First Lady Visits Fisher House Families, Wounded Warriors

By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

BETHESDA, Md., March 20, 2013 – Bearing a large Easter basket brimming with cookies, First Lady Michelle Obama visited seven families of recuperating service members at Fisher House No. 4 at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center here today.

First Lady Michelle Obama chats with Deryn Allen, left, and her younger sister, Ryann Allen, during her pre-Easter visit with service members' families at Fisher House No. 4, on the campus of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, in Bethesda, Md., March 20, 2013. The Fisher House Foundation donates homes built on the grounds of major U.S. military and Veterans Affairs Department medical centers to give family members home-like places to stay close to their loved ones during hospitalizations for unexpected illnesses, diseases or injuries. DOD photo by Terri Moon Cronk   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

As part of her Joining Forces initiative -- a national movement for all sectors of society to support and honor America's service members and their families that’s co-sponsored by Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden -- today was the first lady’s second Easter celebration at one of Walter Reed’s Fisher Houses. She spent time with each family at tables decorated in the children’s Easter art.

Bo, the first family’s dog, was at her side, bringing squeals of delight from the children, who were eager to pet him.

“Bo is a sweetheart, but he's big,” Obama told the group. “Bigger than some kids realize. He's really a big baby. He can do tricks if he's paying attention.”

Though this was her second Fisher House visit herearound the Easter holiday, the first lady said, it's not her second time at a Fisher House.

“[Fisher Houses], as you all know, are just so important to families who are recuperating,” she said. “As you can see, the houses are beautiful. And all around the country, they are as beautiful, welcoming and comforting as you guys are experiencing here.”

The Fisher House Foundation donates homes built on the grounds of major U.S. military and Veterans Affairs Department medical centers. The homes give family members a comfortable place to stay close to their loved ones during hospitalizations for unexpected illnesses, diseases or injuries.

“We are so supportive of all the efforts that the Fisher Houses do, and we're grateful to the Fisher family,” the first lady said. “So, I like to come and hang out, and to bring cookies. Anybody like cookies here? I'm not sure if we have any cookie fans.”

Obama brought another surprise with her to the Easter event.

“We do this really cool thing at the White House around Easter every year,” she said. “Have you guys heard of the Easter Egg Roll? We do it in the backyard of the White House on the South Lawn, and there are thousands of people who come. We've got great entertainment, … athletes who come, … Easter bunnies, … face painting, bands playing, and lots of running right on the South Lawn. Does that sound fun?

“I brought tickets for all of you to come, … so, the Monday after Easter, you guys are invited to my house to hang out,” she said to the families who responded with enthusiastic “ooohs” and “ahhhhs.”

Obama spent about an hour greeting the families and asking the children about their Easter crafts and how they made them. She chatted with service members and military spouses under a handmade “Welcome, Mrs. Obama” sign made in crayon by the children.

Following her visit with the families at the Fisher House, the first lady visited wounded warriors hospitalized at the medical center on the Walter Reed campus.

AFA honors Air National Guard members

by Senior Master Sgt. Jerry R. Bynum
Air National Guard Special Staff Public Affairs

3/18/2013 - JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. -- The Air Force Association's D.W. Steele Sr. Memorial Chapter hosted the 11th Annual AFA Salute to the Air National Guard recognizing personnel assigned to the National Guard Bureau during a recent ceremony in Arlington, Va.

"The AFA awards recognize your unsung heroes, the folks out there doing the grunt work and doing great things every day," said F. Gavin MacAloon, AFA chapter president.

This year, the AFA honored 26 members of the ANG staff for their leadership contributions and dedication to the overall success of the ANG and Air Force mission. The awardees were nominated for exceptional performance across a broad range of specialties including, personnel and manpower, intelligence, operations, logistics, plans and requirements, communications, installations and mission support, financial management, safety, medical services and human resources.

"I am really proud of the people who support the Air Force mission in the Air National Guard," said Lt. Gen. Stanley E. Clarke III, director of the ANG. "These are the best of the people who are doing the mission day in and day out."

Gen. Clarke went on to describe the important role the ANG staff plays in ensuring ANG units are combat ready by providing a critical channel of communication between the National Guard Bureau, the 54 states and territories, and the Air Force.

"When you talk about global power, reach, and vigilance, when you talk about nuclear and cyber, we are involved with all of it," said Clarke. "What that means to a staff like the Air National Guard is you are involved with everything at a MAJCOM level, a national level, state level and unit level. It's all tied together, and all of you on the staff have to pull this together every day to make it happen. There is not a single program or activity the Air Force is engaged in that we're not engaged in somehow."

The ANG is a great organization, Clarke added, and the opportunity to recognize our superior performers is integral to our continued success. Support from partners like the AFA helps strengthen the resiliency of the Total Force, he said.

The AFA is a non-profit, independent, professional military and aerospace education association that promotes a dominant Air Force and a strong national defense, and honors Airmen and Air Force heritage.

34th Weapons Squadron begins terminal employment phase

by Senior Airman Brett Clashman
99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Office

3/18/2013 - NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev.  -- The 34th Weapons Squadron, assigned to the U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., will begin the terminal employment phase of their class syllabus March 11 over the Orchard Combat Training Center, Idaho.

Four students assigned to the USAF Weapons School will be put into rigorous training scenarios during the two-week phase and display maximum combat effectiveness to instructor pilots.

The "T.E." mission objective is to demonstrate and instruct HH-60 Pave Hawk weapons employment and landing zone options to maximize weapons proficiency and quickly recover survivors.

The USAF Weapons School trains tactical experts and leaders of Airmen skilled in the art of integrated battle-space dominance across the land, air, space and cyber domains. Every six months, the school graduates approximately 100 Weapons Officers and enlisted specialists who are tactical system experts, weapons instructors and leaders of Airmen.

The TE phase is one out of a series of advanced training programs administered at the USAF Weapons School. The 34th WPS terminal employment phase will continue to March 22.

Risky Cliff Dive Leads to Airman’s Medal

By Air Force Staff Sgt. Mike Meares
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii, March 19, 2013 – Air Force Capt. Matt Adams looked up, encouraging his friend and co-worker, Air Force Capt. John Barbour, as he clung precariously to a waterfall's cliff, some 25 feet above the rocks and swirling water below.

Air Force Gen. Hawk Carlisle, Pacific Air Forces commander, presents Air Force Capt. Matt Adams the Airman's Medal at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, March 11, 2013. Adams earned the medal for risking his life Jan. 11, 2011, to save a fellow airman during a recreational hiking trip at Nauyaca Waterfalls, Platanillo, Costa Rica. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Michael R. Holzworth   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Suddenly, his friend lost his grip and fell. Adams knew he had to act quickly, or the first day of 2011 could be the last day of his buddy's life.



Adams, then a civil engineer first lieutenant deployed to Joint Task Force Bravo in Honduras, was with a group of airmen taking a holiday trip to the Central American nation of Costa Rica. Their destination that day was the Nauyaca Waterfalls.

Accessible only by foot or on horseback, the falls are located at the base of a rainforest trail inside a canyon. The green canopy envelops the area, making it an attractive tourist destination. Barbour climbed an area of cliff to the right of the falls. After a short hike to the top, Adams could see Barbour clinging to the rocky wall and not moving.
"John climbed up the side of the waterfall in an area that didn't look hard to climb, but there were rocks below," Adams said. "I could tell that he was stuck, and his arms and legs were shaking. He wasn't going anywhere."

With Barbour frozen only a couple of feet from the uppermost ledge, Adams climbed the same section to lend a hand and get him to the top, all the while talking to Barbour to encourage him to hold onto the rocks. His plan was to reach the ledge and pull him the rest of the way up.

"I reached just below him and was going to continue on up," Adams said. "But, as I was just below him, his hands and feet came off the wall at the same time. He kind of just came unglued and fell almost in the worst way you could, I think."

Barbour's head slammed into the rock as he landed on his back on a large flat piece of stone. His momentum rolled him into the pool at the base of the waterfall, and the current pushed him to the bottom of its tumultuous 20-foot depths.

"I could see John sinking pretty fast, and he quickly sunk out of view in the murky water," he said.
Adams made a calculated leap from his position, cleared the rocks and dove into the pool below. He took a big breath and plunged into the depths, fighting the current with every stroke.

"I went straight down from where he sank, trying to reach him with very short visibility," he said. "I remember clearing my ears several times as I went down, and down, and down."

Adams said he remembers thinking the current might have pushed Barbour from where he originally entered, and that he could be anywhere. But still holding the same breath underwater, he continued on.

"I finally saw him lying on the bottom with his arms stretched out," Adams said. "At this point, I was glad I found him."

Adams wrapped up Barbour and applied pressure to a profusely bleeding wound in the back of his head. Pushing off the bottom, he kicked furiously to get to oxygen, carrying a seemingly lifeless Barbour.

"As soon as we hit the surface, he woke up and started fighting me, struggling, not knowing what was going on," he said. "That made things a little difficult."

Other airmen from the civil engineer squadron came to their aid and pulled Barbour to a shallow section of water. While in the shallow waters, they treated what they could see.

"We didn't know what kind of back injury he might have, so we didn't want to pull him out of the water completely," Adams said. "The plan was to have him lay there until we could get some help."

With a shirt in place to help control the bleeding, Adams and Barbour's cousin, Brent Sabino, ran up a trail to a nearby house to call an ambulance. With a little difficulty, the bilingual Adams convinced the local residents the injury was serious and required help. They called an ambulance, and one of the residents retrieved an old wooden stretcher from a shed and returned to the falls with the Americans.

Back at the injury site, Barbour was showing potential signs of a traumatic brain injury: he was vomiting and was not completely coherent. But in a situation requiring speedy medical attention, luck was not on their side. Moments later, the property owner showed up at the waterfall to inform the group that the first ambulance broke down, and the second ambulance could not make it down the gravel road.

"It was starting to get dark," Adams said. "We knew we were running out of time to get him to help."
The captain led the team in carrying Barbour up the trail on the stretcher to the main road, using strips torn from shirts to secure him for the climb up a trail fraught with steep inclines, slippery surfaces and a series of hairpin turns. Halfway up, the homemade stretcher buckled.

Adams said he was thankful during this section of the ordeal he had some "big guys" with him. At certain sections, Air Force Staff Sgt. Noah Villanueva had half the stretcher to himself on the treacherous path negotiating the switchbacks. At some points, they were crawling in the mud and rocks.

"This was the hardest part of the entire trip," Adams said. "It was brutal."

Fighting to keep Barbour awake and alert, the team finally reached the trailhead. After a short drive in a truck to meet the ambulance, paramedics were able to provide medical care in pitch-black darkness on the way to the hospital.

At the hospital, Barbour was treated and had to stay overnight before being cleared to fly back to Honduras for further medical evaluation. Once he was back at Soto Cano Air Base, he was flown to San Antonio Military Medical Center South at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.

Barbour has recovered from his injuries, works as a civilian civil engineer with the Defense Logistics Agency in Columbus, Ohio, and recently became a new father with the birth of his son. His memory of the immediate time after he fell is sketchy, he said, but he knows the outcome of his ordeal would have been worse without the help of his wingmen.

"If Matt wasn't climbing that wall underneath me, I am certain that I would have died," Barbour said. "Even more, I don't believe that the average person would have been able to swim down that far and fetch me out of the water. If all the [guys] weren't there to carry me out, it is hard to say what might have happened. I probably would have died, or would have had it much worse off than I had it."

Adams said without the help of Villanueva, Air Force Tech. Sgt. Dominique Vasquez, Air Force Staff Sgt. Graham Clouden, and Sabino, it would have been impossible to save him.

"We are fortunate that things turned out the way they did though the entire ordeal," Adams said. "It was instinctual to jump in after him. Our military training helped when it came to getting him up the trail on the stretcher. But, we had to improvise the whole way."

For his efforts, Adams was awarded the Airman's Medal, approved by the secretary of the Air Force and awarded to service members who distinguish themselves by heroic actions, usually at the voluntary risk of life, but not involving combat.

During the medal presentation ceremony here March 11, hundreds gathered to see Pacific Air Forces commander Gen. Herbert "Hawk" Carlisle present Adams with the medal.

"Your demonstration of courage, valor, and putting yourself in danger to protect another airman is something that we can all learn from," Carlisle said. "What we do is family. We're in this together, and we have each other's back. … The reason we're the greatest fighting force -- the world's greatest air force ever seen -- is because we have each other's back."

Training Incident Kills 7 Service Members at Nevada Depot

From a 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force News Release

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C., March 19, 2013 – Seven service members were killed and several others were injured last night when an incident occurred during a training exercise at Hawthorne Army Depot, Nev.

The injured were transported to area hospitals for treatment and further evaluation. The identities of those killed will be released 24 hours after next of kin are notified.

“We send our prayers and condolences to the families of Marines involved in this tragic incident,” said Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Raymond C. Fox, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force commanding general. “We remain focused on ensuring that they are supported through this difficult time. We mourn their loss, and it is with heavy hearts we remember their courage and sacrifice.”

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

Air Guard spouse sets bar as national powerlifter

by Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith
I.G. Brown Training and Education Center

3/19/2013 - MCGHEE TYSON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Tenn. (AFNS) -- Knees tightly bandaged and a thick weightlifting belt bracing her waist, she lowers herself into a tense squat.

The weight on her shoulder equals almost three times her own body weight, but she is not giving up.

Holding her breath and tightening every muscle, she struggles against gravity to put the weight back on the rack.

At age 50, the spouse of one Air National Guard member here, still puts men half her age to shame in the weight room.

Vikki Traugot is a veteran powerlifter. In her personal best powerlift competition, she benched 325 pounds, deadlifted 408 pounds. and squatted 480 pounds.

"My wife is currently the number three rated woman powerlifter for her weight class in the nation," said Senior Master Sgt. Andrew Traugot, the director of education here at the I.G. Brown Training and Education Center.

Vikki lifts in the Southern Powerlifting Federation as well as for the U.S. Powerlifting Association. In her most recent professional meet she took first place overall in the women's 148-pound weight class and walked away with $1,500.

"I like to be a little different," Vikki said. "I like to see how far I can push my body, and it's empowering to know that I could squat or bench what most guys probably couldn't."

The Traugots married 30 years ago after meeting during military training to become Chinese linguists. Vikki was in the Army National Guard, and Andrew was in the Air Force.

Vikki crossed from the Army Guard after two years to join the regular Army for four more years before leaving the service. She started powerlifting during her husband's first assignment here as an Air Guard professional military education instructor.

As opposed to Olympic weightlifting, which emphasizes physique and size, Traugot said powerlifting is a sport where one puts overall strength first. Lifters only get three chances during competition to lift their maximum weight.

After eight years of lifting, Traugot is encouraged and challenged by a promising field of younger women powerlifters, she said.

"It's refreshing to witness new females lift weight they never thought possible and also realize that lifting weights is healthy," the athlete said.

Vikkie lifts four times a week at a gym that has special equipment and experienced powerlifters to spot and coach her. For the future, her plan is to beat her personal best at the USPA Olympia Invitational in Las Vegas this fall. She will participate in other competitions until then to gauge her progress.

The Traugots said that physical fitness is an important part even of their successful relationship.

"It can be shared together, even as a supporting spectator," said Andrew, who, after recovering from an injury, hopes to get back to his sport of choice this summer.

Until then, he said he will continue to support his wife and help her see that she's done the training and is ready to lift the bar.

"I'm very proud of her, and I want her to do what makes her happy," Andrew said. "If she wanted to wrestle alligators, and it made her happy, I'd be happy for her."

Missile Defenses Must Evolve With Threat, Northcom Chief Says

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2013 – U.S. defenses are sufficient to stand up to current ballistic missile threats, but must continue to evolve because “the threat of ballistic missiles is not going down,” the commander of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command told Congress today.

“We currently can defend the entire United States from an Iranian long-range missile threat,” Army Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr. told the Senate Armed Forces Committee. “The question is, how do we stay ahead of the evolving Iranian threat, and how do we keep our options opened for the continued evolution of either Iranian or North Korean threats?”

Jacoby told the panel he supports Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s decision to deploy an additional 14 ground-based interceptors in Alaska in light of the evolving missile threat from North Korea.

The current ballistic missile defense plan is based on limited “limited defense of the United States,” he said. “And given the threat that is represented by Iran to the eastern United States today, we can cover that threat. The question is making sure that we pace that threat as it evolves.”

That requires that the United States be prepared to continue improving the resilience, redundancy and agility of its missile defenses, Jacoby said. “We remain committed to improving current ballistic missile defense capabilities to ensure we maintain our strategic advantage and guarantee confidence in our ability to defeat evolving, more complex threats in the future,” he noted in his prepared remarks.

With that goal, Northcom is working closely with the Missile Defense Agency “to maintain the right balance in developing and testing missile defense technologies, while increasing our readiness to execute this critical mission set,” he said.

Jacoby reported ongoing efforts to improve the reliability of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense System and the successful intercept flight test in January. In addition, he noted tests and exercises designed to evaluate the command’s capability against regional ballistic missile threats.

“We will continue to pursue effective and efficient methods to improve our ability to protect the homeland,” he told the committee. “Our citizens expect our vigilance and rigor to protect them from a missile attack on our soil. We work diligently to maintain their trust.”

Carter: U.S., Philippines Enjoy ‘Longstanding’ Alliance

By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

MANILA, Philippines, March 19, 2013 – On the third stop of his weeklong trip to Asia, Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter met today with top officials here and carried greetings from President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to be delivered to President Benigno Aquino III.

Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter, right center, meets with Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, left center, at the Ministry of Defense in Manila, the Philippines, March 19, 2013. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

During meetings with the president’s executive secretary, Paquito Ochoa, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Carter discussed a range of regional range of regional security issues important to the U.S.-Philippines alliance.

Carter began his visit in Manila by meeting with Gazmin at Camp Aguinaldo, the military headquarters of the Philippine Army and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, or AFP. The men discussed the importance of the U.S.-Philippines alliance, including the continued U.S. commitment to work together on maritime domain awareness, capacity building of the AFP, defense modernization and continued assistance in counterterrorism. Carter emphasized the importance of working together to resolve incidents.

Later in the day, Carter met with del Rosario and senior Foreign Affairs Department officials, followed by a lunch that del Rosario hosted. The two discussed a range of issues including U.S.-Philippine efforts to enhance cooperation across security, diplomatic and economic sectors, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and a code of conduct for resolving disputes in the South China Sea, as well as other bilateral and regional topics.

Carter wrapped up his Manila visit by meeting with Ochoa at the Malacanang Palace complex. The deputy defense secretary addressed issues involving the U.S. rebalance to Asia and concerns about the possible impact to that effort because of defense budget cuts. Discussions ranged from ASEAN and the regional security architecture to Philippine defense modernization efforts.

During a media interview this afternoon, Carter said he came here “because this region of the world is so important to America’s future in many ways -- political and economic, but also in the security sphere.”
And because of his position as deputy defense secretary, he said, “obviously, I’m focused on the security area. In that context, the United States has deep and abiding security roots here.”

As he met with officials, Carter took time to share a more personal reason for his appreciation of the Philippines. A physicist by training, the deputy defense secretary received part of that training in at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In the coffee room there, he got to know a senior fellow from the MIT Center for International Studies.

“He was such a great advisor and mentor to students,” Carter said of the man who turned out to be Benigno Aquino Jr., father of the current president of the Philippines. Aquino was assassinated in 1983.

“He and his wife would come to social events at MIT, … and I got to know them and had great affection for them, … so I’ve always had a little place in my heart for the Aquino family,” he said. “And that’s another good reason to be here in the Philippines.”

The United States and the Philippines “have lots of human connections together, all of us,” Carter said, “as well as having important global responsibilities and regional responsibilities that we exercise together.”
U.S. engagement is part of what has helped to maintain the region’s security structure since World War II, he added. Such engagement has allowed Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia “to rise and prosper because they’ve had peace and security, and now China and India are rising and prospering.”

The Philippines, Carter observed, “is a longstanding friend and ally and partner with us in providing that kind of security.”

The United States recognized the Philippines as an independent state and established diplomatic relations in 1946. Except for the 1942-to-1945 Japanese occupation during World War II, the Philippines had been under U.S. sovereignty since the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898, according to a State Department fact sheet.

The U.S.-Philippine Bilateral Strategic Dialogue -- the third held last December in Manila -- advances discussion and cooperation on bilateral, regional and global issues. The United States has designated the Philippines a major non-NATO ally, and the nations have close security ties.

The Manila Declaration, signed in 2011, reaffirmed the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty as the foundation for a robust, balanced and responsive security partnership. Such a treaty, Carter said, “opens the door to the U.S.-Filipino relationship, which exists along with other key treaty relationships in the region.”
During this week’s Asia trip, the deputy defense secretary has visited South Korea and Japan, which are also key treaty partners. And the United States has important treaty relationships with Australia and Thailand.
“These longstanding treaty relationships and other kinds of emerging partnerships are … part of a historical role that we play with countries in this part of the world -- to protect them, to protect us, but also, very importantly, that is what provides the foundation for peace and security in the region,” he said.

“That’s the climate in which all countries, the Philippines among them, have been able to … develop politically and prosper economically in an environment of peace,” Carter said. “That’s what everybody deserves, and that’s what we’re about when we talk about our alliance with the Philippines and our alliance structure in this part of the world.”

B-52 flies mission over ROK

by Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs

3/19/2013 - JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- As part of the U.S. Pacific Command's Continuous Bomber Presence (CBP), a B-52 Stratofortress deployed to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, conducted a training flight over the Republic of Korea, Mar. 19, 2013, where the aircraft practiced dropping bombs on targets at Pilsung Range. This mission highlights the extended deterrence and conventional capabilities of the B-52 while participating in exercises such as Foal Eagle. This flight demonstrated one of the many capabilities available for the defense of the ROK.

These routine missions reiterate the U.S. commitment to the security of our allies and partners. Despite challenges with fiscal constraints, training opportunities remain important to ensure U.S. and ROK forces are battle-ready and trained to employ airpower to deter aggression, defend the ROK, and defeat any attack against the alliance.

The CBP is an ongoing PACOM mission to bolster U.S. commitment to the security and stability of the Asia-Pacific region while allowing units to become familiar with operating in the theater from a deployed location.

Andersen AFB has hosted the CBP since 2004 when Pacific Air Forces began to routinely deploy B-1, B-2, and B-52 aircraft to Guam on a rotational basis. The B-52 can perform a variety of missions including carrying precision-guided conventional or nuclear ordnance. PACOM will continue to support these training missions as part of on-going actions to enhance the strategic posture in the Asia-Pacific region.

Taking steps out of respect at Bataan Memorial Death March

by Airman 1st Class Colin Cates
49th Wing Public Affairs

3/19/2013 - HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -  -- As the sun rose on the New Mexico desert floor, thousands of people from the United States and countries around the world gathered to begin the 24th Annual Bataan Memorial Death March at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., March 17.

The Bataan Memorial Death March honors the 80,000 Filipino and American troops who surrendered after the three-month Battle of Bataan on April 9, 1942, in which they fought to defend the islands of Luzon, Corregidor, and the harbor defense forts of the Philippines.

After surrendering, they were forced to march 80 miles through the Philippine jungle, where more than 5,000 prisoners of war died before they could reach the capital of Bataan.

Thirteen survivors attended this year's march and welcomed 5,800 people who came to show respect and honor to the very men before them and those that were there on that historical day more than 70 years ago.

"I feel very inspired and honored that these veterans come here and also to see them on the course greeting participants," said U.S. Army Col. Leo G. Pullar, WSMR garrison commander. "An event like the Bataan Memorial Death March brings everyone together. It shows the love and support everyone has for our veterans and military. It gives you the chills and brings you to tears at the same time."

The remaining Bataan survivors are in their 90s, and the ones that are able to make it to the event get to share in the moment of being honored by so many and also share their wisdom.

"I feel humbled to see all the work that people put into making this event possible to honor us," said Oscar Leonard, a former U.S. Army intelligence analyst and Bataan survivor with the 28th Bomb Squadron. "I always look forward to coming to the Bataan and seeing fellow survivors, it gives us all the opportunity to enjoy each other's company along with sharing in the moment of what this event means to all of us."

Held annually since 1990, the memorial march offers two different courses -- a 26.2-mile trek and a 15-mile course. Both courses cover a multitude of difficult desert elements such as sand, rock and high desert winds, which is why this marathon is known as one of the most difficult courses in the world. This year, more than 1,200 volunteers distributed many gallons of water and Gatorade, as well as provided medical support and security to participants.

Many of the participants of the memorial march came to the event with one mindset and left with a different appreciation and respect for all our brothers and sisters in arms.

"It was amazing to be able to do this event," said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Tenaya [last name withheld due to operations security constraints], 29th Attack Squadron sensor operator instructor. "I wanted to do the event as a personal challenge, but was really surprised by the emotion of it. Seeing everyone gathered to honor these brave veterans and wounded warriors, you really start to feel like you're part of something bigger than yourself."

First Lady Recognizes Women Veterans, Addresses Unemployment

By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2013 – First Lady Michelle Obama today honored 14 women veterans who, after serving honorably, continued as leaders at the local, state, regional or national level.

During a “Champions of Change” event at the White House, Obama also pledged to continue addressing ongoing employment challenges through her Joining Forces initiative, which -- among other things -- connects servicemen and women, veterans and military spouses with the resources they need to find jobs at home. The first lady co-sponsors Joining Forces with Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden.

“You all are part of a long line of women who have broken barriers, … defied expectations and served this country with unparalleled courage and determination,” the first lady said to the veterans. “You’ve been on the front lines, often in the line of fire, and generation after generation, women like you have proven you not only serve alongside men, you lead them as well.”

Obama lauded the women for performing their jobs with “grace, … poise and dignity” wherever they’d served, and noted their demonstrated dedication and selfless service continues beyond their military obligations.

“You don’t stop serving [the country] after you hang up your uniforms,” she said. “You are the leaders in our businesses and schools and our communities. You’re mothers raising your kids with that same sense of honor that defines your own lives.”

Obama commended the women whose accomplishments include helping veterans and their families start businesses, promoting gender equality in the military, and working to end homelessness, domestic violence and sexual assault.

“Being part of something bigger than ourselves … is the common thread that connects our 14 honorees,” Obama said. “We’re determined to ensure that all of our veterans and military families get the benefits, support and respect that they have earned.”

This mission, Obama said, is particularly urgent as hundreds of thousands of veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan are seeking employment, or will be soon. “We have so many talented, highly skilled veterans who have so much to offer this country,” she said. “We need that service operating here at home.”
The first lady said she recently attended the Business Roundtable, an association of chief executive officers representing more than 80 of the nation’s leading businesses.

“I challenged some of the biggest [companies] in this nation to hire and train even more of veterans and military spouses in the coming years,” she added, to ensure that veterans have access to the jobs they need and deserve when they return home.

Efforts under way include President Barack Obama offering tax credits to businesses hiring veterans or wounded warriors, as well as helping troops translate their skills and match them with civilian careers that suit their experiences. American Job Center, an online jobs bank, connects U.S. companies to veterans in local communities, the first lady said, and efforts continue to streamline the credentialing processes for military people to earn professional certifications.

“This work couldn’t be more urgent,” she said of the leagues of women hanging up their uniforms. “We know that right now is the time when you need us most.”

The first lady acknowledged that many women veterans face a critical transition.

“We are not going to stop working until all of our veterans and all of their families feel the support of the entire country,” she said. “We are proud of you, we are grateful and we’re going to keep working for our nation, because we still need you.”

The honorees are:

-- Navy veteran Tia Christopher of Davis, Calif., chief of staff for the Farmer-Veteran Coalition. She speaks nationally on women veterans’ issues, including testifying before the state and federal legislature about military sexual trauma. She wrote “You Are Stronger Than You Think You Are: A Straightforward Transition Manual.”

-- Stacy L. Pearsall of Charleston, S.C., a combat-disabled Air Force veteran who earned the Bronze Star Medal and commendation with valor for heroic actions under fire. She now plays a key role in developing new policy regarding veteran health care at the Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She singlehandedly funds and photographs veterans for the Veterans Portrait Project Foundation. Though disabled from combat injuries, Pearsall is a multi-medaled athlete, including gold, from the U.S. Paralympic Committee-sponsored Warrior Games in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

-- Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Wilma L. Vaught of Arlington, Va., who was instrumental in building the $22.5 million Women’s Memorial at the gateway to Arlington National Cemetery. She is now the President of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation, the nation’s only major memorial to pay tribute to America’s 2.5 million women who have served.

-- Kayla Williams of Ashburn Va., who wrote “Love My Rifle More Than You: Young and Female in the U.S. Army,” a memoir about her experiences negotiating the changing demands on women in today's military during a deployment to Iraq. Williams graduated cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree in English literature from Bowling Green State University, and earned a master of arts degree in international Affairs with a focus on the Middle East from American University.

-- Natasha Young of Boston, a fellowship recruitment associate at The Mission Continues, serving the northeastern and southeastern United States. A 12-year veteran of the Marine Corps, Young served two tours in Iraq and a recruiting tour stateside before a medical discharge in October 2011. She has dedicated herself to helping other veterans overcome the struggles of their transitions and emerge empowered not only to lead new lives of service, but also to set the example for others to follow.

-- Ginger Miller of Accokeek, Md., founder and CEO of Women Veterans Interactive, which is dedicated to meeting women veterans at their points of need and actively promotes the importance of tailoring services to women veterans’ needs. She has organized women veteran programs that feature information, mentoring and peer support. Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley appointed her to the Maryland Commission for Women and the Maryland Caregivers Support Coordinating Council.

-- Michelle Racicot, of Albuquerque, N.M., a family nurse practitioner at an urgent care center. A former Army Nurse Corps officer who deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, Racicot is the vice executive director for American Women Veterans, a national organization that advocates on behalf of servicewomen, veterans, and their families. Racicot educates legislators and local community members about homelessness, post-traumatic stress disorder, women in combat and health disparities.

-- Retired Navy Capt. Glenna Tinney of Arlington, Va., who for more than three decades has facilitated change in both the civilian and military systems to eliminate violence against women. She is the military advocacy program coordinator for the Battered Women’s Justice Project, a national technical assistance provider for the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women. As one of the original 12 Navy social workers recruited for active duty in 1980, Tinney served for 24 years working with military families and managing worldwide family violence and sexual assault programs. Today, she manages a special project funded by OVW to develop a model coordinated community response to co-occurring incidents of combat-related conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and intimate partner violence.

-- Dawn Halfaker of Arlington, Va., who was seriously injured during a combat patrol near Baghdad in 2004. She formed Halfaker and Associates in 2006 to empower veterans through meaningful careers. Today, her team has more than 130 employees.

-- Priscilla Mondt of Fayetteville, Ark., chief of chaplain service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center there. An Army veteran who served in operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom, Mondt received the Bronze Star and Legion of Merit. Her approach to spiritual care, from personal care to technology, set a high standard for addressing the needs of veteran patients and families.

-- Marsha Tansey Four of Philadelphia, an in-country Vietnam veteran who sits on the national board of directors for Vietnam Veterans of America, and has devoted the past 24 years to working with and advocating for veterans by contributing, writing, and delivering testimony related to veterans issues on local, state and federal levels. In 1993, Tansey initiated the Philadelphia Stand Down for Homeless Veterans and recently retired as the executive director of the Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service and Education Center, a nonprofit agency providing free, comprehensive services to regional veterans.

-- Sharie Derrickson, of Nashville, Tenn., who served at the military’s Stars and Stripes newspaper and was a combat photojournalist with Navy Combat Camera. She is now the vice president of New Wind Energy Solutions in Nashville, where she and her team are committed to global sustainability, vetting the newest technologies to ensure they are not only reliable, but practical, and affordable. She has helped her company grow through projects around the world, including international relief efforts.

-- Marylyn Harris of Houston, who in 2010 founded the nation’s first and only Women Veterans Business Center there to educate and empower women veterans and their families in starting their own businesses. A former Army nurse and disabled war veteran, Harris travels throughout the country advocating for active service members, veterans and military families.

-- Becky Kanis of Los Angeles, who served for nine years as an Army officer after her 1991 graduation from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. Unwilling to continue obscuring her sexual orientation, she resigned her commission in 2000 and soon began working to end homelessness in New York City. After helping to reduce street homelessness in Times Square by more than two thirds, Kanis became the director of the 100,000 Homes Campaign, a grassroots nationwide effort to find and house 100,000 of the most chronic and vulnerable homeless people by July 2014. Under her leadership, more than 37,000 homeless Americans, including 13,000 veterans, have found permanent homes. In 2012, she co-founded the Social Change Agency with her wife, Christine, to support nonprofit leaders in creating thriving teams that change the world.

Hagel Tasks Civilian, Military Leaders to Examine Strategy

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 18, 2013 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has tasked senior civilian and military personnel to examine the Defense Department’s strategic assumptions, given changes in the fiscal environment, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today.

Hagel asked Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to lead the effort. Their deadline is May 31.

The secretary asked them to examine the choices underlying the department’s strategy, force posture, investments and institutional management. This examination will include past assumptions, systems and practices, Little said in a meeting with reporters.

The new examination follows up on the Defense Strategic Guidance. That guidance called for rebalancing military forces toward the Asia-Pacific region, supporting partner nations and building partnership capacity, ensuring access to the global commons, countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and winning the wars of today.

Officials used that guidance -- released in January 2012 -- to form the fiscal 2013 budget request. That request took into account the $487 billion cut in the DOD budget over 10 years.

As an equivalent additional spending cut over the next decade loomed under a sequestration mechanism in budget law, then-Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Dempsey said sequestration could make the defense strategic guidance moot. Sequestration triggered this month, leading to the look at the strategy’s assumptions today.

“This Strategic Choices and Management Review will define the major decisions that must be made in the decade ahead to preserve and adapt our defense strategy, our force and our institutions under a range of future budgetary scenarios,” Little said. “The results of this review will frame the secretary’s guidance for the fiscal 2015 budget and will ultimately be the foundation for the Quadrennial Defense Review due to Congress in February 2014.”

Carter Reaffirms U.S. Commitment to South Korea

By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

SEOUL, South Korea, March 18, 2013 – During a series of high-level meetings here, Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter met with members of South Korean President Park Geun-hye’s new administration, and with U.S. military and diplomatic officials.

Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter addresses U.S. and South Korean forces assigned to the joint operations center of Command Post TANGO near Seoul, South Korea, March 18, 2013. Carter thanked the troops for their service and reminded them to thank their family members for the sacrifices they make in serving their countries. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Carter had an excellent round of consultations with senior members of Park’s new team, he told reporters during a briefing this afternoon, and in each meeting reconfirmed a steadfast commitment to the nearly 60-year-old alliance between the United States and South Korea.

 

“It’s safe to report that the relationship between the Park and Obama administrations is off to a very productive start,” he said. “My visit reflects the importance [Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel] and I attach to this alliance.”
Park, South Korea’s first woman president, was sworn in Feb. 25, less than two weeks after North Korean state media announced that the nation had conducted its third underground nuclear test since 2006. This and other provocations that are part of a continuing North Korean pattern were key topics in discussions today, Carter said, adding that such actions pose a serious threat to the United States, to South Korea and to regional stability.

“If the North Koreans think this kind of thing is going to get them anywhere, they're mistaken,” the deputy secretary said. “The only effect it's having is to bring down upon North Korea the opprobrium of the entire world.”

The United States is working with friends and allies around the world to employ an integrated response to these unacceptable provocations, Carter added.

The response includes United Nations Security Council resolutions with unprecedentedly strong sanctions against North Korea, and more unilateral sanctions of great effect, and the nation’s resulting progressive isolation, he said.

“In the military sphere, the United States remains steadfast in its defense commitments to the Republic of Korea,” the deputy defense secretary observed. “Together, we are taking important steps to advance the alliance military capabilities.”

In particular, the United States remains committed to extended deterrence offered by the U.S. nuclear umbrella, and to ensuring that all capabilities remain available to the alliance, he added.
For example, Carter noted the routine presence of strategic bombers taking part in flight training on the Korean Peninsula, adding that a B-52 flight will take place tomorrow. B-52s are long-range, strategic heavy bombers that can drop or launch the widest array of weapons in the U.S. inventory.
As Hagel announced March 15, the United States will strengthen its missile defenses and is determined to keep ahead of the progress of North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile development, the deputy defense secretary said.

The annual U.S.-South Korean military exercises Key Resolve, ongoing until March 21, and Foal Eagle, a combined and joint field training exercise that runs across the Korean Peninsula from March 1 to April 30, “demonstrate the U.S. commitment to the alliance,” Carter said, “and ensure the readiness of both of our forces to defend the Republic of Korea and deepen interoperability with U.S. and South Korean forces.”

On this cool, hazy Monday morning in Seoul, Carter started his day with a visit to Army Gen. James D. Thurman, commander of U.S. Forces Korea. Afterward, he met with U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Sung Kim.

Carter then visited the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to meet with Minister Yun Byung-se.

The U.S. commitment to South Korea is very strong, Carter told Yun in remarks before the meeting.

“Our capabilities are very formidable -- yours, ours and ours combined,” Carter said, clasping his hands together in illustration. “And as you know,” he added, “we have the full range of capabilities for both countries committed to the defense of South Korea. That has been true for decades, and it has not changed.”

Later, Carter traveled to the Blue House and met with Kim Jang-Soo at the National Security Office. The Blue House comprises the executive offices and official residence of the president. It translates to "pavilion of blue tiles" and is built in the Korean architectural tradition with modern elements.

Carter’s final meeting today was with Minister of National Defense Kim Kwan-jin.
In addition to the threat posed by North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, Carter and the South Korean officials discussed adding military capabilities to the alliance, continuing extended nuclear deterrence, and continuing the U.S. commitment to resource the Asia-Pacific rebalance, including the U.S. presence on the Korean Peninsula.

During the afternoon news conference, Carter answered a question about potential effects of extreme Defense Department budget cuts -- a process known as sequestration -- on the U.S. commitment to South Korea. Specifically, he was asked whether the United States would ask South Korea for a larger contribution to U.S. efforts on the peninsula.

“The United States has not asked the Republic of Korea for funds associated with sequester,” the deputy defense secretary said, describing the process as a temporary budget turbulence imposed by the U.S. Congress that will last until Oct. 1.

“We will deal with that turmoil in a way that does not affect the Korean Peninsula. That's the direction I've given,” he added, “and so operations and actions on the Korean Peninsula aren't affected.”

Carter and his South Korean counterparts pledged close and continuing cooperation on these issues at senior levels of government.

After the news conference, Carter and Thurman toured Command Post TANGO -- for theater air naval ground operations -- a high-tech bunker 11 miles south of Seoul that serves as the Korean theater’s main warfighting headquarters.

There, Carter observed elements of the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle exercises, and thanked U.S and South Korean troops for their service and for keeping the world safe from harm.
Carter’s Asian visit will end tomorrow night after a stop in Jakarta, Indonesia, where he will hold bilateral meetings, attend a dinner with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ Council of Permanent Representatives, and attend for the first time as deputy defense secretary the Jakarta International Defense Dialogue.

WRM: The backbone of Misawa

by Airman 1st Class Kia Atkins
35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

3/15/2013 - MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- In the military, we face threats on a daily basis whether it be war or natural disaster. In times of crisis, the 35th Logistics Readiness Squadron's Vehicle Maintenance Flight's War Readiness Materials' section is ready to spring into action on a moment's notice by being poised with a well-maintained fleet of specialty vehicles to help many missions carry on.

Their main duties consist of determining the overall condition of vehicles and correcting deficiencies by replacing worn or damaged parts with new or reconditioned ones.

"I get a great sense of satisfaction about what I do in the military," said Airman 1st Class Jeff Louis, 35 LRS vehicle maintenance apprentice. "I take pride in maintaining vehicles. By the time I finish performing maintenance on them, they are 100 percent ready to perform their respective functions."

In Louis' opinion, if vehicle maintenance personnel weren't around to take care of vehicles, it could present a big problem.

"I think the WRM section and the vehicles we maintain are essential for the base," said Louis. "If something happened and we weren't there, like during an operation, then the base would probably have to request vehicles from somewhere else."

In an emergency situation, specialty vehicles may be needed on the spot, which is why the WRM section maintains the fleet daily.

"Since we are here and ready to go at any time, we're prepared for any vehicle requests the base might need," said Louis. "Regardless of the timeline they give us, we will get it done."

All of the vehicles in the WRM section are postured for any crisis scenarios, base exercises, or operations in the Pacific region, whether in wartime or peacetime.

"If war were ever to break out here in the Pacific, we could supply these vehicles to help build new base infrastructures or anything else they are needed for," said Master Sgt. Michael Brower 35 LRS vehicle maintenance section chief.

Because of the WRM sections presence, the base is considered a humanitarian response unit. Due to the variety of vehicles stored in WRM, the 35th Fighter Wing is equipped to respond during any disaster by providing materials handling vehicles, ambulances and personnel transport vehicles.

"A lot of our vehicles were used during Operation Tomodachi," said Brower. "The forklifts we have were especially needed for the aid we provided. They helped transport all the water and food we had coming through."

WRM is sponsored by Pacific Air Forces, so if Misawa's vehicles are ever needed elsewhere in the region, they could be sent to those locations.

"I think WRM is very essential to the Air Force," said Louis. "As long as we have the equipment and the people like us to maintain them, we'll be ready to go and assist wherever we are needed."

The WRM section represents the backbone of the wing during disaster times and special operations when specialty vehicles are needed.

"There is no greater enjoyment than knowing what I do for a living has the potential to save lives and protect those in need," said Louis. "I invest all my knowledge and resources into maintaining those vehicles for that reason."

Women in AF paved way, often through adversity

by Martha Lockwood
Air Force News Service

3/17/2013 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- In a quote from one of Shakespeare's plays, "Twelfth Night," the character Malvallo remarks that "some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon 'em."

Women in the Air Force (WAF) produced many such women who did not set out to be trailblazers but whose accomplishments personified the dream and made it an achievable reality in the minds of those who came after.

WAF--not to be confused with the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS), a small group of female transport pilots that existed for little more than two years (1942-44) and was part of the Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs) before their disbanding--was a program which served to bring women into limited roles in the Air Force. Women pilots from World War II would have been excellent leaders, but they were diverted to the Reserves.

Instead, greatness was thrust upon many WAFs just by being the first woman to do something. In retrospect, their accomplishments mirror the Air Force's evolution.

The first WAF squadron arrived at Lackland AFB in 1948 when President Truman signed the Women's Armed Services Integration Act that allowed women to serve directly in the military.
When basic training for women was desegregated in 1949, African-American recruits joined the WAFs in greater numbers. Forty-one years later, the first African-American female brigadier general, Marcelite Harris, attained the rank.

Maj. Barbara A. Wilson (Ret.) was the first enlisted WAF to complete Officer Training School in the 50s. She had enlisted as a Private at Lackland AFB then steadily moved up the ranks as she completed her Bachelor of Arts degree through a military program at Long Island University.

In 1951, MaryBelle Johns Nissly was recruited to return to military life (she had left the military in 1956) at the rank of captain as conductor and commander of the 18-member WAF Band that served as ambassadors for the Air Force, participating in three inaugural parades and numerous concerts here and abroad.

In 1956, a WAF section was introduced into the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), and by 1959, four universities were running the program. By 1970 became more national in scope, and in 1980, a graduate of Texas Tech University, Maj. Gen. Wendy M. Masiello, was commissioned via AFROTC.

The first enlisted WAFs to serve in Vietnam began arriving in June 1967, bringing the grand total of WAF involvement to five enlisted and four officers. Ultimately more WAFs would arrive to support the war effort if not be actively involved in combat. In the end, it would be the Air Force that supplied the planes and nurses for "Operation Babylift" out of Tan Son Nhut Air Base Vietnam, April 1975.

In 1976, women were accepted into the military on much the same basis as men, and the separate status of WAF was abolished. That same year, President Ford signed legislation that lifted the ban of women in the military academies. Many military historians note that date as the point in which the role of women in the military changed forever, and more women would meet the needs of the age, helped immeasurably by standing on the shoulders of greatness.

Carter Visits Asia to Discuss Common Security Challenges

By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT, March 16, 2013 – Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter is traveling to Asia to meet with U.S. allies and partners and continue defense consultations on a range of common security challenges.

Carter will visit defense and government officials in Yokota, Japan; Seoul, South Korea; Manila, the Philippines; and Jakarta, Indonesia.

In Jakarta he will hold bilateral meetings, attend a dinner with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’, or ASEAN’s, Council of Permanent Representatives, and attend for the first time as deputy defense secretary the Jakarta International Defense Dialogue, the official said.

Carter’s trip began a day after Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced a series of steps the United States will take to stay ahead of challenges posed by North Korea’s and Iran’s development of long-range ballistic missile capabilities.

“The United States has missile defense systems in place to protect us from limited [intercontinental ballistic missile] attacks, Hagel said during a briefing at the Pentagon. “But North Korea in particular has recently made advances in its capabilities and is engaged in a series of irresponsible and reckless provocations.”
During Carter’s meeting at Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo with Senior Vice Defense Minister Akinori Eto, a defense official said they will discuss the situation in North Korea.

“It’s the first engagement we’ve had with [the Japanese] in this role,” he said, “and it’s a very good opportunity for the deputy to [discuss] a number of issues following on the very successful visit” by Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with President Barack Obama at the White House Feb. 22.

Carter and Eto may also discuss bilateral missile defense issues; the situation in Senkaku Islands, a group of uninhabited islands controlled by Japan in the East China Sea and the focus of a territorial dispute between Japan and China; and the relocation of the Marines to the Futenma replacement facility.

A 2006 roadmap signed by Japan and the United States would relocate Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, now in the center of Okinawa’s Ginowan City, to a more remote area of the island. Futenma is about seven miles from Kadena Air Base.

On Monday in Seoul, the defense official said, issues to be discussed include the situation in North Korea, the U.S. domestic issue of sharp mandated budget cuts called sequestration and its impact on the DOD rebalance to the Asia Pacific, and potential discussion about Hagel’s missile defense announcement.
Bilateral issues may include Korean investments in defense capabilities such as command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, the official said.

Other bilateral discussions may focus on the ongoing military exercises Key Resolve, an annual computer simulation exercise that began March 11 and ends March 21, and Foal Eagle, a combined and joint field training exercise that runs across the Korean Peninsula from March 1 to April 30.

“The deputy will be traveling down to one of the combat outposts to observe the exercises,” the defense official said.

“On the policy side he’ll have very good meetings with [South Korea’s] minister of defense, foreign minister and national security adviser,” he added, noting, “It’s a good blend of policy operational issues in a strategic context that’s clouded or colored by the North Korean provocations.”

On Tuesday in Manila, the official said, “We’re looking to have good meetings with … the foreign secretary, the defense secretary and other officials.”

Calling the Philippines an important treaty ally, the official said the United States and the Philippines have had several recent senior-level engagements, including meetings between the nations’ presidents over the last few years, and a historic “two-plus-two” meeting in Washington last April between Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and their Philippine counterparts, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Secretary of National Defense Voltaire Gazmin.

“All of that has facilitated real progress … across an array of issues, not just on the defense side but on the foreign policy side,” the official said, adding that the United States seeks “a full partnership in this very important relationship and our main goal is to keep the momentum going.”

On Wednesday in Jakarta, his last stop in Asia, Carter will have a chance to talk with ASEAN members during a dinner of the ASEAN Council of Permanent Representatives. ASEAN was formed in 1967. Its member states are Burma, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Discussions there could include upcoming exercises related to the ASEAN Defense Ministers-Plus, and an effort to produce and gain acceptance of a code of conduct to untangle territorial conflicts in the South China Sea.

The ADMM-Plus is made up of ASEAN members and its dialogue partners: the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, New Zealand and Russia.

Afterward, Carter will hold a bilateral meeting with Indonesia, “a very important strategic partner in Southeast Asia,” the official said.

Next, the deputy defense secretary will attend day one of the two-day Jakarta International Defense Dialogue, called the JIDD, a multilateral setting for a number of different countries to come together and discuss defense and diplomacy.

“This represents a major step up in terms of U.S. participation,” the defense official said. “Last year we sent a deputy assistant secretary and this year, in order to demonstrate strong and continuing commitment to the rebalance toward Asia, the deputy thought it was very important for him to participate in this event.”

The official added, “We’ll be eagerly awaiting a speech by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as well as Dr. Carter’s own remarks as part of a panel that is likely to include a senior Chinese representative, defense ministers from Singapore and Indonesia,” and possibly others, the official said.
“It’s a key place to mingle, to mix, to exchange views,” he added.

At a lunch for heads of delegations, Carter will be able to talk informally with all participants, the official said.
“It’s a very good opportunity to talk about the rebalance, to talk about the U.S. role in Southeast Asia, and to talk a little about global events and how they impact or influence all the issues in Southeast Asia.

Equality Motivates Air Force Firefighter

By Air Force Senior Airman Katherine Tereyama
31st Fighter Wing

AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy, March 14, 2013 – Serving in a career field that once was closed to women is a source of pride for a firefighter assigned to the 31st Civil Engineer Squadron here.

Air Force Airman 1st Class Emily Beckerjeck, a firefighter at Aviano Air Base, Italy, draws motivation from being able to prove women can work in jobs previously open only to men. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Katherine Tereyama   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

"If something happens and you're in a fire, it doesn't matter who's next to you, as long as you can trust they can get you out," Air Force Airman 1st Class Emily Beckerjeck said. As a firefighter, Beckerjeck responds to aircraft, airfield and structural fires, hazardous material incidents, search and rescue missions and the many everyday tasks required of any male firefighter, including carrying gear that can weigh up to 75 pounds.

Beckerjeck said her motivation to become a firefighter stemmed from the idea of proving that women can do whatever men can do. "There's no limit anymore," she said.
Since the job is physically demanding, Beckerjeck and her fellow airmen must train every day to build up their strength and ensure they are able to carry out the mission. Firefighters here work 24-hour shifts and often are required to spend holidays and special occasions away from their families.

Though she misses her family in the United States, Beckerjeck said, the firefighters here have taken her under their wing.

"It's not a brotherhood anymore, since I'm in it," she said. "Now it's a family."

Beckerjeck and her firefighting family frequently welcome children into the fire station for tours and demonstrations. She also recently visited a school in Roveredo, Italy, to educate children about her job as a firefighter and to share her story as a woman serving in the military.

"I love being an inspiration to little kids, especially little girls," she said. "It's so awesome when they say, 'I want to be just like you when I grow up.'"
 

DINFOS Inducts Accomplished Alumni Into Hall of Fame

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

FORT MEADE, Md., March 14, 2013 – The Defense Information School honored seven alumni here today with induction into an inaugural Hall of Fame for excelling in journalism, photography and videography following graduation from the school.

Army Col. Jeremy Martin, commandant of DINFOS, described three of the seven inaugural honorees present -- Jim Bryant, John Roswell Camp and Clarence Page -- as part of a group who established themselves “among the best journalists, authors and visual information communicators in our nation.”

“This is a great day for the Defense Media Activity, and a great day for DINFOS,” Martin said. “And the culmination of a great deal of hard work and commitment resulting in a day to honor our esteemed Hall of Fame inductees.”

Martin saluted the honorees for their outstanding service, and for their “life-long commitment to professionalism and excellence which has propelled you to rise to the top of your profession.”

The commandant said he was pleased that the trio offered to “give back to the next generation of communicators who are here at our school” by talking to DINFOS students later in the day.

“In our enduring efforts to tell the story of our military to the American people and various audiences, we stand on your broad shoulders,” Martin told the honorees.

“Your portfolios and biographies are a testament to the obvious -- in your chosen fields of endeavor you are among the finest communicators of any generation,” he added.

And DINFOS is “tremendously proud to be associated with such great Americans and truly awesome professionals,” Martin said.

“You are charter members of the Defense Information School, Alumni Hall of Fame, Class of 2012,” he added. “Well done, and thanks for being here.”

Each honoree has a plaque and letter from Pentagon Press Secretary George Little, the assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, honoring them for serving in positions of prominence or creating award-winning work within the mass communications field.

Jim Bryant, who served in the U.S. Navy and graduated from DINFOS in 1980, is an award-winning freelance photographer and author.

During the ceremony, Bryant was praised for such achievements as winning over 60 state, regional and national awards for his work.

“It's an honor to stand here today among this distinguished group of people,” he said.
“Being in the craft for over three decades, I still get excited about a great picture or moving photographic essay,” Bryant said. “Photojournalism has been one of my great passions and made my life worthwhile.”

John Roswell Camp graduated from DINFOS in 1967. Camp served in the U.S. Army, and is a 1986 Pulitzer Prize winner in journalism. He uses the pseudonym John Sandford, and has published 31 novels which have all been featured on The New York Times Best-Seller List.

“It's been a very long and strange trip since 1967,” Camp said. “I spent 20 years as a newspaper reporter after I got out, and it was DINFOS that actually did that to me.”

Camp noted he had a history degree and planned to be a lawyer, but ended up stationed in Korea with Bob Keeler, another future Pulitzer Prize winner.

“I think I would have been a pretty good lawyer, but I don't think it would have been as interesting,” he said.

Clarence Page, a 1970 DINFOS graduate, also served in the U.S. Army, and is a 1989 Pulitzer Prize winner for commentary. Page has a syndicated writing column in over 150 newspapers, is a regular panelist on the “McLaughlin Group” and appears on the Public Broadcasting Service’s “NewsHour” with Jim Lehrer.

“I am truly humbled by this honor, and any of you that have seen me on ‘McLaughlin Group’ know that humility is not one of my usual emotions,” Page joked. “I just want to say that DINFOS gave me so much that I was not expecting.

“I am here today because I really wanted to beat a path back to DINFOS to … revisit my past,” he continued, “and also to just touch on the new generation coming up.”

Page credited DINFOS with bringing him discipline and organization -- especially important since he later was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder.

“Military journalists are in a position of being a bridge between the military world and the civilian world,” he said. “The older you get the more and more you see how different these two worlds are.
“Let me say 'thank you' to DINFOS,” Page added. “Thank you for this honor, which I cherish on so many levels.”

Joining Page, Bryant and Camp in the 2012 Alumni Hall of Fame class are former Vice President Walter Mondale, who’d served in the Army; author and teacher LouAnne Johnson, who’d served in the Navy and the Marines; Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Les Payne, who’d served in the Army; and Arizona State University journalism professor Stephen Doig, who’d served in the Army.
Doig’s work as a research editor was part of a team effort that was instrumental in the Miami Herald winning the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 1993.

New combined test force established for AEDC's newest test capability

by Philip Lorenz III
Arnold Engineering Development Complex Public Affairs

3/14/2013 - ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. -- Arnold Engineering Development Complex's leadership recently heralded two firsts at the Complex -- the activation of the Space Combined Test Force, and acceptance of the new test and evaluation mission that the CTF will execute.

The CTF integrates Air Force engineers with Aerospace Testing Alliance contracted engineers and support personnel to jointly conduct testing in the Space Threat Assessment Testbed, a recently activated space test chamber.

STAT is the newest ground test capability at the Complex since the Large Rocket Test Cell came online in 1993. STAT will reach Initial Operating Capability in April, followed by Full Operational Capability certification by September 2013.

"The CTF is responsible for two missions: space sensors testing in our 7V and 10V chambers and space environments testing in STAT," said Chris Smith, technical director for AEDC's Space and Missile Test. "Our chambers will continue to be government-managed and contractor-operated. However, STAT will operate under the construct of integrated USAF/ATA test planning, design and operations."

Once fully operational, STAT will be able to simulate realistic operational environments for testing hardware using multiple space weather generators. STAT will subject test articles to conditions found outside the Earth's atmosphere, including near-vacuum, extreme cold and the combined effects of natural and man-made phenomena.

"With commencement of STAT test operations and realization of the CTF, we will have military personnel, government civilians and contractors participating collaboratively in test planning, coordination with test customers, test execution and test data reduction," said Mike Ketron, Space CTF director. "ATA will be providing support as they always have with the various test chambers."

Mike Scott, an ATA Test Director for the STAT, sees this organization as a positive step for the future.

"Bringing Air Force and ATA personnel together to work directly toward the common goal of satisfying test customers will help morale and make for a more efficient test team," he said.

Army Aviator Wraps Up Career

By Army Sgt. Christopher Calvert
1st Air Combat Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division

FORT HOOD, Texas, March 12, 2013 – More than three decades ago, 12-year-old Wayne Turner had a dream of one day becoming an aviator.

Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Wayne Turner, left, and Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kourtney Roundtree, AH-64D Apache helicopter pilots, conduct communications checks before Turner makes the last flight of his 20-year military career at Fort Hood, Texas, Feb. 28, 2013. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Christopher Calvert   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Today, after more than nine years and four back-to-back deployments with the 1st Cavalry Division’s 1st Air Combat Brigade, Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Wayne Turner is hanging up his flight suit.

Turner, an AH-64D Apache helicopter pilot with the brigade’s Company B, 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, conducted the last flight operation of his 20-year military career here Feb. 28.

Turner didn’t have the opportunity to fly at first when he entered the Army, he said.

“I enlisted in the delayed entry program in July 1992 as a working dog handler with the [military police],” the Marietta, Ga., native said. “I enjoyed that job; however, I always wanted to be a Delta pilot. My dad was a flight instructor, and he took me up for my first flight when I was 12. After that, I was hooked forever.”

Turner said he employed hard work and persistence to break into the aviation field.

“My commander at the time saw the potential and passion within me,” he said. “She introduced me to her husband, who was a pilot, and it was him who got me in touch with a senior warrant officer who mentored me and assisted me in putting in my packet.”

After graduating from flight school in 2000, Turner was stationed at Fort Carson, Colo., with Renegade Troop, 4th Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, and then at Camp Eagle, South Korea, with B Troop, 1st Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment.

In April 2004, Turner was sent to 1st ACB, where he fitted right in with his battle buddies, he said.
“The time I’ve spent with this unit has been great,” he said. “The camaraderie within the unit is amazing. We truly are a band of brothers here.”

During his time with the unit, Turner went on to deploy three times to Iraq and once to Afghanistan, where he flew countless hours in support of four different campaigns.

“Every deployment brought something different to the table, but we always were successful,” Turner said. “I remember flying more than 12 hours over Sadr City, Iraq, in the summer of 2004, all the while encountering multiple engagements. The missions where we helped soldiers on the ground always meant the most to me. I knew we were making a difference.”

Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Carl Fox, an AH-64D attack pilot assigned to Turner’s company, said he worked side by side with Turner for the better part of a decade.

“We’ve worked together for at least six years, and we’ve knew each other longer than that,” said Fox, who hails from Huntington, W.Va. They had the opportunity to fly together to secure Iraq’s elections during their 2009-2010 deployment, he added.

Despite battling a difficult operational environment in Iraq, Fox said, Turner helped to keep up the unit’s esprit de corps.

“He has a great sense of humor, and when you start flying for six to eight hours, jokes and stories are imperative,” Fox said. “He always knew how to put levity in a serious situation. It’s because of individuals like him that we still have an extremely tight group. There’s no doubt in my mind 1-227 is a battalion of heroes, and Turner has been an important part of that.”

Reflecting on the past 10 years brings back many fond memories and emotions, Turner said, noting he’ll miss his Army comrades after retirement.

“It’s bittersweet,” he said. “I’m going to miss the camaraderie and the soldiers I’ve met throughout the years.”

Canadian birds fly south for the winter; train at MacDill

by Senior Airman Melanie Bulow-Kelly
6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

3/14/2013 - MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The roar of CF-18 Hornet engines echoes throughout MacDill Air Force Base as student and instructor pilots from the Royal Canadian Air Force prepare for takeoff.

Fifteen CF-18 Hornets from the 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron, Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake, Alberta Canada, are conducting training missions here through March 15.

Every year, around this time, the Royal Canadian Air Force migrates to warmer climates to increase flying time. Usually, Naval Air Station Key West hosts the Canadians but this year MacDill was selected to host our NATO allies.

"The weather plays a significant role in us being able to accomplish our training mission," said Maj. Chris Miller, 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron operations officer. "We've been able to sustain a higher flying rate, and we really appreciate MacDill allowing us to come down here and get done what we need to do."

During the first tactical phase of training, the new pilots learn basic fighter maneuvers such as, how to handle aerial combat when in a one-on-one situation and two-on-one scenario, which teaches them how to work together.

The two-hour training takes place about 20 miles west of Sarasota, Area 168, a 40,000-square-mile air space.

"This is great continuity for the pilots; they will be flying more than five times a week," said Lt. Col. Paul Doyle, 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron commanding officer.

Launching more than 15 flights a day, instructor pilots train new pilots on a two-seat multi-role jet.

"The day I stop learning is the day I stop flying," said Capt. Andrew Jakubaitis, 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron CF-18 student pilot.

Aside from pilots, the Canadians brought more than 120 Airmen to include, mechanics and other crew members vital to the completion of the mission. They also brought an Airbus A-320 aerial refueling tanker for the students to become accustomed to in-flight refueling which MacDill specializes in.

"Being able to walk away with more service qualifications under my belt when I leave here is one of best things about this experience," said Cpl. Tanya Roach, 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron aircraft structure technician.

However this mission accomplished more than just training for both nations.

"The camaraderie that we are developing with everybody on the base and all the folks in the Tampa Bay area is important," said Chief Warrant Officer Rick Robertson, 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron chief warrant officer.

During their time here, the partnership between the two forces grew as they worked together to maintain the CF-18s.

"The U.S. Air Force people were fantastic. They were able to get us a hangar to protect all our jets during the Tornado warning," said Roach. "It was awesome to see everyone come together and make it happen. Within an hour and a half we had all the jets secured in the hangar."

From providing shelter to aircraft parts, both forces played a role in making sure that the pilots' training was a success.

"The U.S. Air Force provided materials that we were unable to bring with us. They also assisted us in a non-destructive inspection," stated Roach. "Some of the requirements that we needed to get done would not have been accomplished without MacDill's support."

AFGSC commander visits Whiteman Airmen

by Capt. John Severns
509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

3/13/2013 - WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo.  -- Lt. Gen. James M. Kowalski, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, visited Whiteman Air Force Base this week to meet the Airmen charged with operating the nation's only B-2 force.

During his visit, Kowalski met face-to-face with Airmen at all levels, from the First Term Airman's Center to chiefs and commanders.

The general's first stop was a breakfast with 15 "unsung heroes," Airmen from across the 509th Bomb Wing who play a vital role in keeping the B-2 running, but due to their particular duties often miss out on the spotlight. The Airmen who ate with the general shared some stories, and afterward said that his visit was an opportunity to meet one of the Air Force's most senior leaders.

Tech. Sgt. Brandon Benton, a mission planner in the 509th Operations Support Squadron, was one of those Airmen.

"It was a chance for us to ask questions about a lot of issues that have been on everyone's mind lately," he said. "Tuition assistance was a big one, and he also talked about the nuclear force structure, the future of the command, and how the sequester is going to impact the Air Force."

Later in his visit, during an all-hands call, Kowalski spoke on a variety of topics, from the consequences of the budget sequestration to the continuing need for a robust strategic deterrent in the face of new global developments.

On the impact of the sequester, Kowalski was unambiguous about the impact of the $50-billion cut being levied across the Armed Services this year.

"There will absolutely be an impact on our readiness," he said. "The furloughs, in particular, will impact our mission, our communities, and just as importantly, the families of our civilian Airmen."

As a result of the budget sequester, Department of Defense civilians are expecting to see 22 discontinuous furlough days between April and the end of the fiscal year. This will result in approximately a 20% reduction in their salaries during that time period.

During the question and answer session, the general touched on a widely held concern - the fate of the Air Force's popular Tuition Assistance program. While the program is vital to helping Airmen achieve their educational goals, in an environment where civilian Airmen are forced to take a 20 percent pay cut, TA may simply be unsustainable.

Indeed, the general's words were prescient. The next day, the Air Force announced that Tuition Assistance was being suspended for the remainder of the fiscal year.

For much of his all-call, the general spoke about the continued necessity for nuclear deterrence.

"We seek a world with zero nuclear weapons, but as President Obama said [in his speech in Prague], as long as these weapons exist, we need to keep them safe, secure and effective."

The general also met with Airmen going through the First Term Airmen's Center as part of their acclimation to the Air Force. He spoke with them about some of the challenges they would face entering the Air Force in the midst of steep budget cutbacks, as well as the opportunities they would have as the next generation of America's Airmen.