4 FW Airman shines at Inter-Nation Championship

by Senior Airman John Nieves Camacho
4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

7/17/2015 - SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Her journey was full of unknowns. She was thousands of miles from home and in a very unfamiliar land. As foreign as she felt, there was one 7-ft wide circle that made her feel right at home.

For Airman 1st Class Jessica Johnson, 4th Aerospace Medicine Squadron public health technician, it was the moment she had long waited for. As she stepped into the circle, she remembered all the training; the blood, sweat and tears she had poured into preparing for this opportunity.

She grabbed her weapon of choice, mentally prepared herself, and launched it downrange.

"11.44 meters," the official exclaimed.

The mark was good enough for Johnson to place second in the individual shot put competition during the 2015 Headquarters Aircom Inter-Nation Athletics Championship in Amsterdam, and contributed to the U.S. Air Force Europe women's team taking home the gold medal.

"My goal was to come in first place or throw over 12.5 meters, but I fell short of those," Johnson said. "I was disappointed in myself. The feeling of competing on that level is hard for me to describe. I'm truly blessed I had the opportunity to represent the Air Force on that stage."

Shot put is a track and field event where individuals toss a heavy, metal ball known as 'the shot' as far as possible. For years, Johnson honed her craft in the sport, dating back to February 2009 when she was a sophomore in high school.

"I've always enjoyed sports," Johnson said. "I participated in a couple of different ones, but I wanted to try something new and challenging."

After joining the military, Johnson continued training for competition. In February 2015, she discovered the Air Force sports program and immediately upped her game.

"I began going to the gym more and more," Johnson said. "I performed weight training three to five times a week and threw four to six times each week, anywhere from one to two hours."

As part of the selection process, Johnson compiled statistics on her shot put performance and traveled to two different track meets to compete, winning one of them in Washington D.C.

"It was refreshing to compete again after all these years," Johnson said. "After getting my feet wet at a couple of competitions, I knew this was the sport for me."

After applying for the U.S. Air Force Europe team and spending months preparing, Johnson was selected for the team.

"The last time I competed was back in high school, which was more than four years ago," Johnson said. "I hadn't had adequate training since then."

When not competing or training, Johnson can be found working in the 4th AMDS as a public health technician, where she is highly regarded by her coworkers.

"Johnson is goal oriented and on track to achieve her goals," said Staff Sgt. Svetlana Alviar, 4th AMDS community health NCO in charge and Johnson's supervisor. "As an Airman, she led a volunteer event which shows her commitment to growing her leadership skills and potential for doing greater things in the future."

Johnson now focuses on completing upgrade training, but afterward, she plans on competing in more events.

"I plan on applying for the Conseil International du Sport Militaire World Military Championship that takes place in South Korea at the end of this year," Johnson said. "After that, I'll apply for the World Class Championship program."

Although thousands of miles into her journey, Johnson's quest for the World Class Championships are just beginning.

"Throughout my life, my family has always been a strong foundation of support for me," Johnson said. "With them behind me, my drive for competing will never run out."

Face of Defense: Airmen Save Drowning Man

By Airman 1st Class Mariah Tolbert

4th Fighter Wing

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C., June 15, 2012 – "Help!" someone faintly calls out.

You look out to the ocean and see a man's arms flailing about, half a mile into the surf, struggling to stay afloat as waves crash down on him. What would you do, knowing lifeguards are not close enough to save him?

Three 4th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Airmen assigned here found themselves in this situation while spending the day at Atlantic Beach, N.C., and on June 2 saved the life of a 49-year-old man.

Airmen 1st Class Dylan Seng, Ashley Irelan and Alexis LoBasso went to the beach to relax, soak up some sun and hit the waves. However, they were thrown into a life-or-death situation.

"LoBasso, Irelan and myself decided to go into the ocean," said Seng, a native of Palmyra, Pa. "While we were swimming, LoBasso and I heard a man weep for help. We thought it was a joke at first but we heard him for a second time, so LoBasso swam straight to the man and asked if he was okay. The man immediately replied, 'No.'"

As LoBasso reached the man, named Michael, Seng and Irelan followed. After realizing Michael had been struggling and could no longer keep his head above water, the three airmen assisted him to shore. Once there, lifeguards took control and checked everyone to ensure no one inhaled any water.

When asked why they’d risked their lives to save Michael, all responded similarly.

"I helped Michael out of pure instinct," said LoBasso, a native of Yonkers, N.Y. "We were all being good wingmen to Michael by coming to his rescue, and to each other for playing an important role to help him swim back to shore. The situation also embodies the Air Force core values because we used service before self by ensuring the safety of others before ourselves and doing our best to make sure no one was hurt, representing excellence in all we do."

That deed did not go unrecognized by others, including Thomas Daly, the captain of Atlantic Beach Fire Department Guard Unit 41.

"These three put the life of another above their own," Daly said. "Their quick actions, working together as a team, and sound resolve, should be a reflection of great pride to their supervisor, the Air Force and our country. It was an absolute pleasure working with them."

Irelan, a native of Toccoa, Ga., said he’ll always remember what Michael said when he thanked the trio: "You didn't just save my life; you gave my boy more time with his father."

Face of Defense: Father, Daughter Bring Past to Life

By Air Force Senior Airman Rae Perry
4th Fighter Wing

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C., Jan. 18, 2012 – For Marty Stanton, a Master Sergeant in the Air Force, 4th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle management superintendent, and his daughter, Alicia, restoring pieces of the past is something they both enjoy.

Stanton said he has loved working on cars since he was in high school. Unable to afford the equipment for welding class, he settled on body shop. From there, he added, shaping and bending metal to fix cars became a passion.

"I really liked fixing something, so no one could tell what was done," Stanton said. "It's like bringing a car or truck back to life. I just can't get enough."

When Alicia was 3 years old, she became curious about what her dad was doing in the garage, so she put on her mother's black boots to check it out.

"She said, 'Daddy, I want to help you today.' I mean, what can you say?" Stanton said with a chuckle. "It sounded like a great idea."

During their first project together, Stanton taught Alicia how to remove the chrome rings on his 1967 Corvette Stingray.

"I went over grabbed a small pry spoon and showed her how to take the hub caps and beauty rings off of my Corvette," he said. "She took the pry bar, put it under the ring and

pushed on it. The beauty ring came off [and] rolled around on the floor. She started jumping up and down, waving the pry bar around, just celebrating."

From there, Alicia has helped her dad with the family business.

"My favorite part is hanging out with my dad and working on cars," Alicia said. "It's kind of like a family thing."

Even though she is only 12, she already has her first car, which she and her father plan on restoring for her 16th birthday.

"I was excited about getting the Celica," Alicia said. "I just wondered if I was too young, but my dad's thinking was that it would take a couple years to get it fixed up."

The 1977 Toyota Celica GT fastback, five-speed with a 2.2 liter motor, is heavily styled off older Ford Mustangs. Many Japanese car clubs have given the car the nickname “Tokyo Pony.”

"Since Alicia is part Japanese, and it's a Japanese muscle car, I figured that was a perfect fit," Stanton said. "I'm not going to give my beautiful, young, 16-year-old daughter a Mustang to drive around town in, but it looks just like a Mustang, except it's cooler, because it is Japanese."

"I'm looking forward to doing the paint job," Alicia said. "It's going to be Dodge Viper blue with white racing stripes."

The car has a standard transmission, but Alicia is not afraid of learning how to drive it.

"My mom is actually really good at driving stick shifts, so I'm going to learn from both my mom and dad," she said.

Although the car is far from being able to be driven on the road, the father-daughter duo looks forward to fixing it up.

"I'm just really happy that my daughter and I are going to get to restore her Celica together," the proud father said.

Stanton said he plans on fixing cars, not only for the Air Force, but until he can no longer do it.

"I cannot get enough of it," he said. "I'll probably be doing this until I'm in a wheelchair, then I'll get Alicia or one of her sisters to push me around. I'll just keep sanding or doing stuff with my hands until I can't anymore."

Operational Uncertainties Require Flexibility, Gates Says

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C., May 6, 2011 – The lesson Americans should take from recent military operations is that we cannot predict where or how U.S. forces will be engaged, and having flexible capabilities is the best defense for the nation, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

Since the Vietnam War, U.S. leaders have a “perfect” record in forecasting where America is going to use military power next: “We have never once gotten it right,” Gates said to about 450 airmen in a hangar at this F-15 Strike Eagle base.

“We just don’t know, and that’s why we have to be prepared,” he said.

Given that record, Gates said, the equipment the military buys and the capabilities it develops must be broad based. Especially in a time of budget constraints, he said, “we need to buy capabilities that have the maximum possible flexibility for the broadest possible range of conflict.”

Americans should be cautious about significant cuts in the defense budget, Gates said. Four times in the last century America has significantly reduced its military capabilities after a war – World War I, World War II, Vietnam and the Cold War. Each time it was because people thought the world had changed, that challenges had gone away.

“Human nature hasn’t changed,” he said. “There will always be despots out there, there will always be aggressors and tyrants.

“The United States must keep its military capabilities strong as it look to the future, because we can’t tell what the future will hold,” he said.

The federal debt crisis is dire, but that seems to be the only time a democracy will confront a problem, the secretary said. “All through our history, people will try and put off dealing with a crisis for as long as they can, until it cannot be put off any longer,” he said. “If there is a consensus in Washington on one thing, it is that we cannot put off dealing with this crisis any longer.”

A strong defense needs a strong economy, and the Defense Department has a role to play in cutting the deficit, Gates said. There are more savings to be made, particularly in infrastructure and medical coverage, which is eating away at the Defense budget, he said.

“What I have been trying to do – in dealing with the Congress and the White House – is say, ’Let’s not do this as math, as opposed to strategy,” he said. “Let’s take a look at our capabilities; let’s take a look at scenario-based force planning and see where we can take additional risk.”

The country needs a process that provides the president and Congress options that make sense, the secretary said. The options would be realistic and convey, “if you want to reduce Defense by this much, these are the changes in assumptions you have to make, and here is the added risk you face if you head in that direction,” he said.

If the country has the time to adopt this budget strategy, and plans for reductions, “and do it intelligently, we can do our part without weakening our national security,” he said.