Commander: Northcom Increases Crisis Response Capabilities

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2013 – U.S. Northern Command is working with its partners to improve its ability to support civil authorities during disaster responses, and is now better postured to do so through a new construct that improves coordination among the forces involved, the Northcom commander told Congress today.

Pointing to the command’s role when Hurricane Sandy dealt a devastating blow to the Atlantic coast in October, Army Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr. told the House Armed Services Committee that Northcom gained valuable insights and experience that will pay off in the future.

“Hurricane Sandy offered us a glimpse of what a complex catastrophe which spanned several states and regions could look like,” he told the panel. The challenge now, he said, is to build on lessons learned to improve the processes Northcom provides the Federal Emergency Management Agency or other designated lead federal agencies.

Jacoby called partnerships the strength of the paradigm that enables Northcom to collaborate in ensuring the homeland’s safety, security and defense.

He noted in his prepared remarks that Northcom responded to multiple requests for assistance during 2012 from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Secret Service, the FBI and other agencies along the U.S. Southwest border.

“This last year speaks to the critical nature of our strong interagency partnerships and the continued requirement to support our partners,” said Jacoby, noting contributions the Defense Department is able to provide during crises to complement those provided by state and local communities.

“DOD has capabilities that can save and sustain lives, reduce suffering, protect property, mitigate the damage to critical infrastructure and get citizens quickly and solidly onto the path of resuming their daily lives,” he said.

During the Hurricane Sandy response, Northcom helped with power restoration, dewatering, fuel distribution, transportation and public health safety.

The challenge is “not to be late to need,” Jacoby said, and recognizing that DOD assets can be useful only if they’re accessible and responsive to relief requirements. To ensure they are, he said, Northcom’s staff works closely with state and local officials to plan for disasters before they occur.

Jacoby called the so-called “dual-status construct” first authorized in the 2012 National Defense Appropriations Act a major step in improving support the military is able to provide.

The arrangement authorizes a designated National Guard flag officer to command active-duty, reserve and National Guard forces when states request federal forces during a crisis response. This, Jacoby said, provides a unified response not possible when military forces report to separate commanders.

Northcom successfully applied the construct during its response to the Waldo Canyon fire in Colorado Springs, Colo., in June and during Hurricane Sandy, in both New Jersey and New York, Jacoby reported.
“We will continue to mature the successful dual-status command construct … so that we will be ready to act swiftly and with unity of effort when the unthinkable happens and we are called,” he told the House panel.
Northcom’s core mission of defense support to civil authorities falls second in priority only to the mission of homeland defense, Jacoby said.

“Our citizens have high expectations of our ability to defend and support them here in the homeland, and rightfully so,” he said. “In the event of a natural or man-made disaster, U.S. Northcom meets those expectations by leveraging a tremendous capability and capacity of the Department of Defense to support a lead agency, such as FEMA.”

Jacoby also reported during today’s hearing that U.S. ballistic missile defenses are capable of protecting the nation against growing threats from North Korea and Iran. He emphasized, however, the need to continue improving these systems in light of “an increasingly complex and dynamic security environment.”

Responding to a question, Jacoby said he believes Iran is on the path to developing an intercontinental ballistic missile, and could feasibly begin testing that capability within the next few years.

Jacoby said he supports Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s decision to add 14 more ground-based interceptors at Fort Greely, Alaska. This initiative to expand the West Coast-based missile defense system by almost 50 percent would increase defenses against both Iran and North Korea, he said.

Jacoby said he also welcomes studies about the feasibility of a third U.S. missile defense site, on the East Coast, and other efforts to increase missile-defense capabilities.

Fit to fly: Generating aircraft

by Airman 1st Class Zachary Kee
35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

3/20/2013 - MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- When it comes to the task of generating F-16 Fighting Falcons and the first line of defense, Senior Airman Teddy Longnecker, 13th Aircraft Maintenance Unit avionics technician, said the rule is simple, "don't fail". 

One of thousands of Airmen, Longnecker, was put to the challenge of participating in an Operational Readiness Exercise, March 18.

ORE evaluations assess the wing' s ability to respond to accidents, disasters, increased states of readiness and deployments in support of worldwide contingency operations. Squadrons were stressed to see how well they would react to generating aircraft and preparing personnel and cargo processing for deployment.

Maintainers were required to generate multiple aircraft in less than 24 hours. Longnecker said the job was like preparing jets for war and that the main function of a generation is to load live ammunition, called combat loads, to prepare a jet to head into battle.

Longnecker added it's also an opportunity for maintainers to show that they're on their game and assess their readiness and execution.

While overseas, it may seem exercises happen often, but what is asked of service members is ever-changing.

"There is always something new and different; and the fact that we have new Airmen coming in fresh out of training and have never done a 12-hour shift makes it a good experience," said Longnecker, who is nearing his four-year point at the job. "Exercises prepare us just in case the real thing was to happen."

Gen. Jacoby remembers MAFFS Airmen, praises National Guard contributions, dual-status commanders

by Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Jim Greenhill
National Guard Bureau

3/20/2013 - WASHINGTON -- Air National Guard members killed fighting wildfires in 2012 were remembered during U.S. Senate testimony Tuesday as U.S. Northern Command's commander praised the National Guard's contributions in his area of responsibility.

Army Gen. Charles Jacoby made a point of reminding Senate Armed Services Committee members of the sacrifice of four Citizen-Airmen who died and two who were seriously injured when a Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System equipped C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft crashed during the 2012 wildfire season.

Jacoby testified at a hearing on the posture of his command related to the nation's defense budget for fiscal year 2014, which begins Oct. 1.

"We lost some Guardsmen this year fighting fires," Jacoby reminded senators. "Brave men and women of the North Carolina Air National Guard, 145th Airlift Wing. [It] reminds us that even supporting our citizens in the homeland can be a dangerous activity. [We] really appreciate the sacrifices that those Airmen and their families made on that behalf."

Air Force Lt. Col. Paul K. Mikeal, Maj. Joseph M. McCormick, Maj. Ryan S. David and Senior Master Sgt. Robert S. Cannon died after the July 1, 2012, crash as they battled a South Dakota wildfire.

The "National Guard is a great partner across all of my mission sets ... from homeland defense, where principally Guard units fly the Noble Eagle mission in defense of our skies 24/7, [to] our missile defense, [where] the 100th Brigade mans the command-and-control facilities for our missile launch capabilities," Jacoby testified.

"In defense support to civil authorities ... every day the Guard not only meets the needs of the citizens in the states, but [is] also available to support regionally through their emergency management capabilities," he said.

Jacoby also said the use of dual-status commanders will continue.

When agreed upon by the secretary of defense and the governor of an affected state, dual-status commanders can direct both federal active duty forces and state National Guard forces in response to domestic incidents. The unity of effort is intended to foster greater cooperation among federal and state military assets during a disaster.

"We'll continue to mature the successful dual-status command construct," Jacoby said, "so that we will be ready to act swiftly and with unity of effort when the unthinkable happens and we are called."

According to Defense Department officials:

The nation's governors led the creation of this new opportunity for collaboration. Dual-status commanders ensure that state and federal military forces work together effectively when states request federal forces. Through this improved partnership, military forces are better able to avoid duplication of effort and support the needs of the incident and the American people.

The dual-status commander concept was codified in 2011, with 10 USC - 12304 as the usual and customary command and control arrangement for missions involving the simultaneous deployment of active duty, Reserve and National Guard forces in support of civilian authorities during major disasters and other emergencies.

Dempsey Honors Survivors of Those Killed on Duty

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2013 – The nation’s top military officer addressed a group of some 600 people who gathered here last night to honor the families of service members who died on active duty.

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, sings “The Unicorn” with Gabrielle and Chris Pierson during the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors Honor Guard Gala in Washington, D.C., March 19, 2013. DOD photo by Army Staff Sgt. Teddy Wade   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delivered keynote remarks as the head of a star-studded Pentagon delegation to a gala hosted by and benefiting the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS.

Dempsey said he and his wife, Deanie, “made a commitment that this is one of those organizations that, if they ask, we respond. It’s everything that’s good about the military family and the way we try to care for each other.”

Bonnie Carroll founded TAPS in 1994 to care for grieving military families after her husband, Army Brig. Gen. Tom Carroll, was killed in a military plane crash in Alaska. The not-for-profit program offers a range of resources for surviving families, including survivor seminars, Good Grief camps for children and annual retreats each year tailored to different groups of grievers: widows, widowers and significant others; parents; and siblings.

Dempsey urged those in the audience to seek out and share the stories of the surviving family members who were among them, wearing red rose corsages or boutonnières. The chairman shared the inscription that accompanied one fallen soldier’s photograph in a yearbook from his earlier days at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.

“Andrew’s quote in ‘The Howitzer’ was actually a quote from John Fitzgerald Kennedy,” Dempsey said. “And it went like this: ‘In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink’” -- and here, the chairman cleared his throat “‘from this responsibility.’”

All survivors have stories they want to share, Dempsey said. “At some level, that’s what TAPS does, actually,” he added. “It allows the stories, the more important stories in our lives, to keep us alive, to keep memories alive, to keep the people who have gone on to serve their country and paid the ultimate price … alive, and their families.”

TAPS embodies a commitment that is common to the nation and to the armed forces, the chairman said: “That bond of trust that we owe those who we ask to put themselves in harm’s way for their country.”

The challenge for their remaining military brothers and sisters is what marks the military as a profession, Dempsey said. “Trust that we will provide the young men and women we send into harm’s way with everything that they need, and that if they don’t come back, that their families will be cared for,” he said.

The chairman challenged the roughly 60 survivors in the audience to “celebrate our stories tonight.”
“I know each of you has a story that you not only want to tell, but should tell, and we’d like to hear … the stories of the young men and women and the not-so-young men and women who have given their lives in defense of their country.”

Southcom Chief: Iran Working to Expand Influence in Latin America

By Nick Simeone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2013 – U.S. Southern Command’s top officer told Congress today that Iran is actively working to expand its presence in Latin America to cultivate allies at a time when Tehran is facing tough U.S and international sanctions for its alleged nuclear weapons program.

Marine Corps Gen. John F. Kelly told the House Armed Services Committee that Iran “has been very, very active over the last few years” in cultivating diplomatic and cultural ties to the region, especially by befriending Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who died earlier this month.

“They’ve opened embassies, they’ve opened cultural centers,” he testified, adding that on the surface, all of this appears to be normal.

“But to what end is obviously the issue,” he told the House panel.

Kelly told lawmakers he could discuss details about what the Iranian government’s goals might be only in a closed session. He mentioned Bolivia, Ecuador and Argentina as countries that have been the target of Iran’s diplomatic and economic outreach.

Despite Iran’s outreach to countries that he said have interests unfavorable to the United States, the general cast Iran’s overtures as being far from successful and described a region as largely uninterested in Tehran’s diplomatic engagement.

“The region as a whole has not been receptive to Iranian efforts,” Kelly said in his prepared testimony. But he cautioned that Iran’s allies, including Hezbollah, have established a presence in several Latin-American countries to deadly effect, recalling that Iran and Hezbollah were blamed for the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, that killed more than 80 people.

“Proselytizers with ties to global Islamic groups are attempting to radicalize and recruit among the Muslim communities throughout the region,” he said, adding that the United States and its partners “should be extremely concerned whenever external extremist groups or state sponsors of terrorism see the Western Hemisphere as attractive or, even worse, vulnerable.”

Kelly pointed out that Venezuelan government officials have been sanctioned for providing financial support to Hezbollah, as well as for supporting rebels in neighboring Colombia.

Kelly said China is another country far outside Latin America that wants to compete with the United States for influence in the region, and is very engaged economically, “buying commodities in a big way and also investing in port facilities.” This, he added, is all the more reason for the United States to continue working to strengthen partnerships in the region.

Grand Forks Wing commander relieved of command

from Air Mobility Command Public Affairs

3/20/2013 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE Ill. -- The commander of the 319th Air Base Wing at Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., was relieved of command Mar. 20 due to failure to comply with physical fitness standards.

Col. Tim Bush was removed by Maj. Gen. William Bender, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center commander. Bush assumed command in July 2011.

Bush was not relieved for alleged misconduct or wrongdoing. Bender announced that Col. Christopher Mann, 319th Air Base Wing vice commander, has been appointed as interim wing commander until a replacement can assume the full-time duties of commander. Mann has been vice commander since August 2012.

As the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center commander, Bender provides administrative control for six wings and two groups within Air Mobility Command, to include the 319 ABW.

The 319 ABW is comprised of 1,500 personnel, providing base operating and direct operations support to wing personnel, three tenant units and nine geographically separated units. The wing trains, deploys and redeploys more than 1,100 Airmen in support of Air Expeditionary Force and combatant commander requirements. It also provides facilities and equipment support for the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, the 69th Reconnaissance Group and North Dakota Air National Guard's 119th Wing. Grand Forks Air Force Base also provides direct support to the 10th Space Warning Squadron Cavalier Air Force Station, N.D.

Development flight gives delayed enlistees headstart

by Tech. Sgt. Stephen J. Collier
302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

3/19/2013 - PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The sounds of civilians marching in lock step, the sidestepping of recruits in the dining facility and familiar commands being barked at gaggles of stunned humans. It's official: basic military training has moved from San Antonio to the high country of Colorado.

Well, sort of.

The 302nd Airlift Wing, together with Schriever Air Force Base's 310th Space Wing, launched in December 2012 the Development and Training Flight here for new Air Force Reserve recruits to prepare them for the rigors of basic training. The flight also aims to ease the recruits, who are assigned to the Air Force Reserve's Delayed Enlistment Program, into a military lifestyle. This instruction, that takes place during the monthly Unit Training Assembly weekend, provides the recruits with the opportunity to understand the military more in-depth before shipping out for basic military training at Lackland AFB, Texas, located on the outskirts of San Antonio. The new flight, according to Chief Master Sgt. Otis Jones, 302nd AW command chief, should "blue" the recruits, allowing them to be more successful at Lackland's training grounds.

"For people that go [to basic military training] for the first time it's a little bit of a shock to their system," Jones said. "This program is actually getting them ready for it. It allows them to learn some of the basics of the military up front. They learn how to listen, take directions and have a better understanding of military customs and courtesies. And we're seeing success from people going down there."

And the success of trainees is the flight's ultimate end goal. Jones explained that, on average, it costs the Air Force thousands of dollars to train a single recruit. This includes meals, pay, housing, clothing and the support personnel it takes to mold a civilian into an Airman. In the past, the AF Reserve has sent recruits to San Antonio, but for various reasons, a fraction may drop out of basic or have disqualifying issues. With the Development and Training Flight in place, units like the 302nd AW and 310th SW have been able to screen recruits under the Delayed Enlistment Program and provide them critical instruction to better succeed at basic training. Since the flight's inception, 12 trainees have gone to Lackland.

Helping to transition the trainees is Master Sgt. Elisha M. Olivas-Stewart, the single reservist on orders supporting the flight's implementation and operation. In her role as the flight's facilitator, Olivas-Stewart admitted she wished she had something like this before she went to basic training.

"I believe in this program," she said. "I know I had a long road of getting used to the Air Force Reserve way of life. There were so many times that I almost gave up and got out. I used to feel guilty, leaving my babies to accomplish drill weekends. I would have loved to be prepared mentally for what I was truly getting into so as to prepare the rest of my family."

Olivas-Stewart said the program has been a success so far, and hopes it will mimic that of the 349th Air Mobility Wing at Travis AFB, Calif. Just after that flight's start up in 2010, 10 trainees were sent to basic training. Of those trainees, according to Olivas-Stewart, more than half either completed basic military training as honor graduates or were competitive for honorary recognitions.

"From a personal standpoint, I feel like for the first time in my life, I am truly making a difference in the lives and future of the Air Force Reserve," the master sergeant said. "We all play a part in the Air Force."

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.