Strong Bonds event. You learn a lot while having a lot of fun together."

The ANG Chaplain Corps will continue to meet the spiritual needs of highly trained, dedicated, Airmen and Yates is enthusiastic about his term as director.

"I love the Air National Guard and I love being a chaplain to our men and women in uniform," said Yates. "I want to do everything I can to support and advise our senior leaders who selected me for this position. I know from all the things I read, see and hear that our care and presence in the Air Guard really counts and makes a real difference in the lives of others. I thank God for that."

U.S. Troops Resuming Atlantic Resolve Training in Eastern Europe

By Cheryl Pellerin

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2015 – U.S. Army troops resumed Operation Atlantic Resolve land-forces training of allied and partner forces this week as 75 Stryker combat vehicles arrived in Eastern Europe, Pentagon Press spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren said today.

The training will take place in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, Warren added, and continues to demonstrate U.S. commitment to NATO allies.

The Stryker combat vehicles are from U.S. Army Europe’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment, elements of which will conduct training in Eastern Europe alongside soldiers from allied and partner nations, Warren said, adding that much of the training will focus on individual and team tasks.

Defense Department spokeswoman Air Force Lt. Col. Vanessa Hillman said the training also will include combined, multinational platoon-level exercises and live fires involving a combination of vehicle and foot-soldier maneuvers.

Enhanced Multinational Training

According to Warren, “Since April 2014 the U.S. Army has conducted continuous, enhanced multinational training and security cooperation activities with allies and partners in the region due to increased regional tensions following Russia’s illegal actions in Ukraine.”

The Stryker combat vehicle is an eight-wheeled, air- and ground-transportable light-armored vehicle built for the Army by General Dynamics Land Systems. It has a Caterpillar engine, a 310-mile operational range, a 60-mile-an-hour top speed, and armor. Its primary armament is a Protector M-151 remote weapon station with one of two machine guns or an automatic grenade launcher.

Atlantic Resolve training involves about 550 European-based American personnel and 75 Stryker vehicles. The Stryker group is based in Germany.

Warren said elements from the Army 2nd Cavalry Regiment are replacing elements from the Army 173rd Airborne Brigade that were involved in Atlantic Resolve training before the holiday break. 2nd Cavalry elements will conduct training in the four countries until March 31, he said.

“There will be approximately one cavalry troop each in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia,” Warren said, explaining that one cavalry troop has about 20 Stryker vehicles.

Training Regional Allies and Partners

Hillman said that while elements of 2nd Cavalry Regiment participate in Atlantic Resolve, the unit also will conduct a decisive-action, training-environment exercise called Saber Junction.

That exercise will take place, she said, in the German Hohenfels and Grafenwoehr training areas and in the Black Sea region, with U.S. soldiers working alongside those from more than a dozen other NATO and partner nations.

The 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division -- the Army's regionally aligned force for Europe -- is expected to be the next rotational Atlantic Resolve unit when the 2nd Cavalry Regiment’s rotation ends.

The Army’s ongoing, enhanced training is supported by about $1 billion in funding from the European Reassurance Initiative, Hillman said.

This allocation is designed to enable DoD to continue efforts to reassure NATO allies, she added, and bolster the security and capacity of allies and partners in the region.

Airmen vie for top load-crew distinction

by Airman 1st Class Kyle Johnson
JBER Public Affairs

1/12/2015 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- "You just have to do it right and do it slow," said Airman 1st Class Dominic Hobbs, an aircraft armament systems specialist with the 90th Aircraft Maintenance Unit.

That advice works - as long as your definition of "slow" is less than 35 minutes.

When loading 2,000 lbs of explosives and hundreds of high-explosive incendiary rounds onto a $143 million jet, 35 minutes pass by very quickly.
JBER weapons load crews are evaluated on their efficiency, safety and competence every month.

Four times a year, the crews with the best records are selected to compete in a head-to-head load crew of the quarter competition, and the winners move on to vie for the coveted title: load crew of the year.

Hobbs and his two crewmates, Airman 1st Class Charles Pole, also an aircraft armament systems specialist, and Air Force Staff Sgt. Robert Johnson, their load crew chief, participated in the quarterly competition Dec. 31, 2014.

Jets do not always have the same mission, so each load is different.

This means load crews must be able to expertly load a variety of weapons systems on their particular aircraft.

To that end, the crews are not informed what they will be loading until just minutes before they begin their timed trial.

"We're not unfamiliar with being evaluated," Pole explained. "But for this, I'm always nervous, though I get a little excited and giddy too.

"When it is time to start, all of that just goes away though."

"When you come into a load, it's almost like you have a shield around you that keeps everyone and all the pressure out," said Johnson, a native of Taylorsville, Utah. "As soon as something doesn't go the way it's supposed to, that's when things start hitting your shield and breaking holes
in it.

"That's when the pressure starts to come in."

And those shields will be tested; things don't always go smoothly when working with bombs and guns.

Johnson said the GBU-32 Joint Direct Attack Munition attachment went well, and when considering a projected five-to-10 minute load of the M61A2 20-mm gun, they were on track for a 25-to-30 minute total time.

That would place them well under the 35-minute time frame they were allotted.

Hobbs and Pole wheeled the Universal Ammunition Loading System up to the side of the plane.

The UALS is a large wagon with hundreds of 20-mm rounds in a snake-like loading tube, which connects to the side of the aircraft.

It automatically feeds rounds into the aircraft with little need for human intervention.

At least that's what it's supposed to do.

Johnson hooked the UALS into place and began the loading process, expecting to see rounds pumping through the serpentine interface unit and disappearing into the aircraft.

Instead, the pressure that had been safely outside of his shields began to creep in as he saw rounds coming back out of the aircraft into a separate chute.
"Belts are in 500-round increments," Johnson explained. "Half the belt had already been fed through the aircraft, so we had to finish feeding the belt through so we could take everything off and follow the checklist."

A lever controls whether the rounds are loaded into the aircraft or pass through like a belt with no buckle.

Typically the lever is set to "load," Johnson said, but this time it was on "bypass."

Johnson said he's never experienced this particular problem before, and it wasn't on their usual checklist, so it added grueling minutes to their time as they troubleshot the issue.

"By the time that was done, it was over for us," he said, still frustrated at the loss.

"In our career field, there is no margin for error," Johnson

said. "That's why every time we make a mistake, we take it to heart and don't do it again until - basically ... until we're perfect."

Many aspects of basic military training are designed to place pressure on trainees, so when they get to a wartime environment, they can handle the pressure that will inevitably break through.

But after BMT, it is competitions like this one which continue to apply that pressure and foster readiness so that when it's time for war, Airmen can perform with excellence and accomplish their mission. Awards come in second to experience gained and muscle memory.

"The number-one mission is to put bombs on target," Johnson said.

"I have a cousin in the Army who always says their best friend is a pilot in the air," Pole said. "I'm glad I can do my part to help save them.

"When they call in an airstrike, I know I loaded that jet to the best of my ability," Pole continued.

"I know that bomb's going to drop on target and save lives."