Dempsey: Political Activity Erodes Public Trust in Military

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT, Aug. 22, 2012 – Using the uniform for partisan politics erodes the trust the American people have in their military, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said today.

During a discussion with reporters aboard a C-17 returning from Afghanistan and Iraq, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff addressed a question about a group of Navy SEALs who have put together a political action committee.

Dempsey has been outspoken that service members have truly earned their right to vote, and that all Americans are entitled to private and personal opinions.

But, the chairman said, he and his fellow members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are the stewards of the profession of arms, and must ensure service members don’t cross an important line.

“One of the things that marks us as a profession in a democracy is it’s most important we remain apolitical,” he said. “That’s how we maintain our trust with the American people. The American people don’t want us to become another special interest group. In fact, I think that confuses them.”

Dempsey said he believes partisan groups made up of former service members cloud the issue as well. “If someone uses the uniform for partisan politics, I’m disappointed in that,” he said. “I think it erodes that bond of trust we have with the American people.”

The chairman noted he has expressed this opinion before on his blog, and he said he has had incredible conversations in the blogosphere on the subject. He also discussed this soon after a young Army reservist appeared in uniform at a campaign rally, he said.

“We must understand why our military as a profession embraces political neutrality as a core value,” he wrote in his blog in June. “We show fidelity to the Constitution every day by embracing this foundational principle. We are not elected to serve; rather, we elect to serve.”

And maintaining this bond of trust between the American people and its military is key to the survival of both, the chairman said. The American people trust that the professional military will remain out of partisan politics, he added. The U.S. military does not stage coups to topple governments and place their own in charge, he said, and the American military is justifiably proud of serving the Constitution and following the orders of elected leaders.

“We’re not a profession simply because we say we’re a profession,” Dempsey wrote in a letter to the joint force upon assuming office as the nation’s top military officer last year. “We must continue to learn, to understand, and to promote the knowledge, skills, attributes and behaviors that define us as a profession.”

Carter Urges Charleston Troops to Consider Future

By Cheryl Pellerin

American Forces Press Service

JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C., June 18, 2012 – Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter visited service members in the coastal low country of South Carolina today, urging the soldiers, sailors and airmen who serve the nation here to think about the future.

Against the backdrop of a hulking C-17 Globemaster III transport jet, one of 54 on the base, Carter urged the service members to look ahead.

“It’s important to all of us, and we all need to think about, … what’s next for us,” he said. “What’s the next challenge? What challenges in the security field are going to define our future?”

After 10 years of hard work, U.S. troops have done “incredibly well” at the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the deputy secretary said, crediting the efforts of many, including the service members here.

“No other military could do anything like what we’ve done, Carter said. “But you can see that era is coming to an end.”

He mentioned new challenges that will arise as the U.S. armed forces shift thjeir focus toward the Asia-Pacific region, as well as challenges such as cyber defense that barely existed a decade ago.

“The skills and people represented here and in this community that’s it’s been our privilege to visit with are going to be part of that future,” Carter said, “because you have the skills that are going to be needed, you have the heart, and you have the reputation and the record of performance that we’re going to be counting on in the next phase.”

The joint base, under the jurisdiction of the 628th Air Base Wing of the Air Force’s Air Mobility Command, formally combined Charleston Air Force Base and Naval Support Activity Charleston in October 2010. Today, the support activity here has more than 40 tenant commands and is a training center for the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command, the Nuclear Power Training Unit, the Propulsion Facility and the Border Patrol satellite academy.

Others that make up the joint base include the Mobile Mine Assembly Unit, explosive ordnance detachments, the Marine Corps Reserve Center, and an engineering complex with the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, called SPAWAR.

“There are many things you have done that are a signature of Charleston,” Carter said, including the integration and shipping out to the war zone of life-saving mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles, called MRAPs.

In May 2011, a SPAWAR-Atlantic integration team here won an award for its collaboration with MRAP manufacturers, other military units, industry partners and the community as they integrated more than 16,000 MRAPs and 8,000 MRAP all-terrain vehicles with communication, computers, command and control, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems.

“You can go, as I frequently do, to hospitals in Washington where wounded warriors come back, and I can’t tell you the number of them who have said, ‘I’m here, not in [the military morgue at] Dover, … because of the MRAP,’” Carter said.

“And the MRAP was there when they needed it because the integration was done over at SPAWAR,” he added. “It was brought over here, and you all flew it out so it was there on time. That’s history in the making. It’s making our country secure and saving the lives of Americans at the same time. You all did that, and we are truly grateful.”

That’s just one sign of Charleston and the Charleston community contributing to the U.S. war effort, Carter said.

During his visit to the joint base, Carter and his delegation had briefings on space and naval warfare systems and Army logistics, and took time to thank military members and Defense Department civilians and their families for their service and sacrifice.

Carter brought thanks to the soldiers, sailors and airmen from Washington, he said, and he also sent thanks along to the service members’ families.

“Whether it’s a spouse and children or a mom, dad, or just a friend -- whoever you’re close to, whoever you call family -- tell them that you were thanked today and then turn around and thank them, because they support you, and it’s their support that makes it possible for you to support this great country,” he said.

Michigan Air National Guard unit bolsters activities at Estonian air base during exercise Saber Strike

By Tech. Sgt. Daniel Heaton

127th Wing

AMARI AIR BASE, Estonia (6/14/12) - An airfield has come to life.

“With this exercise, life starts at this airfield,” said Estonian air force Lt. Col. Roman Timofejev, commander of the Amari Air Base in Estonia.

During Saber Strike 2012 a variety of U.S. Air Force aircraft – primarily A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and KC-135 Stratotankers from the Michigan Air National Guard’s 127th Wing – have been flown in and out from the base, along with several helicopters and small fixed-wing aircraft operated by the Estonian air force.

The exercise, which took place over a two-week period in June, featured about 2,000 total military personnel from eight different nations operating from a variety of locations, primarily in Estonia and neighboring Latvia. The Michigan Air National Guard located about 150 personnel and a half-dozen aircraft at Amari.

U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft landed at Amari during the exercise to provide logistical support to the air operations at the base.

The Michigan A-10s are not only the first-ever A-10s to land at Amari, but are the first operational fighter aircraft from a NATO country, Timofejev said.

During the exercise, a variety of senior military and governmental leaders from many of the participating countries visited Amari to view the operations, including Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, commanding general of the U.S. Army Europe. During his visit to Amari, Hertling spoke to Estonian military while flanked by the U.S. ambassador to Estonia, Michael C. Polt, and Col. Indrek Sirel, commander of the Estonian army.

“The U.S. government is committed to maintaining a strong operational presence in Europe,” the general said during his June 12 visit. “This exercise is an example of that commitment.”

As part of the Saber Strike 2012 exercise, the Michigan Air National Guard’s 127th Wing working in partnership with the Estonia air force to help the Estonians gain expertise and operational experience at the air base, which was used by the military of the Soviet Union when Estonia was under Soviet control during the Cold War era. In 1994, the last Soviet troops left Estonia and the Amari Air Base and the air field fell into disrepair for several years, said Timofejev.

The Amari base was re-established under Estonian control in 1997 and in 2006 an agreement was reached to prepare the base to support NATO operations. Construction began in 2008 and local operations have been going on for several years. Timofejev said Saber Strike is by far the largest operation to happen to date at Amari.

“This is a great opportunity for my folks to learn to run base operations,” Timofejev said. “I have a few people who have experience and expertise, but many of my folks are brand new. We don’t even know what we don’t know.”

Air Force Lt. Col. William Henderson, a 127th Wing pilot who is serving as the Michigan detachment commander at Amari, said the Estonians opened their arms to welcome the American airmen.

“They worked the relationships within their own government to build the higher-level partnership and then have been very accommodating to us to work at the airman-to-airman level,” Henderson said.

And that means not only a greater exchanging of information but also a quicker mission turnaround, said Henderson.

“They have created a facility here where, tactically speaking, a unit can come in and very quickly be able to begin flying missions,” he said.

Saber Strike is a U.S. Army Europe-led theater security cooperation exercise conducted in the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The exercise focuses on command and control, as well as interoperability with regional partners.

Face of Defense: C-17 Crew Gives Aid to Earthquake Victims

By Air Force Airman 1st Class Leah Young
62nd Airlift Wing

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash., Nov. 4, 2011 – A group of U.S. airmen took to the air to deliver humanitarian relief supplies for victims of the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck eastern Turkey Oct. 23.

The five-member C-17 Globemaster III crew, assigned to the 10th Airlift Squadron here, flew to Turkey Nov. 1 and delivered a 75,000-pound load of tents at Erzurum Airport.

"The men and women of McChord are always ready to provide airlift at a moment's notice," said Air Force Maj. Corey Simmons, the squadron’s director of operations. "It is an honor for the 10th Airlift Squadron pathfinders to provide relief to our great partner Turkey in their time of need."

According to officials at the 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., the tents will provide shelter to earthquake survivors as recovery efforts continue. The tents are six-sided, pyramidal-shaped shelters that can comfortably house up to 10 people plus their clothing and equipment.

The tent's wind-, mildew- and fire-resistant construction and materials, officials added, ensure the warmth and dryness of the occupants even in frigid temperatures.

"Our airmen are focused on providing support at home and around the world at any time," Simmons said. "Rapid global mobility is a key to providing assistance at times like these."

C-17s in Alaska Ramp Up to Go Operational

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 21, 2007 - Long-range, heavy airlift resources for wartime and humanitarian efforts across the globe will be a day's flying time closer to the need in less than a month. The 517th Airlift Squadron, a former C-130 Hercules unit, is in the process of becoming operational as a C-17 Globemaster III unit. C-17s provide longer range and capabilities to carry larger loads than C-130s. Placing the capabilities of the C-17 in Alaska means war support and humanitarian aid can be anywhere in the world a day sooner.

Since the first C-17 touched down in Alaska in June, the unit has been readying itself to become operational next month, flying missions across the state and training crews and maintainers.

The third C-17 arrived here this month. The fourth is expected next month, and the unit will begin flying missions for U.S. Transportation Command. By November, officials expect a full complement of eight airlift jets.

Previously, C-17s flying from the continental United States would have to lay over in Hawaii or Alaska before moving on to eastern locations. Even though the aircraft can fuel on the go, to travel farther, crews would have to be swapped or safe rest time allotted.

Now, because of their forward location in Pacific Command, crews can fly to all points east in a day, or they can cross the North Pole and be in Germany in eight hours.

"We can reach any critical point in the world in less than 10 hours," the unit's commander, Air Force Lt. Col. Dave Almand, said.

The commander has been flying C-17s since they first rolled out at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., in 1994. He said it combines the large cargo capabilities of the bigger C-5 Galaxy but has the flexibility of the much smaller C-130.

"It's outstanding -- still, hands down, the most capable airlifter in the world. Nothing compares to it," Almand said.

The C-17 can fly nonstop, refueling on the go, and boasts high reliability and low maintenance, he said.

The cargo hold can accommodate an Abrams tank, 10 up-armored Humvees, two tractor trailer trucks, or 100 paratroopers and all of their gear. The jet can also land on short dirt runways in austere locations -- needing only 3,500 feet -- with loads up to 170,000 pounds. A commercial airliner typically requires about 3,000 feet just to touch down, with stopping distances twice that of the C-17. The C-17 touches down in the first 500 feet.

"We can land in the dirt. We can fly directly into a combat environment. We don't have to pre-position," Almand said.

At the start of Operation Enduring Freedom, the C-17 was able to drop 1,000 Marines in remote locations of Afghanistan. Limited access to the country, requiring long-distance trips, and the ability to haul enough cargo to equip Marines as they were emplaced were challenges the C-17 easily overcame, Almand said. Other tactical aircraft would have had to be staged closer to the drop areas, which was not possible in this operation.

Three C-17s cycled in the Marines and their equipment in 16 hours.

Also unique to the C-17 are its special operations capabilities, many of which are classified, as well as its ability to descend rapidly. Pilots can be safely out of enemy range at 30,000 feet and, with the flip of a switch, place all four jet engines in reverse and drop 20,000 feet per minute to make their drop. A commercial airliner can drop comfortably at about 2,000 feet per minute.

In the early hours of Operation Iraqi Freedom, 15 C-17s flying out of Italy were able to drop 1,000 paratroopers and their equipment. It was the largest similar drop since Normandy but with not nearly the risk, Almand said.

"It was actually a pretty simple operation," he said.

Air Force Capt. Brett Lent has been flying C-17s for four years, including flying disaster-relief missions to Thailand after the tsunami hit there in December 2004. Because of the speed in which air craft and crews were deployed, there was not enough time to make arrangements for in-flight fuel tankers. This forced them to stop to refuel in Alaska. Because of the stop, their allotted safe flying time ran out in Japan, and they could not make it all the way to Thailand the same day.

"Had we launched from here, we would have been in Thailand in one day," Lent said.

C-17s are particularly useful because they can fly in all weather and can drop anywhere, even where there is no landing strip.

"For humanitarian aid, if there is sky above you, we can get to you. And we have mass," Lent said. "We can drop 170,000 pounds of cargo for a large group of people and give them the aid they need. And we don't need an airfield to do it, and we can do it in any weather. We don't even have to see the ground. We're impeded only by diplomatic clearances."

That means warfighters they have all the cargo they need when they need it, Lent said.

The active-duty 517th Airlift Squadron will partner with the National Guard's 249th Airlift Squadron to provide pilots and crews. The 249th is forming now and will be collocated with its active-duty counterpart. The unit now has some pilots and crews flying with the 517th. The active-duty squadron will eventually provide three crews for every aircraft, and the Guard will provide two. A crew is made up of a pilot, copilot and loadmaster.

The addition of the Guard pilots and crews will allow the unit to provide continuous operation of the jets, Almand said. The unit will be "taskable any time, worldwide, for any mission," he said.

Besides its strategic location, Almand said, Alaska allows for training that is afforded nowhere else. The base is next door to Fort Richardson and the 67,000-square-mile Pacific Alaskan Range Complex, which offers training in a simulated combat environment and is home to the Red Flag-Alaska exercises.

"Alaska is the best low-level training environment in the world, hands down," the pilot said. "No one will be able to train like we do up here."