Guard Teams Help With Crises in Massachusetts, Texas

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy
National Guard Bureau

ARLINGTON, Va., April 18, 2013 – Texas and Massachusetts National Guard members are continuing to provide support to civil and local authorities in the wake of explosions in Boston and in West, Texas, many of them bringing a specialized skill set to the efforts.

This morning, more than 20 members of the Texas Army National Guard’s 6th Civil Support Team were monitoring air quality for hazardous emissions at the site of a still-burning fertilizer plant.

Additional search and extraction, and command and control capabilities from the Texas National Guard Homeland Response Force remain on alert and ready to assist if needed, officials said.

Up to 15 people are feared dead, with at least 160 injured, according to Texas officials.

National Guard civil support teams work with local authorities and provide additional support during times of emergency or the suspected use of weapons of mass destruction. The teams can identify chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear agents and substances, assess current and projected consequences and advise on response measures.

Members of the Texas Guard's 6th Civil Support Team and the Massachusetts Guard's 1st Civil Support Team are providing technical expertise for authorities.

The Massachusetts team was on duty during the April 15 running of the Boston Marathon, augmented by similar Guard teams from New York and Rhode Island.

In addition, the Mississippi National Guard's 47th Civil Support Team aided state, local and federal officials in identifying potentially poisonous substances mailed to the U.S. Senate and the White House.

"Initially, after a catastrophic incident, local and state responders will be the first ones on the ground," said Army Capt. Kenneth Murray, an observer, controller and trainer with the West Virginia National Guard’s Joint Interagency Training and Education Center. "Then, the civil support teams will assess the situation and the Homeland Response Force will be the first federalized unit that's going to be on the ground to provide decontamination for the sick and injured and relief for the first responders."

For the incident commander on the ground, the civil support team provides an additional resource in an already chaotic situation.

"An attack using a weapon of mass destruction would further complicate the emergency response efforts and would create a tremendous burden on a wide variety of local, state and federal recourses," said Ray Toves, director of the civil support team training and readiness division with the 196th Infantry Brigade, adding that when the team arrives on the scene, it works for the local incident commander and provides a unique capability to analyze suspected hazardous agents.

In Boston, more than 850 National Guard members were on duty to assist local authorities with logistics, security and other operations. In addition to the civil support team members, the team also included members of the Massachusetts Army National Guard's 387th Ordnance Company and the 267th Combat Communications Squadron from the Massachusetts Air National Guard. The 267th CCS brings joint incident site communications capability, which allows voice, radio and data communication across multiple systems used by first responders.

"The National Guard can be relied upon for our diverse emergency response and rapid deployment capabilities during times of need in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts." said Air Force Maj. Gen. L. Scott Rice, the Massachusetts adjutant general.

USS Freedom Arrives in Singapore for First Rotational Deployment

Navy News Service

SINGAPORE, April 18, 2013 – The Navy's first littoral combat ship USS Freedom arrived here today, highlighting the next phase of the ship’s deployment to Southeast Asia.

Sailors assigned to the Forward Liaison Element of the littoral combat ship USS Freedom observe the Freedom as it arrives in Singapore. Freedom is on an eight-month deployment to Southeast Asia. The littoral combat ship platforms are designed to employ modular mission packages that can be configured for surface warfare, mine countermeasures, or anti-submarine warfare. The Freedom is homeported in San Diego. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Jay C. Pugh   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

"Freedom has met every milestone of this deployment on time and with the professionalism you would expect of U.S. Navy sailors," said Navy Cmdr. Timothy Wilke, USS Freedom’s commanding officer. "I'm proud of Freedom's accomplishments to date, but I'm also looking forward to putting the ship through its paces over the next several months while deployed more than 8,000 miles from homeport."

Announced at the 2011 Shangri-La Dialogue regional security conference here, Freedom's maiden overseas deployment began with a March 1 departure from its San Diego homeport. The first-in-class ship has since transited the Pacific Ocean, entered the 7th Fleet area of responsibility, and made port visits in Hawaii, Guam and, most recently, in Manila. Additional port visits will occur throughout the deployment.

As with other parts of this deployment, lessons learned from logistics and maintenance support during the transit and port visits will inform follow-on rotational deployments, as well as the overall littoral combat ship program, officials said.

Next month, Freedom will participate in the International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference here. In the following months, Freedom will join regional navies and other 7th Fleet units in select phases of exercises Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training and Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training. Occurring throughout Southeast Asia, both exercises provide Freedom opportunities to train extensively with comparable-sized ships.

"We plan on spending most of our time here in Southeast Asia. This will be Freedom's neighborhood for the next eight months," Wilke said. "We are eager to get out and about, work with other regional navies and share best practices during exercises, port visits and maritime security operations."

Fast, agile, and mission-focused, littoral combat ship platforms are designed to employ modular mission packages that can be configured for three separate purposes: surface warfare, mine countermeasures, or anti-submarine warfare. Freedom will be initially manned by its "Gold" crew of 91 sailors, including mission package personnel and an aviation detachment to operate an embarked MH-60 helicopter.

Freedom will remain homeported in San Diego throughout this rotational deployment to Southeast Asia. Midway through the deployment, the ship’s "Blue" crew, commanded by Navy Cmdr. Patrick C. Thien, will take over.

Face of Defense: Soldier Recalls Rise From Childhood Environment

By Army Sgt. Scott Akenwich
79th Sustainment Support Command

LOS ANGELES, April 18, 2013 – As she was growing up in poverty-stricken South Central Los Angeles, an environment notorious for its drug and gang activity, now-retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Angela Haslip-Farris knew her destiny did not lie there. She knew there was much more beyond the seemingly inescapable cycle of chaos surrounding her.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Angela Haslip-Farris smiles during her retirement ceremony at Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos, Calif., April 6, 2013. She overcame tough childhood circumstances to have successful military and civilian careers. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Scott Akenwich   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

“I had seen so much of the lifestyle around me carry on from one generation to the next. I knew I had to lift myself up out of it,” said Haslip-Farris, who recently retired after 32 years in uniform. “Back in high school, I had no sense of direction. What I saw for myself was a predestined life of poverty, and I vowed to myself I’d never live like that.”

“I never thought for a minute that would be me,” she said, recalling visits to her high school by Army recruiters. After graduating, she began attending Los Angeles Community College, but something still wasn’t quite right, she added.

“I had always been told growing up I was a bastard child who would never succeed,” she said, noting that she was born out of wedlock to an alcoholic mother and that her father was not part of her life. “For a long time, I believed I couldn’t escape from LA and the environment I was in. Many friends of mine were into drugs or getting pregnant.”

Haslip-Farris was raised by her grandmother from the age of 8 months, and despite the traps that constantly surrounded her, another constant was religion.

“As far back as I can remember, I’ve always been in church,” she said. “I was taught to always love myself, because God loved me more. This gave me a sense of purpose and made me realize my destiny truly [was] elsewhere.”

Armed with her faith, a newfound sense of drive and strong-willed determination, Haslip-Farris marched on -- literally and figuratively.

During her first few semesters of community college, Haslip-Farris got a phone call that would lead her to the destiny she always knew awaited her, she said.

“One of the recruiters who had visited my high school called to check up on me and see how I was doing,” she said. The call led to taking the pre-test for the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery and doing well on it, she added. She enlisted Nov. 13, 1980.

Before she left for basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C., she had one last roadblock to overcome.
“I had an uncle we just called ‘Lucky,’ who kept telling me things like ‘You won’t make it through,’ and ‘You’ll be back home in no time,’” Haslip-Farris said. “I used this for motivation during the tough times, because I wanted to prove him wrong.”

During basic training, a foxhole confrontation with a snake and a bout with heat exhaustion helped her realize that Uncle Lucky’s discouraging words had been a psychological ploy all along.

“He really didn’t want me to fail,” Haslip-Farris said. “It sure worked. After that, I knew I could accomplish anything.”

From there, she went on to Fort Gordon, Ga., for advanced individual training. After a tour of duty in Germany, she joined the Army Reserve and served for 28 more years in a career that included instructor duty. Training troops from the front of a classroom is where she found her true calling within the ranks, she said.

“Just having the ability to provide information and bestow knowledge on soldiers was the proudest accomplishment of my career,” she added. “I believe it was an innate gift from God to bless me with the ability to give instruction to others and have many of them approach me after the fact and thank me.”
In fact, Haslip-Farris was so immersed in her work it sometimes was difficult for her to switch off the intensity, said her husband, retired Army Sgt. Maj. Robert Farris.

“Once, I went to pick her up at the conclusion of annual training at Camp Parks,” he said. “It was about 8 p.m. when I got there, and she was sleeping while she waited for me. So I tried to wake her up and ask her if she wanted anything to eat, and all she could say was, ‘Hurry up! Wake up all the soldiers -- we have formation in 30 minutes!’ She was so into the training, she didn’t know where she was, what was going on, or even that it was me waking her up. I just said, ‘Girl, you need a rest.’ I had a good laugh about that one for a long time.”

Army Command Sgt. Maj. Winsome Laos, 650th Regional Support Group, has known and worked with Haslip-Farris for 20 years. They met at Camp Parks in 1990 when Laos replaced her as an instructor after a rotation of training had ended.

“What first struck me about her was her kind-hearted nature,” Laos said. “For example, she offered me all her notes and materials from the course to help me make a smooth transition -- something a lot of people wouldn’t have done.”

It was not only her wealth of knowledge and experience that made her so effective in front of a class, she said, but her engaging and entertaining teaching methods.

In her civilian career, Haslip-Farris has worked for a shipping and delivery company for 22 years and has used what she learned in the Army to catapult herself up the corporate ladder. She is a field human resources specialist, overseeing two districts encompassing all of Southern California.

“Every skill set I’ve learned in the Army has transferred over to my [civilian career],” she said. “My military experience has helped me progress and be promoted several times.”

During her April 6 retirement ceremony at 79th Sustainment Support Command Headquarters, Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos, Calif., Haslip-Farris was wistful about only one aspect of her career: that it had to end.

“The military was my parent and grew me up from when I was 18,” she said. “I’ve spent my entire adult life in the Army. I was in a bit of a period of mourning, but I don't feel sad anymore. I count this journey as one of success and honor. It was truly an honor to have been known as a soldier.”

Airmen fight hunger through 'Food for Kidz'

by Tech. Sgt. Louis Vega, Jr.
944th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

4/16/2013 - LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- Global hunger took another hit today by Luke Air Force Base service members and their families April 13 as they worked alongside community organizations to build "Food for Kidz" boxes.

Approximately 165 volunteers from Luke AFB spent about six hours packaging 105,000 meals, which will be sent to Afghanistan to feed hungry children. The event was headed by Grace Bible Fellowship Church in Sun City and fueled by service members and their families.

Retired Lt. Gen. John Bradley, former Air Force Reserve Command commander, requested the church to donate time, resources and efforts to the Lamia Afghan Foundation. The nonprofit foundation was founded by Bradley and his wife and was inspired by an experience he had in Afghanistan when a little 9-year old girl named Lamia begged him for his boots.

"This food packing event is going to be a lot of help to a lot of families," Bradley said. "We've sent food from "Food for Kidz" many times in the past, and they have always been very generous. I also want to thank the Airmen and their families for coming here today to help with this food packing event. It shows each has a good heart for people in need, and there are people in need all over the world, especially in Afghanistan."

The meals will be distributed to refugee camps and orphanages in Afghanistan by the Lamia foundation, whose mission it is to help the children and disadvantaged people of Afghanistan by providing humanitarian aid, educational opportunities and vocational training that will provide the next generation of Afghans with opportunities unavailable to their parents.

Capt. Kenya Gray, 56th Fighter Wing Chapel, was the project officer who directed and coordinated this year's event. "The Air Force is great, the best people to ever work for because they will step up and have your back, and that's what all I'm about, people having each other's back," Gray said.

Mary Baumgartem, "Food for Kidz" of Minnesota vice chairman, along with her grandson, donated their time and provided insight into what the meals should consist of and the cost.

"Food for Kidz" mission is to provide the opportunity to anyone to package a specially designed, fully nutritious meal, and to distribute this packet of food to hungry children and their families wherever crisis has struck and there is an immediate need, she said.

The boxes contain rice, soy flour, dehydrated vegetables, vegan protein powder and spices which are sealed in industrial-grade plastic bags and have a shelf life of seven years. The cost per meal is 15 cents and there are 36 bags in a box. Each bag is able to feed six people, therefore one box costing $32.40 can feed a child for seven months.

"I volunteer because I wanted to find something that I could do to help other people," said Baumgartem, who's been with "Food for Kidz" 10 years. I thought I'd be busy one night a week, within a 50-mile radius, and it has turned into a wonderful fulltime job."

Karl Main, who has coordinated the event the last two years, is a military missionary with Cadence International and a member of Grace Bible Fellowship Church. He's been serving the Luke community for nearly 14 years.

"We do this to help Airmen. Men and women have expressed a desire to give of themselves and their time to help needy people around the world," he said.

The humanitarian project was a base-wide event bringing Airmen together from every group and affiliation of the 944th Fighter Wing as well as the 56th FW, according to organizers.

"I decided to volunteer for this event because I have a soft spot for children and hungry babies make me want to help," said Senior Airman Leslie Eccles, 56th Operations Support Squadron. "It's good to see how we are trying to help over there."

Reserve Raptor crews test combat readiness

by Tech. Sgt. Dana Rosso
477th Fighter Group

4/15/2013 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska  -- The 477th Fighter Group participated in Polar Force 13-3, a two-phase operational readiness exercise designed to test the unit's ability to deploy on short notice as well as to operate and survive in a wartime environment.

The exercise was part of the unit's normally scheduled training plan. Phase one tests the unit's ability to respond to a short notice tasking, prepare aircraft, equipment and personnel to deploy to a simulated hostile location. Phase two tests the unit's ability to survive in a simulated combat environment.

"This exercise provided a great opportunity for our operations, maintenance and support personnel to exercise their deployment capability," said Col. Tyler Otten 477th FG commander. "While our pilots and maintainers have exercised with the active duty's 3rd Wing before, this was the first time the 477th FG support personnel have participated. It showed us what areas we need to work, but also showed us how much we have accomplished since the group was activated."

This is the first time that the Air Force Reserve 477th Fighter Group has fully participated alongside the Active Duty 673rd Air Base Wing and 3rd Wing as well the Air National Guard 176th Wing, demonstrating Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson's commitment to Total Force Integration.

Throughout the exercise Airmen responded to simulated attacks and scenarios designed to test their ability to survive and operate under the stressful conditions of a hostile environment. These simulated attacks range from conventional or chemical attacks delivered by missiles, mortars, rockets,
small arms fire as well as improvised explosive devices. Airmen are evaluated on their ability respond to each simulated situation and keep a combat focus as they continue to execute the mission.

National Guard's civil support teams respond to crisis nation-wide

by Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy
National Guard Bureau

4/18/2013 - ARLINGTON, Va. -- Texas and Massachusetts National Guard members are continuing to provide support to civil and local authorities in the wake of the West, Texas, and Boston Marathon explosions, and many of those on duty bring with them a specialized skill set.

On Thursday morning, more than 20 members of the 6th Civil Support Team, Texas Army National Guard, were monitoring air quality for hazardous emissions at the site of a still-burning fertilizer plant.

Additional search and extraction, and command and control capabilities from the Texas National Guard Homeland Response Force (HRF) remain on alert and ready to assist if needed.

Up to 15 were feared dead with at least 160 injured, according to Texas officials.

National Guard civil support teams work with local authorities and provide additional support during times of emergency or use of suspected weapons of mass destruction. The teams have capabilities to identify chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear agents and substances, assess current and projected consequences and advise on response measures.

Members of the Texas Guard's 6th Civil Support Team and the Massachusetts Guard's 1st Civil Support Team are providing technical expertise for authorities.

The Massachusetts team was on duty during the running of the Boston marathon, augmented by similar civil support teams from the New York and Rhode Island National Guards.

In addition, the Mississippi National Guard's 47th Civil Support Team aided state, local and federal officials in identifying potentially poisonous substances mailed to members of the U.S. Senate and the White House.

"Initially, after a catastrophic incident, local and state responders will be the first ones on the ground," said Army Capt. Kenneth Murray, observer/controller/trainer with the Joint Interagency Training and Education Center, West Virginia National Guard. "Then, the civil support teams will assess the situation and the Homeland Response Force will be the first federalized unit that's going to be on the ground to provide decontamination for the sick and injured and relief for the first responders."

For the incident commander on the ground, the CST provides an additional resource in an already chaotic situation.

"An attack using a weapon of mass destruction would further complicate the emergency response efforts and would create a tremendous burden on a wide variety of local, state and federal recourses," said Ray Toves, director of the Civil Support Team Training and Readiness Division with the 196th Infantry Brigade, adding that when the CST arrives on the scene, they work for the local incident commander and bring him or her a unique capability to analyze suspected hazardous agents on site.

In Boston, more than 850 National Guard members were on duty to assist local authorities with logistics, security and other operations. In addition to the CST members, the team also included members of the Massachusetts Army National Guard's 387th Ordnance Company (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) and the 267th Combat Communications Squadron from the Massachusetts Air National Guard. The 267th CCS brings with them the Joint Incident Site Communications Capability, which allows voice, radio and data communication across multiple systems used by first responders.

"The National Guard can be relied upon for our diverse emergency response and rapid deployment capabilities during times of need in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts." said Air Force Maj. Gen. L. Scott Rice, adjutant general of the Massachusetts National Guard.

Follow Me: Yokota Airmen assist transitory aircraft on the move

by Osakabe Yasuo
374th Airlift Wing public affairs

4/17/2013 - YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- When transiting aircraft land and taxi on the airfield at Yokota Air Base, Japan, "Follow-Me" vehicles immediately lead them to designated parking spots. Although this happens daily at Yokota, taking care of aircraft regardless of their origin is what transient alert does.

The 374th Maintenance Squadron Transient Alert conducts the mission 24/7 and provides vital assistance to aircraft and crew members. Transient alert at Yokota handles on average 150-200 aircraft a month and 2,000 aircraft a year.

"Our primary mission is to support any and all aircraft landing at Yokota that are not stationed here," said Tech. Sgt. John Lyon, 374 MXS Transient Alert maintenance section chief. "We provide a "Follow-Me" service to all transient aircraft and act as a maintenance liaison for the aircrews."

Transient alert not only provides servicing and maintenance support for U.S. military aircraft, but also aircraft transiting through Yokota Air Base, including Japan Self-Defense Forces, United Nations Command Rear and commercial aircraft. With a variety of nations transiting through Yokota, Lyon said he doesn't find the language barrier problem when communicating with foreign personnel.

"Luckily, English is a universal language that most pilots and maintainers use around the world, so we're able to get through most conversations pretty well," Lyon added. "A lot of the time, the (foreign) personnel passing through will be accompanied by someone who speaks English. Our mission with the JASDF here on base is one that really lets us work side by side and learn some of our host nation's culture and language."

The day starts for transient alert with a pre-mission request from base operations, providing information on transient aircraft arriving and departing Yokota each day. The request is logged into their system, along with any special requirements, including fuel needed or distinguished visitors onboard.

The teams are familiar with the daily requests and aircraft handling, according to Lyon, but one of the challenging aspects for transient alert is dealing with last-minute diversions.

March 11, 2011, one of the most devastating earthquakes and tsunamis to ever hit Japan disrupted flight operations at several Japanese airports, including Tokyo's Narita International Airport. In response to the crisis, Yokota Air Base became an interim landing site for 11 aircraft that were diverted from quake-stricken airports.

"Operation Tomadachi was a great example of the outstanding work and dedication these guys here at transient alert are known for," Lyon said. "Immediately after the earthquake, members of the shop had to jump into emergency-response mode as the base had to set up and support 11 commercial airliners diverting here. Alert members who were off-duty quickly responded to support ongoing operations."

That night, base operation and transient alert rolled into Operation Tomodachi and started making parking plans for contingency aircraft parking, he added.

His team worked around the clock supporting Navy C-130H; Marine CH-46 Sea Knight, SH-60 Sea Hawk, UC-35 Citation, C-12 Huron and KC-130 Hercules; Air Force MC-130 Combat Shadow, MC-130 Combat Talom, HH-60 Pave Hawk and C-130 Hercules; as well as Royal Australian Air Force C-17s and Royal Thai Air Force C-130s. A number of cargo, troop and distinguished-visitor movements were also supported by his team, according to Lyon.

"Overall, while it was a tragedy that the tsunami happened, it was humbling to have an opportunity to support our host nation in such a way," Lyon said, looking back on the Operation Tomodachi.

Dempsey, South Korean Counterpart Reaffirm Alliance

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2013 – The alliance between the United States and South Korea is stronger than ever, the top military officers from both countries said today.

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. Jung Seung-jo, his South Korean counterpart, convened the 37th Republic of Korea-United States Military Committee meeting via teleconference.

“On the basis of the mutual defense treaty, the two chairmen reaffirmed not only the commitment to enhancing mutual security, but also the commitment to the enduring mission of the alliance, which is to defend the Republic of Korea through a robust combined defense posture,” Pentagon officials said in a written statement summarizing the meeting. “They also reaffirmed that both countries will respond firmly to any provocation by North Korea, in accordance with the Republic of Korea-United States Bilateral Counter-Provocation Plan.”

Dempsey reiterated the firm and unwavering commitment of the United States to defend South Korea using all available military capabilities, including forces postured on the Korean Peninsula, its nuclear umbrella, and conventional strike and missile defense capabilities, the statement said.

Jung expressed South Korea's commitment to strengthen the level of its capabilities, the statement continued, and to enhance the level of military cooperation in the region in response to North Korea's ongoing pattern of defiance and provocative actions, which pose a serious threat to the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia, and international peace and security.

Both chairmen also reaffirmed their commitment to further enhance the alliance's deterrence capabilities and highlighted the bilateral decision to prepare sufficient capabilities for South Korea’s defense.

In addition, the Republic of Korea-United States Military Committee reaffirmed that preparations for wartime operational control transition are on track with the Strategic Alliance 2015 implementation plan, the statement said.

“To ensure a resolute and enduring combined defense posture, the military committee shared perspectives on the future command structure and agreed to refine the specifics and make a recommendation and seek approval at the security consultative meeting this October,” officials added.

Both chairmen agreed today’s discussions made a significant contribution to enhancing the alliance and strengthening the military relations between the two countries, and they agreed to hold the next committee meeting at a mutually convenient time this year.

Air Force Combat Talons fly for last time

by Tech. Sgt. Samuel King Jr.
919th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs

4/18/2013 - DUKE FIELD, Fla.  -- The Air Force's last four MC-130E Combat Talon I's spread their wings for a final mission from their home at Duke Field on April 15.

The Talons will be officially retired in a ceremony at Duke Field on April 25 and the aircraft will then be flown to the "boneyard" at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ. April 25th commemorates the 33rd anniversary of the Desert One mission to free the Iranian Hostages - several of the MC-130E's at Duke Field took part in that mission.

"This is an emotional and historic day for the Airmen of the 919th Special Operations Wing," said Col. Andy Comtois, 919th SOW Commander. "Since our inception, the 919 SOW has primarily been a C-130 wing and, for almost 20 years, a Combat Talon wing. We will miss these great warbirds."

The four Talons took off as two two-ships carrying more than 40 of the Wing's Airmen who had a long association with the Talon I's and wanted to be a part of the historic final flight.

"I was glad we were allowed to be a part of it," said Tech. Sgt. Lora Huett, of the 919th Force Support Squadron. "The best part was when they opened up the ramp and took people back to sit on it. It was a beautiful view."

Chief Master Sgt. Tom Mason, the wing's new command chief, flew his last mission as a loadmaster on Aircraft 64-551. The chief transitioned to the loadmaster career field when the Talons arrived at Duke in 1995.

"I've had many great missions over the years both at home and in war," said Mason. "I don't know that I could have planned a more honorable way to end my career as an enlisted aviator than with the last flight of the mighty Combat Talons."

The final flight and the upcoming retirement of the Talons are large steps in the continuing transition to the new Aviation Foreign Internal Defense mission for Air Force Special Operations Command. More than five of the wing's new aircraft, the C-145A, already populate the Duke flightline.

"As our future mission emerges, we must say goodbye to the past," said Comtois. "The sun has set on the Talon mission. The 919th looks forward to a new aircraft and a new mission. Our Citizen Air Commandos are more than ready and capable to take on this new challenge."

The MC-130E made its first Air Force flight in 1966 and has taken part in every major U.S. conflict since. The Talon's primary mission was to provide infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply of special operations forces and equipment in hostile or denied territory.

Secondary missions include psychological operations and helicopter and vertical lift air refueling.

128th ARW Trains to Survive and Operate

by Staff Sgt. Jenna Hildebrand
128th ARW/Public Affairs

4/17/2013 - MILWAUKEE -- The 128th Air Refueling Wing conducted Ability to Survive and Operate training on base during their unit training assembly here Apr. 6, 2013.

ATSO training prepares Airmen to secure their installation and continue to do their jobs in the event of nuclear, biological, radiological, or chemical warfare.

During the training, unit members donned their chemical defense equipment and operated under attack conditions. They performed post-attack reconnaissance by reporting chemical contamination, unidentified explosive ordinances and other hazards to their unit control centers. While performing the PAR sweeps, unit members also located personnel casualties and practiced self-aid and buddy care.

The training that the unit members performed is intended to prepare them for upcoming operational readiness exercises, which further prepares the wing for inspections.

"This weekend is setting the foundation for basic skills of survivability and operation," said Lt. Col. Paige Augustino, the wing Exercise Evaluation Team Chief. "We need to protect ourselves and get the base recovered and functioning as soon as possible because our main function is getting the airplanes off the ground."

While most of the unit members practiced ATSO training in and around their squadrons, the aircrews also prepared for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear attacks.

"Aircrew members are training by donning chemical defense equipment equivalent to that of the ground crew, with the exception that their gear is compatible with the airplane," said Senior Master Sgt. Shane Loomis, an Aircrew Flight Equipment technician.

Aircrew Eye and Respiratory Protection Systems can connect to the aircraft oxygen and power supply so aircrew members can fly without getting contaminated in the aircraft. Ground crew support helped the aircrews get to and from the aircraft safely. Afterwards, the ground crew processed the aircrews through a new decontamination system.

This training will improve our members' capabilities and is vital for base survivability, said Augustino.

A tribute to the Doolittle Raiders

Commentary by Lt. Col. Matthew Rodman
34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron

4/18/2013 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) -- The 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron will pay tribute by flying American flags during B-1B Lancer missions on the anniversary of the Doolittle Raid, April 18.

Pearl Harbor was only the first of many bold moves that made Japan seem nearly invincible in the early months of World War II. For a time, it was as if America and her allies were resigned to watch Japan devour chunks of Asia and the Pacific. In this grim environment, the Navy hatched a daring plan to strike back: If carriers could not get close enough to Japan for fighter aircraft, and even the heaviest of Army bombers were out of range, why not launch smaller medium bombers from the decks of carriers?

In 1942, Army Air Forces Lt. Col. James "Jimmy" Doolittle, one of the most respected aviators in America, was tasked with making the allied plan a reality. He needed to find a two-engine bomber small enough to launch from a carrier yet with enough range to reach Japan, and a payload to make the trip matter. It was Doolittle who hand-picked the B-25 Mitchell and the 17th Bomb Group - composed of the 34th, 37th, 95th Bomb and the 89th Reconnaissance squadrons. Trusting Doolittle, they volunteered, trusted and deployed without knowing their true mission.

Doolittle's Raiders sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge in early April. On the 18th, the task force was spotted by the Japanese almost 200 miles from their intended launch point. Doolittle's 16 bombers launched early without even the time or fuel to join into formation. They flew individually to dispersed targets and consequently achieved only minor military and industrial damage. The strategic effect, however, cannot be underestimated. The raid was a boost for America's morale and a devastating blow to Japan. Belief in the Japanese peoples' invincibility and confidence in their isolation was shattered. Japan withdrew troops to defend their islands and rushed plans to attack more U.S. targets, namely Midway. As a result, the tide of the entire Pacific war would turn in favor of the allies within two months, and it all started with a daring raid and the small glimmer of hope it gave to America.

The Raiders gather on almost every anniversary since 1943 to toast their mission, commander and comrades. Each man has a small silver goblet; his name engraved both right side up and upside down. When a Raider passes, the others drink to his memory and gently invert his goblet. After today, only four of the 80 goblets will remain upright. Richard Cole, Robert Hite, Edward Saylor and David Thatcher made the difficult decision that it is time to declare the mission complete. Seventy-one years after their aircraft shuddered off the deck of the U.S.S. Hornet, today will be their final official reunion.

While the Raiders use these anniversaries to remember for themselves, they do something even more important; they serve to remind the rest of us.

The Raiders remind us, first, that we do not fight alone. Without a joint effort, the Doolittle Raid would not have happened. For as much as each service brings to the table, we are stronger together and stronger still with our civilian and coalition partners.

The Raiders also remind us that freedom requires sacrifice. They launched knowing that safe landings were out of the question. The best hope was parachuting out over free China. The Raiders went anyway and without hesitation. Two died in crashes. Another eight were captured, three of whom were executed. Countless thousands of civilians were murdered as enraged Japanese troops searched occupied Chinese territory for the Airmen.

The Raiders remind us, above all, that we have an important legacy to uphold. In the military, we stand on the shoulders of generations of heroes. Fittingly, B-1B Bombers from the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, one of Doolittle's own, will be flying into combat as the Raiders lift their goblets today. They do so to protect coalition lives, hold the enemy at risk, and give the people of Afghanistan their own small glimmer of hope.

Wherever you may be today, consider raising a glass to the Doolittle Raiders. Remember their mission and be thankful for the brave men stood up in a time of dire need when the odds were against them. Accept their reminder of what it means to be an Airman and a warrior. As their mission concludes, ours is the humbling responsibility to continue in their formidable footsteps.

Advance Headquarters Elements Operating in Jordan

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2013 – Elements of the 1st Armored Division headquarters at Fort Bliss, Texas, are preparing for what’s expected to be a year-long mission in Jordan to help the Jordanian military deal with consequences of the Syrian conflict, Army Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pittard, the division commander, told reporters today.

Members of the element, to be led by Army Maj. Gen. Wayne Grigsby Jr., deputy division commander for operations, are expected to rotate during the mission, Pittard said. Details are still being worked out, he added, estimating that deployments would be in the six-month range.
About 110 soldiers will deploy from Fort Bliss, with liaison officers and other augmentees to increase the element’s size closer to 200, he said.

On the ground, the element will coordinate with U.S. military forces operating in Jordan and provide assistance “in everything from humanitarian assistance to stability [operations] to other things in support of Jordan,” Pittard said. The operational role, however, is expected to be “very, very limited,” he said, adding that the headquarters is prepared to expand the mission and the scale of the mission as necessary.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced the deployment during testimony yesterday before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

The contingent will enhance efforts of a small U.S. military team that has been working in Jordan since last year on planning related to chemical weapons and preventing a spillover of violence across Jordan’s borders, the secretary told the Senate panel.

“These personnel will continue to work alongside Jordanian armed forces to improve readiness and prepare for a number of scenarios,” he said.

Pittard reported today that the advance party already is on the ground in Jordan preparing for the mission.

The division is regionally aligned with U.S. Central Command, and Pittard and most of his headquarters staff worked alongside their Jordanian counterparts during Exercise Eager Light in October, he said. Exercise Eager Lion, also in Jordan, is slated for June. Another portion of the headquarters is in Saudi Arabia for Exercise Earnest Leader, and others will participate in Exercise Bright Star in Egypt in September, he said.

The deployment comes just two weeks after the announcement that missile defenders based at Fort Bliss would deploy to Guam as a precautionary move to protect against North Korean missiles.
Members of the Terminal High Altitude Air Defense System battery deployed last week and are in place and operational in Guam, Pittard reported.

“They are well-trained and ready, and the capability they bring will certainly help to protect our country,” he said.

Pittard said he’s proud that Fort Bliss “has really become one of our premier installations” in the expeditionary Army.

Army Deaths Spur Successful Campaign Against Supplements

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2013 – A “David-and-Goliath” scenario – an Army installation commander standing up to a multi-billion-dollar industry over the deaths of three of his soldiers – has borne fruit in a national Food and Drug Administration warning and the drug maker’s decision to stop production of a controversial dietary supplement.

Army Gen. Dana J.H. Pittard, commander of Fort Bliss, Texas, and the 1st Armored Division, lauded USPlabs’s announcement that it would stop production of Jack3d.

The supplement contains dimethylamylamine, or DMAA, a stimulant popular among bodybuilders and dieters that the FDA last week linked to elevated blood pressure and heart attacks.

Pittard’s crusade against the supplement began in 2011, when two Fort Bliss soldiers, Pfc. Michael Sparling and Sgt. Demekia Cola, died of heart failure during physical training. Their autopsies reviewed that DMAA use was a contributing factor in their deaths.

In July 2012, another Fort Bliss soldier, Pfc. David Artis, died of heart stroke during physical fitness training. His death also was linked to DMAA use.

Pittard, who instituted a campaign to reduce suicides and other preventable deaths on arrival at Fort Bliss, immediately demanded that products containing DMAA be removed from the shelves of a commercial vitamin store outlet on the post. It was an unpopular move, he told reporters today, raising the ire of the Fort Bliss community, questions from some Army leaders, and criticism from manufacturers of supplemental products.

“But regardless, we stood firm in the face of that criticism,” Pittard said. “We felt it was the right thing to do for our soldiers.”

The pushback, he said, actually strengthened the resolve at Fort Bliss to take the fight beyond the installation’s gates. Partnering with the Consortium for Health and Military Performance and the Pentagon’s Department of Military and Emergency Medicine, Pittard and his staff set their eye on eradicating DMAA products across not only the Army, but also the entire Defense Department.

This unified campaign spurred the Army to ban supplements containing DMAA from all installations in March 2012. Four months later, the Defense Department followed suit, banning them from all U.S. installations. In the next promising development, the FDA issued an advisory last week warning consumers not to buy dietary supplements containing DMAA.

But the biggest victory, Pittard said, was the decision by USPlabs, the manufacturer of Jack3d, to stop using DMAA in its products.

“Yesterday’s action by USPlabs really in many ways vindicates those on Fort Bliss who fought so hard and fought the supplement and billion-dollar drug industry on this issue,” he said.

Pittard expressed thanks to the Army and Air Force Exchange Service and Army and DOD leadership for supporting the effort. He acknowledged that it took courage to collectively stand up to powerful drug companies and others who resisted their efforts.

“And we believe this will save countless lives in the future,” he said.

New medical evacuation training may save lives

by Staff Sgt. Amber R. Kelly-Herard
Air Mobility Command Public Affairs

4/16/2013 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill.  -- As the second group of graduates left Air Mobility Command's Aeromedical Evacuation school recently, the streamlined curriculum they experienced promised Total Force medical crews who are even better prepared to work together to save lives.

Thirty days of streamlined training at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, now brings common standards to Guard, Reserve and active-duty Airmen, allowing aeromedical crews to seamlessly act in emergency medical situations without skipping a beat.

"Each crew member having the same initial qualification training will improve their interoperability, which will allow any combination of crew members to work flawlessly together and focus on supporting wounded warriors returning from Afghanistan," said Col. Jennifer Kimmet, AMC Aeromedical Evacuation Operations chief.

Previously, with 33 variations of different locations and curricula, Airmen might have taken up to a year to be fully trained. Until now, most flight nurses and technicians received initial flight qualification training at their units, while some attended formal training classes at Pope Army Air Field, N.C.

"This is a big paradigm shift for aeromedical training," said Maj. Artemus Armas, AMC's Aeromedical Evacuation Operations and Training Branch chief. "This is the new way training should be done in the future, because it reduces local training variances and provides a single, standardized approach that allows for more efficient medical treatment."

The new curriculum involves five days of academic training on Air Force Instructions and terminology. Trainees then treat a simulated patient and then are evaluated for administering care aboard an aircraft. After working on a simulated C-130, for instance, students move on to actual C-130, C-17 and KC-135 aeromedical evacuation-configured aircraft.

The school will hold six more classes of up to 192 students this year.

AMC is the lead command for Aeromedical Evacuations worldwide. Since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, March 19, 2003, Guard, Reserve and active-duty Aeromedical Evacuation experts have performed nearly 200,000 patient movements for wounded service members.

763rd RS hits 10,000th sortie

by Staff Sgt. Joel Mease
379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

4/17/2013 - SOUTHWEST ASIA -- The 763rd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron completed its 10,000th sortie April 10, all while continuously serving in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility for nearly 23 years.

Using the Rivet Joint platform, the squadron averages around 10 hours a sortie with an average crew of 25 who having flown more than 2.5 million hours collectively.

What stands out to Senior Master Sgt. Barry Thompson the most is how much time the average Airman has given the squadron during those 10,000 sorties.

"As impressive as the technology is behind the jet, it's really the people behind the jet who make this mission work," said Thompson, an airborne mission supervisor. "A lot of people have given a large part of their lives to this mission. As a result of that, I have the utmost respect for what they do."

Thompson is currently in his 15th deployment with the squadron and said he has seen nearly the entire 23-year stretch of the RJs flying in the AOR. His first deployment was as an airborne linguist in 1992. Since then, he said, time spent in the air is a constant.

"We're not a 50 sortie-a-day squadron," Thompson said. "It's an all-day mission, so when we fly, the ground and aircrew strive to make every minute count. So no matter what is required, when push comes to shove, these guys are always ready to perform."

The 763rd ERS director of operations agrees that a lot of time was put into accomplishing the mission, but said it's because it is so important.

"For most of the people in this squadron, this mission is all they know," said Lt. Col. Brian Lebeck, who first deployed with the squadron during Operation Southern Watch in the spring of 2000. "But the job we do gets people home safely. If we can do that for one or two Soldiers on the ground, that makes all the difference in the world."

While milestones like reaching 10,000 miles mark historical significance, Lebeck said he correlates it to a game of football.

"I know there have been a myriad of people before me who have carried that football," Lebeck said. "I've been a part of taking that football a little farther down the field, and in the future someone else will. Whether it will be our 11,000th, 12,000th or 13,000th sortie, we will continue to be here, because that's how valuable this region is."

Thompson, who saw the first 1,000 sortie milestone by the squadron, said it's that constant which really endures.

"The fact these Airmen continue to reenlist shows their dedication not only to the mission but to their country," Thompson said. "It's truly been my pleasure these last 22 years to have the honor to fly with them."

Purple, the color of sacrifice

by Chandra Brown
Air Force Reserve Command Public Affairs Office

4/17/2013 - Robins Air Force Base, Ga.  -- Schools throughout Houston County, Ga., joined a nationwide movement to "Purple Up" on April 15.

Matt Arthur Elementary School students, faculty and staff were one of many schools in the United States wearing purple to recognize April as the Month of the Military Child.

"The military is a very important part of Houston County, Kathleen and Matt Arthur Elementary," said Dr. Richard Rogers, Matt Arthur Elementary School principal. "The military families along with their kids bring experiences and values that help make our school special."

In April the armed forces celebrates the Month of the Military child. The month-long celebration thanks military children for their service and recognizes them for their strength, sacrifices, and the hardships they face.

"I love the Purple Up program for one reason; military kids did not choose this lifestyle," said Anne Johnson, mother of three boys and wife of Lt. Col. Craig Johnson, Programs Division chief, Air Force Reserve Command Installations and Mission Support Directorate.

"As adults my husband and I both chose to serve our country; our children are just along for the ride," said Anne, who served for 10-years in the Air Force. "I think they deserve every possible form of recognition for the years of making friends that they will have to say good-bye to, over and over again".

The eldest boy, 9-year-old Matthew, has lived in six states.

"I think my least favorite part about being a military child is that we have to move a lot and you don't get to see your friends," said Matthew Johnson.

Matthew and his two brothers currently attend Matt Arthur and, while traveling has been a learning experience, it's still hard to leave the place they call home.

Purple Up is just one way Matt Arthur shows their support to military families. The school also hosts a Big Knight, Little Knight program.

"This program is truly a gift to military children with a parent deployed, it pairs the students together, young and old, and gives the children a place to feel included, supported and loved," said Anne.

The transition for her boys has been smoother for the young ones, but like many military kids, the eldest son struggled the most. She said the older the child, the harder it can be to break into friendships that have already been established.

"We understand initially, the families are nervous about the transition here. So by walking them around and taking them through the classrooms, the parents have a sense of peace and it lets the kids know they will be okay, said Rogers. "We feel like we are their second home. This is a community-school. We love our Matt Arthur Knights and we want them to feel supported."

The event was developed by Operation Military Kids, an organization dedicated to military families. Purple is the color that symbolizes all branches of the military, as it is the combination of Army green, Coast Guard blue, Air Force blue, Marine red and Navy blue.

CE units combine forces to catch planes

by Airman 1st Class Riley Johnson
460th Space Wing Public Affairs

4/16/2013 - BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo.  -- Airmen from the 460th Civil Engineer Squadron and 140th CES, Colorado Air National Guard, received assistance from the 200th RED HORSE, Ohio Air National Guard, to install two Barrier Arresting Kit-12 systems April 12 on Buckley's flightline.

The team of power production Airmen assembled and installed the BAK-12 systems during a five-day span.

"We did it in a short timeframe. Everyone started on Monday, and we had the certification run on Friday. We saw all inclement weather conditions, from snow to high winds, and zero visibility," said Master Sgt. Joshua Barnett, 140th CES power productions NCO in charge.

The barrier systems were installed on Buckley in preparation for upcoming flightline construction.

The BAK-12 is an emergency stopping system for tail-hook equipped aircraft to prevent crashes and give assurance to pilots should their aircraft experience maintenance issues.

The system consists of a cable stretched across the flightline that is attached to the braking mechanisms on both sides. As the aircraft engages the system, the braking mechanism will slowly apply pressure until the aircraft comes to a stop.

After the week-long assembly, the BAK-12 proved it was capable of stopping a 29,000 pound F-16 Fighting Falcon traveling at a speed of more than 100 mph.

"The most rewarding part was seeing the plane hit the catch line. When I first went out there it was a patch of grass and a flightline. We got to see what we had worked so hard to do," said Senior Airman Taquan Kelley, 460th CES power production journeyman.

Eight Airmen from the 200th Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers provided Buckley's power production teams with manpower, assets and expertise.

"This effort is a great example of leveraging guard and active-duty assets to complete a mission. Installing two Barrier Arresting Kit-12 systems in one week is not easy. The entire team of power production and heavy equipment personnel should be proud of their achievement and how well they were able to integrate operations," said Maj. Gibb Little, 460th CES operation flight commander.

Air Force reserve instructor pilot killed in vehicle accident

47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs

4/17/2013 - LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- An Air Force reserve instructor pilot was killed along with his wife and two daughters near San Antonio, Texas, April 13.

Lt. Col. Kenneth Koontz, a civilian simulator instructor and member of the 96th Flying Training Squadron was killed in a traffic accident on U.S. Route 90.

"Lt. Col. Kenneth 'Jughead' Koontz was one of the most seasoned T-6 instructor pilots at Laughlin," said Lt. Col. Sean Garrett, 96th FTS commander. "He was a valued and trusted leader within the 96th FTS and he was loved by the students, having recently been named the 'Best Guest Help IP' by Class 13-15."

Each pilot training class has instructor pilots who do not fly with them on a day-to-day basis, but do fly with them regularly. These instructor pilots are known informally as 'Guest Help IPs' and each class picks their favorite, as well as favorite simulator instructor. Koontz had been picked a number of times for these awards.

While Lt. Col. Koontz loved teaching students how to fly, it wasn't his top priority, explained Garrett.

"Jughead was a man of strong faith, and spending time with his family was always his priority. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him," said Garrett.

Before joining the Air Force Reserve, Koontz was in the Navy for 15 years. He became an Air Force reservist in 2006.

Many of the training flights for April 15 were curtailed as students and squadron members dealt with their grief.

"Our priorities right now are to help this family any way we can and to ensure our team is mentally ready to resume flight training," said Col. Tom Murphy, 47th Flying Training Wing commander. "Lt. Col. Koontz was a civilian employee and a Reserve lieutenant colonel, exemplifying what an Airman is all about, and he established a very high standard of excellence along the way. He and his family were deeply ingrained into the Laughlin, Brackettville and Del Rio communities. This is a tragedy and they will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Koontz family and friends."

Koontz flew 894 sorties equaling 5,656.5 flight hours during his career; 4,456 of those hours were in the Navy and 1,200 hours in the Air Force. He also had 2,036 hours in a simulator.

"That means he probably worked with 1,800 students in the SIMs alone," said Mr. Danny Williams, Director of Sims and Academics.

"The number of students Lt. Col. Koontz has worked with and helped shape into remarkable pilots is a testament to his skills and talents," said Murphy. "He helped us graduate the world's best pilots. That is a fact!"

Strong roots sprout Outstanding Airman of the Year

by Senior Airman Cody H. Ramirez
374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

4/16/2013 - YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Each year, 12 outstanding enlisted people are chosen throughout the Air Force for their leadership, job performance, community involvement and personal achievements.

Senior Master Sgt. Emilio Hernandez, stationed at Yokota Air Base, Japan, is one of those Airmen. In 2012, he was named as one of the Air Force 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year.

Hernandez, the 374th Civil Engineer Squadron Operations Flight superintendent, leads a team of engineers responsible for maintaining the entire base.

"We do everything from toilets to airfield, so you could imagine everything in between that requires maintenance and repair -- we do it all," Hernandez said. "We maintain every facility on base, the airfield, the lighting systems, the power systems, the heating ventilation and air conditioning systems, to include the aircraft arresting barriers on the airfield in case of an emergency for fighter aircraft."

Eight career fields fall under the operations flight: water fuel maintenance, electricians, power production, HVAC, dirt boys, structures, pest management and controllers. Hernandez is used to leading such a large group of Airmen, since he also served as the operations flight superintendent at Mildenhall Royal Air Base, England, and Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.

Hernandez said his recognition isn't about what he did individually; it was the opportunities presented to him and the people he was privileged to lead and serve with.

"I don't think there has been a difference in what I did this year, because the teams I have always been involved with - engineers - have always been impressive," the Hialeah, Flo., native said. "I surround myself with good people and because of it, great things happen, not only to me, but my team. It has been that way throughout my career."

Hernandez, who won for his wing while stationed at Mildenhall and later won as the 2012 Senior NCO for United States Air Forces in Europe, said the thought of being one of the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year never crossed his mind.

"It was an honor to represent so many people -- USAFE being 49,000 strong, but to be one of the 12 chosen out of the entire Air Force, it is beyond words," he said. "There are a lot of people in the Air Force, the best Americans you can find, and that includes anyone in the service. It is just so humbling to be selected."

Hernandez added that any one of the more than 300,000 Airmen in the Air Force have what it takes to be one of the 12, he just happened to be chosen.

"I'm a CE guy, toilets to airfields, and I am one of the 12; everyone has an equal chance," he said. "You don't have to be doing miracle work, you need to be doing your job and taking the opportunities to deploy and to make a difference where and when you can."

He also said he is proud to be a representative of the Air Force and is excited to, "share what we do, what we bring to the fight and what caliber of people we have."

As an Outstanding Airmen of the Year, Hernandez, along with the other 11 Airmen, is on the Air Force Enlisted Council and met with the chief master sergeant of the Air Force to discuss issues and concerns of the whole enlisted force.

"The most important part of being an Airman of the Year is the ability to make a difference on the enlisted council," Hernandez said. "After sitting down and speaking with Chief Cody, I have a great feeling that our leadership is really aware of what is going on with our enlisted force. Chief Cody a great guy and a great leader and I believe he is going to tackle some of the issues brought up head-on."

Hernandez personally brought up the feedback system and how supervisors throughout the Air Force should work on accurately documenting and defining their subordinate's job performance.

"Near-and-dear to my heart is the enlisted feedback system. I feel like that is the most important part of our enlisted structure and also the most neglected," he said. "We just don't do a good enough job as supervisors to develop our folks and accurately put them on paper. Our feedback and our enlisted performance reports need to reflect the same idea, and our Airmen deserve that."

Showing similar passion during his most recent deployment led Hernandez to be chosen as one of the 12.


Hernandez Deployment

Hernandez, who has been on countless deployments throughout his career, recently traveled to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, for seven months as part of the 1st Expeditionary Civil Engineer Group, 777th Prime BEEF Squadron.

"A prime beef unit is a civil engineer unit that deploys and opens an airfield, sets up tent city and repairs and maintains the base from there-on," Hernandez said. "It comprises of all light construction."

Hernandez led 52 people in 53 civil engineer projects at 163 forward operating bases in support of 85,000 warfighters. He orchestrated $80,000 in repairs to nine Marine Corps aircraft hangars to safeguard $300 million in assets in support of a vital intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform. He also oversaw a project to upgrade an electrical grid on a dam, that preserved water and power flow to 450,000 Afghans, and managed the construction of two tactical operations centers worth $500,000, securing Afghanistan's key district of Panjwai.

Throughout every project safety came first for Hernandez, not only for himself, but for his teams. He said he ensured all recon was done and intelligence reports were read before he sent his people on a mission.

"I didn't want to send them somewhere they might get hurt," Hernandez said. "Obviously the risks are higher in Afghanistan, but seeing your whole team come back with a finished product was always so rewarding."

He worked in a joint environment, working side-by-side with Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen, while his unit was under the 30th Naval Construction Regiment. Hernandez said his team also partnered with a Canadian engineer team who flew to forward operating bases and worked with Afghan soldiers.

"We taught the Afghans how to maintain electrical systems, because it was a big issue throughout the country," Hernandez said. "We would train them on how to properly install electrical systems, because often times we would find wires running everywhere with no regard for safety. We helped rectify the situation."

Also while in Kandahar, Hernandez and his team trained the first Afghan Air Wing on how to operate and wire generators, and maintain electrical systems.

"It was a difficult task considering that many of the Afghans are illiterate," Hernandez added. "The electrical work requires a lot of reading and diagrams, so we would educate them as best as possible. We had a great training outline that was very picture and hands-on oriented."

Afghanistan is currently building a valid armed force for security to protect their country, according to Hernandez, and his team was assisting them in meeting their goal.

"We knew how important their task was to the overall goal," he said. "We knew that teaching these guys how to provide emergency power to facilities, especially those that might generate sorties or directly affect the mission, would make a huge difference in the big picture of building a solid force for Afghanistan."

Hernandez worked with local military while in Iraq and El Salvador, so this wasn't his first experience working alongside foreign military members. He said he also built a school once in the Philippines with the help of the Philippine Navy Seabees. The school children had to walk at least 10 miles to the nearest school until Hernandez's team built a new school 500 meters away from the village.

Throughout his two decades of service and multiple deployments, Hernandez said his most memorable moments are of watching junior Airmen tackle jobs -- how they handled them and grew from their experiences.

"Some of us older guys, we know what we are doing. We kind of know what the outcome will be," the senior master sergeant said. "But with young people, sometimes you sit back and let them do things and what they achieve is so much more than you expected of them. It kind of puts you in awe."

He said he was always amazed when traveling to forward operating bases and witnessing his teams' accomplishments.

"Under incredible conditions -- the worst you can imagine, I was always amazed at what my guys could do when they are motivated, have the people, equipment and resources and know the importance of their mission," Hernandez added. "That is really what fires me up. Seeing other guys excel at what they do and watching the young Airmen really get into it."

Hernandez said being deployed is a very challenging yet rewarding experience, because the work tempo is much faster, but service members see the impact of their work almost immediately.

"Your team stays motivated because they see the fruits of their labor," Hernandez said. "They can say 'wow' look at what we just built and now someone else is running missions out of it. It could be a medical facility and now lives are being saved in a facility you just built 30 days ago."

Hernandez said he had an incredible team throughout his deployment.

"Leading those guys was easy," he added. "They knew what they were doing."

No matter the caliber of team, deployments can be rough on the individual and their family back home, but Hernandez said he knew what he signed up for, and because of his roots, he found strength to prosper throughout his time in Afghanistan.


Air Force Career

Hernandez came from humble beginnings and was born into a communist regime in Cuba.

"I experienced communism a little myself, but mostly from my parents stories I learned what it does to its people, to their soul and to their livelihood," Hernandez said. "I was privileged to leave by the time I was 8 and grow up in the U.S."

After leaving Cuba, Hernandez's family moved to Miama, Fla., where he was raised until graduating high school. Upon graduation, he married his high school sweetheart and three days later joined the Air Force.

Since joining, Hernandez was stationed in Michigan, Colorado, Turkey, South Carolina, Misawa Air Base, Japan, Mildenhall Royal Air Base, United Kingdom, and finally Japan again at Yokota. He has also been on several deployments throughout the world.

"I have had wonderful assignments and met wonderful people," he said. "I've never picked anywhere I wanted to go, but I have always ended up with good assignments. It doesn't matter where I go as long as I know my family will be with me and I'll be working with engineers."

Being married since he joined the military, Hernandez has a 19-year old daughter and a 15-year old son.

"I am grateful for the opportunities the Air Force has given my family and still continues to give. I have two kids now and I serve for them also," he said.

Hernandez said he joined because something his father once said. It compelled him to find a way to represent his family and give back.

"My dad was the most patriotic guy I've ever known. He always told me that we have to value freedom," Hernandez said. "We serve, and in my mind that is the best way to give back to your nation. Service can mean a lot of things, whether community service, military service or somehow giving back."

Since taking the message with him through life and after 21 years of service in the Air Force, Hernandez has also been selected for promotion to the rank of chief master sergeant.

"It is a long time, but it seems so short to me because it has flown by so quickly. That's what happens when you are having fun, time goes by quickly," Hernandez said. "I am excited and pumped up to be a chief, and I'm looking forward to taking care of my people. The most important thing is taking care of the people here at my squadron."

Airmen make progress in bid for Everest

by USAF Seven Summits Challenge blog and U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs
USAF Seven Summits Challenge blog and U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs

4/17/2013 -  FT. GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) -- A team of Air Force mountaineers began their journey to ascend and summit Mount Everest recently as the final expedition of the independent U.S. Air Force Seven Summit Challenge.

The team of six Airmen is underway on a 50-day journey to the highest mountain on earth, completing a project that began eight years ago with the goal of reaching the highest mountains on each of the seven continents, to plant the American and Air Force flags.

Collectively, teams of the Summit Challenge have already scaled the more than 104,337 vertical feet on Mount Elbrus, Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Aconcagua, Mount McKinley, Mount Vinson and Mount Kosciuszko.

The summit team is accompanied by four trekkers and three wounded warriors (two pararescuemen and a combat rescue officer) who will not make a summit attempt but support the team in their feat.

The team reached Nepal March 31, and began the final stages of the trip. After spending a few days in the region getting used to the increased elevation, the team pushed on to Everest.

By April 10, most of the team had moved up to base camp facilities at Lobuche, a mountain peak near Everest. The group then moved on to the Everest Base Camp to acclimatize at further increased elevation and practiced important procedures such as crevasse rescues and ladder handling.

At Everest Base Camp, Capt. Rob Marshall, one of the co-founders of the AF Seven Summits challenge and the leader of the team, was able to make a call home early April 15.

"We were having an awesome day today. We had our Puja, a big spiritual blessing (ceremony), where we ask Mount Everest and essential the spirit of the mountain to bless the team and give us good luck," Marshall said, shortly before his data connection was interrupted.

With a view of the Khumbu icefall, a precarious gateway on the ascent to Everest, Marshall said the team grew more excited -- looking at the mountain they've prepared so hard to climb.

Scaling Mount Everest is not a quick affair. Marshall said the group will move at a slow pace to improve their chances of getting as many people as possible to the summit.

"You can climb Everest at a faster pace, but from our research, we are giving ourselves the best chance to acclimatize and the optimal amount of time to reach the top," Marshall said.

Health is an especially difficult issue for expeditions in the Himalayas. Most of the team fell ill with intestinal "bugs," shortly after their arrival in Nepal, due to the foreign food and living conditions.

The team since returned to Lobuche, which with nearly 20,161 feet elevation is already higher than any point in the continental U.S. They plan to ascend the lower peak April 16 for a "shakedown climb," giving everyone the important chance to check out their gear on a lower elevation, lower risk climb before making their first trip through the Khumbu icefall and up to Camp 1 on Everest.

The mountaineers plan their final ascent to Everest for mid-May, however the teams anxiety is rising.

"The stakes of this climb are the highest (no pun intended) of my life," Marshall wrote online. "There is a lot of personal pride and no shortage of money on the line here."

They climb to promote camaraderie and team spirit among Airmen, raise money for charity and to honor and commemorate the fallen.

Though not on an official military mission, if successful in their endeavor to scale 29,029-foot Mount Everest, the crew will become the first team of active-duty American military members to have reached Everest's summit.

On the team are:

- Maj. Rob Marshall, a V-22 Osprey pilot from Mercer Island, Wash., stationed in Amarillo, Texas
- Capt. Kyle Martin, a T-38 Talon pilot, from Manhattan, Kan., stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Va.
- Capt. Marshall Klitzke, a KC-135 Stratotanker pilot from Lemmon, S.D., currently an instructor pilot at the Air Force Academy.
- Capt. Colin Merrin, a GPS satellite operations mission commander from Santee, Calif., stationed at Schriever AFB, Colo.
- Staff Sgt. Nick Gibson, a Reserve pararescueman and physician-assistant student from Gulf Breeze, Fla., stationed at Patrick AFB
- Capt. Andrew Ackles, a TH-1N instructor pilot, from Ashland, Ore., stationed at Fort Rucker, Ala.

Pacific military dependents train at basketball camp

by Senior Airman Cody H. Ramirez
374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

4/16/2013 - YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- More than 114 military children between 13 and 20 from U.S. military bases across the Pacific region attended the Mainland Basketball Association's Basketball Camp at Yokota Air Base, Japan, April 9 to 12, 2013.

The four-day camp trained athletes on basketball skills such as shooting, passing, dribbling, rebounding and defense and also educated the attendees on team concepts and college information.

According to their official Web site, MBA is a non-profit organization that promotes sportsmanship among all athletes through educational opportunities. It strives to assist in the development of young children and stresses the importance of being part of a team.

MBA Vice-President Mark Burton said military children, especially those overseas, do not get exposure to many basketball camps like children in the States do.

"It costs thousands of dollars to send their (service member's) children back to the States to show off their talents," Burton said. "We want to afford these kids the same opportunities to not only train, but to also have a chance of receiving scholarships."

The camp had 10 coaches from universities throughout the U.S. -- Grambling State, Dillard, Winston-Salem State, Claftin, University of California, Los Angeles, Fort Valley State, Huston-Tillotson, Santa Monica and Johnson C. Smith.

Although at last year's camp, two female athletes receive full-ride scholarships to Division 2 colleges; this year no scholarships were handed out. According to Ron Woodard, Claftin University basketball coach and camp director, the freshman and sophomore classes displayed great foundational skills and said the probability for scholarships in the coming years is positive.

Woodard also said the camp not only built on fundamental skills and offered chances of college, but also expanded the attendees' life goals.

"This year we really pushed to motivate them (camp participants) to take their Scholastic Aptitude Tests and American College Tests," Woodard said.

Woodard said that seeing children grow and improve their skill sets and minds is great and keeps him coming back each year to teach at the camp.

Jermaine Neal Jr., a camp participant and sophomore at Yokota High School, said the camp was fun and would like to attend another in the future.

"I really liked the scrimmages, it was my favorite part," the 15-year-old added. "I learned that most of the game is mental. We would do the drills and then play scrimmages, and I could tell from how I played that I had improved from before."

Jermaine also said the camp gave him an opportunity to play in front of college coaches, and his father agreed.

"It was pretty exciting," Jermaine Neal, Sr. said regarding the camp. "It gave the kids a chance to play in front of college coaches and they also went over mentoring and understanding the importance of basketball and academics."

He added that it was good to reiterate the educational importance along with the importance of athletic practice.

"My favorite part was when they (the camp coaches) sat down and talked about how academics can be compounded with athletics and how using them together can make you a better person and make you more marketable for college," Neal added.

Through their support of the U.S. Forces Japan and the Pacific Region, MBA is taking a step in improving higher educational routes and athletic programs for military children.

Obama Welcomes Soldier Ride Participants at White House

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 17, 2013 – A group of wounded warriors received a presidential send-off at the White House today as they launched a four-day bicycle ride to show the world and themselves what they’re still capable of accomplishing.

President Barack Obama joined Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki on the South Lawn this afternoon to recognize a group of wounded warriors who are participating in the Soldier Ride for their service, sacrifice and inspiration.

That inspiration is particularly meaningful as the nation grapples with this week’s bomb attacks at the Boston Marathon, the president told the riders. Many of the survivors of the attacks are just beginning what for some will be a long road to recovery, he noted.

“It’s a road that the remarkable warriors and athletes here know all too well, and as a consequence, they are going to serve for all of the families as well as all Americans, a continued inspiration,” he said.

Obama praised the wounded warriors’ bravery and said he admires their courage and determination.

“Together, with your outstanding families, you represent what’s best in America,” he said. “When we needed patriots to defend our freedom, you have answered this call. You’ve risked everything for our country and for each other. And you’ve made sacrifices most of us can barely imagine.”

With military operations completed in Iraq and the drawdown underway in Afghanistan, the president acknowledged that “for our wounded warriors, coming home doesn’t mean the fight is over.”
“In some ways,” he said, “it’s just beginning.”

The president singled out riders, including Army Sgt. Sean Karpf and Army Sgt. Erick Millette, who are overcoming the odds and providing an example to their fellow wounded warriors and the nation. He also recognized Air Force Capt. Mary McGriff and Army 1st Lt. Jason Church, who are serving as peer mentors for first-time riders.

“That’s a big part of what the soldier rides are about -- not just what you can do for yourself, but what you can do as a team,” he said. “As one rider put it, ‘It’s just like in the military. You ride for the warrior next to you.’”

Chris Carney, from Long Island, N.Y., conducted the first soldier ride in 2004, when he pedaled across the country in support of the Wounded Warrior Project. Obama noted today that Carney told a reporter the most daunting part of that ride was being alone because he’d always participated in team sports.

Other combat-wounded veterans joined Carney the following year, and the program continued to grow. It ultimately gave rise to regional rides nationwide that provide more riders the opportunity to participate.
“What Chris and others discovered is that when it comes to supporting our returning heroes, there’s no such thing as going it alone,” Obama said. “We do this as a team. We get each other’s backs.”

That’s what happened this week in Boston, as National Guardsmen, service members and veterans in the area “all did what warriors do,” the president said. “They ran into harm’s way to protect their fellow Americans. They applied tourniquets. They went to hospitals. They donated blood.”

Doctors used experience acquired, in some cases, during overseas deployments, “to help save lives here at home,” he said.

“That’s the strong stuff that our warriors are made of, and that’s why we’re so proud and so grateful to the men and women and veterans of our armed forces,” Obama said.

He called on all Americans to cheer on the riders during their ride and to show support for the nation’s military veterans.

Obama vowed to veterans to “keep doing everything in my power to make sure we serve you as well as you’ve served us.” That, he said, means ensuring they get the care and benefits they need, that they don’t have to fight for jobs when they return home and that their families get the support they deserve.

Soldier Rides are sponsored by the Wounded Warrior Project as a rehabilitative cycling program that provides the first steps in combat-wounded veterans’ healing. The events are designed to “use cycling and the bonds of service to overcome physical, mental or emotional wounds,” according the Wounded Warrior Project website.

Hagel Orders Unit to Jordan, Warns About Intervention in Syria

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 17, 2013 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced today the deployment of an Army headquarters element to help Jordanian forces defend their border with Syria, while warning Congress of potential consequences of direct U.S. military action in the Syrian conflict.

Hagel joined Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, in reporting to the Senate Armed Services Committee that he ordered the Army deployment last week.

The contingent will enhance efforts of a small U.S. military team that has been working in Jordan since last year on planning related to chemical weapons and preventing a spillover of violence across Jordan’s borders, the secretary told the Senate panel.

“These personnel will continue to work alongside Jordanian Armed Forces to improve readiness and prepare for a number of scenarios,” he said.

Defense Department personnel and their interagency partners are helping Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and other Syrian neighbors counter the threat posed by Syria’s chemical weapons, Hagel said. He noted that DOD deployed Patriot missile batteries to southern Turkey in December as part of NATO’s mission to help Turkey protect its border with Syria.

These initiatives, being conducted through the Cooperative Threat Reduction program, include more than $70 million for activities in Jordan, he reported. This includes training and equipment to detect and stop chemical weapons transfers along Jordan’s border with Syria, and developing Jordan’s capacity to identify and secure chemical weapons assets.

Meanwhile, DOD has expanded security consultations regarding Syria with allies and partners, ensured that the U.S. military is strategically postured in the region and “engaged in robust military planning for a range of contingencies,” Hagel said.

Regional security efforts will be a key focus of his trip later this week to meet with defense leaders of Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, Hagel said. The situation in Syria also will be a topic when Secretary of State John F. Kerry visits Turkey this weekend and during Dempsey’s trip to China next week for talks with Chinese leaders.

The goal, Hagel said, is “to support broader U.S. diplomatic efforts while ensuring that the U.S. military is fully prepared to protect America’s interests and meet our security commitments in the region.”

Hagel spelled out U.S. government policy regarding the Syrian conflict:
-- To work with allies and partners, as well as the Syrian opposition;
-- To provide humanitarian assistance across Syria and the region;
-- To hasten an end to the violence; and
-- To bring about a political transition to a post-Assad authority that will restore stability, respect for the rights of all people, prevent Syria from becoming an extremist safe haven and to secure Syria’s chemical and biological weapons.

“The best outcome for Syria -- and the region -- is a negotiated, political transition,” Hagel told the senators.
Toward that end, the U.S. government is working to mobilize the international community, further isolate the Assad regime and support the Syrian Opposition Coalition, the moderate Syrian opposition, he said.

The U.S. has committed $117 million to the coalition in nonlethal assistance such as communications and medical equipment, Hagel said, and President Barack Obama has directed more for both the Syrian Opposition Coalition and the Supreme Military Council.

In addition, the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development are providing technical assistance and training for Syrian leaders and activists.

“The goal is to strengthen those opposition groups that share the international community’s vision for Syria’s future and minimize the influence of extremists,” Hagel said.

Meanwhile, the United States has provided $385 million to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Syria and to help more than 1 million Syrian refugees who have fled to neighboring countries, he said.

The United States is rallying the international community, including Russia and China, to provide humanitarian support and resolve the crisis, Hagel said. He reported that international sanctions designed to pressure the Syrian government and help end the conflict are having an impact on the Assad regime’s finances.

In addition, DOD has engaged in robust military planning for a range of contingencies, he said.

“President Obama has made clear that if Assad and those under his command use chemical weapons, or fail to meet their obligations to secure them, there will be consequences, and they will be held accountable,” Hagel said. “The Department of Defense has plans in place to respond to the full range of chemical weapons scenarios.”

So even as it provides options and planning for a post-Assad Syria, Hagel said, DOD is providing Obama and Congress regular assessments of options for U.S. military intervention.

He warned, however, of possible consequences of direct U.S. military action in Syria. It could hinder humanitarian relief operations, embroil the United States in a significant, lengthy and uncertain military commitment, and, if conducted unilaterally, strain U.S. relationships around the world, the secretary told the senators.

“And finally, a military intervention could have the unintended consequence of bringing the United States into a broader regional conflict or proxy war,” he said.

Dempsey echoed Hagel, emphasizing that although the military stands ready to provide force, if directed, that such a decision is one no one takes lightly.

“In weighing options, we have a responsibility to align the use of force to the intended outcome,” Dempsey said. “We also have a responsibility to articulate risk” -- not just to U.S. forces, but to other security responsibilities that could be compromised.

“So before we take action, we have to be prepared for what comes next,” the chairman said. “The use of force, especially in circumstances where ethnic and religious factors dominate, is unlikely to produce predictable outcomes. … Unintended consequences are the rule with military interventions of this sort.”
“Military intervention is always an option, but an option of last resort,” Hagel summarized. “The best outcome for Syria -- and the region -- is a negotiated, political transition to a post-Assad Syria.”