Eielson youth show Purple Up pride

by Airman 1st Class Peter Reft
354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

4/29/2013 - EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska  -- Robert M. Crawford Elementary School students celebrated Purple Up Day April 19, 2013, honoring military children who make unique sacrifices in support of their active duty mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers.

Alaska recently adopted Purple Up Day last year to show support for an estimated 13,000 children in the state who have active duty and deployed parents.

"It is important for these military-connected youth to know that their Nation and community stand by them in support, and that we recognize their strength and the sacrifices they have made," said Senator Mark Begich in a Congressional Record observing Purple Up Day. "I ask Alaskans to join me in wearing something purple on Purple Up Day."

During an assembly in the school gymnasium, Candi Dierenfield, Alaska's military liaison for the 4-H Youth Development Organization, spoke to the Crawford Elementary students about their importance as a military family member. She thanked them for their part in supporting their parents.

Dierenfield asked for those with active duty parents to stand with pride. Almost every child rose and shouted in unison. Candi reminded those still sitting that they have their own duty to support their friends who have deployed family members.

"Some of the children have heartbreakingly not had their parents come back or come back very different," said Dierenfiled. "It's a great way to show our support for them and just to thank them."

The children demonstrated their pride during the assembly by singing the national anthem, God Bless the USA, America the Beautiful and the Air Force Song.

Guest speaker 2nd Lt. Shaina Thompson, 354th Force Support Squadron executive officer, emphasized the importance of the children to service members and how FSS dedicates so many resources just for them.

"You guys are the ones there when we get home," said Thompson. "We get to hang out with you and you're very important to your family. They love you very much."

April is the Month of the Military Child and Purple Up Day is a dedicated time for military families to commemorate their children. The New Hampshire 4-H chapter started the event in 1986 as a way to celebrate and thank military children nation-wide.

The color purple represents all military service branches and is also the resulting color when combining the colors of each service: Army green, Air Force blue, Navy blue, Coast Guard blue, and Marine red.

Different events for the children of military families were spread throughout April, including luncheons with parents, arts and crafts, assemblies with speakers and singers and themed gatherings. A Scooby Doo mystery party is scheduled for April 27 from 2-4 p.m. at the youth center.

JBER fire station, Airman win top Air Force honors

by Airman Ty-Rico Lea
JBER Public Affairs

4/25/2013 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Service members from all walks of life receive awards recognizing their outstanding accomplishments every day. One Airman, however, embodies what those awards are meant to recognize.

Senior Master Sgt. Tobias Adam, deputy fire officer with the 673d Civil Engineer Squadron, has demonstrated skills that have garnered one of the highest public servant decorations - the Air Force fire officer of year.

Adam was one of the first responders during JBER's Arctic Thunder Air Show and Open House when a C-17 Globemaster III crashed July 8, 2010. He was tasked with extinguishing the fires at the incident, as well as helping firefighters under his command maintain steadfast focus.

Adam spoke about the lengthy recovery process of the aircraft and how he would have to alternate between keeping a stone face during the mission and smiling with family and friends when he went home.

"That incident was something that I hope very few people have the opportunity to experience," Adam said.

Throughout his Air Force career as a firefighter and officer, Adam has received missions requiring him to deliver babies, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and even pull victims of incidents from rubble and wrecked machinery.

"Every call we receive is different, and it is very difficult to pinpoint which one stands out to me the most," Adam said. "I would have calls that I can eventually be proud to take and save a life, or I could receive a call concerning a suicide. So as a strong-minded individual, you have to learn how to find that balance."

David Donan, 673d CES fire chief, had words of praise to extend for Adam in regards to his work on JBER and outside his job with the many recreational activities he takes part in.

"The award that Adam received in commendation for his work is managed by a system with the Department of Defense Fire Emergency services awards," Donan, a retired chief master sergeant, said. "The awards are divided up into several categories known as military fire officer of the year, civilian fire officer of the year, military firefighter of the year and civilian firefighter of the year just to name a few."

JBER Fire Emergency Services was also honored with the Air Force Fire Department of the Year Award (Large Category).

Adam's role as fire officer is to exercise command and control during a call. He also has administrative responsibilities within his organization.

"What makes this department so unique from other fire departments is that we have the widest ground to cover given we are one of the largest bases," Donan said. "This provides Airmen like Adam the opportunity to really invest themselves in expanding their on-hand knowledge. As a fire chief, it makes me feel incredibly proud to have Adam be nominated for such a prestigious award.".

Adam attributes much of his success to being active as a child.

"I would play a lot of baseball and football growing up, and I became involved in various extracurricular activities," Adam said.

Donan said the JBER fire department has very high expectations for its workers and holds those individuals accountable for those expectations to be met, so Adam's leadership has been invaluable.

"What I have noticed throughout my years as a military service member is that those Airmen involved in team-building activities, either before enlisting or after, tend to be more successful in this career field," Donan said. "The reason I say this is because everything we do is as a team, everyone has their role to play."

Since his tour at JBER began, Adam has acted as the captain for the fire department's intramural sports team and has led them to championships competing against both Air Force and Army teams.

Adam said he always knew he wanted to be in the military and has served his entire 17-year career in the Air Force as a firefighter.

"Growing up, I came to the decision that I wanted to be a military service member," Adam said. "The most rewarding part of being a military firefighter is that we are physical public servants and we rely on strength, ability and endurance to save lives and get the job done."

Adam enlisted in the Air Force at the age 17. Upon graduating Basic Military Training and eventually coming up on his fourth year of enlistment, Adam entertained thoughts of finishing his enlistment and venturing out into other career opportunities. However, he realized his decision to join the Air Force was a wise one, and he decided to continue his service in the military.

Adam's father, Robert Adam, is a retired chief petty officer and served 21 years in the Navy.

"My dad was a pretty strict guy thanks to all those years he spent in the Navy," Adam said. "He helped better prepare me for what I'd have to expect in military life."

Adam said the importance of his family also motivated him to reach his goals.

"Another defining force that compelled me to remain in the Air Force was the fact that I had a family that I had to maintain and support," Adam said. "So ever since then, I've just been 100 percent dedicated to my job and work ethic."

961st AACS keeps 'eyes in the sky'

by Senior Airman Maeson L. Elleman
18th Wing Public Affairs

4/30/2013 - KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- In the quiet darkness surrounding the Kadena flightline, the awaiting aircraft roars to life with an escalated screech, and cool air rushes to fill the newly lit cabin.

As the chill meets the humid Okinawan atmosphere within the aircraft, a smoke-like fog diffuses into the nooks and crevices around the computer stations and throughout the cockpit.

While it sounds like a mysterious and menacing science fiction movie, this is a commonplace occurrence for the E-3 Sentry crew from the 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron.

Once the airborne warning and control system takes off into the softly glowing horizon and the dense fog begins to disperse, the cabin isn't the only thing that becomes more visible to the crew, but rather the entire encompassing airspace.

With its command and control capabilities and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission, the E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft assigned to the unit opens the crew's and Kadena's eyes to virtually everything in the air. It's this capability that allows Kadena and other Air Force assets to project superior force for any contingency.

"If a contingency kicks off in the area, we're the eyes in the sky," said Maj. Cliff King, 961st AACS electronic combat officer. "It's important to have AWACS in the sky for protection of our assets and allies in the region."

Operating as the largest overseas combat wing, Kadena hosts multiple airframes ranging from F-15 Eagle fighter jets to HH-60G Pave Hawk search and rescue helicopters.

However, without the ability AWACS provide to perform air battle management, or comprehensive visibility and direction of practically all aircraft in the surveyed region, other airborne assets would be virtually blind to other aircraft in a skyward battle.

Lt. Col. Trey Coleman, 961st AACS director of operations, said that capability is something that sets the U.S. Air Force apart from other nations.

"I think that air battle management is a direct correlate to the rise of American air power since the Vietnam War," Coleman said. "It's one of those integral things that makes American air power unique and makes it the best in the world."

Since its establishment here more than a decade ago, the 961st AACS has provided unwavering and unmatched air battle management in the Pacific area of responsibility.

There are 32 Sentries currently in the U.S. Air Force inventory. Air Combat Command hosts 27 E-3s at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., while Pacific Air Forces features four of the aircraft between Kadena and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

However, Coleman, who's been on Kadena since September last year, said Kadena's expansive mission and strategic location make it one of the most important bases for deterring conflict in the region.

"I believe Kadena is the best and most important place in the world to conduct air battle management," Coleman said. "In today's geo-strategic context in the Pacific coupled with the downsizing of our fleet, nowhere else is it more important to have effective and efficient ABM."

Though the 961st AACS has only claimed the iconic "ZZ" tail codes of the 18th Wing since 1991, the squadron hosts a lineage as the 61st Bombardment Squadron commissioned in 1940, which predates those of its fellow Sentry-laden sister units.

Despite altering its mission and equipment since it began in World War II to the advanced systems it boasts now, Coleman said the equipment isn't what makes American air power the best in the world.

Rather, he said it's the legacy stemming from before the formation of the U.S. Air Force exemplified by Medal of Honor recipients and our predecessors in training and command.

"Our technology is fantastic, but it'll be out-aced in time," he said. "What we bring to the table as American Airmen is a corporate wealth of knowledge that spans all the way back to (retired Brig. Gen.) Billy Mitchell and the Air Corps Tactical School."

PACAF names 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year

by Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs

4/30/2013 - JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- The Commander of Pacific Air Forces recently announced the command's 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year.

The 12 honorees were selected from over 30,000 enlisted men and women throughout the command. Their selection as the outstanding Airmen of the year distinguishes the member from his or her peers by exceptional performance in the following areas: leadership and job performance in primary duty, significant self-improvement and base or community involvement.

"Recognizing our Airmen is one of my greatest pleasures," said Gen. Hawk Carlisle, Commander of Pacific Air Forces. "We are the greatest fighting force in the world and our asymmetric advantage is our Airmen; it always has been our Airmen and certainly our enlisted force; the kind of professionalism that they have is an indication that we are going nowhere but up."

Carlisle had the opportunity to present a plaque to Master Sgt. Tim Stewart, one of 12 selectees, April 22 at the PACAF Headquarters building. Though currently stationed on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Stewart earned this award during his time assigned to the 374th Communications Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan.

The 2012 Pacific Air Forces Outstanding Airmen of the Year are:

Senior Airman Ivan R. Chatham, a Helicopter/Tilt-rotor Technician journeyman from the 176th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Airman Chatham achieved a 100 percent pass rate on all quality assurance evaluations and inspections. He assisted in identifying a defective relay panel problem resulting in the correction of all aircraft defects fleet wide. He successfully performed at the non-commissioned officer level as a HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter dedicated crew chief.

Senior Airman David A. Hernandez, a Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration technician from the 477th Civil Engineering Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Airman Hernandez, recognized as the Armed Services YMCA Reservist of the Year for 2012, filled in as the work center's superintendent, in place of the master sergeant who deployed. He managed three Airmen, performing above his grade to include the role of shop trainer and upgrade training monitor for unit personnel.

Senior Airman Joshua L. Hanna, an Explosive Ordnance Disposal journeyman from the 36th Civil Engineering Squadron, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. Airman Hanna executed 151 joint combat missions, and provided suppressive fire while engaging the enemy during improvised explosive device operations, earning him the Combat Action Badge while in Afghanistan. He trained 347 coalition forces on IED search techniques, improving squadron member survivability. For his actions he was awarded the U.S. Army Commendation and the U.S. Air Force Achievement Medals.

Technical Sergeant Brandon L. Grisham, an Aviation Resource Management non-commissioned officer in charge from the 168th Operations Support Flight, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. Sergeant Grisham maintained 100 percent accountability of 11,115 flying hours, resulting in the reimbursement of $1.3 million in operating costs. He prepared 2,795 aircraft flight authorizations leading to $598 million in aircraft fuel being delivered to U.S. and coalition forces worldwide.

Technical Sergeant Andrew P. Adrian, an Explosive Ordnance Disposal craftsman from the 673rd Civil Engineering Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Alaska. Sergeant Adrian deployed for 214 days in support of the U.S. Marine Corps, performing as the team leader on 30 improvised explosive device missions, where he assisted in the protection of more than 40,000 military forces and 1.4 million Afghan personnel. He risked his life by tackling two Afghan soldiers, preventing them from triggering an IED and saving the lives of two people. For his quick actions, he was awarded the U.S. Army Commendation Medal with Valor.

Technical Sergeant John M. Harris, a Cyber System Operations craftsman from the 477th Force Support Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Alaska. Sergeant Harris, recognized as the 477th Fighter Group's 2012 NCO of the Year, reduced the overall number of trouble calls from customers requesting onsite technical support by 25 percent. He also resolved more than 20 assigned trouble tickets per Unit Training Assembly, placing him 52 percent above his peers.

Master Sergeant Jason D. Anderson, the 18th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron first sergeant, Kadena Air Base, Japan. Sergeant Anderson led the 18th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron with the highest operations tempo: 54 aircraft performing 6,500 sorties culminating in 9,600 flying hours. He averted four potential suicides by responding within minutes, and helped to establish treatment and after care. He built the Key Spouse program and led monthly meetings, tracking and accounting for 59 spouses during seven typhoons in Japan.

Master Sgt. Anthony Colon, the 154th Wing first sergeant, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. Sergeant Colon was responsible for 343 Airmen representing 15 different job classifications from five squadrons and the National Guard Headquarters. He resolved over 45 potential mission degrading issues without any negative impacts. His leadership role included a one-month deployment over two integrated flying squadrons with 120 Airmen, which resulted in meeting all flying missions with zero mishaps.

Master Sergeant Jerry M. Damian, a 254th Force Support Squadron unit training manager, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. Sergeant Damian, during a deployment to Afghanistan, prevented the degradation of the Joint Special Operations Force warfighters mission tasking, resulting in the award of the Bronze Star. He orchestrated 15 emergency resupplies with ammunition and water for U.S. forces with zero casualties. He volunteered monthly at a historical village site to help clean up and preserve the area for the local community, future residents and visitors.

Master Sergeant Richard A. Keele, a 477th Force Support Squadron, Support Flight superintendent, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Sergeant Keele identified 40 personnel manpower process improvements, increasing squadron efficiency. He revitalized the Military Personnel Flight training program by holding 40 in-house training sessions and increased the Personnel Support for Contingency Operations deployment pool by five personnel. On his off-duty time, he provided emergency care to a civilian who fainted, ensuring continuous care for the patient until Emergency Medical Services arrived.

Master Sergeant Timothy M. Stewart, the 374th Communications Squadron Network Control Center section lead, Yokota Air Base, Japan. Sergeant Stewart was recognized as the 374th Air Wing's senior non-commissioned officer of the year, leading operations for the command's largest network control center. Sergeant Stewart and his team fixed 2,000 issues, executed $ 2 million in upgrades and earned two "Outstanding" ratings during inspections. As the joint cyber inspection leader, he eliminated 90 network vulnerabilities. On his off-duty time, he taught three, four-hour evaluation report writing seminars and two feedback and mentoring courses, sharpening 75 NCO's supervisory skills.

Senior Master Sergeant James Kenwolf, the 48th Aerial Port Squadron first sergeant, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. Sergeant Kenwolf facilitated monthly squadron physical training, enabling him to refine the remedial training process for his members. He oversaw more than 75 personnel PT evaluations with a 96 percent pass rate, resulting in the best PT statistics in the 624th Regional Support Group. His resourcefulness ensured the squadron was deployable ready with critical assets on hand to include more than $330,000 in resources. Sergeant Kenwolf also supported the military force protection cell during Senator Inouye's memorial ceremony with the president in attendance.

Asia Trip Meant to Deliver Assurances, Dempsey Says

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 30, 2013 – One of the purposes of his visit to Asia and China last week was to deliver assurances, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey told reporters gathered for a Christian Science Monitor lunch event that his fourth visit to Asia and first to China was to assure allies of U.S. commitment to the region.

Dempsey traveled to Seoul, South Korea, as well as to Beijing and Tokyo. In Seoul and Tokyo, he assured South Korean and Japanese leaders that America will work with them to deter current threats and shape the security environment of the future.

“At the stop in Beijing, we assured them as well that we will continue to work with them … on forming a new relationship,” Dempsey said.

Military-to-military contacts between China and the United States have started and stopped any number of times since President Richard M. Nixon went to China in 1972. Chinese and American leaders are trying to cement these links.

Dempsey said the United States wants a more positive relationship with China.

“But it has to be in the context of our existing relationships,” he added. “Right now, it’s a blank sheet of paper.”

The Chinese seemed to welcome the exchange, the chairman told the reporters.
“I think the message resonated,” he said, adding that he believes the trip was useful.

16.6 miles of memories

by Airman 1st Class Austin Harvill
633rd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

4/30/2013 - LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va.  -- "Since I didn't bow, he took the bottle and busted my teeth out," he said.

A Japanese sergeant dropped a bottle of Coke where John was supposed to walk, so he picked it up and gave it to him. Afterwards, he was punished for his lack of "respect."

John Mims, a Bataan Death March survivor, and approximately 70,000 other Filipino and American prisoners of war endured the torturous march in April, 1942. During the march, POWs were forced to walk 80 miles through the Philippines to the captured Camp O'Donnell. The prisoners were stabbed if they could not keep up, and those who were not bayoneted would most likely die from disease or decapitation before the end of the war.

"After they broke my legs with a bulldozer when I tried to escape, I didn't think I would make it," said Mims. "If a naval officer didn't save me before the march to Camp O'Donnell, I would have been right."

Stories like Mims' were not uncommon during the Bataan Death March memorial walk April 27, at Dismal Swamp, Chesapeake, Va. Before the memorial ceremony for Mims and his fellow POWs, participants walked 16.6 miles in order to feel a fraction of the pain endured by Service members in the Philippines.

With more than 400 total participants, Langley Air Force Base, Va., was represented in full during the event. Approximately 150 Airmen participated in the walk, with the majority wearing uniforms and boots, and a few also carrying up to 45 pounds of weight.

Airman 1st Class Robert Hart, 633rd Medical Group cardiopulmonary technician, was one of the Airmen to embark on the walk. He believed himself fit enough for the journey, but he was surprised once he neared the half-way point.

"When we first started, I didn't think it would be so bad," said Hart after walking the first six miles. "Now, I have to admit it feels like more."

Towards the end of the walk, groups broke apart due to fatigue, and a few participants threw in the towel early, climbing into golf carts on their way to the finish.

Hart and the majority of the Airmen did not give up. Although the physical pain became more prominent, the purpose for the walk became clearer.

"My feet are feeling progressively worse; they've practically gone numb," said Hart, shortly before he finished. "I can't believe anyone could have walked 80 miles like this; it's incredible."

Hart also said he could really appreciate what veterans endured; he could connect with them on another level outside of simply reading about the march or watching a documentary.

For Hart and other walkers who were able to make it 14 miles into the journey, they were greeted by Mims' smiling face and grateful words.

"Thanks for coming out," said Mims, saluting every walker. "We love you, and there is nothing you can do about it!"

Many participants stopped their walk and embraced Mims, full of respect and sorrow for the pain he endured. Chief Master Sgt. Tony Levine, 718th Intelligence Squadron superintendent, was one of the participants who expressed gratitude for Mims.

"It is truly an honor to meet you," said Levine. "Thank you for your service, sir, and God bless you."

The scene at the finish line contained a mixture of expressions. Airmen sat down wherever there was an open space, bandaging bloody heels or rubbing out stiff toes. After a respite, participants gathered a top a shaded knoll to show their appreciation for their fellow walkers, event organizers and especially the veterans.

Attendees had the opportunity to take photos with Mims and other veterans, ask questions about their experience and learn more about the purpose behind their 16.6-mile trek through the Virginian countryside.

Before he took shelter from the bright, mid-day sun, Mims shared the true reason he takes time to attend different events for Bataan Death March survivors and other veterans.

Had Mims not been saved before the end of the war, he would have certainly lost his life due to starvation, exhaustion or at the tip of a bayonet. For his brothers in arms who would not see home again, he shared a few words.

"I lost a lot of buddies in the Philippines. I do this in honor of all the people who died and for those who made it back and have since passed," said Mims. He then took a pause, swallowed hard and turned a misty gaze to the sky. "I love 'em."

Dempsey: Military Provides Options to President on Syria

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 30, 2013 – The U.S. military stands ready to do whatever it is ordered to in Syria by civilian leaders, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey told reporters at a Christian Science Monitor news roundtable that nothing he has heard out of Syria in the past week changes the mission for U.S. military leaders.

“We’ve been planning, we’re talking about the options, and we’re looking to determine if these options are still valid or if anything has changed,” Dempsey said. “That doesn’t mean that anything we’ve heard over the past week wouldn’t change the policy calculus.”

Militarily, the U.S. task is to continue to engage partners in the region and “to continue to define options so that if we are asked to implement any, we will be ready,” the nation’s top military officer said.

Evidence indicates that the Syrian regime has used sarin, a deadly nerve agent, White House officials said last week. President Barack Obama said that use of chemical weapons would be a “game changer.”

“The reason for that is that we have established international law and international norms that say when you use these kinds of weapons, you have the potential of killing massive numbers of people in the most inhumane way possible,” the president said during a White House news conference this morning. “The proliferation risks are so significant that we don't want that genie out of the box.”

But while physiological evidence indicates that chemical weapons were used in the country, that evidence is not concrete, the president said. “We don’t know how they were used, when they were used, who used them,” Obama said. “We don’t have a chain of custody that establishes what exactly happened.

“And when I am making decisions about America’s national security and the potential for taking additional action in response to chemical weapon use, I have got to make sure I've got the facts,” he continued.

One option advanced by advocates of action in Syria is establishing a no-fly zone over at least part of the country. The persistent argument is that NATO flights over Libya were decisive in overthrowing Moammar Gadhafi’s regime.

But Syria is far different from Libya, Dempsey said. It has five times the air defense capability Libya had, with most of it concentrated in the western third of the country. Dempsey called the Syrian air defense “high-end.”

“I’m not saying we couldn’t beat that system, but it would be a greater challenge, take longer and require greater resources,” he said.

Without going into specifics, Dempsey spoke about setting up a no-fly zone. “Any military operation tends to be a little more complicated,” he said. “They tend to be more risky.”

To an extent, the chairman said, the American military may be a victim of its own success. U.S. air power set up and maintained a no-fly zone over northern and southern Iraq for a decade. NATO maintained a no-fly zone over parts of Serbia and Kosovo in the 1990s, and NATO and coalition nations enforced a no-fly zone over Libya. “They made the very difficult look very manageable for a long time,” Dempsey said.

A no-fly zone has to have several elements to succeed, the chairman said. “Although stealth technology exists, to have a no-fly zone, you can’t just simply penetrate,” he said. “You have to control, which means at some level you have to degrade the integrated air defense system.”

Secondly, he said, any time the United States puts an aircraft over a dangerous area, there has to be a way to retrieve the pilot or crew in case they are shot down or forced down in hostile territory. “There has to be a search-and-rescue or a personnel recovery plan,” the chairman said.

Another factor, Dempsey told the reporters, is what might happen outside a no-fly zone.

“I have to assume that the potential adversary is not going to just sit back and let us impose our will,” he said. “They could in fact, take exception to the fact that we are imposing a no-fly zone, and outside their borders launch long-range rockets and missiles and asymmetric threats. So regionally in the area that bounds the no-fly zone, you’d better have your readiness condition up.”

Air Force bids farewell to Combat Talon I

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

4/30/2013 - DUKE FIELD, Fla. -- "Blackbird fly... into the light of a dark, black night."

The Beatles' somber, fitting refrain closed the MC-130E Combat Talon I's retirement ceremony here April 25th, completing the "Blackbird's" almost 50-year career with the U.S. Air Force.

The 919th Special Operations Wing hosted the ceremony because the last five Air Force Talon Is sit on the Duke Field flightline. They were aligned for viewing and adorned with American flags for the ceremony. The birds will take flight only once more when they leave for the "boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., by mid-May 2013.

"Today we say goodbye to a trusted friend, more than a machine to those who flew her, but a faithful and reliable partner. You have served well, my friend, and we are grateful for your nearly 50 years of service," said Maj. T.J. Kollar, a 711th Special Operations Squadron Electronic Warfare Officer, during the invocation.

A massive crowd turned out to the little base to pay respect and remember the Talon I on the 33rd anniversary of the Operation Eagle Claw mission to the Desert One landing site, an attempt to rescue American hostages in Iran. The lead aircraft on that mission, Aircraft 64-0565, was parked at the hangar doors and served as a backdrop for the ceremony.

Retired Col. Ray Turczynski, a former 1st Special Operations Squadron commander and a pilot on the second Talon to land at Desert One, recounted the story of the mission that revitalized special operations after Vietnam.

When the Combat Talons returned to Masirah, Oman, after the Desert One landing, a group of British military personnel brought the dejected Combat Talon aircrew members a case of beer with the following inscription hand-written on the package: "To you all, from us all, for having the guts to try." That motto became the impetus for the rebuilding of special operations forces in the U.S. military, and is the true legacy of all Combat Talon members past and present, according to Turczynski.

Surrounded by pictures, mementos and displays, including a Fulton Recovery System, Lt. Col. Tom Miller, the master of ceremonies for the retirement, explained the various nicknames the Talon had earned through five decades. They were the Praetorian Starship, Chariot of Armageddon, Blackbird, Stray Goose and the Pterodactyl.

Retired Col. Lee Hess, former commander of the 1st SOS as well as other SO positions and a Talon pilot, read statements from former pilots and active commanders, who wanted to honor the warbird.

"Though it is time for engine shutdown, our Talon I mission is not done, for in us lives a legacy of fights yet to be won," said Maj. Gen. Brozenick, the commander of Special Operations Command Pacific, in a statement read by Hess.

After reading the statements, Hess saluted "the guys who made it happen" - the maintainers and all of the support people; that comment brought the crowd to its feet with applause.

The keynote speaker, retired Maj. Gen. James Hobson, a Talon pilot and former commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, reminisced about the "good old days" and the early career of the Combat Talon. He also told his story of airdropping troops into Grenada during Operation Urgent Fury.

Lt. Col. Daniel Flynn, Commander of the 711th SOS, spoke about the 919th SOW's role with the historic aircraft from Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom to humanitarian missions after Hurricane Katrina and the Haiti earthquake. The 919th SOW will leave its 40-year C-130 mission behind and transition to an Aviation Foreign Internal Defense mission flying C-145A Skytrucks.

"Thank you for always bringing us home safely," said Kollar. "Take your leave. You've earned your rest."

The Combat Talon I flew its first combat missions in 1966 and since has participated in all major U.S. conflicts. The newer MC-130H Combat Talon II, and the MC-130J Commando II, will carry on its legacy and mission of infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply of special operations forces and equipment.

"All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to be free. Blackbird fly."

Missing Sailors from Vietnam War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that a Navy pilot, missing from the Vietnam War, has been accounted for and will be buried with full military honors along with his crew.

Navy Lt. Dennis W. Peterson of Huntington Park, Calif., was the pilot of a SH-3A helicopter that crashed in Ha Nam Province, North Vietnam.  Peterson was accounted for on March 30, 2012.  Also, aboard the aircraft was Ensign Donald P. Frye of Los Angeles, Calif.; Aviation Antisubmarine Warfare Technicians William B. Jackson of Stockdale, Texas; and Donald P. McGrane of Waverly, Iowa.  The crew will be buried, as a group, on May 2 at Arlington National Cemetery. 

On July 19, 1967, the four servicemen took off from the USS Hornet aboard an SH-3A Sea King helicopter, on a search and rescue mission looking for a downed pilot in Ha Nam Province, North Vietnam.  During the mission, an enemy concealed 37mm gun position targeted the helicopter as it flew in.  The helicopter was hit by the anti-aircraft gunfire, causing the aircraft to lose control, catch fire and crash, killing all four servicemen.

In October 1982, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) repatriated five boxes of remains to U.S. officials.  In 2009, the remains within the boxes were identified as Frye, Jackson, and McGrane.            

In 1993, a joint U.S./S.R.V. team, investigated a loss in Ha Nam Province.  The team interviewed local villagers who identified possible burial sites linked to the loss.  One local claimed to have buried two of the crewmen near the wreckage, but indicated that both graves had subsequently been exhumed. 

Between 1994 and 2000, three joint U.S./S.R.V. teams excavated the previous site and recovered human remains and aircraft wreckage that correlated to the crew's SH-3A helicopter.  In 2000, U.S. personnel excavated the crash site recovering additional remains.  Analysis from the Joint POW/MIA Command Central Identification Laboratory subsequently designated these additional remains as the co-mingled remains of all four crewmen, including Peterson.

DoD scientists used forensic tools and circumstantial evidence in the identification of the remains. 

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO website at www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-699-1420.

Top ranking US military officer visits Yokota

By Airman 1st Class Soo C. Kim
374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

4/25/2013 - YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- The highest-ranking U.S. military officer, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the 18th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Yokota Air Base, Japan, April 25, 2013, as part of his tour of the Pacific region.

During his visit, Dempsey addressed service members at Yokota, sharing his vision for global and regional security and reiterating the shifting focus of U.S. forces in the Asia-Pacific region. Dempsey also expressed the importance of building and maintaining relationships in the Pacific.

"We will stay true to our current alliances and try to build relationship with others," Dempsey said. He said the world benefits from the security provided by the U.S. military and its allies, so it is important to maintain and gain international relationships.

The chairman said Yokota's mission of maintaining stability throughout the region remains constant despite the current budget constraints.

"It's a challenge, but it's not the first in history," Dempsey said. "You will do less with less, but not less well. You will still be the best trained, best prepared and most powerful force on the planet."

He said U.S. presence throughout the globe won't be affected, especially in the Pacific and that the U.S. will continue to deter adversaries and assure allies when and where needed.

"We are prepared for a menu of possibilities," Dempsey added. "We are postured with our Japanese allies to protect our citizens and their citizens."

Service members had their chance to express their concerns and ask questions to the general who in turn offered candid responses. Issues were covered included budgetary issues, future exercise and operational tempo and regional security matters.

Dempsey ended the town hall by thanking the service members and reiterating the importance of their continuing effort in the Pacific Region.

"We appreciate you and your family members who are here with you," Dempsey said. "I thank you for your service, and I am proud of what U.S. service members serving in Japan are doing."

730 AMS keeps Yokota people, cargo moving

by Senior Airman Michael Washburn
374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

4/25/2013 - YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- In the civilian world, whenever the U.S. Postal Service needs to ship internationally, they use cargo planes. In the military, the process is pretty much the same except instead of mail, shipments include ammunition, food, supplies and even people. On Yokota Air Base, that mission is accomplished by the 730th Air Mobility Squadron.

Just like how a single football player can't win a game by himself, no one section of the 730th AMS can accomplish the whole objective, it is a combined effort between multiple areas. Everyone has a hand in the mission and almost anything can be shipped.

"We can move anything from explosives, cargo, human remains, classified and hazardous material," said Master Sgt. Froilan Halili, 730 AMS special planning section chief. "We decide what cargo goes on the plane. When it comes to hazardous material, we inspect it to make sure it's okay to ship."

Before the pallets of cargo can be loaded onto the aircraft, Halili and the other Airmen in his section balance the cargo weight. This ensures the weight is equally distributed between the aircraft's front, back and sides. If cargo isn't properly balanced, flying hazards are more likely.

The 730th utilizes a wide range of aircraft platforms. It's not just military planes either; civilian aircraft are used as well.

"We are in charge of all cargo inbound and outbound in the Pacific in regard to moving it to where it needs to go," said Tech. Sgt. Joseph Stanchak, 730 AMS cargo processing operations NCO. "On the commercial side, we use B-747s and DC-8s and mostly move household goods with them. For military, we use planes like the C-5, C-17, KC-10, KC-135, C-130 and C-40 and can move anything from beans to bullets."

With an aircraft on the flightline and cargo ready-to-go, the next task falls upon ramp services.

"We are the ones that load the aircraft with the specific cargo it needs," said Staff Sgt. Shameika Bailey, 730 AMS ramp service supervisor. "We get the load ready, and when the aircraft is ready to leave, we go out with a load team of three to four Airmen and get the cargo on the plane."

In addition to delivering cargo to military members and their dependents, the 730th can deliver much-needed supplies to Yokota's Pacific neighbors in the wake of a disaster.

In 2011, Japan was ravaged by a tremendous earthquake and tsunami. Immediately following the disaster, Operation Tomodachi kicked off. Its objective was to provide search and rescue efforts and humanitarian relief. At the heart of the operation was the 730 AMS.

Since the squadron's mission is delivering cargo, it's imperative the aircraft stay in tip-top shape. Maintainers and crew chiefs begin repairs at the drop of a hat should the need arise.

"We're basically the bloodline of the Air Force," said Staff Sgt. William Colavolpe, 730 AMS crew chief. "We keep the flow of aircraft traffic coming in and out of the base going. When aircraft come in, we debrief them, fuel them up, inspect the aircraft and take care of any maintenance they may need, so they can continue their mission."

Moving people is another area of expertise for the squadron as they are in charge of Yokota's Passenger Terminal and Space-Available travel. Space-A can be used by military members and their families when there are vacant seats on government-owned aircraft. Space-A is free and can be used to fly people all over the world.

And just like how a football team operates as a whole, a variety of individual units work together allowing the 730 AMS to run smoothly. In addition to the sections that specifically deal with cargo or personnel, other areas such as a tool shop and even an internal command post are needed for the squadron to function properly. Every area has a role and all are needed to get the mission done.

In addition to the quality service the squadron provides, the squadron produces quality Airmen. Staff Sgt. Clayton Jackson, 730 AMS Passenger Service supervisor, has won a number of awards for 2012 which include Airman of the First Quarter for the Squadron, NCO of the Third Quarter for the Group, Wing Pheonix Stripe Representative, the Air Tanker Association Young Leadership Award for the Wing, and the Air Force Logistics Readiness NCO of the Year AMC winner.

Team Buckley takes a Power Lunch

by Staff Sgt. Nicholas Rau
460th Space Wing Public Affairs

4/25/2013 - BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Team Buckley members travel to John H. Amesse Elementary School every week to participate in the Power Lunch Reading Program to help students improve their reading skills and provide them with positive mentorship.

This is the first year Buckley volunteers have engaged in Power Lunch, but according to Michael Williams, Denver Public Schools parent and community engagement specialist, their impact is already being felt.

"Reading is improving with a lot of the kids. In fact, volunteers are finding that they are reading better and better each week," Williams explained. "You are seeing a lot of better behavior; teachers are saying that kids are acting a lot better.

"We have some kids that have some confidence issues in some ways and teachers are saying, 'He's a little more confident, he's got a little more pep in his step and he's got his shoulders up a little bit.' I am looking at that and I know where that is coming from. That's coming straight from the Airmen," Williams stated.

DPS reached out to Team Buckley in an attempt to connect third graders with service members.

"Military members have an innate piece of leadership and authority that comes across with kids, as well as that professionalism that they don't get to see all the time," Williams said. "It just an awesome thing to have for the kids -- to be able to have that interaction with folks that have that presence about them."

Each week, Team Buckley members carpool to the school, because as Senior Airman Eric Parker, 460th Space Communications Squadron, puts it, "It gives me an opportunity to help Luis."

Each volunteer is teamed up with a child for the school semester, as with Parker and 9-year-old Luis, and they get to see first-hand the effects of their efforts.

"It gives him a little more practice and a little more motivation so that he keeps coming back (to reading)," Parker explained. "When he finishes something that I think is really hard for him and he does a really good job at it, it is rewarding for me."

As for Luis, he said he sees his reading improve because every day he is reading harder and harder books. But his favorite part about Power Lunch is much simpler.

"I get to read with somebody," the third grader said with a smile.

U.S. Airman returns to Indonesian roots during PACANGEL

by Airman 1st Class Kia Atkins
Pacific Angel 13-2 Public Affairs

4/29/2013 - Yogyakarta, Indonesia  -- Staff. Sgt. Endro Accettola, an electrical systems journeyman from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, left his hometown of Balikpapan, Indonesia, in 2002 at the age of 14. His first time back to Indonesia was with the U.S. Air Force on a humanitarian operation called Pacific Angel.

PACANGEL is a joint and combined humanitarian assistance mission held in various countries several times a year and includes medical, dental, optometry, engineering programs and various subject-matter expert exchanges.

"I really didn't expect to come back here as part of an Air Force operation," said Accettola. "When I first joined the Air Force my dad told me I might get to come back through the Air Force. I always told him I didn't think that would happen."

During Pacific Angel, Accettola is the site lead for a clinic that U.S. and Indonesian service members are renovating.

"I feel like I'm giving back to my home country by helping out. It makes me want to come here more often; after being in the U.S. for ten years, I'm starting to lose my culture and my native language. I understand what my Indonesian counterparts are saying, but my language skills have become quite limited so it's a little hard to talk to them as well as I would like."

Accettola said working side-by-side with members of the Indonesian military is a great experience.

"The members of the Indonesian Armed Forces that I am working with are really good guys," he said. "They are hard workers and never complain. They are very comfortable with the materials and they have so much experience and knowledge."

Accettola said Pacific Angel is a great operation to show the world that the U.S. military is here to lend a helping hand and hopes operations like this will continue to happen to further improve relations in the Pacific region.

"Once we leave here these locals are going to remember that the U.S. military came here and helped them," said Accettola. "The job might not be huge, but it's enough to impact a community and they're going to see this and remember this for a long time."
Operation Pacific Angel missions were previously conducted in Indonesia in 2009 and 2011. The first Pacific Angel of this year was conducted in the Philippines in March, and others are scheduled for Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Cambodia.

Thule marks Armed Forces Day with Greenlandic residents

by Senior Airman James Sparks
821st Air Base Group

4/29/2013 - THULE AIR BASE, Greenland  -- Thule Air Base celebrated Armed Forces Day March 30-31 by inviting native Greenlandic residents to the base, some of whom traveled up to three days across the extremely cold environment by dog sled to attend the celebration.

Most of the activities took place on the frozen Arctic Ocean and included a modified ice hockey match and a dog sled race sponsored by Thule's Operation Julemand private organization. The events concluded with a native craft sale provided by Greenlandic villagers.

While many of the hunters come to Thule each year for the celebration, it was a unique opportunity for the Airmen assigned to the Department of Defense's northernmost and most remote installation to have such an experience. Thule Air Base is one of six installations operated by the 21st Space Wing and is located 750 miles north of the Arctic Circle.

These events also allowed the Airmen to learn about the local culture as well as share a special Easter weekend with their Arctic neighbors.

"New friendships, friendly competition and once-in-a-lifetime experiences were shared by everyone," said Tech. Sgt. Michael Skonetski, the 2013 Armed Forces Day coordinator. "This event, and ones like it, provide an opportunity for the local and military communities to come together, work together and build relationships that will last a lifetime. It was an honor to be involved."

Every event at Thule AB is undertaken with careful planning and involvement because of its unusual environment and location. The 2013 Armed Forces Day event was no exception.

The Armed Forces Day celebration is particularly special to Thule because it brings three distinct cultures from Greenland, Denmark and the United States together for one great event. Learning more about the Arctic natives and our Danish brothers and sisters has become a huge morale and cultural relations boost for all of "Team Thule."

"It showed me how important it is to be a part of something bigger and how a small community could be so family-oriented," said Staff Sgt. Theodore Burley, 2013 Armed Forces Day assistant coordinator. "It opened my eyes on another's culture and the importance of the relationship between the U.S. armed forces, its host nations, and all the many working pieces it takes to maintain such a strong bond."

552nd Air Control Wing wins 23rd Outstanding Unit Award

by Darren D. Heusel
Tinker Public Affairs

4/26/2013 - TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The 552nd Air Control Wing has won the 2012 Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, bringing its total of AFOUAs won to 23, it was announced recently.

"The men and women of the 552nd Air Control Wing are very proud to earn the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award," said Col. Greg Guillot, 552nd ACW commander. "As with the previous 22 times the wing has been so honored, this award recognizes the outstanding results that come from the disciplined and dedicated approach the wing's Airmen take to accomplishing their mission."

According to Curtis Swift, 552nd ACW historian, the most recent AFOUA was for the period June 1, 2011 to May 31, 2012. Prior to this, Mr. Swift said, the last one earned was for the period of June 1, 2010 to May 31, 2011.

Mr. Swift said of the wing's 23 AFOUAs, four came with the "Combat V" device for valor, with the most recent of these being for the period of June 1, 2002 to May 31, 2003, coinciding with the initial months of Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom.
In addition to the 23 AFOUAs, Mr. Swift said the 552nd ACW has also received two Meritorious Unit Awards; one from 2006-2007 and one for 2008-2009.

"Over the entire year, the 552nd ACW had forces tasked to three combatant commanders, and for a period of time served a fourth, in addition to meeting all local readiness training requirements," Colonel Guillot said. "At home and abroad, 552nd ACW Airmen delivered combat airpower to meet all mission tasks."

Subordinate units within the 552nd ACW authorized to share in the award include: the 552nd Operations Group, 552nd Operations Support Squadron, 552nd Training Squadron, 960th Airborne Air Control Squadron, 963rd AACS, 964th AACS, 965th AACS, 966th AACS, 552nd Air Control Group, 607th Air Control Squadron, 552nd Air Control Networks Squadron, 726th ACS, 728th ACS, 729th ACS, 752nd Operations Support Squadron, 552nd Maintenance Group, 552nd Maintenance Operations Squadron, 552nd Maintenance Squadron and the 552nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

Airmen make progress in bid for Everest

4/29/2013 - FORT 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.

(Information courtesy of USAF Seven Summits Challenge blog and U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs. For more information, and to support the crew's effort, follow the team's progress at http://www.usaf7summits.com and at http://www.facebook.com/pages/USAF-7-Summits-Challenge).

New under secretary sworn in during Pentagon ceremony

4/29/2013 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The Senate confirmed the nomination of Eric Fanning to become the next under secretary of the Air Force April 18 and he began his transition into the office after being sworn in April 29.

"On behalf of the more than 690,000 men and women of the U.S. Air Force, I want to welcome Eric to our Air Force family," said Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley. "He will be a tremendous asset to our Air Force and our leadership team. His diverse background in national security matters, coupled with this communications and congressional experience, will enable him to be a champion for our Airmen and their families during this challenging time in the Department of Defense."

President Obama nominated Fanning Aug. 1, 2012. At that time, he was serving as the deputy under secretary and deputy chief management officer for the Department of the Navy.

"I have been immensely proud to serve these last four years with the men and women of the Navy and the Marine Corps, and I look forward to being part of the Air Force family," Fanning said. "I am honored by this opportunity and look forward to stand beside Secretary Donley in making sure the men and women of this great service receive the support they need in undertaking the mission of defending our country."

The Air Force has been without an under secretary since June 2012, when then-Under Secretary of the Air Force Erin Conaton was appointed to under secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. Dr. Jamie Morin was appointed to serve as the acting under secretary in July 2012.

"I want to thank Jamie for his dedication to the team as the acting under secretary of the Air Force these last ten months. His command of complex issues and tireless efforts ensured the best interests of the Airmen, their families and the Air Force remained at the forefront of every decision," Donley said. "We will continue to benefit from his leadership as he continues his role as the assistant secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller."

The under secretary is responsible for Air Force matters on behalf of the Secretary of the Air Force to include the organizing, training, equipping and providing for the welfare of its Total Force Airmen and their families. He will oversee the service's annual budget of more than $110 billion, and serve as acting secretary of the Air Force in Donley's absence. Fanning will also serve as the chief management officer of the Air Force, the senior Air Force energy official, and the focal point for space within Air Force Headquarters.

Fanning served as the deputy under secretary and deputy chief management officer for the Department of the Navy since 2009. Prior to that position, he was deputy director of the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism. Fanning joined the commission staff from CMG, a strategic communications firm, where he was managing director.

From 2001 to 2006, he was senior vice president for Strategic Development at Business Executives for National Security, or BENS, a Washington, DC-based think tank, where he was in charge of international programs and all regional office operations in six cities across the country.

Previously, Fanning worked at Robinson, Lerer & Montgomery, another strategic communications firm. He also worked on the national and foreign assignment desks at CBS National News in New York and has held various political positions in Washington, D.C. He was a research assistant with the House Armed Services Committee, a special assistant in the Immediate Office of the Secretary of Defense, and associate director of political affairs at the White House.

Leaving Asia, Dempsey Discusses Combined Defense, China Engagement

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT, April 27, 2013 – The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff returned today from a week in Northeast Asia that he spent exploring possibilities in China and seeking to strengthen allied capabilities against a sustained threat of nuclear attack from North Korea.

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey told American Forces Press Service that now is the right time, with the right capabilities in place, to “seek to establish a collaborative, trilateral ballistic missile defense architecture” incorporating U.S., Japanese and South Korean military assets.

Dempsey visited both nations and spoke to his counterparts about establishing such an arrangement, he said. The chairman acknowledged there is a degree of political friction between Japan and South Korea, some of it stemming from events in World War II.

“There are some historic sensitivities, there are some political dynamics,” he noted. “I’m not trying to suggest to either country’s political leaders that they brush those aside at my request.”

What he proposes, he added, is that the senior military officers of all three countries advise their political leaders to integrate air and missile defense systems. Such a joint, combined system would link ground-based, aerial and maritime assets from all three nations to form a defensive capability “because it will be better than the sum of its individual parts.”

All three nations should be mature enough to set aside their differences, Dempsey said, and focus on the common, prolonged threat of ballistic missiles from Pyongyang and North Korea’s young leader Kim Jong Un -- the third member of his family to rule the reclusive nation since his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, took power in 1948. The elder Kim invaded South Korea in 1950, and North Korea has since been isolated and antagonistic to the United States, South Korea and Japan.

Dempsey noted North Korea’s nuclear threat puts South Koreans, Japanese and U.S troops and families in the region at risk, so establishing a common defense makes sense. He added that while Japan and South Korea have issues to resolve from their history, “we’re also trying to make history.”

Turning to his visit to China this week, which was his first, the chairman said initial visits primarily set the tone for further engagement. He has said repeatedly this week that his message to both China and allies in the region is that, as the United States and China pursue the “new relationship”
President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to in principle, it has to be forged in the context of America’s “long-standing and other important relationships in the region.”
Dempsey added, “I sensed, at the military-to-military level, an appreciation for that fact. Although the Chinese preference might be to have a blank slate … that’s not possible.”

The chairman also took to China the message that with great power comes great responsibility. As a rising China becomes more central to the world stage, he added, he sees that responsibility likely playing out first in two areas.

“One is on these territorial issues,” Dempsey said, referring to disputes China has with other countries in the region over islands in both the East China Sea and South China Sea.

“The idea of great power and great responsibility would mean, to them, that they shouldn’t try to resolve those territorial issues coercively, just because they happen to be a hundred times bigger than some of their neighbors,” he said.

The chairman noted that when the United States seeks to exert its influence worldwide, “we do so in the knowledge that … we have significant power. And with that power comes the responsibility to act more deliberately, more pragmatically, more carefully, because of that great power that can so change the global geostrategic and economic environment.”

A second area where Chinese power holds great potential influence, he said, is in the future of the Pacific region.

“One of the things I asked my counterpart is, ‘As we begin to build this new relationship, can we share some thoughts with each other about how we see our individual nations continuing to contribute to global security?’” Dempsey said.

“I’d be happy to tell them what I see as the future of our forward presence, of our rotational deployments and of our readiness stance at home,” he said. “I’d love to hear that [level of detail] from them, and see if on that basis of … greater transparency, we might have a better understanding of each other.”

The road to a sustained closer relationship between the two powers will likely not always proceed in a straight line, the chairman said, but the interaction he had with Chinese political leaders and military members at all levels can help set the conditions for closer interaction.

Dempsey said he and his military counterparts agree on three lines of effort they will recommend to their respective leaders:

-- More frequent and regular engagements at every level, including greater participation in each other’s military training exercises as well as establishing a video teleconference link to ease communications between Dempsey and his Chinese counterpart, Gen. Fang Fenghui, People’s Liberation Army chief of the general staff;

-- Staff consultations to compare “not strategy as much as vision,” Dempsey said; and

-- Developing an agreed-upon approach or code of behavior to apply to encounters in the air, sea, and cyber domains.

The chairman said of the VTC link, “I told [Fang], this is the 21st century and we both consider ourselves on the leading edge of information technology, and we’re using this -- what I find to be -- rather cumbersome telephone linkage. So we’re going to try to advance that.”

The third objective, developing a mutual code of behavior, could begin with a discussion of theoretical encounters, Dempsey suggested.

“Maybe through a series of vignettes, we would notionally discuss a vignette where [U.S. and Chinese forces] encounter each other in the air, at sea, or the more difficult one, ... cyber,” the chairman said. “But we have to work toward it.”

At this stage those efforts “are all aspirations on the part of those of us who had these discussions,” he noted. “We have to make aspiration become motivation, and motivation become implementation.”

The chairman said he was very pleased with the program of events his visit included.

“As we prepared for the trip, I asked them if we could focus this trip on people,” Dempsey said, noting he was interested, going into China, in “getting the opportunity to build relationships at my level, and also to interact with their next generation.”

His Chinese hosts arranged that, he said. While official visits -- perhaps particularly in China -- are often tightly scripted, he acknowledged, the visit included several opportunities for candid interaction.

“We went to the aviation regiment,” Dempsey noted. “I’m sure that they invited to that event some of their finest young men, as I would. The young men I met were not scripted. Were they rehearsed at some level? Perhaps.”

The chairman said after 39 years in this business, he knows how to pull people off script.
“And I did that at every opportunity, and at every opportunity, when they moved off script I found them to be engaging, candid and thoughtful,” he added. “And that was true especially at the youngest level, but even at the level of the National Defense Institute. Again, the initial conversation was always what you would expect, the kind of well-honed messages -- but in pulling them off of those, it was actually quite engaging.”

The chairman said first trips are always important in establishing tone.

“I found the tone of the trip, both the reality of it but also how it was reported in the Chinese press, to be very positive,” he noted. “There were some critical comments made about my reaffirmation of some of our long-standing policy positions, but again, once that was established, the tone, both in person and in the reflections of it, was very good.”

Dempsey noted that was true of his interactions and also of those between his wife, Deanie, and the senior spouses she engaged with in China.

“I do think establishing personal relationships is important,” Dempsey said. As the Dempseys left China, he added, their hosts “presented us with eight little stuffed animals, one for each of my grandchildren.” He added one of those grandchildren hasn’t yet arrived, but is expected soon.
“I was very touched by that, actually, and it’s an indication that we connected not only at the official level, but at the personal level as well,” he said. “On that basis, I would consider this trip a success by almost any measure.”