Thursday, July 25, 2013
Obama Proclaims National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 25, 2013 – President Barack Obama has issued a proclamation marking July 27th as National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day. The following is the text of the President's proclamation:
Today, America pauses to observe the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War -- a conflict that defined a generation and decided the fate of a nation. We remember the troops who hit the beaches when Communist forces were pressing south; who pushed back, and fought their way north through hard mountains and bitter cold. We remember ordinary men and women who showed extraordinary courage through 3 long years of war, fighting far from home to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met.
Most of all, we remember those brave Americans who gave until they had nothing left to give. No monument will ever be worthy of their service, and no memorial will fully heal the ache of their sacrifice. But as a grateful Nation, we must honor them -- not just with words, but with deeds. We must uphold our sacred obligation to all who serve -- giving our troops the resources they need, keeping faith with our veterans and their families, and never giving up the search for our missing and our prisoners of war. Our fallen laid down their lives so we could live ours. It is our task to live up to the example they set, and make America a country worthy of their sacrifice.
This anniversary marks the end of a war. But it also commemorates the beginning of a long and prosperous peace. In six decades, the Republic of Korea has become one of the world's largest economies and one of America's closest allies. Together, we have built a partnership that remains a bedrock of stability throughout the Pacific. That legacy belongs to the service members who fought for freedom 60 years ago, and the men and women who preserve it today.
So as we mark this milestone, let us offer a special salute to our Korean War veterans. Let us renew the sacred trust we share with all who have served. And let us reaffirm that no matter what the future holds, America will always honor its promise to serve our veterans as well as they served us -- now and forever.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim July 27, 2013, as National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day. I call upon all Americans to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities that honor our distinguished Korean War veterans.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.
Sailors Posthumously Receive National Intelligence Medal
By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service
MCLEAN, Va., July 24, 2013 – Two fallen Navy petty officers became the 18th and 19th recipients of the National Intelligence Medal for Valor in a July 22 ceremony at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence here.
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Day, a few days shy of his 29th birthday when he died, was a tactical communicator, and Strange, 25, was an information operations operator. Both were assigned within Naval special operations when they responded Aug. 6, 2011, to enemy forces escaping from a nearby raid in an enemy-contested valley of eastern Afghanistan, the award citations read.
Knowing the valley served as an enemy safe haven with no sustained coalition force presence, and knowing that their mission was to interdict and ambush an armed enemy force, Day and Strange volunteered to pursue an enemy known to have attacked and killed coalition forces with plans for future attacks, the citations said.
Both “selflessly chose to interdict the fleeing enemy when [they] boarded the helicopter with [their] teammates,” the citations said, but the aggressive mission ended tragically when their helicopter was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade, causing it to crash and killing all on board.
Twenty-eight other Americans, eight Afghans and a military working dog were en route to assist an Army Ranger unit engaged in a firefight with Taliban forces west of the Afghan capital of Kabul, Clapper added.
“For each of them, the courageous choice to ride to the sound of gunfire was one they’d made many times before,” he told the audience.
The accident was the largest single loss of American life during the Afghanistan campaign and the greatest single loss of life ever suffered by the U.S. Special Operations community, Clapper said.
The U.S. intelligence community looks up to Day and Strange for their heroism and for “setting the example for our entire community,” Clapper said. “They served at an amazing nexus of the Navy, special operations and the intelligence community.”
Serving with the Navy SEALS, he added, Day and Strange were unique, elite and truly remarkable young men.
“We continue to look to them as selfless examples of service to this great nation,” Clapper said. “They were the best of us.”
Both men are now part of the history of this country, he said, calling them “a legacy of sacrifice toward something larger than just oneself.”
Sam Day and Karolyn Kimball Day of Salt Lake City received the medal for valor for their son.
“He was just amazing,” Elizabeth Kimball Day said of her son, adding that he was only 6 years old when he declared he wanted to join the Navy, and did so when he was 19.
“He was always the funny one” she said. “He always got up with a smile, and went to bed with a smile. He always took the underdog under his wing.”
“[The National Intelligence Medal for Valor] is a great honor, and it shows how much Michael was appreciated,” said Elizabeth Strange of Philadelphia, who accepted the medal on his behalf.
Michael Strange also joined the Navy at a young age, his mother said, adding that she and Michael’s father had to sign papers when he was 17 to allow him to go into the Navy when he graduated from high school at age 18.
“It was a decision he made, and he was really determined,” she added.
Strange’s family didn’t believe he wanted to join the military at first. His mother said he wasn’t one to arrive at school on time, but he scored very high on tests and was excited when the Navy told him about the jobs he could perform.
“He meshed well with the Navy, [and] I couldn’t believe it,” his mother said. “He excelled at it.”
Journalist among Air Force's 12 Outstanding Airmen of Year
Master Sgt. Shawn Jones was congratulated on his accomplishment July 22 by Lt. Gen. James F. Jackson, AFRC commander, during a staff meeting with senior leaders in the command.
At the time, Jones had been on the job one week as the public affairs craftsman for AFRC Recruiting Service.
Before accepting the full-time Active Guard and Reserve position in recruiting, Jones was a traditional reservist and full-time civilian employee in the 514th Air Mobility Wing's public affairs office at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
He was selected the top NCO in the wing and the command while assigned to the 514th AMW.
His accomplishments at the joint base included winning numerous command, Air Force and Department of Defense print journalism awards. Jones was named DOD's print journalist of the year for 2011 and wrote the best sports article in the Air Force in 2012.
He represented the wing when distinguished visitors came to the area after Hurricane Sandy and was personally "coined" by Vice President Joe Biden. Jones wrote for Air Force Print News and was selected as the lead writer for the Air Force chief of staff transition. He devoted more than 40 hours per season as a youth soccer head coach and basketball assistant coach.
Jones entered the active-duty Air Force in July 2000 as an F-16 avionics specialist and was assigned to the aircraft maintenance squadrons at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, and Holloman AFB, N.M. He retrained into public affairs in April 2005 and served at Kirtland AFB, N.M., and Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
He left active duty in October 2009 and joined the Air Force Reserve in the 514th AMW.
Air Force Cycling Team pedals across Iowa
931st Air Refueling Group
7/23/2013 - COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa -- Come rain, wind or an average temperature of 90 degrees, 94 Airman began pedaling across Iowa as part of the Registers Annual Bicycle Ride across Iowa, better known as RAGBRAI, July 21.
The Air Force Cycling Team, under the leadership of Senior Master Sgt. Larry Gallo, 433rd Airlift Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, donned team jerseys complete with the Air Force symbol on their backs, and started their trek at Council Bluffs, Iowa. This is the 19th year the Air Force has participated as a team in the event.
One of the longest rides of the seven-day event, took place July 22 and was dubbed "The Century." Airmen biked approximately 100 miles from Harlan to their daily stop in Des Moines, Iowa.
RAGBRAI is the oldest and largest recognized non-competitive bicycle ride in the nation. It attracts more than 10,000 riders worldwide. The Airmen who participate in RAGBRAI volunteer their personal leave to participate, and fund their equipment and transportation for the chance to cycle on the Air Force Team.
This was the case for Master Sgt. Barry Collins, Air Force Training Command Headquarters, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. He's been biking for 25 years and on the first day of RAGBRAI, he finished a 50 mile ride in less than six hours.
"This is something I've always wanted to do, and when the Air Force gave me the opportunity, I jumped at the chance to go," he said. "I also wanted to come to meet all the people interested in biking. It's nice to see this many people interested in it, especially in the Air Force."
In addition to looking forward to the physical challenge, most Airmen look at the ride not only as a chance to spread the Air Force fitness culture, but also to spread the "Wingman culture", which Gallo said is a major reason he continues to lead the Air Force team which he has been part of for the past eight years.
"This is largest ride in the U.S. Some days we have 25,000 riders. It's a great opportunity for the Air Force to get their message out," said Gallo. "By participating as a team, we're showing two things, that we're fit and by helping people along the ride, we're also showing that we take care of our people the way we take care of people on the home front."
By the end of the week, the Airmen will have cycled more than 400 miles across Iowa. The AFCT is open to all active duty, Reserve and Guard Airmen and their families, as well as Air Force civilians and retired Air Force members.
Anniversary Marks Milestone in U.S.-South Korea Alliance
By Walter T. Ham IV
8th U.S. Army
SEOUL, South Korea, July 24, 2013 – American and South Korean officials and veterans will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Korean War armistice agreement in the United States and South Korea this week.
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The negotiations took place during 158 meetings over two years and 17 days while fighting continued to rage across the Korean Peninsula. Ron Miller, 8th U.S. Army historian, said language differences complicated negotiations as discussions were translated into English, Korean and Chinese.
The armistice agreement created the Demilitarized Zone -- 155 miles long by 2.5 miles wide -- that serves as a buffer zone and de facto border between totalitarian North Korea and democratic South Korea.
The armistice agreement also established the truce village of Panmunjom, where negotiations are still held between the two Koreas.
The Korean War armistice has never been followed by a peace treaty, and the two Koreas technically are still at war. Miller said North Korea has violated the armistice thousands of times. More than 450 South Korean and 100 American troops have been killed in the line of duty during North Korean provocations since 1953.
As a part of the South Korea-United States alliance, 28,500 American troops serve in South Korea to provide security on the Korean Peninsula and stability in Northeast Asia. Arriving in 1950, 8th Army commanded all United Nations Command ground forces as the only U.S. field army in the Korean War. Eighth Army has served in Korea since the armistice was signed.
Miller credits the armistice with South Korea's success today.
"The Korean War armistice agreement has successfully suspended full-scale hostilities on the peninsula for 60 years," said Miller, a native of Odessa, Texas. "As a result, the Republic of Korea has developed into a full-fledged, modern democracy. It is a prosperous, productive and responsible member of the global community."
Navy Lt. Cmdr. Daniel McShane, the joint duty officer for the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission, said UNCMAC continues to fulfill its mission of armistice implementation.
As one of the few U.S. military officers who maintain contact with the North Korean military, McShane works out of an office just 27 feet south of the border.
"This anniversary is very important," said McShane, a naval aviator from Charlotte, N.C. "The commemorations of the armistice anniversary can be seen as a clear signal that the sending nations of the United Nations Command are still dedicated to upholding the agreements that we made 60 years ago to preclude hostilities and maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula."
Lt. Col. Lee Seok-jae, who commands the Yongsan Garrison-based Republic of Korea Army Support Group and the 3,400 Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army troops who support 8th Army, expressed his gratitude for the U.S. military's contribution to security in Korea.
"A true friend can be defined when you face a difficult situation and the friend does not just ignore the situation, but comes in assistance and even takes the risk of sacrificing oneself for you," Lee wrote in a message to 8th Army leaders. "This is how the Korean people during the Korean War in 1950 came to recognize who their friends were.”
"In the midst of being under attack by the North to the point where the country was on the verge of crumbling down, forces of 350,000 men from 16 nations led by the United States joined in the war in aid of the Republic of Korea," Lee added. "Especially, more than 300,000 United States soldiers participated in the war."
Lee said the U.S. military continues to serve with South Korean forces on the Korean Peninsula almost 60 years after the armistice was signed.
"The U.S. military continues to have its presence in the Republic of Korea to deter the aggression of North Korea and guard the liberty and democracy we enjoy in the Republic of Korea," Lee wrote.
CSAF: People plus pride equals performance
21st Space Wing Public Affairs
7/23/2013 - PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- In a crowded hangar on a breezy Colorado afternoon, Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Mark A. Welsh III stepped onto a stage fit for the opening scene of "Patton."
Welsh and his wife, Betty, visited Peterson July 18 as part of a two-day stop in Colorado Springs to thank the men and women of the 21st and 50th space wings for everything they have done and continue to do.
Welsh's message of caring for Airmen and the importance of communication was ingrained in almost every word he spoke, starting with the story he shared of Staff Sgt. Kway Min, 21st Medical Group public health technician.
Born in the impoverished and violence ridden country of Burma, Min lived with his family until he was chosen through a random lottery to emigrate to the United States. Without his family or understanding of the English language, Min set out to take advantage of the opportunity he had been afforded. He worked for many years holding odd jobs until he joined the Air Force in 2009.
Since enlisting, Min has excelled as a member of the Air Force family having twice earned Airman of the quarter, selected for senior airman below the zone, and selected as Airman of the Year for both the 21st Space Wing and Air Force Space Command, all while working toward a degree in biochemistry.
"If you ask him about his job, what he says is, 'My job matters so I like to be prepared to do it well.' This is the face of our Air Force," said Welsh, pointing to Min. "These are the stories I'm going to tell the world because this is what you all look like to me. Every Airman has a story; this is a remarkable one."
Welsh then posed a scenario to 2nd Lt. Daniel Johnson, NORAD/Cheyenne Mountain command and control sustainment engineer, in which an ICBM attack was imminent. In that moment, who was more important, Welsh or Johnson, he asked.
"Sir, that would be me," said Johnson.
"Right answer, Daniel. I don't want you to ever forget that. Ever," Welsh replied. "One of the things that you need to understand about our Air Force is that no one is more important to it than you are."
The chief also spoke about his father, a three-war veteran and best friend, who imparted what he considers one of the greatest life lessons.
"People plus pride equals performance," Welsh said. "We try hard to train and educate you better than anybody else and we try and make you proud of what you do and who you are and what you represent. If we can keep that pride and keep it combined with your talent and your commitment to this job, we can do anything. And we demonstrate it every day."
In lieu of the ongoing effects of sequestration and furlough, Welsh opened his remarks with stories of caring and pride because those things are going to ensure we move forward.
"All the stuff we're facing as far as issues go ... we'll get through them. We'll get through them because you'll carry us through them. You'll figure out the solutions," Welsh said. "My job is to make sure that you stay with us, that you stay proud, you stay convinced that what you do matters and that you matter to the Air Force. There're just some things that we've got to change."
Some of that change is a reflected in the more than 11,000 ideas submitted during the recent month-long Every Dollar Counts campaign, an initiative led by Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Larry Spencer. The submissions ranged from redundancies in Air Force processes to checklist items that simply made no sense. But, Welsh had a different outlook following this campaign.
"Why do people feel like they've got to send their ideas to a website?" Welsh asked. "Why can't they walk into your office and tell you they've got an idea. And if they do, why don't you implement it? That's the Air Force we want to be, everyone's voice matters, everybody's opinion counts, and if it makes sense, we implement it."
With resounding applause, Welsh concluded his talk by saying "thank you" to the Airmen of the 21st one last time, but before packing up for the day, he stopped at a few units to visit some of Peterson's top Airmen.
One in particular was Airman 1st Class Qadry Jenkins, 21st MDG dental lab apprentice, who toured Welsh around Peterson's Area Dental Lab.
"I didn't believe my wingman at first," Jenkins said after finding out he would be showing Welsh around. Jenkins said initially he was nervous when Welsh stepped through the door, but he quickly calmed down. "Once I heard how calmly he spoke, I knew how personable he was and that I could talk to him like a regular person."
The tour ended unexpectedly for Jenkins when Welsh pulled a coin from his pocket and presented it to the young Airman, who reciprocated with a coin of his own.
"I wasn't expecting to get a coin, but I was prepared," said Jenkins.
Before Welsh departed, he took the phone number of Jenkins' mother to call her that evening, a promise he fulfilled a few hours later commending Ms. Jenkins on how bright her son's future is and that she should be proud.
Jenkins said the short time he spent with Welsh proved the sincerity of our top leaders.
"When (Welsh) talked about the importance of family at the all-call and then asked about mine, it proved how he truly cares about me and my family as well," said Jenkins.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Inside the World of Mirrors: The Story of a Shadow Warrior.
J.
Max Taylor, USA (ret.) “was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in Feb 1948. He was
an only child and led a normal life through high school. He received his draft
notice in late 1987. When he reported to the draft processing center he went
through all the normal physical and intellectual testing that every draftee
went through. At the end of all the testing, he was taken aside and offered a
special position in military intelligence. If he accepted, he would have a
three year commitment to the U.S. Army. He accepted the offer, and in doing so
he changed the course of his life. He was trained in special intelligence
operations activities, attached to special duty with another organization, and
was sent to Korea as an intelligence editor. From this point forward, till
1976, his book, Inside the World of Mirrors tells the compelling story of a
world that very few people knew existed. He was medically retired in late 1976.
From
that time on he has lived in a world of recurring nightmares. The memories of
the bad things that happened were never forgotten. He returns every night to
the horror and terror that he had experienced. At that time there was no name
for his condition. Now it is known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He
still is under care by the Veterans Administration for these problems to this
day. He went on with his life to become a successful businessman doing business
all around the world. In 2000 an accident aggravated the PTSD. Part of the
Veterans Administration Program he was in was Psychological Counseling. He was
told to write down his experiences, and read them over and over to help deaden
the pain and suffering. "Inside the World of Mirrors" is a result of
this process. Today he lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wonderful supportive
wife Dorothy.” J. Max Taylor is the author of Inside the World of Mirrors: The
Story of a Shadow Warrior.
More about J. Max Taylor
Face of Defense: Marine Urges Others to ‘Pay It Forward’
By Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Krista James
2nd Marine Division
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C., July 24, 2013 – It all started with a note and a piece of candy taped to a barracks room door. The note read, “Pay it forward,” and told the reader to contact the person who put it there if they ever needed anything. It was a small token of kindness with a huge meaning behind it: to do things for other people.
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Zheng went around to 500 barracks rooms and gave candy to all of the Marines who were staying at the barracks instead of leaving for the Fourth of July weekend. “On July 4th, I just thought I would do something nice for people, hoping that I raised their spirits to want to do something for other people as well,” he said.
Zheng called this concept “pay it forward.”
“That’s just a concept that I learned in high school -- that when you do a good thing for somebody, they do good things for other people,” he explained. He compared the concept to a chain reaction.
“A lot of people want to do good stuff, but until somebody comes to them and really helps them, or shows them that people really are doing good stuff, they won’t,” he said. “I’m just trying to initiate that spark.”
Zheng said he has been doing volunteer work since high school, and it has carried him throughout his Marine Corps career.
“In order to get used to this area, I did a lot of volunteering through the Single Marine Program to try to network with people and find what kind of volunteer work I enjoy doing,” he said. “From there, I started focusing on volunteer work with United Way.”
Marine Corps Cpl. Evan Laderer -- also a saxophone player with the 2nd Marine Division Band, is Zheng’s roommate and a Slippery Rock, Pa. native -- has known Zheng for about two years. He said Zheng definitely cares about the Marines in the unit, and that he finds satisfaction and fulfillment in volunteering.
“In the time that I’ve known Andrew, he has probably put in anywhere from 200 to 300 hours of volunteer service,” Laderer said. “He volunteers for one thing, and just goes strong. He communicates with those individuals that need that help and gives as much time as he can to volunteering.”
Zheng said he doesn’t volunteer just for his own satisfaction; he hopes he is setting an example.
“I’m helping to show my peers and subordinates what more they can achieve and aspire to be,” he said. “They can find fulfillment and a sense of honor in what they do and who they are by contributing to the community.”
Zheng said he tries to model himself after his life-mentor, who initiated the service spark for him when he was a boy.
“I’d say I do what I do because of my life-mentor,” he said. “Since I was 6 years old, I had this private teacher who basically inspired me to become like him. He went around the community in bad neighborhoods and showed them what more they can do in their lives, and where they can get to if they just put in a little bit of effort.”
Laderer said Zheng’s volunteer work really matters to his fellow Marines and people in the community.
“It’s definitely making a big difference to the Marines that he helps,” he said. “It brightens their day, and that’s mission accomplishment, I would say.”
Zheng said his volunteer work won’t end after he leaves the Marine Corps.
“My future goal is to open up a community center,” he added. “Everything I do, whether it is volunteer service or something else, is in preparation to create the best atmosphere and center that I can.”
Zheng offered some advice for those he hopes to inspire.
“Live your life as if someone were narrating it ... and ask yourself if you would be proud about what they said.”
Airman becomes father to triplets while deployed
92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
7/23/2013 - SPOKANE, Wash. -- Deploying can be a disorienting experience in and of itself.
Senior Airman Harley Wicks, 19th Logistics Readiness Squadron Air Transportation at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., left for Afghanistan the day after Christmas last year knowing he was about to be the father of triplets.
Wick's wife, Amber, became essentially a single parent and a new mother of three when Owen, Keegan and Rylee-Jo were born April 28. Harley returned back to the United States to meet Amber and his new children July 15. (Their reunion at Spokane International Airport made the news at a variety of outlets.)
"We found out at the six-week ultrasound that we were having three," Amber said. "We knew he was going to be deploying. As soon as we found out there were three, I started making plans to be with my parents while Harley was gone."
The triplets are Harley and Amber's first children together.
"They are our first and only," Amber said with a touch of certainty.
Amber, a Washington state native, stayed with her parents in Oakesdale, Wash., for much of the time Harley was gone.
The Wicks family will begin their trip from Washington state to their new home in Arkansas July 26.
"He was there that first night, and he looked at me with the sleepiest eyes, with a baby on his chest, and he said, "I had no idea how you did this,'" Amber recollected of Harley's first night home with his triplets. "He also said, 'I've been with them for one day and I'm exhausted.'"
Traveling chaplain team raises morale of security forces Airmen
455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
7/24/2013 - BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Comprehensive Airmen Fitness pillars are important to maintain at both home station and abroad, and Chaplain Capt. Myung Cho and his assistant Staff Sgt. Frank Rivas, travel day and night across Bagram Air Field, to ensure the airmen assigned to the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Group are spiritually fit.
Prior to a chaplain deploying they usually find out what unit they will be assigned to; In Cho's case, he found out a month beforehand.
"At home station, I was the chaplain for the mission support group," said Cho, on his first deployment from F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo. "So to be prepared, I immersed myself with the security forces Airmen to learn about their deployment experiences."
Currently at Bagram there are five chaplain and assistant teams: flightline, SFG, wing chaplain, and two medical group teams.
"Our primary mission here consists of visitations and counseling 24/7 with the unit we are assigned to," said Rivas, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing chaplain assistant, deployed from MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. "I go everywhere the chaplain goes to provide protection. Also during our visitations, I help him gauge morale to see how the Airmen are, mentally, physically and spiritually."
According to Rivas, because of the reduced amount of paperwork here compared to home station, the chaplain teams get to spend more time with the Airmen, or in their case, the defenders of the base. Due to the 24-hour operations here, chaplain teams have to work shifts to support everyone. Cho and Rivas work weekly rotations, alternating with one week of days, and the following week at night, to make sure they get to visit everyone.
"Daily, Airmen here work 12-hour shifts at entry control points, towers, operation desks and patrols, often staring at the same person every shift," said Cho. "As people can imagine, there are only so many topics the same two Airmen can talk about before they run out of things to say to each other. And since they are not allowed any entertainment materials at their post, we visit them at their place of work to lift up their spirits, raise morale and to listen to what the airmen have to say, complaints and all."
Everything chaplains hear is confidential. The teams also make sure the members are getting to talk to their families and maintain strong relationships.
Sunday and Monday before defenders go to work, the SFG chaplain team travels to all five base sectors to make sure everyone has the opportunity to worship. Currently they offer 10 worship services and four to five different devotions at each one. Cho also plays his guitar and sings a song at each session.
"We work all over base lugging fifty pounds of gear daily to keep the base safe and allowing other members to do their jobs, but we need encouragement too," said Master Sgt. John Smith, 455th ESFS member deployed from an 164th Airlift Wing Memphis Air National Guard Base, Tenn. "The source of true encouragement comes from God and chaplain Cho is God's ambassador to us. He provides great chaplain services, but he also puts his vest and helmet on to come see us in our work place, because everyone needs encouragement."
According to Smith, spiritual fitness is one of the most neglected pillars with all that we have going on but Cho and Rivas make sure everyone has the opportunity to worship.
"My favorite part of being deployed would be full integration with the Airmen and knowing that I can help them in any way I can so they can carry out their mission," said Rivas, a native of Miami on his fourth deployment.
Cho said his passion here is to make sure the defenders are taken care of.
He said,"Our goal every visit is to make sure we bring a smile to their faces."
Deployed 961st AACS service members return to Kadena
18th Wing Public Affairs
7/23/2013 - KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Twenty-four service members assigned to the 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron returned to home station late July 19 after being deployed to Southwest Asia for roughly 90 days.
Kristen Burciaga, wife of returning 1st Lt. Jesus Burciaga, said she's just happy to see her husband again.
"I'm very, very excited to see him," Kristen said. "I'm looking forward to just hanging out with him."
Lt. Col. Trey Coleman, 961st AACS commander, said the crew's return is not only important to awaiting family members - it's vital to the 961st team and overall mission at the 18th Wing and in the Pacific theater.
"We are incredibly happy to have them back," Coleman said. "Not only are they our family, they also constitute a significant portion of our combat capability in the Pacific."
The unit is responsible for air battle management, which gives U.S. and allied forces greater visibility of the battlefield from the sky.
While deployed, the service members flew 24 combat missions totaling 293 flight hours, during which time they controlled 253 aircraft in 136 restricted operating zones in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and the Joint Defense of the Arabian Gulf.
"The mission of the 961st AACS is to provide air battle management in the Pacific area of responsibility," Coleman said. "(The team is) a big piece of our combat capability."
Currently the 961st does not have another crew slated to deploy back to Southwest Asia.
Welsh meets with Wyoming's Total Force Airmen
153rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
7/24/2013 - CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III and his wife, Betty, visited with Airmen of 153rd Airlift Wing at the Wyoming Air National Guard Base here July 19.
During an Airman's call, Welsh applauded the 153rd Airlift Wing's role in hosting the Air National Guard's first active duty associate unit, the 30th Airlift Squadron, as well as their contributions to ongoing firefighting efforts.
"Thank you for the pride you take in doing the job right, thanks for how well you do it and for all that it means to the entire United States military," Welsh said. "Everywhere I go in the Air Force I meet people that have spent their entire career in a lifestyle that is difficult, supporting operations that are difficult, in places that are difficult to operate in. They've been doing it smiling and they've been doing it exceptionally well."
Welsh also addressed furloughs for full-time technicians, one of many important topics affecting Airmen.
"It affects a lot of people who are essential to every mission we do in the Air Force, in some cases they are the mission," said Welsh. "Their reward for that is losing 20 percent of their pay for the rest of the fiscal year. This is horrible, there's nothing good about it."
Welsh explained the difficult process of deciding what areas of the defense budget are vital to primary mission success and what areas could experience cuts. In light of furloughs and sequestering, Welsh praised Airmen for continuing to push forward and continuing to provide airpower for the nation.
"We do things all over the world. The issue that never comes up is 'Can we get them there?'" said Welsh, regarding conversations he has with other services about the Air Force. "Nobody ever thinks about that but they expect it and it occurs because of you. You're really good at what you do and you take pride in getting it right. Thank you for that."
Welsh also added that efforts to prevent furloughs in the future are ongoing.
"We're going to keep working really hard to make sure we never have to face this again," said Welsh.
Welsh also welcomed questions directly from Airmen with topics ranging from sexual assault prevention and prosecution to professional military education and promotions.
The chief of staff concluded the open forum by encouraging Airmen to keep asking questions, continuing to seek new ways to improve their career and workplace in addition to maintaining their dedication to making the Air Force better every day.
Centcom Taps Social Media to Promote Engagement, Understanding
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
TAMPA, Fla., July 24, 2013 – Check out a U.S. Central Command posting on one of some 120 social media sites, and you are as likely to see an image of Istanbul’s Blue Mosque or a favorite family recipe as a mention of a U.S. military operation in the region.
It’s a formula that’s connecting Centcom with more than 100,000 people from the Middle East and Central Asia every week, occasionally hitting the half-million mark with a particularly compelling posting, reported Army Col. J.R. Robinson, the command’s public affairs officer.
Centcom has a dedicated digital engagement team, made up of about a dozen people who were born in or spent considerable time within the command’s 20-nation area of responsibility, Robinson said. Applying their understanding of the region’s various cultures and languages, the team members spend their days surfing popular social media platforms and engaging in seven different languages: Farsi, Urdu, Pashtu, Dari, Arabic, Russian and English.
The nature of their blogs, tweets and Facebook and other social media postings has changed significantly since Centcom uploaded its first blog in 2009, Robinson said.
The command’s initial foray into social media was directed primarily at intellectual and academic sites, typically to refute unintentional mistakes or flagrant misinformation about the United States and its activities, he said.
More often than not, the tone of the rebuttals was insistent and even argumentative -- “more ‘in-your-face’ than it should have been,” Robinson acknowledged. The risk, he said, was losing the audience the command was hoping to cultivate.
“We are not trying to win arguments. We are trying to win relationships,” Robinson said. “At the end of the day, if we win the argument but they stop listening to us because they don’t enjoy having a conversation with us, we haven’t improved our access to the theater. We haven’t won anything.”
Centcom officials called in a cultural advisor to assess their efforts and get them on a more productive track. Today, the command’s digital engagement team leverages the power of social media to engage in a very different way with an ever-expanding audience.
“The tone has become much more measured,” Robinson said. “The idea is not to tell people what to do or to coach them, but to try to lead them to a better answer in a way that is not controversial.”
Rather than directly countering a negative or adversarial message, for example, a team member might respond: “‘That’s an interesting perspective, but how about this way of thinking about it?’ or ‘Thank you. I have never heard it said in those terms. In the U.S., we approach it from this direction,’” Robinson explained.
“Their mission became one of not giving into an argument, as opposed to winning an argument,” he said.
The team realized another thing: Bombarding their audience with Centcom announcements wasn’t gaining them readers.
“This is not a tool for flooding people with your message. That is the fastest way to get tuned out on social media,” Robinson said. “If you want to increase your fan base, you have to appeal to the interests of your audience and recognize that the heart of social media is being social.”
So instead of blasting out information press-release style, the team began engaging in conversations with their audience, he explained. They made it a strict policy always to respond to questions from their followers.
“With so many sites out there, when someone asks questions, nobody responds. So what’s the point?” Robinson said. “People ask questions because they want to talk to you, so the last thing you want to do is ignore them.
“We want to create venues that invite people to ask questions and talk to us,” he said. “And when they talk to us, we answer back.”
The digital engagement team also began posting items one wouldn’t typically expect to find on a military site. They linked to interesting articles or photos and occasionally shared fond memories of their personal experience in the Middle East.
“This is not about trying to establish U.S. culture in the Centcom theater,” Robinson said. “This is about establishing credibility and making a connection. This is about making a relationship, because the heart of communication is really relationships.”
Those relationships help to give Centcom a credible voice with an audience it might not otherwise have, he explained.
“The value of this for the command is that a certain point in time, when we have something that the command needs to communicate, we can do that across a large audience in seven different languages,” he said.
About once a week the digital engagement team posts information about a U.S. exercise, deployment or other Centcom-related activity in the region.
“You have to be careful. You can’t come at the same audience every day, or you will lose it,” Robinson said. “If every day you are publishing information about you -- U.S. Central Command and what the commander wants to say -- you lose your audience.”
One of the most effective approaches, Robinson said, is when the team forwards a link from another source, then asks readers to comment on it.
Centcom’s first experiment with that approach was in February, when a Yemeni-led operation with support from the United States seized an Iranian dhow that was smuggling weapons to insurgents in Yemen. The international media publicized the successful mission, spelling out what had been seized and pointing the finger squarely at Iran.
Rather than generating their own message, Centcom’s digital engagement team posted a link to one of those stories.
“What we did in the DET was take one particular story and amplify it across seven different audiences,” Robinson said. “We provided the story and asked our audiences, ‘Are you aware of this?’ ‘Have you seen this story?’”
The responses ran the gamut, from outright denial and charges of American propaganda in some corners to acknowledgment from others that the Iranians have been conducting similar activities for quite some time.
As the discussion continued, Centcom’s social media audience temporarily skyrocketed 400 percent, Robinson said.
“By honoring the culture first and then talking about what we wanted to talk about, the readers of our forums went like that,” he said, his hand gesturing skyward.
Centcom’s digital engagement team continues to use social media to promote a better understanding of events unfolding in the region, and Centcom’s role in addressing destabilizing activities there, he said.
The team successfully used social media to steer readers to a U.S. Naval Forces Central Command news release about an international countermine exercise last spring in the Persian Gulf, issued in part in response to the Iranian government’s attempts to discredit the mission, Robinson reported.
They also generated conversation and debate earlier this year by asking the audience’s views on Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s claim that it’s acceptable for the Iranian military to “engineer” elections there.
“The responses were pretty varied,” Robinson said. “The real value for us was that viewership of the story made a big upward climb. Even if they weren’t commenting, they were reading the story. And that is the intent: Let’s make people aware.”
15th Wing partners with 154th Wing for Operational Readiness Exercise
7/23/2013 - An
Airman takes cover under a desk while in mission-oriented protective
posture four during an Operational Readiness Exercise at Joint Base
Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, July 18, 2013. MOPP four is primarily used
during post-attack reconnaissance, when a chemical, biological,
radiological or nuclear attack is in progress or when CBRN contamination
is present or suspected. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Jerome S.
Tayborn)
Dempsey: Military Must Be Part of Larger Strategy for Syria
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
LASK, Poland, July 24, 2013 – Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey today called Syria “a human tragedy,” and said any military effort there must be tied together with diplomatic and economic instruments of power.
In his first public comment by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Syria since release of a letter detailing five military options in the civil war there, the chairman spoke to reporters covering his visit to a Polish air base hosting an American aviation detachment.
Responding to reporters’ questions, the general prefaced his remarks on Syria by saying it is one of the most complex issues he has studied in his 39 years of military service. “My job as a military leader is to provide options and then to make sure that the men and women whom we may ask to do it are ready to do what we ask them to do,” Dempsey said. “That’s my focus at this point.”
It is not just Americans who are concerned about the war in Syria, he noted. “The most convincing argument for everyone to be concerned about Syria is the tragedy that’s unfolding,” the general said.
More than 100,000 Syrians have been killed in the on-going conflict, according to the United Nations. U.N. officials said the Syrian civil war has led to the world’s worst refugee crisis since the Rwandan genocide. The U.N. High Commission for Refugees said that more than 1.5 million Syrians have fled the country and millions more have fled their homes, but are still in the nation.
“There is a compelling argument for the international community to sit up, take notice and try to contribute,” the general said.
The chairman said many people look to the military instrument as the first choice in an international crisis. This may be because “we are so well-organized, we are so agile and we are so well-trained,” he said.
“But before I would recommend a military solution to this issue, because of the complexity and the myriad actors that are involved, I would have to be convinced that the aftermath of military action would not lead to a failed state in which the suffering would be worse,” he said.
Dempsey emphasized he is not suggesting the international community do nothing about Syria. “I’m suggesting that we need a strategy to tie military options together with the other instruments of power to include the diplomatic and economic,” he said. Dempsey repeatedly has stated that ultimately, the decision to intervene militarily is one for elected leaders.
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Kehler lauds capability, credibility of nuclear enterprise
by Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
7/24/2013 - WASHINGTON (AFNS -- Sweeping improvements across the U.S. nuclear enterprise since a 2007 incident have increased the focus on the nuclear mission and raised the bar in terms of standards and performance, the commander of U.S. Strategic Command told reporters July 24.
"In general, I feel much more comfortable today with the level of attention," Gen. C. Robert Kehler said during a Defense Writers Group breakfast roundtable. "I am very confident in the capability and credibility of the forces. And I am very, very confident in our ability to continue our deterrence mission."
Kehler was deputy commander of U.S. Strategic Command during the August 2007 "Bent Spear" incident in which nuclear-equipped missiles were mistakenly transported nearly 1,500 miles on the wing of a B-52 Stratofortress.
Revelation of the incident -- defense officials emphasized at the time that the weapons were never unsecured and never at risk of detonating -- led to personnel dismissals, organizational changes and heightened performance requirements.
"A lot has changed in the last six to seven years," Kehler said. "A lot has changed organizationally, ... in terms of the intensity of the focus on the nuclear part of our mission, ... (and) in terms of the assessment and evaluation that we put on the units that are involved in all of this.
"And as we say, perfection is really the standard when we talk about nuclear weapons," he said.
Among the changes was the Air Force's stand up of Global Strike Command, with a singular focus on the nuclear mission and the standards applied to those involved, he said. The Navy underwent its own top-to-bottom review of its nuclear operations and activities.
The increased focus on nuclear-related units and activities has paid off in better performance levels, Kehler reported.
The general recalled his own experience with these "hard looks" during his earlier years within the nuclear force. "These are not easy evaluations to pass," he said. "And they have gotten harder."
STRATCOM's nuclear deterrence mission remains critical to the United States, Kehler noted, injected with a renewed focus and sense of urgency by the president's 2010 Nuclear Posture Review and the national defense strategy.
"We recognize the Cold War has been over for 20 years," he said, but he noted President Barack Obama's pledge to maintain a "credible deterrent force" for both the United States and its allies and partners.
That deterrent is based on the triad of ballistic missile submarines, intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear-capable heavy bombers and the associated aerial tankers, and the assured warning and command-and-control system that interconnects them.
Kehler called modernization of the nuclear enterprise "essential."
"We find ourselves in the position today where most of the platforms and virtually all of the weapons are well over 20 years old, and, in some cases, substantially over 20 years old," he said.
"Life extensions are due on the weapons, (and) modernization is due on the platforms ... and the nuclear command-and control system," said Kehler, noting that some of these efforts already have been deferred for almost 10 years
Asked about morale within the nuclear force, Kehler said it's generally good. "It is not an easy job," he added, noting the intellectual intensity of the nuclear mission.
Kehler visited the Global Strike Command headquarters at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., earlier this month, to emphasize the importance of that mission to the men and women charged with carrying it out every day.
"The skills that we have for the nuclear-deterrence mission will be needed as far into the future as I can see," he said. "As long as we have nuclear weapons, it's our job to deter nuclear attack with a safe, secure and effective force. That's what we're here for.
American Forces Press Service
7/24/2013 - WASHINGTON (AFNS -- Sweeping improvements across the U.S. nuclear enterprise since a 2007 incident have increased the focus on the nuclear mission and raised the bar in terms of standards and performance, the commander of U.S. Strategic Command told reporters July 24.
"In general, I feel much more comfortable today with the level of attention," Gen. C. Robert Kehler said during a Defense Writers Group breakfast roundtable. "I am very confident in the capability and credibility of the forces. And I am very, very confident in our ability to continue our deterrence mission."
Kehler was deputy commander of U.S. Strategic Command during the August 2007 "Bent Spear" incident in which nuclear-equipped missiles were mistakenly transported nearly 1,500 miles on the wing of a B-52 Stratofortress.
Revelation of the incident -- defense officials emphasized at the time that the weapons were never unsecured and never at risk of detonating -- led to personnel dismissals, organizational changes and heightened performance requirements.
"A lot has changed in the last six to seven years," Kehler said. "A lot has changed organizationally, ... in terms of the intensity of the focus on the nuclear part of our mission, ... (and) in terms of the assessment and evaluation that we put on the units that are involved in all of this.
"And as we say, perfection is really the standard when we talk about nuclear weapons," he said.
Among the changes was the Air Force's stand up of Global Strike Command, with a singular focus on the nuclear mission and the standards applied to those involved, he said. The Navy underwent its own top-to-bottom review of its nuclear operations and activities.
The increased focus on nuclear-related units and activities has paid off in better performance levels, Kehler reported.
The general recalled his own experience with these "hard looks" during his earlier years within the nuclear force. "These are not easy evaluations to pass," he said. "And they have gotten harder."
STRATCOM's nuclear deterrence mission remains critical to the United States, Kehler noted, injected with a renewed focus and sense of urgency by the president's 2010 Nuclear Posture Review and the national defense strategy.
"We recognize the Cold War has been over for 20 years," he said, but he noted President Barack Obama's pledge to maintain a "credible deterrent force" for both the United States and its allies and partners.
That deterrent is based on the triad of ballistic missile submarines, intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear-capable heavy bombers and the associated aerial tankers, and the assured warning and command-and-control system that interconnects them.
Kehler called modernization of the nuclear enterprise "essential."
"We find ourselves in the position today where most of the platforms and virtually all of the weapons are well over 20 years old, and, in some cases, substantially over 20 years old," he said.
"Life extensions are due on the weapons, (and) modernization is due on the platforms ... and the nuclear command-and control system," said Kehler, noting that some of these efforts already have been deferred for almost 10 years
Asked about morale within the nuclear force, Kehler said it's generally good. "It is not an easy job," he added, noting the intellectual intensity of the nuclear mission.
Kehler visited the Global Strike Command headquarters at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., earlier this month, to emphasize the importance of that mission to the men and women charged with carrying it out every day.
"The skills that we have for the nuclear-deterrence mission will be needed as far into the future as I can see," he said. "As long as we have nuclear weapons, it's our job to deter nuclear attack with a safe, secure and effective force. That's what we're here for.
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