2nd Combat Camera Squadron
7/29/2014 - HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- Welcome!
Welcome! Welcome! We are pleased to have you join us on this monumental
adventure as we prepare to journey through the Pacific Air Forces
(PACAF) with nothing but a couple of cameras, some writing utensils, and
a can do attitude. I'm just kidding, we have enough gear it would make
King Kong thing twice about asking if we "need a hand."
Our excellent expedition consists of 10 stops through PACAF bases in
which we will document, ask interesting questions, and then share our
findings with the world! Every base is essential in their mission
supporting the Air Force and keeping things moving. We will be
emphasizing our focus on the foundation of the Air Force, which is the
story of the everyday Airman, to encompass anyone from load masters to
security forces.
The league of extraordinary Airmen that have been tasked to carry out
this mission include two photojournalists who will provide blog
postings, and capture images. Also, we have two videographers who will
conduct interviews and tell the stories of Airmen throughout PACAF.
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
USNS Richard E. Byrd Rescues Nine Individuals in the Gulf of Oman
From U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs
MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE 4), a
Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship, rescued nine crew members from a
Yemeni-flagged cargo vessel that had lost power, was taking on water and was
adrift in the Gulf of Oman, July 28, at approximately 9:00 a.m. local.
The crew from Asaed requested assistance and Byrd was the
first ship on scene. Asaed crewmembers departed their vessel via the ship's own
lifeboat and maneuvered to Byrd, where they were safely recovered.
There are no reports of casualties or injuries to personnel.
The Yemeni sailors are being further evaluated by Byrd's medical team. The Navy
will coordinate the sailors' transfer ashore.
Richard E. Byrd is currently on a scheduled deployment to
the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security
operations and theater security cooperation efforts.
America Embarks Trinidad and Tobago Distinguished Visitors
By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW/AW) John
Scorza, USS America Public Affairs
CARIBBEAN SEA (NNS) -- Eight distinguished visitors and 14
guests from Trinidad and Tobago embarked the future amphibious assault ship USS
America (LHA 6) at sea for a key leadership engagement July 25.
The visit's main focus was for Trinidad and Tobago representatives,
which included the minister of national security, chief of defence staff,
representatives from the office of the prime minister, as well as military
leadership, to engage in a "roundtable" discussion with America's key
leadership, including: Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 3, Rear Adm. Frank
L. Ponds, America's Commanding Officer Capt. Robert A. Hall Jr. and Special
Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force (SPMAGTF) South Commanding Officer, Lt.
Col. George Hasseltine.
During the roundtable discussion, the group emphasized the
importance of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) preparedness,
and the capabilities all countries bring to the effort.
"Building relationships establishes trust and delivers
efficiencies during a time of crises," said Ponds. "When a crisis
occurs, the region and countries affected must be ready to take a whole of
government approach, including community leaders, to address the challenges and
meet the needs of those impacted. Conversation and dialogue like the one today
help to focus our efforts; leverage unique capabilities and identify our
strengths to and build a joint, interagency and coalition team that is seamless
and interoperable. "
Margaret Diop, charge d'Affairs, U.S. Embassy, Trinidad and
Tobago, expressed her gratitude for America's hospitality and for the
opportunity to engage in such productive conversation.
"When I think of events like this, with the newest ship
in the U.S. fleet, it shows our Trinidanian counterparts that we are partners
of an enduring type," said Diop. "For America to take the opportunity
to meet with our partners provides proof of that [strong and growing]
relationship."
The group toured the ship's medical facilities, hangar bay,
vehicle stowage area and flight deck. SPMAGTF South displayed ground support
vehicles and equipment, as well as a water purification system, which can be
used to provide drinking water during HADR missions. Also on display was an
MV-22 Osprey, assigned to the "Argonauts" of Marine Operational and
Test Evaluation Squadron (VMX) 22.
"[Being able to visit the ship today] was a magnificent
occasion," said Diop. "I was particularly impressed with the level of
knowledge of everyone we spoke with."
The visit concluded with a gift exchange between U.S.
military leadership and guests from Trinidad and Tobago.
"I believe that our regional partners, neighbors and
friends of Trinidad and Tobago greatly enjoyed their time on board and
appreciated the importance of our engagement as a significant step in addressing
'key' regional issues of mutual interest in a meaningful way; especially
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief," said Ponds. "These
engagements are invaluable and no matter how short their duration, we should
never miss an opportunity to strengthen relationships and reassure our friends,
allies and partners in the Western Hemisphere that we are here for them during
their time of need."
America is transiting through the U.S. Southern Command and
U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations en route to its assigned homeport, San Diego.
U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet employ maritime forces in
cooperative maritime security operations in order to maintain access, enhance
interoperability and build enduring relationships that foster regional security
in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility.
America is the first ship of its class, replacing the
Tawara-class of amphibious assault ships. As the next generation
"big-deck" amphibious ship, America is optimized for aviation, capable
of supporting current and future aircraft such as the tilt-rotor MV-22 Osprey
and F-35B Joint Strike Fighter. The ship is scheduled to be ceremoniously
commissioned Oct. 11 in San Francisco.
Oscar Austin Returns from BALTOPS 2014
By Lt. j.g. Jacqui Maxwell, Navy Public Affairs Support
Element - East
NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- The guided-missile destroyer USS Oscar
Austin (DDG 79) returned to Naval Station Norfolk, July 26, marking the
completion of a two-month underway period in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.
While underway, Oscar Austin took part in the 70th
anniversary commemoration of the D-Day landings in France; participated in the
42nd annual Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2014, a multinational exercise in the
Baltic Sea and conducted numerous engagements with partner nation governments
and military officials.
"Despite deploying on very short notice, Oscar Austin
performed superbly supporting international exercises and engagements,"
said Cmdr. Brian Diebold, commanding officer of Oscar Austin. "The crew
greatly improved U.S. relationships and interoperability with our allies and
partners during Baltic Operations 2014 and provided a tangible diplomatic
presence in the Baltic region strengthening our partnerships through key
engagements in Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Lithuania and France."
Following BALTOPS 2014, Oscar Austin visited ports around
the Baltic Sea as part of an ongoing effort by U.S. military forces to
strengthen ties with NATO allies and partners while working toward mutual goals
of promoting peace and stability in the region.
"Even with the hectic pace, we've advanced
qualification levels for several Sailors in a number of areas, even managing a
few Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist (ESWS) completions," said
Electronics Technician 2nd Class Julia Planes. "Overall, for the high
work-load this has entailed, I think Oscar Austin rose to the challenge and
exceeded expectations."
Commissioned in 2000, Oscar Austin is named for U.S. Marine
Corps Pvt. 1st Class Oscar P. Austin. Austin received the Congressional Medal
of Honor posthumously for his heroism and sacrifice during the Vietnam War in
1969.
U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the
full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied,
joint and interagency partners in order to advance U.S. national interests and
security and stability in Europe and Africa.
U.S. Navy Ships Arrive at Changi Naval Base in Advance of CARAT Singapore 2014
By Lt. Lauryn Dempsey, Destroyer Squadron 7 Public Affairs
CHANGI NAVAL BASE, Singapore (NNS) -- USS Wayne E. Meyer
(DDG 108) and USS Halsey (DDG 97) are in port Singapore July 28 in advance of
the 2014 Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT)exercise with the
Republic of Singapore Navy.
Under the command of Destroyer Squadron 7, the two ships
will participate in a number of in port exchanges and underway evolutions with
their Singaporean counterparts.
"The RSN is one of the world's most capable navies and
a terrific partner in this incredibly important maritime region of the
world," said Capt. Fred Kacher, DESRON 7 commodore and co-commander of the
exercise's task group. "Over the next week, our two navies will execute
one of the most advanced underway programs in the CARAT exercise series and I
can't wait to see our navies working together again at sea."
Singapore has partnered with the U.S. Navy since CARAT began
in 1995. This year's iteration covers a broad range of naval complexities to
include surface gunnery and air defense exercises, search and rescue, shipboard
helicopter operations and maritime interdiction. The highlight of this year's
sea phase will be an anti-submarine warfare exercise involving USN and RSN
helicopters, as well as RSN ships, where torpedoes will be launched against an
underwater target.
Wayne E. Meyer, on a routine deployment from San Diego,
arrived in Singapore last week following operations in the East China Sea and
Taiwan Strait.
"We are honored to be able to participate in CARAT
Singapore with the RSN, as part of the premier naval exercise series in
Southeast Asia," said Cmdr. Randy J. Van Rossum, commanding officer, Wayne
E. Meyer. "This exercise provides our armed forces an opportunity to work
together to sharpen our skills and learn from each other to continue our shared
vision of regional security and stability."
Currently on the first half of its 2014 deployment, Halsey
arrived in Singapore today to finalize exercise preparations.
"The 300 proud destroyermen of Halsey are excited to be
training with DESRON 7, Wayne E. Meyer and the RSN for our first official
exercise of our deployment," said Cmdr. Linda C. Seymour, Halsey
commanding officer. "Partners like the Singaporeans are absolutely crucial
to maintaining stability and freedom of navigation in the Pacific, something
our namesake so dearly cherished."
CARAT Singapore officially begins July 29 and continues
through Aug. 8, 2014. In its 20th year, CARAT is an annual, bilateral exercise
series with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and the armed forces of nine
partner nations including Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia,
the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Timor-Leste.
U.S. Pacific Command Kicks Off Exercise Fortune Guard
By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, July 29, 2014 – U.S.
Pacific Command is hosting personnel from 31 nations as part of the
proliferation security initiative Exercise Fortune Guard.
The exercise will be held in
Hawaii and marks the beginning of a six-year series of exercises that various
“expert” nations in the region will host. These are New Zealand, Australia,
Singapore, Japan, South Korea and the United States.
The initiative seeks to stop the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Over its 11-year history, the
initiative has built resolve and capacity worldwide, said a senior defense
official speaking on background.
The initiative began in 2003 with
11 endorsing nations. Today, that number is up to 104. “What ties these nations
together is their commitment to act and prevent the proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction,” the official said.
Exercises such as Fortune Guard
have provided nations a forum to demonstrate the intention to act and to
enhance their capabilities and capacity, the official said.
The exercises help the nations
share the best tactics against proliferators. Since the initiative began, the
nature of the proliferation threat has changed, the official said, and the
exercises are a way to disseminate current information.
In 2003, the threat was the
shipment of whole systems, the official said. She pointed to North Korea’s
attempt to export a full missile system to Yemen in 2002.
Today, the problem is dual-use
items. “This is a way that nations can develop weapons of mass destruction
related capabilities,” she said, noting that these dual-use items are harder to
track and harder to prove the intention.
The world also is seeing a change
in how proliferators transport the materials. In the past, it was by sea. Now,
officials are seeing more smuggling by air and by land. “This makes it far more
complex,” the official said.
Therefore, the official said,
Fortune Guard focuses on dual-use commodities and diverse shipping modes. The
initiative also stresses the whole-of-government approach to meeting
challenges, the official said. “There may be a military or defense role as part
of that whole of government push, but all the diplomatic, customs, border
[agencies] need to come together for interdiction,” she added.
Fortune Guard will have a
table-top exercise, a port exercise and an exercise at sea. It also will have
an academic seminar focused on proliferation threats and trends and regional
capabilities.
Specifically, exercise
participants will observe a boarding at sea of the USNS Henry J. Kaiser, which
will act as a suspect vessel. Japan and South Korea are contributing vessels
and boarding teams, and Australia is providing role players. Ashore, there will
be a demonstration on how to search a suspect aircraft.
Canadian officials will talk
about the relationship between the initiative and the United Nations. Norwegian
officials will discuss lessons learned from removing chemical weapons from
Syria.
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