RHS Airmen train unique mission skill-set during ANG Deployment for Training

by Tech. Sgt. Meghan Skrepenski
Virginia Air National Guard Public Affairs

6/18/2015 - ANDERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Guam -- Airmen from the Virginia Air National Guard's Virginia Beach-based 203rd RED HORSE Squadron and the 202nd RHS from Camp Blanding, Florida are training and refining essential skills here, March 24-June 24.

The Red Horse Airmen are improving their abilities and readiness by constructing a Facilities Systems Training building, under the Air National Guard's Deployment for Training program.

"As a trainer, the project presented challenges to everyone here as the "Tilt-up" construction is different than the construction we usually work with, it made for an interesting, dynamic environment to train in," said Tech. Sgt. J. Trevor Sprinkle, the FST project structures lead from the 203rd RHS. "It was a unique experience as a trainer when 3, 5 and 7 levels are all working together on a project learning how to complete it together, when you can't reference past experiences."

Throughout the trip, the teams led by Lt. Col. Jaime A. Rios, 202nd RHS Director of Operations and Supervisory Civil Engineering, and project Officer in Charge are learning how to merge 2 RHS units with the active duty operations and discovering the best way to meet the needs of the mission

"This was a very large project, for seven weeks the entire project was horizontal as we created the separate panels for the 'tilt-up' design using forms and reinforced concrete." said Rios, "Then in just one week, the construction went from horizontal work to vertical. After this the worksite became three-dimensional and we have been working on further development of the building and site."

This training mission presents the opportunity for the squadron Airmen to focus on multiple specific skill-sets: project planning, design, surveying, site development with cut and fill operations utilizing heavy equipment, vehicle maintenance and repair, project and troop management, logistical and personnel support, food preparation and lodging procedures, utility systems, and electrical and fire alarm installation.

"This training mission has provided the opportunity to train on the installation of a Fire Suppression System," said Senior Master Sgt. James E. Young, 202nd RHS utilities superintendent. "This is a very unique opportunity for ANG personnel as we don't have the chance to utilize the skills needed for a FSS installation often."

Within this environment, most of the 202nd RHS have trained outside of the scope of what they do within their own Air Force Specialty Code, explained Young. A few of the Airmen have received specialty-specific training with active duty members from the 554th RHS for HVAC planning and design, and the 554th has also trained side by side with 202nd and 203rd RHS personnel.

When viewing the worksite as a whole, multiple skills are often demonstrated within a small working area, during a short period of time. For example, on the afternoon of June 3, Airmen engaged in site excavation and restoration to improve drainage, drilled holes for installation of an electrical meter, dug a trench to connect the grounding for the Lightening Protection System, and shot site elevation to ensure the LPS was 12 inches below final grade. Meanwhile, on the other side of the worksite, Airmen worked on site cleanup, installation of conduit for lighting, external receptacles and devices, assembly and installation of "eyebrows" for doorway rain protection, grounding rod burial, and reinforcement of seals on the roof to prepare for a large-scale concrete pour to finish the roof.

"The Airmen are using skills upon which they have previously trained and have adapted in a unique way as they train others with less experience," said 1st Lt. Jason C. Dodge of the Virginia Air National Guard's 192nd Fighter Wing Support Squadron Civil Engineer Flight and FST Project Site Officer. "During the past few days, we have returned the site grade to original elevation to prevent pooling of water and flooding of the building, trained on multiple pieces of equipment across multiple AFSC's and continue to perform quality control on the work already completed."

"Overall, the training has been really good and it's been a rewarding trip," said Senior Airman Alexander "Bud" Nolan, a Water and Fuel System Utilities maintainer from the 202nd RHS. "I have enjoyed working with the multiple RHS units."

RED HORSE stands for Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers; the unit mission is to provide a highly mobile civil engineering response force to support contingency operations worldwide

Alaska’s military continues Operation Colony Glacier support

by Tech. Sgt. John Gordinier
Alaskan Command Public Affairs

6/23/2015 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Aboard an Alaska National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, the team breaks through the clouds and acquires the first glimpse of the beauty Alaskan glaciers offer. For many miles all that is seen is ice 50 to 100 feet high with crevasses highlighted in a light bluish color. Upon landing on the glacier and exiting the helicopter, it doesn't take long to realize a tragedy occurred in this beautiful place...mangled aircraft debris spread for hundreds of yards.

In November 1952, an Air Force C-124 Globemaster II with 52 passengers and crewmembers aboard took off from McChord Air Force Base, Wash., en route to Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. As the aircraft neared its destination, volatile weather caused the C-124 to crash into Mt Gannett, less than 40 miles from Elmendorf AFB.

A search party was dispatched to the crash location and a portion of the aircraft's tail was spotted, but the harsh weather conditions and the austere Alaskan environment thwarted efforts and necessitated the suspension of the recovery effort.

The wreckage lay at the base of the mountain upon a glacier, burying all evidence of the crash as well as the hope to recover the service members.
Almost 60 years later, June 9, 2012, an Alaska National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew on a training mission noticed some debris on Colony Glacier. The National Guard sent a team on foot to examine the site and they retrieved items that were identified as being from the crashed C-124.

Since then, every summer, during a small window of opportunity, Alaskan Command and Alaska National Guard personnel have been supporting the joint effort of Operation Colony Glacier. ALCOM coordinates mission planning and performs aircraft debris recovery while the Alaska National Guard provides specialists and transportation.

This year, Operation Colony Glacier started June 8 and is scheduled to go until the end of June with weather permitting.

In the past few years since discovery, 17 of the 52 Airmen aboard the aircraft have been identified and returned home. Providing closure to families is why many raise their hand at the opportunity to help.

"It is an honor and privilege to be part of this mission...to possibly provide closure for all the families involved," said Lt. Commander Paul Cocker, ALCOM deputy chief of future operations and Operation Colony Glacier project officer. "We are committed to assisting in the safe recovery of any human remains, personal effects, and equipment at the crash site. As with any operation of this nature, great care and consideration for family members will be our first priority in the recovery of remains at the site."

"Our hope and goal is to find and return the remaining 35 servicemembers," continued Cocker. "Our second priority is maintaining our environmental stewardship and cleaning up the aircraft debris."

The Alaskan military team is working together to ensure this mission is completed successfully, continued Cocker. This has been a team effort the entire way, with Alaskan Command, Alaska National Guard, active-duty military members, and civilians all combining their various talents toward this mission.

Bulldogs bring intimidation to the joint fight during Exercise Northern Edge 15

by Staff Sgt. William Banton
Northern Edge 15 Joint Information Bureau Public Affairs

6/23/2015 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Its wide muzzle, short black broad nose with large nostrils and deep set dark eyes grimace intimidation across the patch on the right shoulder of the pilot boarding his aircraft while preparing to engage an enemy in the joint interoperability environment that is Northern Edge 2015.

The intimidation the 525th Fighter Squadron, "The Bulldogs," pilots bring to the fight is only matched by the powerful capabilities of an aircraft adept at ensuring lethality against all advanced air threats.

The F-22 is able to support the mission through its ability to establish air-superiority quickly and hold it through the duration of the missions, said Capt. Richard Williams, 525th FS, F-22 Raptor pilot.

"Our job is to gain control of the airspace when flying against other air to air platforms and discourage anybody who may try to seek, engage and destroy one of our friendly forces," he said. "We are protecting them by making sure enemy aircraft aren't operating in the area in a position where they could fire upon and potentially destroy one of our aircraft."

The role of the F-22 during NE15 is to work alongside other aircraft with missions as varied as dropping bombs to providing airlift and airdrops including Navy and Marines fighters in joint environments.

"If we were to deploy in a Northern Edge scenario, we are obviously going to deploy with the Navy," said 1st Lt. Michael Blahut, 525 FS, F-22 Raptor pilot. "It's important to practice like you play. You cannot play and do the real thing without practicing it first ... otherwise no one will be on the same page."

Blahut said it's rare for 525th FS pilots to have the opportunity to train beside the Navy, which means NE15 helps provide important insight into how pilots can implement fifth generation fighter tactics when working with other services' aircraft.

Blahut, a former F-15C Eagle crew chief prior to becoming a pilot, has an interesting perspective on what joint exercises can provide to the interoperability of working with other services.

"From a maintainer's perspective it's about helping the Navy use our facilities to maintain their aircraft," he said. Different service branches do business differently; the branches get the opportunity to watch these processes and trade ideas.

Now participating in Northern Edge as a pilot, Blahut has a better understanding of the air mission and appreciates his maintainer's perspective.

"You see pilots running because they might have had to ground abort a jet, like I did today," he said. "He is supposed to be somewhere at a particular time and at a particular location, to adhere to a strike package, or whatever it might be, the mission commander might have made for the day. As a crew chief you have no idea."

"Looking back if I could I would tell myself, 'look dude there is a reason this dudes running from one jet to another,'" Blahut said. "'He has a takeoff time to meet, so if you could have little patience with the dude that would be great.'"

Carter Praises Germany’s Security Role, NATO Unity

By Cheryl Pellerin

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, June 23, 2015 – Defense Secretary Ash Carter discussed what he called the bright future of U.S.-German partnership and the importance of NATO unity to the European security environment during remarks at the Allianz Forum in Berlin yesterday.

At the forum, situated on Berlin’s Pariser Platz near the Brandenburg Gate, German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen introduced Carter before his keynote address.

“We gather here during a year when history fills the air and at a moment when we have the opportunity to continue the dramatic progress this continent has made in recent decades,” Carter said.

“Success in bustling Berlin, around Germany and throughout Europe demonstrates the value of the choices we've made together since the end of World War II and the Cold War,” he added.

Germany’s Role

Germany has played an important role in some of the most difficult challenges facing the world and the transatlantic community, Carter said.

Twenty years ago Germany offered military support to United Nations peacekeepers and later to the NATO mission in Bosnia, and today the nation plays a leading role in the effort to diffuse the Russia-Ukraine crisis, he added.

Germany sends military support and observers to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe mission in Ukraine and continues its leadership role in Afghanistan, sending forces to NATO's Resolute Support mission, Carter said.

Germany has participated in the P5+1 talks that seek to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons, he said, and provides training and capabilities in northern Iraq to the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Hard Challenges

“These are hard challenges, and Europe, the United States and the world are safer for Germany's leadership in them," Carter said. "As the secretary of defense I'd like to thank the German government and particularly the German Bundestag for advancing and sustaining Germany military deployments and efforts that promote our mutual security."

He said that the Defense Department is prepared to support those important efforts, noting that the United States and Germany need to explore more concrete ways to work together.

The United States and Germany jointly established a Transatlantic Capability Enhancement and Training Initiative, called TACET, to coordinate military activities, training and exercises, the secretary said.

“That cooperation and Germany's willingness to step up are indispensable to transatlantic security,” he said.

NATO

On NATO, Carter said the alliance continues to evolve to meet new types of threats and secure a bright future.

Last fall in Wales, NATO's 28 leaders agreed to several steps that together represent one of the most significant efforts in the alliance’s history, he added.

NATO nearly doubled the number of military exercises in one year, set up a new command center, reorganized the NATO Response Force and established the Very-High-Readiness Joint Task Force, or VJTF.

“Later today, Defense Minister von der Leyen and I will travel to Munster and visit with that VJTF brigade, led this year by Germany and fresh from an exercise that demonstrated its ability to deploy on 48 hours' notice from multiple locations in Europe to any crisis on NATO territory,” Carter said.

Working Together

The defense ministers of Norway and the Netherlands -- both significant contributors to the VJTF -- joined Carter and von der Leyen there.

The VJTF is evidence that NATO is adapting, but more work remains, Carter said.

“How do we confront cyberattacks, propaganda campaigns and hybrid warfare? How do we balance liberty and security in preparing for migration surges, terrorism and flows of foreign fighters? How do we ensure we can deal with more than one challenge at a time?” the secretary said.

“The answer, of course, is that we will do so together as we always have, but the Cold War playbook doesn't apply to this future,” he added. “Our new playbook takes the lessons of history and leverages our alliance's strengths in new ways for these new threats.”

New Playbook

To implement the new playbook, NATO must be more capable and able to meet two or more challenges at once, the secretary said.

Throughout NATO's history the United States has provided the lion's share of funding for the alliance. Today it provides 70 percent of all alliance defense spending, Carter said.

“America remains capable of and committed to leveraging all the elements of our national power to assure our collective security, but the United States cannot, should not and will not meet these challenges in Europe alone,” he added.

“As allies we must all ensure the Defense Investment Pledge made at last year's Wales Summit means something,” Carter said, adding that Germany’s recent commitment to a 6 percent defense spending increase puts that nation on a positive trajectory “but more is required to ensure that Germany's defense investments match Germany's leadership role.”

Confronting Aggression

A more active Germany and a more adaptive NATO, the secretary added, “will ensure that while Vladimir Putin may be intent on turning the clock back in Russia, he cannot turn the clock back in Europe.”

Since Russia began a campaign against Ukraine early last year, the United States, NATO and the European Union have made clear to Russia that its aggressive actions have no place in today's world, Carter said, adding that the best tool for confronting the aggression is the economic sanctions led by United States and Europe.

But Ukraine is just a part of the larger concerns about Russia, Carter said.

Strategic Approach

“In response, we're taking a strong but balanced strategic approach … that seeks to ensure Russia cannot force anyone to turn toward the past, all the while welcoming and encouraging Russia to turn back toward the future,” he added.

“We will continue to help reduce the vulnerability of allies and partners, not only through military training and support,” Carter said, “but also through work to enhance European energy security, and therefore decrease dependence on Russian energy.”

But the secretary said the Defense Department would continue to cooperate with Russia when Russia is willing and where Russia's leaders see their interests aligning with international community interests, including P5+1 negotiations with Iran, nonproliferation in general, countering ISIL-like movements, and others.

“The United States will continue to hold out the possibility that Russia will assume the role of respected partner moving forward, not isolated and going backward as it is today,” Carter said. “But whatever is decided in the Kremlin, we will move forward and Europe will move forward."

Face of Defense: Marine Completes His Last Warrior Games

By Cpl. Cuong Le

Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va., June 23, 2015 – The 2015 Department of Defense Warrior Games is a place where wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans from the Marine Corps, Army, Navy, Air Force Special Operations Command and British forces can come together and have a spirited and fun competition.

For some, this competition will be their first. For others, it's a return trip they hope to make several times in the future. But for Marine Corps veteran Kyle Reid, it will be his last Games.

“It has given me my life back,” Reid said. “The Warrior Games is not something you can describe to someone in a way where they will understand. It is something that has to be experienced.”

From PTSD to Winning Gold

This will be Reid’s third year competing in the games and each time he has returned with gold medals in track and swimming events.

“He is just one of those guys you want to run with, and he will just motivate everyone on the track. When he is not around you can definitely tell,” said Richard Delarosabuglewicz, a fellow competitor and Reid's friend. “It’s great having him on the team. I think he inspires everybody to run and do their best.”

Reid said he was not always as motivated and happy as he is today.

After returning from a tour in Afghanistan, he said he developed a drinking habit and contemplated suicide many times. He struggled with his problems for a year before he realized that it was affecting his marriage. That moment pushed him to seek help, he said, and after being diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder he was assigned to the Wounded Warrior Regiment.

This was when he found out about the Warrior Games.

“I don’t base myself on my achievements … without enjoyment, it would not mean anything,” Reid said. “Because I enjoy the games, I am willing to work harder and the rewards have come since.”

Team Motivator

Reid’s own hard work and dedication leads him to push his team to try even harder.

“When I come to practice, I like it when he is there. It gives you that edge to train a little harder and run a little bit faster,” Delarosabuglewicz said. “He is able to deal with and work around his disabilities every day.”

Delarosabuglewicz said Reid “is a perfect example of what the Wounded Warrior Regiment is all about and the games show how hard he has worked to get where he is now.”

Reid intends to make this his last Warrior Games because he was recently accepted to the St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he plans to join the swim team and become a collegiate athlete.

“What I am going to miss the most about the Warrior Games is the camaraderie -- not only between the Corps but with the other branches as well,” Reid said. “I have a lot of friends here, and I will miss all of them dearly.”

5th Fleet Commander Visits USS Iwo Jima

From USS Iwo Jima Public Affairs

AQABA, Jordan (NNS) -- Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Vice Adm. John Miller paid a visit to the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), June 18.

Miller met with Iwo Jima Commanding Officer, Capt. Dana Gordon, Commander, Amphibious Squadron 8, Capt. Michael McMillan and the Commanding Officer of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Col. Scott Benedict. He also toured the ship, met with Sailors and Marines for lunch on the mess decks and held three all-hands calls.

During his all-hands call with the E-6 and below Marines and Sailors, Miller highlighted Iwo Jima's support to Yemen evacuation and contingency operations.

"In the 36 months I have had command, we have not asked more from another ship than we have from Iwo Jima," he explained. "This deployment has been extremely important to the strategic goals of this area of operations."

Iwo Jima left its homeport of Mayport, Florida, Dec. 11, and began a regularly scheduled seven-month deployment to the U.S. 6th and 5th Fleet areas of responsibility in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts.

While deployed, Iwo Jima spent 164 days in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, 149 of which were underway days. The ship conducted more than 70 well deck operations, participated in multiple bilateral and multilateral training exercises and conducted several strategic transits of the Strait of Bab Al Mandeb.

Iwo Jima is currently serving as the flagship for the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, which includes USS New York (LPD 21) and USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) and the embarked Marines of the 24th MEU, as well as various supporting elements from Assault Craft Unit 4, Beachmaster Unit 2, Fleet Surgical Team 8, Tactical Air Control Squadron 22 and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28.