Air Force Will Discharge Sexual Assault Offenders

By Air Force Staff Sgt. David Salanitri
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

WASHINGTON, July 18, 2013 – Airmen who commit sexual assaults will be discharged, and senior commanders must review actions taken on sexual assault cases under new Air Force initiatives that took effect recently.

Air Force Capt. Allison DeVito, chief of victim issues and policy branch for the Air Force judge advocate general, said both recent changes are part of the Air Force's initiative to combat sexual assault and to foster mutual respect and dignity among airmen.

When combined with existing programs, the Air Force's efforts to end sexual assault and support those who report it have been increasing significantly throughout the past year, DeVito said. At the same time, she added, the Air Force is experiencing a surge in its prosecution rates for sexual assault, reflecting results similar to those in the other services.

As of July 2, commanders must initiate administrative discharge processing for any airman -- officer or enlisted -- found to have committed a sexual assault offense after completing any disciplinary action.
This new requirement, which covers a wide range of sex offenses, is triggered by a finding that the airman committed the offense, DeVito said.

Once a commander has information alleging that an airman has committed a sexual assault offense, the commander must promptly refer the case to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. If the commander believes that the evidence uncovered in the investigation substantiates the allegation, then the commander will take appropriate criminal or administrative action, and following that, must process the offender for administrative discharge, she explained.

In addition to the recent policy change, DeVito said, a new provision explicitly states that an airman who engaged in an unprofessional relationship while serving in a special position of trust -- such as a recruiter or military training instructor -- also is subject to administrative discharge. Airmen who are involuntarily separated from the Air Force under these provisions may receive a discharge under "other than honorable" conditions, DeVito said.

Another change to the discharge process requires that airmen be advised of their right to request review by a general officer. The case can be reviewed if an airman believes the commander's recommendation for involuntary separation was initiated in retaliation for having made an unrestricted report of a sexual assault within the previous 12 months.

This change eliminates the perception that an airman who reports a sexual assault may be subject to discharge simply for reporting, DeVito said.

In addition, a June 27 directive issued by the undersecretary of the Air Force directed that any commander who makes a disciplinary decision regarding an airman who commits a sexual assault must report that decision to the servicing general court-martial convening authority, a general officer, who then will review the intended disposition and take any further action deemed appropriate.

This change also requires that the general court-martial convening authority must review the case and its disposition after all disciplinary and administrative action is completed and must report the actions taken in the case to AFOSI in writing. Upon receipt of this report of command action, AFOSI will close out the investigative file by attaching a copy of the report of command action to the case file.

DeVito said that, to date, 369 service members, of which are mostly airmen, have received legal services from an Air Force special victims counsel. The SVCs attend interviews by AFOSI, the prosecution and defense counsel. They also attend trials with the victim-client, assisting victims in obtaining expedited transfers, and helping victims receive military protective orders to ensure the assailant does not contact the victim except as needed to prepare for trial. The Air Force is the only service providing SVCs to service members, DeVito said.

"Sexual assault has no place in our Air Force," said Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, Air Force chief of staff. "We live in a culture of respect. We cherish our core values of integrity, service, and excellence. But in order to ensure all airmen experience and benefit from those values, we must eliminate sexual assault in our ranks."

Dempsey, Winnefeld Discuss Syria at Confirmation Hearing

By Nick Simeone American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, July 18, 2013 – The chairman and vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told the Senate Armed Services Committee today that momentum in Syria’s civil war appears to have shifted in favor of President Bashar Assad, but they declined to say what recommendations they have given the president regarding possible U.S. military intervention. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey and Navy Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr. were asked about the situation in Syria and possible U.S. intervention during a hearing called to consider their nominations to serve two more years as the nation’s top military officers. “Currently, the tide seems to have shifted in [Assad’s] favor,”= Dempsey said, with Winnefeld adding, “If I were to have to pick who’s winning, it would be the regime, but not by much.” Dempsey said the military has provided President Barack Obama with options for Syria and that the administration is deliberating over whether to use “kinetic strikes” against Syrian targets. However, he said, it would be inappropriate “to render an opinion in public about what kind of force we should use,” pledging that as the military considers options, he will articulate whether he thinks they’ll be effective and what the risks would be for U.S. forces. Dempsey said unless the momentum in the two-year Syrian civil war shifts, the chances for a negotiated settlement appear remote. Both military leaders agreed that a decision by Russia -- a major weapons supplier and Syria’s largest ally outside the region -- to stop supporting Assad would be a “game changer.” But the Syrian leader, Winnefeld said, is going to “fight to the death,” and he predicted Assad will still be in power a year from now if Russia, Iran and Hezbollah continue to support him. After determining in June that pro-Assad forces had used chemical weapons, including sarin gas, on their opponents, the Obama administration announced that it would supply the resistance with small arms. But Dempsey expressed reluctance about any option that seeks to simply better equip the rebels, noting this could cause the situation to deteriorate further. “This opposition has to not only be prepared militarily, but it has to be prepared if it achieves a position of governance inside of Syria,” he said. Dempsey said the consequences of Syria’s civil war are having a destabilizing effect on the region, agreeing with the assessment of one member of the panel that the influx of tens of thousands of Syrian refuges in Jordan could soon threaten the rule of King Abdalllah. He noted that the conflict already has destabilized western Iraq. Ultimately, Dempsey told the committee, any decision by the United States to use military force in Syria rests with the president. “We’ve given him options,” the chairman said. “The members of this committee have been briefed on them in a classified setting. We’ve articulated the risk.”

Sailor Missing from Vietnam War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing from the Vietnam War, have been identified and have been returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Michael B. Judd of Cleveland was buried on July 15, in Arlington National Cemetery.  On June 30, 1967, Judd was aboard a CH-46A Sea Knight helicopter that was attempting to insert a U.S. Marine Corps reconnaissance team into hostile territory in Thua Thien-Hue Province, Vietnam.  As the helicopter approached the landing zone, it was struck by enemy fire from the surrounding tree line, causing the aircraft to catch fire.  The aircraft crashed landed.  Although most of the reconnaissance team to survived, Judd and four other crew members of the team, died in the crash.

n 1993, joint U.S./Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) teams investigated the case in Thua Thien-Hue Province.  The team interviewed local villagers who claimed to have discovered an aircraft crash site in the nearby forest while searching for firewood in 1991.  The team surveyed the location finding aircraft wreckage that could not be associated with a CH-46A.

During the 1990s, joint U.S./ S.R.V. teams continued to investigated the loss in Thua Thien-Hue Province.  In 1999, the team interviewed the same local villagers who provide relevant case information and the joint team surveyed the crash site again, this time uncovering aircraft wreckage consistent with a U.S. military helicopter.

In 2012, joint U.S./ S.R.V. recovery teams began excavating the crash site and recovered human remains and aircraft wreckage from the CH-46A helicopter that Judd was aboard. 

Scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) used forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, including dental comparisons in the identification of Judd remains. 

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

Bold Tigers return to sky

by Airman 1st Class Brittany A. Chase
366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

7/18/2013 - MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho -- The 391st Fighter Squadron resumed flying July 17 after budget cuts required the squadron to stand down April 8.

The restored flying hour program represents Congressional action on the $1.8 billion overseas contingency operations reprogramming decision, making peacetime dollars available. The Air Force Council has approved the use of $423 million of those dollars to restore flying hours for affected units.

The money restores vital training and test operations for the combat fleet across the Air Force for the remainder of fiscal year 2013. This impacts not only MHAFB but other Air Combat Command units.

The return to the skies means a return to crucial training and development for Airmen.

"Returning to flying is an important first step but what we have ahead of us is a measured climb to recovery," said Air Combat Command Commander, Gen. Mike Hostage. "Our country counts on the U.S. Air Force to be there when needed--in hours or days, not weeks or months. A fire department doesn't have time to 'spin up' when a fire breaks out, and we don't know where or when the next crisis will break out that will require an immediate Air Force response."

The restoration of flying hours only addresses the next two-and-a-half months of flying. With hours restored until the end of FY13, the Bold Tigers will continue training in order to stay combat ready.

"Since our grounding we have worked tirelessly to sustain a limited degree of tactical proficiency," said Lt. Col. Richard Dickens, 391st Fighter Squadron commander. "Unfortunately, nothing replaces the experience of actual flying training, which will regain the combat readiness our nation expects and demands."

Airmen will be able to progress in training as the Fighter Squadron takes to the skies.

"Many of our newest controllers have been placed in a stop-training status awaiting an increase in traffic," Dickens said. "The only way to restore normal career progression and reduce the massive training backlog for our incredibly talented support personnel is to resume flying."

Although the 391st FS does not know what's in store for FY13, they're happy about the hours they've received.

"The 391st Bold Tigers are incredibly excited to start flying again," said Dickens. "In the true spirit of the Gunfighters, the Bold Tigers are prepared for this challenge to return to the skies."


"This decision gets us through the next several months but not the next several years," Hostage said. "While this paints a clearer picture for the remainder of FY13, important questions remain about FY14 and beyond. Budget uncertainty makes it difficult to determine whether we'll be able to sustain a fully combat-ready force."

Furthermore, the reinstallation of hours comes at a cost to future capabilities, including reduced investment in the recapitalization and modernization of the combat fleet.

"We are using investment dollars to pay current operational bills, and that approach is not without risk to our long-term effectiveness," Hostage said. "We can't mortgage our future. America relies on the combat airpower we provide, and we need to be able to continue to deliver it."

(Editor's Note: Information from this story was collected from ACC's Combat air forces to resume flying at http://www.acc.af.mil/news/story_print.asp?id=123355835)

Biden: Asia-Pacific Rebalance Promotes Prosperity, Security

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 18, 2013 – Emphasizing that economic development and peace and stability are intertwined, Vice President Joe Biden said today the goal of the increased U.S. focus and engagement in the Asia-Pacific region is to make it not only more secure, but more prosperous as well.

Biden spoke to a Center for American Progress forum at George Washington University before leaving next week for economic and strategy discussions in India and Singapore.

The security the United States has provided over the past 60 years “has enabled the region’s people to turn their talents and hard work into an economic miracle,” Biden said. “Now, we want to hasten the emergence of an Asia-Pacific order that delivers prosperity for all the nations involved.”

The U.S. rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region reflects the importance of a region that, despite remarkable promise, struggles with uncertainty and risk, the vice president said. “We are focused on the risks of disruption of commerce, proliferation, humanitarian disasters, conflict between nations and the persistent threat caused by North Korea,” he told the audience.

Standing up to these challenges, he said, requires strong alliances, institutions and partnerships that tie regional countries together so they work together toward goals that benefit all. They also promote understanding and avenues for countries to peacefully resolve differences, he said.

Toward this end, the United States wants to be a partner in creating “21st-century rules of the road” that would clarify acceptable international behavior, Biden said. Such rules would extend from economic to security issues, benefitting “not only the United States and the region, but the world as a whole,” he said.

Recognizing maritime disputes in the South China Sea, Biden urged China and the Association of South East Asian Nations to work more closely toward a code of conduct that establishes universally acceptable standards of international behavior.

“That means no intimidation, no coercion, no aggression and a commitment from all parties to reduce the risk of mistakes and miscalculation,” he said. “It is in everyone’s interest that there be freedom of navigation, unimpeded lawful commerce, respect for international laws and norms and a peaceful resolution of territorial disputes.”

Biden also cited broad agreement that North Korea’s nuclear missile program “presents a clear and present danger to stability,” particularly in East Asia. The United States is working closely with Japan, South Korea, China and Russia to get North Korea to stop these activities, he said.

The vice president also expressed the U.S. willingness to engage directly with North Korea – but only, he emphasized, if agrees to “genuine” negotiations and commits to giving up its nuclear ambitions.
“North Korea can have peace and prosperity like the rest of the region, but only without nuclear weapons,” he said. “We are open to engaging with any nation that is prepared to live up to its international obligations.”

As the United States expands its engagement in the region, Biden called its long-standing alliances with Japan, South Korea, Australia, the Philippines and Thailand the cornerstones of the strategy. “Across the board, with these alliances, we are at a high-water mark in terms of cooperation between our leaders, both military and political, and the support of our people,” he said.

He emphasized, however, that the rebalance does not mean the United States is losing its focus on the Middle East and Europe.

“We are not leaving Europe,” he said. “Europe remains the cornerstone of our engagement with the rest of the world. That is a fact. We are not going anywhere.

“As a matter of fact,” he continued, “we are absolutely convinced that our engagement in the Pacific is in the overwhelming self-interest of Europe. Europe, just like the United States, will benefit greatly as well from stability in the Pacific.”

Cheyenne Mountain gets new commander

7/16/2013 - CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN AIR FORCE STATION, Colo. – Col. Chris Crawford (left), 21st Space Wing commander, passes the 721st Mission Support Group guidon to Lt. Col. Travis Harsha July 11 at the Cheyenne Mountain AFS Minuteman Park. The 721st MSG, located at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, operates, maintains, secures, sustains, mobilizes, tests, and controls the worldwide warning and surveillance system for North America, normally referred to as the Integrated Tactical Warning and Attack Assessment (ITW/AA) weapon system. Harsha is the CMAFS installation commander and 721st MSG commander. He takes over from outgoing commander Col. Joseph Turk who is retiring. (U.S. Air Force photo/Robb Lingley)

Refueling the Spirit

by Capt. Zach Anderson
931st Air Refueling Group Public Affairs

7/16/2013 - MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. -- A B-2 Spirit assigned to the 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., closes in on the refueling boom of a KC-135 Stratotanker from McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., during an air refueling training mission, July 15, 2013. The KC-135 was being operated by an aircrew from the Air Force Reserve 18th Air Refueling Squadron, 931st Air Refueling Group, at McConnell. 

Citizen Airmen from the 931st routinely conduct air refueling training missions in order to maintain proficiency in air refueling operations.  Air refueling acts as a force extender and a force multiplier, and allows the Air Force to project its reach around the globe.

The KC-135 Stratotanker provides the core aerial refueling capability for the United States Air Force and has excelled in this role for more than 50 years.

Additional Missile Defense Tests Necessary, Official Says

By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 17, 2013 – Following recent testing failures, the director of the Missile Defense Agency told Congress today that he is committed to a full evaluation of the way forward for the nation’s ballistic missile defense system.

Navy Vice Adm. James Syring told members of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee that the most recent flight test, conducted July 5, was intended to assess the ability of a ground-based interceptor to intercept a target in mid-course. Although the missile launched successfully, it failed to intercept its target, he added.

The payload -- an upgraded Capability Enhancement-I exo-atmospheric kill vehicle -- is designed to separate from the missile carrying it, Syring said.

While the most recent test is considered a failure because the payload failed to separate, he said, it achieved secondary objectives, including demonstrations of the system’s sensors and the first use of an Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system as a ground-based, midcourse defense launch-armed sensor.

The cause of the failure is still under review, Syring said, but he underscored his commitment to the program and noted that this was the first failure in four tests of this particular version of the kill vehicle.

“We've seen separation issues in previous flight tests, before the CE-I, earlier on in the prototype testing. And those have been corrected,” he told committee members. “We'll find out what happened here, and we'll correct this as well.

“I am committed to conducting a full evaluation of the path ahead for the [ground-based midcourse defense] program,” he continued, “to include more regular testing, an acceleration of the CE-II upgrades after intercept testing or redesign, and upgrade of the current [exo-atmospheric kill vehicle],” Syring said.

Regardless of the path the agency embarks upon, he said, it will aggressively attack any substantiated quality control problems coming out of the failure review board.

Future testing dates are still under consideration, Syring said, and could involve a repeat of the most recent test.

“What's important is continued testing,” he noted. “And I've requested in the [fiscal year 2014] budget two intercept tests and at least one intercept test in subsequent years.”

Syring acknowledged that he couldn’t guarantee additional funding wouldn’t be necessary, but, he said, “the budget, as it's currently structured, has adequate funding to complete the development of the CE-II, to test the CE-II [and] to complete the upgrades to the CE-I fleet.”
The admiral told the committee that while ground-based interceptor systems have been deployed before being fully developed, that decision was made with good reason.

“The GBIs currently fielded were fielded very quickly to meet a growing threat and that served a very good purpose,” he said. “It was always our intent ... to incrementally improve the GBI system over time, and that's what we're doing.”

Syring said he remained confident that the interceptor fleet is ready to defend the nation, including from intercontinental ballistic missile attacks. “We have extensive model and simulation capability that projects the results of our conducted intercept testing into the longer range environment,” the admiral told the Senate panel.

Speed and distance is important, Syring noted, adding that he expects to have an ICBM target available in 2015 to use in testing. “Our models and simulations and ground testing ... indicate that we would be successful,” he said.

In March, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered the operational fleet of ground-based interceptors increased from 30 to 44 by 2017. That decision assumes successful testing of the next-generation exo-atmospheric kill vehicle, the CE-II, Syring told the committee. And, he said, that the results of the most recent test review do not point to any problematic common components within the currently planned production ground-based interceptors.

Additional deployments of ground-based interceptor systems are under consideration, Syring said.

The agency is evaluating locations in the continental United States for possible future deployment sites, he said. It is also working with Japanese partners to deploy a second AN/TPY-2 anti-ballistic missile mobile radar system to Japan in order to provide more robust sensor coverage for homeland defense.

“We will continue to strengthen regional defenses with funding to operate and sustain command, control, battle management and communications and the TPY-2 radars at the fielded sites,” Syring said. “We will also deliver more interceptors for the terminal high- altitude aerial defense program and Aegis ballistic missile defense.”

As part of the European missile defense strategy in response to threats from Iran, Syring told the committee his agency will continue to fund upgrades to Phase 1 of the European Phased Adaptive Approach. The strategy, authorized by President Barack Obama in 2009, features a mix of sea- and land-based missile interceptors and sensor systems.

“This approach is based on an assessment of the Iranian missile threat, and a commitment to deploy technology that is proven, cost-effective, and adaptable to an evolving security environment,” according to a White House fact sheet released at the time.

The Missile Defense Agency also is on schedule to complete Aegis Ashore -- the land-based component of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System -- in Romania by 2015 and in Poland by 2018, Syring said.

440th Airlift Wing trains with Canadians

by Adam Luther
440 AW/PA

7/17/2013 - POPE FIELD, N.C. -- Members of the 36th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron had the unique opportunity to train with their Canadian counterparts in a medical exercise here, July 11-12.

These very specialized medics provide care to wounded service members when they are being flown out of a conflict area to a hospital. Aeromedical evacuation personnel have been deployed in support of all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces since the war on terror began. Wounded service members have 98 percent survival rate once they reach aeromedical evacuation system in deployed environments.

This type of training exercise, with an international aeromedical evacuation unit, was a first for most of the Airmen involved and provided an opportunity which may not happen again in their career. The training was held at Pope Field but conducted using the Canadian version of the C-130J. Although the aircraft is familiar to the American Airmen, the Canadians have different rules and ways of providing patient care while in flight.

Additionally, the U.S. Airmen worked in blended crews of both Reserve and Active Duty, known as total force. Total force associations combine Reserve and Active Duty units on the same missions and are becoming common practice throughout the U.S. Air Force.

Some of the Canadian crew members were instructors at their aeromedical evacuation school and the idea of having Reservists in this career field was a new idea. When the training was over one of the Canadian instructors told Olson that she wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between Reserve and Active Duty other than the patches they wore.

Capt. Donna Olson, an Air Reserve Technician flight nurse with the 36th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, explained that working in blended crews of Reserve and Active Duty is how the crews operate while deployed and often times Airmen are working with crew members they have never met.

"This is a chance to train that way," Olson said. "We have more opportunities since we have a Reserve and Active Duty unit here."

'Train as we fight and fight as we train' is a commonly used saying in the military; training with international partners imitates real world deployments and at the same time helps strengthen the already established ties. When aeromedical evacuation is called in, there is a possibility the crew will be transporting service members from other countries.

"The purpose of the training is to share knowledge," said Capt. Charles McMichael, 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron flight nurse. "In a deployed setting we all transport each other's injured troops. Our career fields mirror each other and are structurally the same, but there are differences though. That's one purpose of this though, to see where those are, what is different and maybe learn something new."

McMichael went on to say, "there is strength in diversity and this is another way of learning and creating that environment."

On the first day of the training exercise the U.S. Airmen shadowed their Canadian counterpart; observing and learning how the Canadians are trained to respond to different medical situations. During the second day of training the Canadians shadowed the U.S. Airmen. The international partners came together at the end of the exercise and discussed what was learned, suggested improvements and asked questions of each other.

Normal aeromedical evacuation loading of patients is not an easy process explained McMichael, involving a large amount of coordination and planning. Adding to the challenge of this training, the missions conducted during this exercise were done with aircraft engines running. This added to the difficulty because heat, exhaust, and the wind from the engines has to be considered while loading patients.

One of the biggest differences noticed by Olson was the way the two countries manage oxygen. The U.S. crews use a liquid form of oxygen while the Canadian use the compressed gas form. Since the training was happening on a Canadian aircraft the American Airmen had to adapt to a different way of doing things.

"The reason we make it back and we make it back ok is because we do practice these things," said Olson. "It helps all of our members, all of our flyers be more proficient at what they are doing."

Airman earns AF-level award

by Airman 1st Class Tammie Ramsouer
JBER Public Affairs

7/17/2013 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- "Your life is our business/Last to let you down," is the motto by which every Airman in Aircrew Flight Equipment lives. Their job is to keep pilots supplied and ready for each mission.

The AFE award is an annual Air Force-level award program, recognizing Airmen who achieve outstanding accomplishments in the career field. The nominations start at the base level and end at the Pentagon, where the AFE functional manager decides a winner.

Personnel in AFE are responsible for keeping pilots alive when things happen unexpectedly. Their job requires constant attention to detail and a commitment to the safety of the aircrew they support.

Senior Airman Amanda Stinnett, 3rd Operation Support Squadron AFE journeyman, said she received an unexpected surprise while deployed to Manas, Kyrgyzstan. While browsing Facebook, Stinnett was overcome by praises from family, friends and coworkers.

Stinnett, 24, was pleased and surprised to discover she had won the AFE award for 2012.

She joined the Air Force in January 2011 to fulfill her interest in the military. She said travel and education benefits also inspired her decision.

Coworkers describe her as one of the best Airmen on their team and appreciate her can-do attitude.

"Senior Airman Stinnett is a strong advocate of giving back to the community and furthering her personal and professional goals," said Tech. Sgt. Mark Natividad, former 3rd OSS noncommissioned officer in charge of AFE.

As an AFE technician, Stinnett ensures survival kits, parachutes and all gear pilots need to fly is packed and ready to go in a timely manner.

"My father is a pilot so it really hits home," said the Tulsa, Okla. native.

AFE technicians are expected to be knowledgeable on every piece of equipment needed in specific models of aircraft in which they operate. Each airplane may need one or more specific type of parachute or survival kit, which AFE technicians must know and be familiar with.

This equipment is used by various organizations on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson including the 525th, 90th and 302nd fighter squadrons, who use the parachutes and gear in their training and real-world operations.

Being promoted below the zone in 2011 and finishing her upgrade training three months ahead of schedule shows how dedicated Stinnett is with her duties as an Airman and as an AFE technician.

Stinnett actively volunteers her time to the Alaska community by participating in many 5K runs and at the Anchorage Zoo.

Kadena Airmen support Talisman Saber 2013

by Staff Sgt. Rachelle Coleman
Talisman Saber Public Affairs

7/17/2013 - ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE BASE AMBERLY, Australia -- Airmen from Kadena Air Base, Japan, are currently supporting Exercise Talisman Saber 2013 in Australia.

Talisman Saber is a biennial combined Australian and United States training activity, designed to train the respective military forces in planning and conducting combined task force operations to improve the combat readiness and interoperability between the forces. The exercise is a major undertaking that reflects the closeness of the alliance and the strength of the ongoing military-military relationship.

U.S.-Australia System Promotes Logistics Interoperability

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 17, 2013 – A new logistics tracking system between the United States and Australia will help to ensure faster, more coordinated responses to humanitarian crises and other contingencies while laying the foundation for closer cooperation across the Asia-Pacific region, the senior U.S. Pacific Command logistics director reported.

The new Pacific Radio Frequency Identification system provides improved logistical interoperability between the U.S. and Australian militaries, improving the tracking of equipment and supplies for the Marine Rotational Force-Darwin and U.S.-Australian exercises and missions. Here, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Isaac Hernandez, an assault rifleman with Marine Rotational Force Darwin, sights in on his target during a squad-attack exercise in Australia, May 22, 2013. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Sarah Fiocco   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Pacom, through its U.S. Army Pacific component, and the Australian defense force launched the Pacific Radio Frequency Identification System in April, Air Force Brig. Gen. Mark M. McLeod reported during a telephone interview from the command headquarters at Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii.

The system incorporates technologies commercial retailers have come to rely on to track their goods from the manufacturer to warehouses and into buyers’ hands, McLeod explained.
It also leverages capabilities NATO introduced about three years ago with the standup of a network exchange hub that promotes information sharing about supply shipments bound for the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

The NATO system uses radio-frequency identification to automatically locate and track shipments through ISAF-member supply chains. Nations connected to a routing hub in Luxembourg transmit logistics data to other users, giving the entire supply chain real-time visibility on the shipments.

The Pacific Radio Frequency Identification system introduces this capability into the Pacom theater to support rotational U.S. Marine Corps forces in Darwin, Australia, and expanded military-to-military cooperation across the region, McLeod said.

The Defense Department has long used barcode technology to monitor the flow of everything from washers and nuts for a particular aircraft to armored vehicles, he explained. This gives logisticians the ability to track shipments throughout the transportation process and keep tabs on inventory stocks.

The new system takes this effort a step further. It uses radio frequency identification technology to “read” barcode information on both U.S. and Australian military equipment and supplies. Australian RFID readers recognize the barcodes affixed to U.S. shipments flowing through Australia, then automatically transmits the information to the NATO routing hub. U.S. logisticians can then monitor the flow of equipment or shipments through delivery.

“It gives everybody near-real-time access,” McLeod said. “When an individual supply-line item passes along a tracking device, it is automatically read up into a database and distributed. There is literally just a matter of seconds involved in the transmission of the information to everyone’s servers about where their equipment is.”

The new logistics partnership saves the United States the cost of deploying and installing its own RFID systems in Australia at an estimated cost of about $560,000 over the next five years, McLeod said.
“This is a big win for U.S. and Australian forces operating in the Pacific, McLeod said. “This is ‘Pacific Rebalance’ in action.”

With a U.S. defense strategy focused heavily on the Asia-Pacific region and expanded U.S. engagement across the theater, the system supports closer U.S.-Australian interoperability during exercises, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions and other contingencies, he said.

The system also provides a framework that could be expanded in the future to include more regional allies and partners, he said. “This is another example of how partner-nation logistics cooperation effectively and efficiently expands military reach and capability in the Asia-Pacific region,” the general added.

Historically, the military has struggled with two primary obstacles to logistics-information technology: incompatible systems that made sharing difficult, and security protocols that limited what information could be shared, and with whom.

The since-dissolved U.S. Forces Command came up with an initial logistics information-sharing system about seven years ago, McLeod said. It required users from one country to email information to their partner-nation counterparts, who downloaded the file and uploaded it onto their own system.
“It was a clunky way of transmitting information, and not in real time,” McLeod said. “It depended on how much manpower and how much time you had, so it wasn’t an effective or efficient way of sharing information.”

The United States and Australia previously attempted to share logistics information using a direct link between their systems, but got bogged down by servers that had trouble talking to each other and accreditation processes that were slow and cumbersome.

They abandoned the project in early 2011 in favor of the current one that leverages NATO capabilities.
“The system is fully operational right now,” McLeod said. “It was turned on in early April, and it is up and running.”

McLeod emphasized the importance of logistics information-sharing, particularly during the U.S. pivot to the Asia-Pacific region. “Knowing the times and dates when things are going to arrive empowers all the processes that we have in military logistics,” he said. “Efficient and integrated international supply chains aren’t just important to Wal-Mart. They are critical enablers for warfighters as well.”

This capability will be particularly valuable, he said, in the event that nations need to work together to respond to a natural disaster such as the Operation Tomodachi in Japan.

“We are looking more and more toward our partners and our partner capacity to integrate with us and be more fully interoperable,” he said. “This is one of those empowering enabler technologies that allow us to do that.”

Training for joint, U.K. F-35 programs heat up

by Maj. Karen Roganov
33rd Fighter Public Affairs

7/17/2013 - EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The largest fleet of F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighters ramped up to 28 aircraft June 25, bringing in new capability for the F-35 Integrated Training Center as the team trains to provide combat operations capability in the years ahead.

The U.S. Navy's Strike Fighter Squadron-101 received a second F-35C from Lockheed Martin, Fort. Worth, Texas. The Navy's variant is designed to land on the decks of aircraft carriers.

"Receiving our jets is an almost indescribable milestone for us," said Navy Capt. John Enfield, commanding officer of VFA-101. "We're excited to be on the ground floor of introducing a generational step forward in combat lethality and battle space awareness for our worldwide deployed forces."

Flying in formation with the Navy F-35C was the final compliment of the third F-35B for the United Kingdom based here as part of an Initial Operational Test & Evaluation Implementing Arrangement. The U.K. trains with the U.S. Marine Corps Fighter Attack Training Squadron-501 and fly each other's jets interchangeably.

This latest United Kingdom F-35B has upgraded software, defined as Block 2A, making it the first such for the combined Royal Air Force, Royal Navy and United States Marine Corps assets at the VMFAT-501.

Having the enhanced software for both the Navy fighters here and now the VMFAT-501 means pilot training curriculum steadily grows as capabilities come on board.

"An increased use of the digital aperture system, one of the key sensors of the joint strike fighter, marks one such step forward for F-35 training," said Col. Todd Canterbury, commander of the 33d Fighter Wing and overall spearhead for joint and international training here. The Air Force's 58th Fighter Squadron here also trains with the enhanced software, he said.

The fleet continues to grow toward 59 aircraft scheduled to fly at the F-35 Integrated Training Center, part of Eglin's 33rd Fighter Wing. By the end of this calendar year, the team is planning for 42 of those joint strike fighters to be here, he said.

To date, the three services and the United Kingdom have seen 53 pilots and 857 maintainers qualified to fly and maintain the F-35 as the training progresses. All training is geared toward F-35 initial operating capabilities, according to Canterbury.

The Marines expect to declare F-35B IOC late in 2015. The Air Force's target date is by December 2016, and the U.S. Navy is looking at F-35C IOC in February 2019.

While target dates may adjust, a constant for all partners is training for the challenges of working on the 21st century battlefield taking advantage of the unprecedented F-35 with its increased survivability, including advanced information-sharing capabilities setting it to dominate airpower for the next 50 years.

Face of Defense: Father, Son Serve in Ironhorse Brigade

By Army Sgt. Bailey Kramer
1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division

FORT HOOD, Texas, July 17, 2013 – A command sergeant major runs across a landing zone in Afghanistan to catch his flight. In midstride, he is asked to stop for a photo. He takes his eye protection off, turns to the camera and smiles.

Army Spc. Eric Fragoso, back right, and his father, Army Command Sgt. Maj. José Fragoso, center right, are both stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, with the 1st Cavalry Division’s 1st “Ironhorse” Brigade Combat Team. Courtesy photo   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

After returning to base and uploading his photo to his social media account for family and friends to see, he immediately receives a comment from his son, “Hey hero, where’s the eye-pro?”

“The best part of having my sons in the Army is when they validate my life, by saying things I would have said as a soldier,” said Army Command Sgt. Maj. José Fragoso, who hails from Toledo, Ohio, referring to the comment his son, Army Spc. Eric Fragoso, posted on his photo.

Father and son are assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division’s 1st “Ironhorse” Brigade Combat Team.

In 2010, Eric informed his parents of his decision to enlist in the Army. José said he was proud his son decided to follow him into the Army, but it came as surprise to both him and his wife, Kerri Fragoso, a licensed nurse practitioner.
“It had just slipped off my radar. [Eric] didn’t want to join when he was 18, so I said, ‘OK, that’s fine,’” he added.

The shock wasn’t until he told his parents he had chosen to serve as an infantry soldier.
“When we found out he was going infantry like Dad, we were like, ‘Have you not watched Dad all these years?” Kerri said, laughing.

Shortly after Eric completed basic combat training, his father deployed on a special assignment to Afghanistan. Eric received orders to the Ironhorse Brigade here, during preparations for a deployment to Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn.

“It was pretty scary,” Kerri said. “You never knew what was going to happen. … We knew quite a few people who didn’t make it the last time they were in Iraq.”

Kerri wasn’t the only one who was scared. “I was worried more for him,” Eric said. “I didn’t want to lose him.”

While José was deployed, he learned he was going to be the command sergeant major of his son’s battalion, the 2nd “Lancer” Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment.

Although it had been about a year since the family had seen each other, and Eric was happy to be eating his mom’s homemade enchiladas again, he wasn’t too excited that his father was assuming responsibility of his battalion. “I was mad,” he said with a laugh.

After the change of responsibility, Eric’s first sergeant told him he was to leave his company immediately. He is now assigned to Company B of the 2nd “Stallion” Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment.
“I was going to get kicked out of my unit, going to go somewhere else. … I didn’t want to leave the guys I knew I could trust, [whom] I had trained with for about two and half years, and then get thrown in with some new guys. But that’s how the Army works,” the specialist said.

“Yeah, you did leave kicking and screaming,” his father added jokingly.

Even months after his father took responsibility of the Lancer Battalion, Eric still has to remind people he wants to do this on his own and that he won’t use his father as a crutch.

“We don’t have the same leadership style. What I do, wouldn’t fit his personality,” José said. “It would be fake coming out of him, and people would see that. … [But] he has identified things that are wrong that I would have identified as wrong, and he has come up with solutions I would have.”

Eric said he sometimes catches himself sounding like his father.

“I feel like I am becoming a little more like him, and that’s fine with me,” he added. “He’s been an inspiration, but I still have to do things my way.”

Kerri said she is pleased with Eric’s decision of enlisting in the Army and José's professional and personal example.

“I am proud of my sons for going into the military and doing something with their lives, following in their dad’s footsteps,” Kerri said. “And I’m proud of my husband. He has gone the distance and is still going. He shows his sons there is more. … There can always be more.”

F-35 aircrew flight equipment team named Air Force best

by Tech. Sgt. Carl Stenske
33rd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

7/17/2013 - EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) -- One of the Air Force's newest aircrew flight equipment teams is now the Air Force's best.

The 33rd Fighter Wing's aircrew flight equipment flight was chosen the best in the Air Force in the small program category for 2012. The wing is the only unit to fly and train on the F-35A Lightning II fifth generation fighter.

"This outstanding feat was accomplished amidst a year of numerous challenges in stand-up operations for the F-35," said Col. Todd Canterbury, the 33rd Fighter Wing commander. "It shows how hard their team worked to be considered the best in the Air Force."

Tech. Sgt. Andre Baskin is the flight's NCOIC, who says that his team's biggest challenge has been the unique aspects of the F-35 program. "There was nothing to base our procedures on," said Baskin. "We had to use our experience with other fighter aircraft to create new procedures."

Baskin said the team worked 30 hours over a three-day period to perform an emergency safety inspection on F-35 aircrew safety equipment, completing the inspection in one-third of the time. He added that, because there was no aircrew flight equipment training courseware, the team had to create its own, earning honors for "best practice," also at the Air Force level.

Tech. Sgt. Amanda Williams is the team's continuation training instructor, responsible for creating the instructions used to perform tasks for the F-35 equipment under review. "Since there's no F-35 training plan on the equipment, she had to develop it from scratch," said Baskin. "Usually a lesson plan is created and sent from higher headquarters on down. We had to go from the bottom up on these."

Baskin's team became one of the first within the wing to transition from the F-35 contract team, in this case Lockheed Martin, to complete Air Force oversight, a feat they accomplished a year ahead of schedule. "It was difficult because it was brand new," said Baskin. "If a typical aircrew flight equipment shop needs support with something, they can usually get it from another base. There was no F-35 support other than what we could provide ourselves internally. We had to make sure all our bases were covered."

The team was also asked to support other units as well, assisting 720 F-16 sorties from the 56th Fighter Wing, from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., deployed to Eglin in support of the F-35 program. Baskin said that having the added support of the F-16s was definitely a challenge for he and his team. "The team had to basically build an F-16 shop from scratch, not only in equipment, but also in the process of dealing with the equipment, such as obtaining bench stock and equipment turn-in."

Tech Sgt. Lemuel Velazquez, one of the team technicians, said that, when the F-35s arrived, it was hard, but rewarding work. "It was difficult because we have guidelines on the legacy aircraft, but most of those could not be applied to the F-35. We had to adapt to the new requirements, but it helped me grow as an NCO. I was able to see how the Air Force works from a different point of view. I now know 200 percent more than I did before."

Face of Defense: Former Maintainer Recalls Journey to Pilot

By Senior Airman Jaimi Upthegrove
482nd Fighter Wing

HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla., July 16, 2013 – "I remember the first time I climbed into an F-16 [Fighting Falcon] and the canopy closed," Air Force Maj. Robin Lytle recalled. "I had my mask on, and it was so quiet. I was amazed at how quiet and peaceful it was. At that moment, I knew the cockpit was where I was meant to be."

Air Force Maj. Robin Lytle, a reservist and F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot and chief of scheduling with the 93rd Fighter Squadron at Homestead Air Reserve Base in Florida, began his career as a weapons loader in 1989 at Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jaimi Upthegrove   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

To get into that cockpit, Lytle had to navigate a long path. Lytle, a reservist and an F-16 pilot with the 93rd Fighter Squadron here, was born in Laredo, Texas, and spent the better part of his youth moving around with his military family. His father was a pilot, but initially Lytle had no intention of becoming a pilot.

However, he did have a calling to follow in his family's long line of military service, which goes back three generations to his great grandfather. Lytle joined the Air Force Reserve as a weapons loader at Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas, after he graduated high school in 1989.

"I spent a day shadowing the weapons loaders at Bergstrom and I knew it was the job for me," Lytle said. "I just liked watching them load the bombs and move the missiles around. I knew it was a vital job in the Air Force, and I wanted to be a part of it."
Lytle worked on the flightline at Bergstrom AFB while attending college. For four years he developed his skills.

"I loved taking something that needed repair, fixing it and being able to deliver a finished product to serve the mission," Lytle said. "I received a great amount of satisfaction from the job."

In college, Lytle majored in aeronautics, and during his career in the reserve he aspired to become a maintenance officer. He said he earned a name for himself as a dedicated airman.

"I learned early-on to let my work ethic speak for me," Lytle said. "The most important thing I learned from my time on the [flightline] is that a good work ethic is essential to earning the respect of others."
In 1995, Lytle graduated with his bachelor's degree from the University of Oklahoma. One day during military duty, Lytle’s director of operations asked him what he intended to do with his degree. Lytle told him he wanted to become a maintenance officer.

Later on the flightline, Lytle's career trajectory took a turn.

"One morning I was sitting on an F-16 fixing a gun issue that had been giving us trouble for a few days," Lytle said. "I watched the pilots walk out, get into their jets and take off. As I sat there, knee deep in a gun belt, I thought to myself that I wanted to do that."

Lytle went back to his director of operations and let him know he wanted to apply for pilot training. Lytle then started building his package to submit to the selection board.

"I was sweating waiting for an answer," he said. "There was a lot on the line. I really wanted it."

While waiting to hear from the board, Lytle was offered a weapons loader position as an Air Reserve Technician at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla. It was an opportunity, he said, that he couldn't pass up.
Shortly after moving to Homestead, Lytle received word he'd been accepted into pilot training.
"I was so excited when I found out I had been accepted into pilot training," he said. "Then the gravity of it all hit me, and I knew I couldn't mess up."

Before starting pilot training, Lytle had to find a base that needed a new fighter pilot. He was planning on filling a pilot slot back at Bergstrom AFB, but the base was on the verge of closing so he had to search for a new place to begin his life in the skies.

"I remember calling around to every fighter base, but I couldn't find a base that would take me," Lytle said. "The director of operations at my base spoke with the commander about my situation."
As luck would have it, the commander at his previous base was about to become the new wing commander at Homestead. Because of Lytle's good reputation, the commander said he'd ensure Lytle would have a spot.

"I was meant to be at Homestead," Lytle said.

Pilot training was “the most intense thing I have ever been through because they're throwing so much information at you all at once,” Lytle said.

“All my free time went to studying,” he added. “Being a pilot is hard work, but it's highly rewarding knowing you're keeping the guys on the ground safe."

Due to his experiences, Lytle truly understands what the maintainers go through, which gives him a unique perspective as a pilot, said Air Force Lt. Col. Timothy Rusch, the 93rd FS director of operations.

"My heart is on the [flightline]," Lytle said. "I really enjoy the chief of scheduling role because I get to interact with the maintainers and it brings me one step closer to the [flightline]."

During a recent operational readiness inspection, Lytle was a key component in the 93rd FS's communications with maintenance, Rusch said.

"He efficiently and effectively gets the job done and considers his people while he does it," Rusch said.

Lytle said he still loves being out on the flightline and finds every possible opportunity to get out there. He considers his time as a weapons loader as a vital asset in his career.

"I know about the long hours that are involved in keeping this jet armed and mission ready," Lytle said. "This experience helps me be a better pilot because when there's an issue, I have unique insight as to what might have gone wrong. I've definitely been involved in situations where I drew from knowledge I acquired as a weapons loader."

AF encourages Airmen to be key part of SAPR solution

by Staff Sgt. David Salanitri
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

7/16/2013 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  In an effort to address the growing concern of sexual assault in the Air Force, the service has kicked off an initiative to give Airmen the capability for their voice to be clearly heard called "Every Airman Counts."

"I believe Airmen are a key part of the solution to this," said. Maj. Gen. Margaret Woodward, the director of the Air Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response office. "They understand the problem, and they know what needs to be done to help conquer it. Now we need them to share those innovative ideas with us and each other. We need our Airmen talking about this issue."

To enable this dialogue, the Air Force SAPR office members designed a blog to share ideas, collect suggestions, concerns, stories, and questions for Air Force leaders and SAPR officials. The SAPR blog site asks Airmen to make inputs on how the service can better combat sexual assault.

"We can't fix this issue sitting in the Pentagon," said Gen. Larry Spencer, the Air Force vice chief of staff. "We need each and every one of you to get engaged in addressing this issue... this crime, and it is a crime. We need to know exactly where you feel the issues are, so we can address them with laser focus. I need every one of you helping us find ways to ensure dignity and respect are prevailing qualities in our daily relationships."

Content on the site will be driven in part by Airmen making firsthand posts. In addition to the blog, the Air Force is organizing web chats that will be moderated forums for real-time information exchange between Airmen, subject matter experts and senior leaders.

Various experts in the SAPR area will host these discussions to gain a better understanding of the issues at every level.

"We've been doing a lot of talking on this issue," Woodward said. "It's important that we listen."

The SAPR blog is just one of many actions the Air Force is pursuing to help address the issues sexual assault within the ranks and to offer support for victims. Other actions include the creation of the Special Victims Counsel program earlier this year, which provides constant support to sexual assault victims throughout the legal process.

Airmen can view the blog and make posts by logging into the Air Force portal with their Defense Department Common Access Card, and clicking on the photo tab titled Every Airman Counts or go to http://afsapr.dodlive.mil.

"'Every Airman Counts is about you, our Airmen, our most precious resource," Spencer said. "Our strength lies in our people, so we're asking all of our teammates to help us stop sexual assaults now. The American people place great trust and confidence in our military. We cannot and will not violate that trust."

Baseball All-Star Festivities Include ‘Tribute for Heroes’

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 16, 2013 – As Major League Baseball showcases its top players at Citi Field in New York tonight, it will take time before the 2013 All-Star Game to honor 30 service members and veterans.

During the “Tribute for Heroes” campaign, conducted jointly by MLB and People magazine, 90 finalists were selected, and fans voted online to select one service member or veteran to represent each of MLB’s 30 teams.

Over the last two days, they’ve taken a private tour of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum and attended a VIP reception at the All-Star Gala. They also took in All-Star Red Carpet Show and last night’s Home Run Derby. They will attend and be honored during the pre-game ceremony leading up to tonight’s game, which will be broadcast on the Fox network beginning at 7:30 p.m. EDT.

The Tribute for Heroes campaign supports Welcome Back Veterans, an initiative of Major League Baseball and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, which addresses the needs of veterans after they return from service, according to an MLB news release. MLB has committed more than $23 million for grants to hospitals and clinics that provide post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury treatment to veterans and their families in a public/private partnership with "Centers of Excellence" at university hospitals throughout the country, the release noted.

As part of its 2013 charity initiative, PEOPLE First: Help America's Veterans, 'PEOPLE' is partnering with Welcome Back Veterans and three other nonprofit organizations that are committed to providing assistance to military men and women, and will feature them in stories in the magazine throughout 2013.

Photos and profiles of the 30 service members and veterans being honored are available at http://TributeForHeroes.com.

USAF Thunderbirds to resume limited training flights

by Maj Darrick B. Lee
USAF Thunderbirds Public Affairs

7/16/2013 - NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- Temporary funding for flying hours has been restored, allowing the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron to resume training flights again through the end of fiscal year 2013.

The team will not resume aerial demonstrations previously scheduled for the 2013 calendar year.

Gen. Mike Hostage, Air Combat Command commander, announced July 15 the temporary restoration of flying hours that will be allocated to combat aircraft and crews across the command's operational and test units, including the Thunderbirds. Due to sequestration, the team cancelled participation in air shows and stopped flying in April.

While the return to the skies means a return to crucial training and development for Thunderbirds pilots and maintainers, the leader of the Combat Air Forces' fleet cautions that this is the beginning of the process, not the end.

"Since April, we've been in a precipitous decline with regard to combat readiness," Hostage said. "Returning to flying is an important first step, but what we have ahead of us is a measured climb to recovery."

The restoration of flying hours only addresses the next two and half months of flying up until Oct. 1. Lt.Col. Greg Moseley, commander and leader of the Thunderbirds, clarifies that the return to flying does not mean the team has been cleared to resume performing demonstrations. The team will resume training flights with the anticipation that it may be able to resume a limited number of aerial demonstrations next calendar year.

"We have a long road ahead of us and will take it one day at a time," Moseley said. "This is the first step in safely returning the squadron to a mission-ready status."

In an effort to maximize training while anticipating limited 2014 funding, ACC has also announced an extension of the tour length for officers currently serving with the Thunderbirds.
Moseley says the decision was difficult but necessary.

"It takes a significant amount of training to get our pilots qualified to safely execute with the team," Moseley said. "Faced with limited funding in the future, we have to take every opportunity to ensure we put on a safe demonstration. Capitalizing on the experience we currently have is the right thing to do from a safety perspective, and it's the right thing to do from a fiscal perspective."

The 12 officer positions on the team are two-year tours of duty. By design, the position openings are staggered, allowing the squadron to maintain continuity of experience and leadership. This year, Thunderbirds 1,3, 6 and 8 were hired. The Thunderbirds announced the selection of these new officers in April. The decision to keep the current team rescinds this hiring announcement; the officers currently serving on the team will serve a third year.

Thunderbirds fans in the Las Vegas area should see the red, white and blue jets take to the sky in the next few days.

Additional F-35s coming to Luke

by Capt. Tristan Hinderliter
56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

7/15/2013 - LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- The Air Force announced June 27 that Luke Air Force Base has been chosen as the location for 72 additional F-35A Lightning II aircraft, bringing the eventual total number of the fifth-generation fighters expected here to 144.

The Air Force's initial decision to establish an F-35 pilot training center at Luke was announced in August 2012, following a three-year process that included an extensive environmental impact analysis.

"This is great news for Luke AFB and the West Valley community," said Brig. Gen. Mike Rothstein, 56th Fighter Wing commander. "The decision to base additional F-35 fighters here ensures the long-term viability of our mission and continues our legacy of training the world's greatest fighter pilots."

The F-35A, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is intended to be the Air Force's premier strike aircraft through the first half of the 21st century. It is a multirole fighter that is expected to eventually phase out the service's F-16s and A-10s.

Aircraft are expected to begin arriving at Luke in spring 2014, although exact timing will depend on production schedules. Construction on base to prepare for the aircraft is currently underway, with about $10 million of $57 million in projects already completed.

The 2012 Record of Decision cited several reasons why Luke was the service's top choice for F-35A basing, including facility and ramp capacity, range access, weather and capacity for future growth.

The base, which has been training fighter pilots for more than 70 years, also enjoys tremendous community support.

"We're surrounded by a very supportive community that is the envy of the Air Force," said Rusty Mitchell, director of Luke's Community Initiatives Team, who has worked with government officials and community stakeholders on behalf of the base for more than a decade. "We can't thank our West Valley neighbors enough for how they've come together in support of our mission."

In addition to training U.S. pilots, Luke will also serve as an F-35A International Partner Training site.

Gallantry earns Pararescueman Silver Star

by Senior Airman Christine Griffiths
355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

7/16/2013 - DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz.  -- Staff Sgt. Zachary Kline earned the Silver Star medal for gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force near Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan April 23, 2011.

The Silver Star was awarded July 14, citing Kline's role is rescuing two U.S. Army pilots while under fire, defending a crash site and coordinating aerial counter-attacks. Kline, a pararescueman, is assigned to the 306th Rescue Squadron at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.

"The Silver Star is way up on the continuum of honor," said Maj. Gen. Frank Padilla, Deputy Inspector General of the Air Force who presided over the event. "That means you voluntarily risked your life to save others, voluntarily risked your life to expose yourself to great danger in the service of your country. And that is exactly what Zach Kline did that day."

Kline endured approximately six hours under enemy fire, while in the process of recovering two U.S. Military members.

"It's an honor being recognized for just doing my job," said Kline. "I worked with some awesome guys and was nice being a part of it."

According to the award citation, Kline was a part of a rescue team tasked to recover two U.S. Army pilots from an OH-58D Kiowa that had gone down. While on the ground, Kline fought enemy fire while coordinating by radio with aircraft to target threats located behind his position.

During the engagement, an incoming round ignited fuel within the wreckage, which then erupted in flames. He continued to push through enemy fire to an alternate site while still guiding overhead aircraft to adversarial positions by radio.

"He leaves us with an example of an Airman that bands together with other Airmen to get the job done and to save others so that they may live," Padilla said. "When Zack leaves our Air Force he's going to leave it just a little bit better because of his accomplishments while he was here."

The Silver Star is the third highest military decoration for valor and is given for gallantry in action against enemies of the United States.

First black Marines recall struggles and triumphs

by Airman 1st Class R. Alex Durbin
633rd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

7/16/2013 - LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va.  -- Five original Montford Point Marines visited the Exchange at Langley Air Force Base, Va., July 2 to share their story with local Airmen.

The retired Marines are part of the Tidewater chapter of the Montford Point Marine Association, a non-profit organization founded to memorialize the legacy of the first African-Americans to serve in the Marine Corps.

"These men are not only a part of military history, but American history," said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Dawn McBride-Smith, Air Combat Command air traffic control training and operations superintendent. "They represent where we're from, and how far we've come in such a short time."

On June 25, 1941, just months before America's entrance into World War II, then-president Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 8802 which prohibited government agencies and defense contractors from refusing employment based on race, color or creed. The order required fair employment practices in all federal services, including the armed forces.

In 1942, Roosevelt established a presidential directive giving African Americans the opportunity to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps for the first time since 1778 . When recruitment for African-American Marines began June 1, 1942 , thousands of young men flocked to recruiting offices nationwide ..

The first African-American recruits were sent to basic training at Camp Montford Point in Jacksonville, N.C., a segregated training camp located adjacent to Camp Lejeune.

In July 1948, former president Harry S. Truman issued Executive Order 9981, which required an end to discriminatory policies in the U.S. military.

By the time Montford Point closed in 1949, more than 20,000 Marines were trained within its walls. Following its deactivation, African-American recruits were sent to newly-integrated basic training at Recruit Depot Paris Island, S.C., and Camp Pendleton, Calif., ending seven years of segregation.

The training camp was later renamed Camp Johnson in honor of the late Sgt. Maj. Gilbert "Hashmark" Johnson, one of the first Montford Point Marines and a distinguished drill instructor.

The Marines who visited Langley trained under Johnson and other well-known drill instructors like Sgt. Maj. Edgar Huff, and provided unique insight into a pivotal moment in military history by answering questions and providing signed photos to members of the Langley community.

Among the Marines sat retired Master Gunnery Sgt. Jim Hargrove, a Montford Point Marine pleased to share his story with fellow Service members.

"At first, I didn't give [being a Montford Point Marine] much thought. I was just doing my job," he said. "Looking back now, it's rewarding to feel we set goals and provided guidance to the younger generation of Service members."

Hargrove and the other members of the association feel it's important for Service members of all branches of the military to learn about each other's legacies. This sentiment was echoed by those in attendance.

"It's important to share what these men have done for Marines and all Service members. They represent what the military is today," said Master Gunnery Sgt. Michael Stephens, an event attendee. "The Montford Point Marines are where we've come from, not just as African-Americans, but Service members of all races, colors and creeds in all branches of the military."

In recognition of their important contributions to U.S. history, the Montford Point Marines received the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the highest civilian honor s, on June 27, 2012, further cementing their place in history, while setting a shining example of pride and resiliency to Service members everywhere.

Kadena Airmen awarded AF, Navy, Marine Corps medals

7/15/2013 - U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Salvatore Angelella, U.S. Forces Japan and 5th Air Force commander, awards U.S. Air Force Capt. Matthew Carlisle, 31st Rescue Squadron operations flight commander, the Distinguished Flying Cross with valor at the Officer’s Club on Kadena Air Base, Japan, July 10, 2013. Carlisle was awarded for his heroic actions during a seven-hour, 320-mile rescue mission under direct enemy gunfire in Afghanistan, Aug. 4, 2012. During the mission, Carlisle aided three critically wounded coalition soldiers. (U.S. Air Force photo by Naoto Anazawa/Released)