Spain-Bound Charleston loadmaster has emotional ties to Ultimate Reach 16-1

by Senior Airman Jared Trimarchi
Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs

11/6/2015 - JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Crossing the Atlantic Ocean to take part in a multi-national exercise takes most Joint Base Charleston Airmen far from home, but for one 16th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, it took him closer to home and heart.

Staff Sgt. Jonathan Akers is a dual citizen of the United States and Spain and was hand selected by his leadership to be part of Exercise Ultimate Reach 16. Ultimate Reach is an annual U.S. Transportation Command sponsored, live-fly exercise designed to test the ability of 18th Air Force to plan and conduct strategic airdrop missions with the 82nd Airborne Division.

And this year's exercise dropped those Paratroopers about an hour from Akers's home town in Spain.

Being a part of UR 16 gave Akers a chance to visit his country of birth and showcase the capabilities of the U.S. Air Force to his family and countrymen.

Akers was born on Torrejon Air Base, a military installation in the city of Madrid and spent 23 years living with his mother in Spain. 

According to Akers, he was dissatisfied with his personal accomplishments in Spain and his lack of motivation to attend college so he decided to move to the U.S.

"I joined the Air Force because I wanted to do something important with my life and be part of an organization with a great purpose," Akers said. "I learned about the job of a loadmaster and how they get to see the world and I knew that's what I wanted to do."

The airdrop portion of the exercise took place in Zaragoza, Spain, approximately an hour from Aker's hometown

According to Akers, members of his family will be on the ground during the airdrop to observe the joint operation between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization member nations. They will get a perspective of what he does on a daily mission.

"I'm excited to see my family," Akers said. "Ultimate Reach is a huge exercise which demonstrates what we can do, and I can't believe I'll get to show my family in Spain what I do. Even though we are separated by distance, I am close with my family and they are all proud of what I do."

His father and grandfather were maintainers in the U.S. Air Force, and as a loadmaster with the 16th Airlift Squadron; Akers travels the world in the back of a C-17 Globemaster III. While the pilots fly the aircraft, the loadmasters are in charge of the cargo and all passengers aboard.

"I have found fulfillment in my life as a loadmaster," Akers said.

Akers said he has tried to live up to the Air Force Core Value of "Excellence in All We Do" since he joined the military in 2010. He was promoted ahead of his peers to the rank of senior airman; he was named the Levitow award recipient, the highest award given during Airman Leadership School; he is currently a member of Special Operations Low Level Generation Two, which is the 437th AW's mission that supports specific Joint Chief of Staff missions.

Although he has accomplished great things during his five years in the Air Force, he said he is humbled by the Soldiers of the 82nd Airborne.

"The Soldiers I've met are fearless and I'm glad to know they are on our side and are willing to take care of business for our nation," Akers said.

Though Akers enjoys his time in the back of a C-17, he is currently working on his bachelor's degree, which will bring him closer to his dream job.

"One day I want to earn a commission and be a C-17 pilot," Akers said. "It's the best job in the Air Force and I would love to continue doing missions aboard the C-17. Maybe one day I'll participate on an exercise like this as a pilot."

JB Charleston Engages In Red Flag Exercise

by Capt. Brian Walker
437th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

9/10/2015 - JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. -- This past August, members from all branches of the US military in conjunction with international allies met at Nellis Air Force Base to hone their air combat capabilities by participating in the Red Flag exercise. Red Flag was established in 1975 to help maximize the readiness, skills and survivability of airborne assets in a combat environment. For the first time since 2001, members from the 437th Airlift Wing were involved in Red Flag, sending four aircrews and a C-17 Globemaster III to contribute to the two week, $3 million exercise. This year's Red Flag included military units from Israel, Singapore and Jordan.

Red Flag is designed to simulate a large scale air war incorporating all types of aircraft, from fighters and bombers to cargo and reconnaissance. These aircraft practice various combat roles such as close air support and combat search and rescue. The entire exercise takes place in the Nevada Test and Training Range a relatively small 120 mile by 80 mile airspace, at times filled with more than 100 aircraft.  Red Flag incorporates 40 aggressor "enemy" aircraft and a vast array of simulated surface-to-air defenses making the scenarios as realistic as possible.

Capt. Matthew Weinberg, the Mission Planning Cell Chief for mobility aircraft at Red Flag commented on training provided at the exercise.

"Red Flag teaches all the players how to better interact and fully utilize other assets. It's all about integration and learning how to communicate your specific requirements to other key players, such as the Combat Air Forces, which allow you to complete your mission," he said. "Red Flag used the lessons of history to build a venue that forces players to communicate in ways that are required for survival in the real world. "Fighters and bombers didn't know how to talk to us and we didn't know how to talk to them. Red Flag is designed to change that."

During Red Flag 2015, the 437th AW crews provided airdrop capabilities, performing high and low altitude deliveries of Special Operations forces, supplies and Survival Specialists.

"The flying experienced at Red Flag provided training that is unmatched anywhere," said Capt. Patrick Griffin, one of the 437th AW SOLL II pilots. "It was incredible to see so many aircraft performing their missions in such a small airspace while in a realistic ground and air threat environment."

The NTTR is filled with steep mountainous terrain, adding extra complexity to an already challenging mission scenario.

Beyond the aircraft and aircrew, the exercise includes all aspects of a deployed unit. The exercise incorporated the full spectrum of aircraft support including a Combat Air Operations Center, Maintenance, Aircrew Flight Equipment, Squadron Aviation Resource Management, Survival Specialists and Intelligence.

Weinberg believes the 437th AW will likely continue to partake in future exercises citing the significant training benefits.

"Participating in this exercise will change a lot about how we operate," said Weinberg. "The exercise shows us how the Air Force, Joint and Coalition partners fight and how we must adapt our training to fit that methodology. In the future we hope to incorporate other aircrews from the rest of the C-17 community to experience the crucial lessons learned during Red Flag."

C-17 squadrons employ new deployment construct

by Trisha Gallaway
Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs

8/12/2015 - JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Throughout the last 10 years, the C-17 community has seen many changes to its deployment schedule and the pattern continues. The departure of crews from Joint Base Charleston, S.C., on July 29, 2015 ushered in a new way to successfully deploy in support of combat operations.

Currently, the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron is comprised of members from nine out of 10 active duty Air Mobility Command C-17 squadrons.

In 2006, the 17th Airlift Squadron assigned to JB Charleston revolutionized the way C-17 squadrons deployed to support combat operations. They were the first squadron to deploy under the two-EAS system. This meant an entire flying squadron would deploy as a unit for a 120 days.

According to Lt. Col. Sam Todd, 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron commander, prior to the two-EAS system, one squadron would deploy to the area of responsibility and their primary function would be to conduct ground duties managing the planning, scheduling and support functions allowing stage-crews from other squadrons to fly the missions.
"We used one organic squadron to enable the remaining squadrons to provide flight crews to accomplish the mission," said Todd. "Typically one squadron deployed for around 90 days and the stage crews would be TDY for less than a month.
"Now, [under the new system] our EAS will use flying crews from each AMC C-17 squadron to accomplish both flying the missions and conducting squadron support duties over their two and-a-half to four month deployment."

Todd, who took over as 816th EAS commander on July 2, 2015 is excited about the new deployment construct and what it brings to the C-17 community.

"This change offers the chance to integrate our C-17 community in a completely new way," he said. "As we do this, we will gain expertise and commonalities to further improve C-17 operations and advance our employment capabilities.  Our team is designed quite differently and I look forward to the cross-talk and conversations that we will have--relationships across our community will be strengthened."

Until this most recent deployment cycle, the two-EAS concept was how flying squadrons in the AMC C-17 community deployed. But what does this new deployment construct mean for commanders back at their home stations who now have to find a balance between providing crews to support both combat operations and higher headquarters tasking's?

"This new construct will allow the aircrew and the squadrons a great deal of flexibility as they satisfy their portion of the EAS manning on a continual basis," said Todd. "Any given Charleston squadron will have an ongoing deployment contribution to make, which will be predictable at the squadron level.  The squadron can plan for the right aircrew to deploy at the right time, allowing everyone the opportunity to schedule according to significant life events, training and progression requirements as well as other activities that sustain our Airmen and squadrons."

Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Farrell, 16th Airlift Squadron commander at Joint Base Charleston echoed Todd's sentiments.

"Now we're receiving credit against the normal number of crews we have operating in the system for the deployed crews," said Farrell. "As long as that construct remains, we'll be able to support the deployment with minimal impact to the squadron, although it does mean less crews flying traditional mission sets."

The new deployment construct will also take some getting used to by the families left behind during deployments. However, Farrell believes this will lead to those families being better supported.

"In some ways, we're better able to support the families of deployed members because it's a much smaller number," he said. "As a result, there are more members and spouses with the bandwidth to provide support and outreach.  What we lose is the camaraderie of all of the spouses being in the same situation at the same time but I hope the additional support mitigates that aspect of it."

Todd also feels this deployment schedule will benefit the families as well.

"Communication and expectation management are key, especially when we are dealing with the families who serve alongside our Airmen," he said. "I haven't seen any studies that determine if this new EAS construct results in more time at home but, if we can offer some additional stability and negotiate timelines to include the consideration of important family events

Face of Defense: Airman Saves Little Girl at Beach

By Air Force Airman 1st Class Tom Brading

Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs Office

JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. – Air Force Staff Sgt. Robert Proffitt reacted quickly at the beach to save the life of a drowning little girl.

It started out as a beautiful weekend summer day on the ocean at Sullivan's Island, S.C.

Desperate cries for help were echoing faintly over the rolling ocean waves. The pleas were from a 7-year-old girl, pulled out past the breakers by a violent riptide and with every scream her weakened body gave in a little more to the powerful ocean current.

Proffitt, who’s assigned to the 373rd Training Squadron here, was nearby enjoying a day at the beach with his wife and children. He was wading far out in the water and heard the girl’s cries for help.

"I could see her more than 100 yards from the beach," Proffitt said. "I didn't have time to think about it. I just reacted."

Proffitt swam out to the girl. By the time he reached her, all he could see was her hair swaying effortlessly with the tide. Her body had slipped beneath the water. He pulled her head above water and she took a deep breath, but she had no energy to move.

"Had I arrived shortly after the moment I did, I would have never seen her," Proffitt said.

After grabbing the girl, he looked back toward the beach -- he had never been this far from shore. He couldn't feel the ocean bottom and the girl was clutching to his back as he slowly began paddling toward the beach.

"Every movement was a struggle," Proffitt said. "I had already used so much energy. Just keeping my head above water seemed to be a challenge. However, I kept thinking to myself: 'Do not let her die,' and so I kept fighting."

Proffitt continued fighting until he reached the shore. Once he felt the sand under his feet, he knew he was close enough to yell for help. A group of people brought both Proffitt and the girl safely back onto the beach.

The moment Proffitt was on dry land, he fell to his knees and stared up into the sky.

"It was a miracle," he said.

The little girl was safely returned to her parents.

However, this wasn't the first time Proffitt was challenged with the task of saving someone's life.

Months prior to the beach incident, Proffitt happened to be at the right place at the right time during the lunch hour at work. Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael Semmerling was eating a turkey sandwich when the unthinkable happened.

"I was eating turkey because it's supposed to be healthy," Semmerling said. "But, after I took a bite, I began choking. I couldn't breathe.”

Semmerling attempted to cough the turkey up by pounding his chest with his fist, but nothing seemed to work. He ran down the hall, his face turning from red to blue, when he stumbled into Proffitt's office.

"When he came in to my office, I had no idea what was wrong," Proffitt said. "But when I looked at his face, it was shades of blue, red and purple. I knew I had to react."

Without hesitation, Proffitt jumped from his desk and spun Semmerling, a 220-pound man, 180 degrees with ease and began doing the Heimlich maneuver. Proffitt continued monitoring the condition of his friend, and after a few thrusts, the turkey that was stuck in Semmerling's throat shot across the room.

"If it wasn't for Sgt. Proffitt, I wouldn't be here today," Semmerling said. "He is a hero."

Proffitt insists that he isn't a hero.

"I'm no hero," Proffitt said. "I've just been put into situations that required me to react. The Air Force has taught me lifesaving skills, and the importance of reacting quickly."

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.

Face of Defense: Airman Lives Family Legacy

By Air Force Airman 1st Class Tom Brading

Joint Base Charleston

JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C., April 26, 2012 – A member of the Skvarna family has served in the skies to defend the United States since World War II.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Skvarna, an instructor loadmaster with the 17th Airlift Squadron, 437th Airlift Wing here, said pinning on his aircrew wings, lacing up his combat boots and boarding a military aircraft is a family legacy.

The story begins in 1942, with a 17-year-old Czechoslovakian-born teenager, Edward M. Skvarna, Matthew's grandfather. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Edward M. enlisted in the Army Air Corps, hoping to become a pilot.

"My father joined the military for two reasons," said Edward B. Skvarna, Matthew's father. "He wanted to see the world, and he didn't want to be stuck working in the steel mills of Pittsburgh his whole life. For him, being an aircrew member during World War II was everything he dreamed it would be. He loved the dangerous aspects of flight missions and the adventurous skies of combat."

During the Pacific campaign, Skvarna and his aircrew soared through the darkness of enemy-infested skies and gathered photo intelligence in a B-29 Superfortress, one of the heaviest long-range bomber aircraft flown during the war.

On one mission, the eldest Skvarna was preparing for battle as a right gunner on the B-29. He was colorblind, and even though that disqualified him from becoming a pilot, he did qualify for other jobs to the advantage of the Allied forces.

"Being colorblind didn't slow my grandpa down," Matthew said. "It was during that flight over the Japanese harbor when he proved that."

While gathering intelligence from a bird's-eye view, the eldest Skvarna spotted something in the harbor that didn't look right. He spotted the outline of an Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier that was camouflaged to blend in with the colors of the sea.

For everyone on the Superfortress, the carrier was virtually invisible. However, Edward M. noticed the ship immediately because of how differently his vision interpreted the colors.

"He kept telling the crew he saw a Japanese warship in the water," grandson Matthew said. "At first, they thought he was crazy -- nobody else in the air could see anything. He stuck to his guns, though. A U.S. Navy submarine confirmed the Japanese aircraft carrier, Shinano, was in the harbor. The USS Archer Fish sunk the carrier in November 1944. My grandfather's disadvantage may not have allowed him to become a pilot but it ended up saving countless lives by sinking one of the largest Japanese ships during the war."

The eldest Skvarna received an Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions during the Pacific campaign. He became a school teacher in California after leaving the military.

That’s where Matthew's father, Edward B., grew up, listening to his dad's heroic war stories and enlisting in the Air Force after high school. He went on to retire as a captain in the Air Force Reserve. During every mission, Edward B. wore his dad’s old flight wings,battered from use during World War II.

"Being a loadmaster was an amazing experience," he said. "I've always had pride in my military experience. Even after the Vietnam War, when some people didn't have pride, I'd proudly wear my uniform in front of them."

Today, Matthew's father is chief of police at the Bob Hope International Airport in Burbank, Calif. He makes it part of his job to approach every uniformed service member and thank them for their service to the country.

One of his greatest accomplishments in the military came years after he retired from military service.

Matthew was able to give his father, Edward B., a tour inside the C-17 Globemaster III shortly after it landed in Long Beach, Calif. It was during that tour that Matthew's father noticed the impact his generation had on today's loadmasters.

The original design engineers of the C-17 flew multiple flights around the world with various aircrew members, including Matthew's father, while they were brainstorming the internal design of the new C-17. It was on those flights that Matthew's father suggested design changes that were made on upcoming aircraft.

"I sat the design engineers down and told them exactly what loadmasters needed to be safer and to do their job better, such as fixing troop seats, loadmaster's crew positions on the plane and having a weight balance computer for loadmasters," said Matthew's father. "When Matt gave me a tour of the plane he flies all over the world in, I noticed the designers made every adjustment I suggested years ago. It's rewarding for me because not only did I take part in helping future loadmasters stay safe and do their job more efficiently, one of those loadmasters is my son."

Although the youngest Skvarna came from a military family, he didn't join the Air Force right after high school.

"My grandfather knew I'd join the military before I ever considered it," Matthew said. "One of the proudest moments he had was when I became a loadmaster, because not only was I doing a similar job as my father did in the military, but also a similar job to what he once did."

Joining the Air Force also gives Matthew a deeper understanding of both his father and grandfather. The C-17 he flies in soars thousands of feet above the same foreign lands as his father and grandfather's planes did years ago. His grandfather's flight wings, he said, are worn from age and the years of wear from his father wearing them. Today, the same wings are proudly displayed on Matthew's flight suit.

"Wherever I deploy, there is always a bond that I share with generations of air crew members before me," Matthew said. "It is an unspoken bond shared among my grandpa, dad, myself and countless veterans all over the world. Having such a powerful commonality bridges my family's history with the Air Force's history. As the Air Force has changed, so have I."

"Matt didn't know it at the time," said Matthew's father. "But I influenced him at an early age to be a loadmaster. He's always had the perfect attitude; he is a flexible person that thinks outside the box. I would have been proud no matter what he did in life, but carrying on the air crew legacy of his grandfather and me as successfully as he has, has made his grandfather and me very proud."

Matthew's grandfather passed away in 2010, shortly after Matthew's third deployment as a loadmaster.

Today, Matthew still brings his father and grandfather's flight wings on missions all over the world.