Obama: Korean War Vets Brought Freedom, Victory to 50 Million

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 27, 2013 – While the Korean War ended just about where it started, “that war was no tie,” President Barack Obama said today. “Korea was a victory.”

The president spoke at the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the armistice ending the Korean War. He said the 60-year remove from the war makes it clear that the war, which claimed more than 36,000 American lives, was a victory for freedom.

“When 50 million South Koreans live in freedom, in a vibrant democracy, one of the world’s most dynamic economies, in stark contrast to the repression and poverty of the North, that is a victory and that is your legacy,” Obama told the Korean War vets who sat among the audience of 5,000.

And U.S. service members continue the mission – because the armistice didn’t end the Korean War, it just stopped the shooting. More than 28,000 Americans are on the peninsula today to guarantee that if the North again tries to step over the 38th Parallel, the world will stand against them.

“For generations to come, when history recalls how free nations banded together in a long Cold War and how we won that war, let it be said that Korea was the first battle, where freedom held its ground and free peoples refused to yield,” the president said.

The president spoke of the legacy of the Korean War and of its veterans. “Korea taught us the perils when we fail to prepare,” he said. He noted that the troops sent to fight in Korea in the early days were under-equipped and under-trained.

“Today, as we end a decade of war and reorient our forces for the future, as we make hard choices at home, our allies and adversaries must know the United States will maintain the strongest military the world has ever known, bar none, always,” he said. “That is what we do.”
While President Harry S. Truman integrated the military in 1948, it wasn’t until the pressure of war in Korea that integration actually occurred. “Korea taught us that as a people we are stronger when we stand as one,” Obama said. “On President Truman’s orders, our troops served together in integrated units.

“The heroism of African-Americans in Korea and Latinos and Asian-Americans and Native Americans advanced the idea, if these Americans could live and work together over there, surely we could do the same thing here at home,” the president continued.

And the war has lessons for today’s veterans, Obama noted. “Korea reminds us that when we send our troops into battle, they deserve the support and gratitude of the American people, especially when they come home,” he said. “Today let us remember that.”

With American troops fighting and dying in Afghanistan, the American people must welcome them home, and make it “our mission to give them the respect and the care and the opportunities that they have earned,” he said.

The president urged all Americans to simply listen to Korean War veterans – most now in their 80s. “Listen and hear how these Americans faced down their fears and did their duty, clutching their rifles, hearing the bugles in the distance, knowing that waves of enemy fighters would soon be upon them; in ships offshore, climbing down the ropes into the landing craft, knowing some of them would not leave that beach; on the tarmacs and flight decks, taking off in Corsairs and Sabres, knowing that they might not return,” he said.

Americans need to listen to the tales of gallantry amid some of the most brutal combat in modern times, the president said. Americans need to know how their fellow citizens “held the line at the Pusan perimeter, how they landed at Incheon and turned the tide of the war, how surrounded and freezing they battled their way out of Chosin Reservoir, and how they fought foxhole by foxhole, mountain after mountain, day and night at the Punchbowl and Heartbreak Ridge, Old Baldy and Pork Chop Hill,” he said.

America owes much to the veterans of the Korean War, Obama said, and he spoke directly to them. “In the spring of your youth, you learned how short and precious life can be,” he said. “Because of you, millions of people can keep on living it in freedom and in peace. Your lives are an inspiration. Your service will never be forgotten. You have the thanks of a grateful nation, and your shining deeds will live now and forever.”

EOD techs demonstrate capabilities at Airburst Range

by Air National Guard Capt. Kinder Blacke
140th Wing Public Affairs

7/24/2013 - FORT CARSON, Colo. -- The Explosive Ordnance Disposal team from the 140th Wing, Colorado Air National Guard, put on a show at Airburst Range on Friday, July 12, demonstrating several of their capabilities for an audience of some of their fans.

Four members of the Denver Broncos and a handful of other spectators joined to watch the EOD team "blow stuff up" as part of their monthly training requirements.

"It was great bringing Lt. Garland (Broncos offensive lineman and COANG member) and his fellow players out with us, and we were able to get some good training in the process," said Tech. Sgt. Andrew "AJ" LeBeau, resource manager, 140th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight. "Our flight is newly back in business and bringing those guys out was a lot of fun and a great way to get the word out that we're building up our team again."

Recently, the wing's EOD program was threatened due to a lack in funding from the National Guard Bureau. Fortunately, the Colorado Air National Guard was able to secure funding for their program and is in the process of building a robust EOD crew.

Conducting a "Demo Day" was a good way for the 140 EOD Flight to expose community members to their career field in a loud way. Oftentimes, people fail to realize that the Air Force even has EOD capabilities, yet the COANG EOD technicians are an integral part of the EOD mission alongside their counterparts in the other services.

"I find it surprising how few people know that the Air Force has EOD, and that we are imbedded with ground forces," said LeBeau. "Going 'outside the wire' doesn't really apply to us; most deployments we reside on Forward Operating Bases or are out on patrols the entire time."

According to LeBeau, in deployed locations, EOD technicians support ground troops, primarily U.S. Army and Marines as well as foreign militaries, destroying enemy explosive stockpiles and defeating IED networks. Stateside their main missions include aircraft support, responding in support of local bomb squads, and training. All of these missions are inherently very dangerous.

Airmen in the EOD career field unfortunately have to cope with inevitable sacrifice... losing their sister and brother EOD techs.

"I would say that the worst part of the job is seeing all the people in the same career field that are killed or injured doing our job," said Airman 1st Class Darrell Linkus, 140 EOD team member.

However, the number of people the EOD techs prevent from being killed or injured is innumerable.

"It's intense, but we save lives," says LeBeau. "Every explosive we remove or destroy allows people to carry on their normal lives, or in a warzone, live to fight another day."

The EOD team's mission is truly critical. "As an EOD Operator we perform various duties that include locating, accessing, identifying, rendering safe, neutralizing, and disposing of hazards from foreign and domestic, conventional, chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high yield explosives (CBRNE), unexploded explosive ordnance (UXO), improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and weapons of mass destruction (WMD that present a threat to operations, installations, personnel, or material)," explained Linkus.

There are technically nine different mission areas for EOD: Aerospace Vehicle Launch and Recovery, Force Protection, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Nuclear Weapon Incident/Accident, Unexploded Explosive Ordnance Recovery, Range Clearance, Mortuary Services, Federal Agency and Civil Authority Support, and Base Populace Training.

All that being said, "the simplest definition of an EOD tech is we mitigate explosive hazards," said LeBeau. "We do a job that scares most people, but we work and train very hard to ensure we complete our mission as safely as possible."

While it may seem like an exciting mission, this job is not for the faint of heart or will. Just making it through training to become a qualified EOD operator is a huge challenge. The school boasts an eighty percent dropout rate.

"Tech school for EOD is very long and extremely stressful," said Linkus, who graduated from the program in February 2013 and is the wing's newest EOD team member.

Candidates begin in a 5-week selection school at Sheppard AFB where instructors screen the new EOD recruits to determine who will be best-suited for the career field. "The initial school is filled with very challenging tests both physically and mentally, ranging from the standard Air Force fitness test to timed ruck marches with up to eighty pounds of weight that you have to carry for miles," said Linkus.

After passing the preliminary school, candidates continue on to Eglin AFB for the Naval School of Explosive Ordnance Disposal, referred to as NAVSCOLEOD, which is broken down into nine divisions, all lasting about a month.

The divisions cover every aspect of explosives from CONUS and OCONUS IED response to all military ordnance, both US and foreign, as well as Chemical and Nuclear weapons.

"The school is challenging for many reasons," Linkus explained. "There is a lot of information that is covered in the school. We were taking up to one hundred pages of hand written notes a week and due to the sensitivity of the information that we deal with, nothing is taken home to study-- all studying takes place at the school house."

And students must study a lot. There are 54 tests throughout the ten month course and sometimes students take three to four tests a week. The 16-hour days and intense physical training five days a week leads to a consistently high stress level, according to Linkus.

"In my opinion, the school was one of the hardest things that I have gone through and I believe the school is hard for a reason with the EOD career field," Linkus said. "In real world situations with explosives, we do not get a second chance to do things right and that is why we must strive for excellence in the school house. After all, the EOD motto is 'Initial Success or Total Failure'."

While it is extremely tough to get through the training, "becoming an EOD tech is extremely rewarding," said LeBeau. "We're looking for people who are highly motivated, determined, and will stop at nothing to achieve their goals."

Since the training is so rigorous, only the best of the best make it to the end to become certified EOD technicians. Then through the course of conducting real world missions together, both on deployments and at home, the EOD techs inevitably become a tightknit community, which both LeBeau and Linkus say is one of the greatest benefits.

"The best part of my job is the people that I work around," said Linkus. "Being a civilian firefighter for seven years, I enjoy the brotherhood, camaraderie, and teamwork that come from such a close knit career field. EOD is the same as the Fire Service in that aspect."

The bond that the four men in the 140 EOD Flight share is obvious after spending only a short time with them, and their battlefield stories help explain why. The visitors who got an inside perspective of the EOD team's work were greatly impressed and everyone agreed it was a great day on the range.

In summary, Linkus added, "having the Broncos out for demo day was a lot of fun and it is always cool to show people what we do and see them have a good time blowing stuff up!"

U.S. Navy Takes Lead in Ordnance Retrieval Mission

U.S. 7th Fleet News Release

SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN, July 26, 2013 – In coordination with the Australian Defense Force, the U.S. 7th Fleet will take the lead in the safe retrieval and disposal of four bombs which were jettisoned off the coast of Queensland, Australia, by two AV-8B Harrier aircraft in an emergency situation on July 16.

The U.S. military is aware of its professional responsibility to mitigate the environmental impact of its exercises/operations. As partners with our Australian counterparts, and particularly in the context of Exercise Talisman Saber, the U.S. military conscientiously conforms to the proper rules and protocols set forth by Australian military and civilian authorities.

In conducting the retrieval, the 7th Fleet will coordinate closely with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and the Australian Defense Force to ensure the environment is protected with the greatest care. The U.S. military has been in close contact with the Australian Defense Force and the park authority to determine the appropriate course of action.

We are fully committed to redressing any potential adverse environmental impact in a timely manner. We will announce more detailed plans for recovery operations as they are finalized.

Alabama Air Guard Comm Team Connects in Tenn.

by Master Sgt. Carlos J. Claudio
192nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

7/25/2013 - MARTIN, Tenn. -- When you need an internet signal at home to access the world wide web you call a local provider and they bring cable or a satellite, when the 280th Combat Communications Squadron sets up an internet signal they bring a GATR (Ground Antenna Transmit and Receive).

GATR is a tan colored, inflatable, 7-foot sphere-like satellite that sits on the ground at a slight angle and is currently being used at Martin Middle School in Martin, Tenn., July 15 in support of the "Hope of Martin" community outreach project, an Air National Guard-led joint training medical Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) mission.

"We provide the main data-link for the joint team here in Tennessee that includes approximately 130 service members from the Air National Guard, Army, Navy, and Navy Reserve," said Master Chad W. White, Alabama Air National Guard, Telecommunications-Radio Frequency Specialist. "If it has any anything to do with communications, we handle it."

The Alabama Air National Guard has a ten-member communications team that offers twenty-four hour a day customer service and also safeguards all data systems by manning the equipment all the time.

Not only does the Air Guard unit deliver internet access, they are also a one-stop-shop for land mobile radios and non-classified Internet Protocol (IP) Router Network (NIPRNet) and when required, they offer secure telephones and Secret Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNet).

Airman First Class Coleton Barberree, 280th CS Radio Frequency Transmissions Specialist, said this is his first time working with other military services and he is acquiring knowledge. "Right now I'm learning to work with other branches of the military, their rank systems and also learning about their jobs while they're here on this medical mission," said Barberree.

The IRT program is designed to train U.S. military medical personnel and provide assistance to underserved communities. As of July 15, 2013, the total mission visiting patients is 2429. General procedures performed: 5672. Glasses prescribed: 835. Total value of care: $407, 685.

Face of Defense: Female Floridian Becomes Army Guard Drill Instructor

By Army Staff Sgt. Carmen Steinbach
107th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

STARKE, Fla., July 26, 2013 – Five years after the National Guard was authorized drill instructor specialties the Florida Army National Guard added another first, by having the first female drill instructor in the state’s history.

Florida Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Danielle Gorie, the first female Guard drill instructor in her state, checks the compass reading of Army Spc. Ryan Brewer during a recent land navigation exercise at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center in Starke, Fla. Brewer, a prior-service Marine, is currently participating in the Officer Recruit Sustainment program before attending Officer Candidate School at the Regional Training Institute, also located at Camp Blanding. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Carmen Steinbach   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Army Staff Sgt. Danielle Gorie works full-time for the Florida Army National Guard as the advertising and marketing noncommissioned officer in the recruitment and retention section, but she recently took on a more challenging role as drill instructor.

“I wanted to set myself apart,” said Gorie, who responded to a request for volunteers to attend drill sergeant school.

“I love training troops, and now I can in a drill instructor capacity,” she added. “It’s all about mentoring soldiers and that’s something that I greatly enjoy.”

In order to receive the drill instructor specialty, Gorie and other candidates from various units across the country endured nine grueling weeks of drill instructor training at Fort Jackson, S.C. Out of the 60 class members that completed the training, only eight were female.

“It was basic training all over again,” Gorie said. The drill instructor’s course, she said, was the most difficult challenge she has faced in her military career.
“If you failed a test, you retook it the next morning. If you failed again, you went home,” Gorie said.
In addition to earning the drill instructor specialty, Gorie also gained various certifications during the course, such as combat life saver and combatives instructor.

Having completed drill instructor’s training, Gorie is responsible for training prior service and initial recruits awaiting Officer Candidate School as part of the Officer Recruit Sustainment program.
“Having a drill sergeant as part of our program helps by teaching them basic soldier skills like drill and ceremonies and physical training prior to attending Basic Combat Training,” said Army Capt. Enrique Martinez Jr., officer strength manager. “It also helps minimize the ‘shock’ factor,” when the students arrive to take their first course.

Since its creation, soldiers who’ve attended the RSP program prior to basic training have consistently out-performed their peers, even beyond boot camp, officials said.

Since the majority of Gorie’s trainees have prior military service, and all of them hold college degrees, she expects more from them compared to raw recruits.

“I hold them to a higher standard than I would ordinary privates,” Gorie said. “They’re all adults and capable of having responsibilities even at this new soldier level.”

Reservists shine during seven-day ride across Iowa

by Staff Sgt. Abigail Klein
931st Air Refueling Group Public Affairs

7/25/2013 - OSKALOOSA, Iowa -- As more than 35,000 cyclists roam the back roads of Iowa from Council Bluffs to the Eastern Coast during the seven-day 41st Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, bystanders can't help but notice the blur of 94 Air Force Cycling Team rider uniforms; what they won't immediately notice is how many are "Citizen Airmen."

As with most Air Force teams, the AFCT hosts a variety of Air Force members, many of them Reservists, who are back for the journey, some who are making the journey for the first time.

Among those making the journey for the first time is Master Sgt. Jerry Cromer, a surgical technician from the 301st Medical Squadron at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base - Carswell Field, Texas. Like most AFCT members, Cromer, who has been a rider for more than 20 years, heard about RAGBRAI through word of mouth.

"I had always been a mountain biker, and I had already done two triathlons, so I when I heard about it, I knew I had to do it," Cromer said.

Like most traditional Reservists, Cromer has a civilian job. When he isn't assisting Air Force surgeons, he fights fires in Dallas. Though he had to get permission from his unit and fire house to participate, Cromer said he looked forward to the opportunity to reach out to the local community while and educate people about the Air Force Culture.

"I love cycling; this gives me the chance to do that, and to also see my impact on the community here. You don't always get an opportunity to do that," Cromer said.

This impact is often recounted to the Airmen as they travel through the Iowa towns along their route, where the Airmen are known for frequently stopping to assist any riders with anything from flat tires, to road injuries.

Lt. Col. Mike Rothermel, an assignment facilitator, for the Air Force Reserve Personnel Center at Buckley AFB, Colo., said he keeps coming back because he loves riding and giving back to the community.

"I met a lady, who said, 'Oh you're Air Force! You helped us so much last year, thank you.' She went right into telling me that she would be down at her son's BMT [Basic Military Training] graduation," Rothermel said. "Upon hearing this, I couldn't help but ask if their willingness to help people last year had something to do with her son's enlistment, and she said enthusiastically, 'Absolutely.' Just wearing [the uniform] and the connection you have with people, you wouldn't normally get that."

Whether changing an inner tube or a life, the Citizen Airmen continue to capitalize on the 400-mile platform RAGBRAI provides to showcase the Air Force mission one tire revolution at a time.

B-52 CONECT: A reboot for the Digital Age

by Airman 1st Class Joseph Raatz
Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs

7/26/2013 - BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. (AFNS) -- One thing is certain: it's not your father's B-52.

The B-52 Stratofortress has been the Air Force's star long-range strategic heavy bomber and premier standoff weapon for more than 50 years. For generations, the B-52 has successfully executed missions all over the globe.

But in the 21st century, the pace of things has accelerated beyond the wildest dreams of the original designers who first put plans for the aircraft on the drawing board more than 60 years ago.

"Things change so quickly now, that you simply can't take 20- to 30-hour-old data into the fight with you any longer," said Alan Williams, the deputy program element monitor at Air Force Global Strike Command.

With digital display screens, computer network servers and real-time communication uplinks, the B-52 of the future will be far removed from the final batch that was delivered to Minot Air Force Base, N.D., in 1962.

The Combat Network Communications Technology, or CONECT, program will help thrust the B-52 into the modern era.

"Now the crews will be able to do final mission planning enroute," Williams said. "They will be able to get targeting updates; they will be able to get intelligence updates, all while they are en route so that they can get the most current data."

The beyond line of sight, or BLOS, communications ability introduced in the CONECT upgrades will allow for a central air operations center to pass along updated threat and targeting data to the aircraft for rapid machine-to-machine retargeting, rather than having the crew and mission be dependent solely upon information that was available at take-off.

"The aircraft will be much more effective and safer for the crew because of being able to receive those threat and target updates," Williams said, adding that CONECT will also allow the aircrew to receive last-minute updates so that they are able to strike the most current or necessary targets and do it rapidly because of the new machine-to-machine targeting capability.

CONECT also brings an unprecedented networking ability to the B-52.

"It provides us with a digital backbone so that we can pass data all the way around the aircraft," Williams said, explaining that with the upgrades, any data available to one crew member will now be available to every other member instantaneously via the new digital displays at each workstation.

These new upgrades will provide a foundation that may help guarantee the aircraft's viability through the remainder of its life span, which is currently projected to extend beyond 2040.

"Now when we add additional systems to the aircraft at some future date, we will be going from a digital component, across our new digital backbone, to another digital component elsewhere in the aircraft," Williams said. "In the future, it will make upgrades easier to do because we'll already have that digital infrastructure in the aircraft."

Williams summed up the CONECT upgrades by saying they would help convert the B-52 from an analog aircraft to a digital platform for today's warfighter.

"It is taking the B-52 from a rotary-dial phone to a smartphone," Williams said.

With the CONECT upgrades in place, the B-52 will be well-equipped to enter the Digital Age. In doing so, "the aircraft" will continue to be an adaptable powerhouse for decades to come.

The road to fitness: One Airman's drive to get fit, inspire others

by Airman 1st Class Tom Brading
Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs

7/26/2013 - JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. (AFNS) -- A photojournalist assigned to the 628th Air Base Wing public affairs office here has lost more than 60 pounds since he began his fitness journey a little more than a year ago.

Senior Airman Jared Trimarchi's road to fitness has been paved with hard work and discipline, all to improve his health. Today, he inspires others to start their own journey.

"Losing weight isn't easy," he said. "But nothing worth having in life is."

A humiliating reality check got Trimarchi's attention; he was removed from the base's ceremonial honor guard because his 250-pound frame didn't present a professional appearance.

"My weight gain was my fault," he said. "I was stuck in my old eating habits. Obviously, that is no excuse, ... but it was mine. I had more excuses, too. I blamed my leadership, my genetics, and even my wife's cooking skills."

To be separated from something that gave him so much pride was a crushing blow, Trimarshi said.

"I was devastated," he added. "Being a member of the honor guard team meant the world to me. From presenting the colors at ceremonies on base to giving full military honors at a fallen hero's funeral, it was the most rewarding experience I've had in the Air Force and one of my most rewarding experiences in my life."

The worst part of the ordeal, he said, was feeling as if the honor guard was better off without him.

"Due to the honor guard dress and appearance standards, Airman Trimarchi had to be temporarily removed from the team," said Master Sgt. John Gott, the 628th Air Base Wing public affairs superintendent. "I was confident he would return to honor guard after losing weight and maintaining the proper appearance. We never gave up on him, and he didn't give up on himself."

Every journey begins with that first step, and for Trimarchi, that step was at the base running track. With every mile he put behind him, he became one step closer to his goal of returning to the honor guard.

"I started by simply eating smaller meal portions," he said. "My body was trying to convince me I was hungry. I wasn't. For me, the pain was just the mind trying to fight my body. I had to be stronger, mentally and physically."

The battle raged in Trimarchi for the upcoming weeks, he said, and his mental and physical resilience became stronger with the passing days. Overcoming temptations such as sweets, fast food and soda, and replacing them with lean meat, fresh fruits and water was challenging, he added, but he never gave up on himself.

"I didn't falter. Going back to the honor guard was my only option," Trimarchi said. "I could've come up with excuses why getting out of bed at 4 a.m. to run was a bad idea, or why I deserved a 'cheat meal,' but I was done with the excuses. Making excuses, and not taking personal responsibility, is what got me into the mess I was in at the time."

After two months passed, Trimarchi was able to return to the honor guard to complete his rotation with the team.

Achieving his short-term goal opened the door for Trimarchi to go for more. He is training to apply for Air Force special operations duty.

"Trimarchi's passion for total fitness, healthy eating and exercise is contagious," said Staff Sgt. William O'Brien, the NCO in charge of media operations in the public affairs office. "He's young, idealistic, enthusiastic and motivated."

But Trimarchi said he believes his story is more of a cautionary tale than a heroic one.

"Nobody should ever let themselves get to where I was," he said. "Being in the Air Force, you already have a certain level of professionalism to maintain. It took me losing everything to learn how important that was, and I'll never take something as meaningful as wearing the Air Force uniform for granted again."

Noting that he now looks and feels better, Trimarchi said his journey wouldn't have happened without the proper mindset and support.

"If you can conquer your mind, then your body will have no choice but to follow," he said. "Just set a goal, get support, believe in yourself and never give up."

Wounded Vet Reflects on Korean War 60 Years After Armistice

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 26, 2013 – With plans to participate in ceremonies here tomorrow marking the 60th anniversary of the Korean War armistice agreement, a veteran who lost two limbs in the conflict said he’s proud of what thousands who fought there accomplished -- and what those who followed in their footsteps have preserved.

Retired Army Col. William Weber, 87, who lost an arm and leg during the Korean War, said he’s proud of what he and his fellow Korean War veterans accomplished and what those who have served in South Korean ever since have preserved. Courtesy photo   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Retired Army Col. William Weber was a young lieutenant when he arrived in Korea with the 187th Airborne Regiment Combat Team in August 1950, joining U.S. Marines on the ground in the bloody Battle of Seoul.

Five months after his deployment, Weber was severely wounded -- first by a strike that claimed his arm shortly before midnight on Feb. 15, 1951, and another attack several hours later that took his leg. He was evacuated to an Army hospital in Tokyo to be stabilized before his transfer to the Percy Jones Army Hospital in Battle Creek, Mich., one of three military facilities that specialized in amputee care.

Now approaching his 88th birthday, Weber still vividly recalls the frustration of prolonged ceasefire negotiations that started shortly after he medically evacuated from Korea dragged on for two years before the armistice was reached.

Half of the casualties of the war -- in which 36,574 U.S. troops died and another 103,284 were wounded -- occurred as the talks languished, Weber noted.

“It was a travesty of common sense on the part of the communists,” he said. “They are the ones who delayed it because of demands they made and the hope that they could achieve politically what they couldn’t achieve militarily.”

Even today, 60 years after the United Nations, North Korea and China signed the armistice agreement, Weber expressed disappointment that the final peace treaty that was to follow within 60 days never materialized.

That has left the two Koreas still technically at war, and Weber expressed dismay over North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s public nullification of the armistice earlier this year.

Yet Weber is quick to note the significance of what he called “a significant benchmark of the 20th century.”

“It was a catalyst that began the downfall of the attempt of communism to dominate the world,” he said.
Weber, who served in World War II as well as Korea, sees a common thread.

“I like to remind people that World War II saved the world for democracy. Korea saved it from communism,” he said. “That is where we drew a line in the sand as a free world, and indicated that we would not allow armed aggression to conquer a free people. And since that time, it never has. The world took a stance and it worked.”

Yet like many of his Korean War comrades, Weber said, he remains perplexed that it remains known as “the Forgotten War.”

“If you look at history books that teach children about American history, it is a three-paragraph war,” he said. Most of what’s written focuses not on the war itself, but on the controversy between then-President Harry S. Truman and Gen. Douglas MacArthur, he noted. Truman fired MacArthur as commander of U.N. military forces in South Korea in April 1951.

The United States was preoccupied during the Korean War, Weber said, still reveling as troops home from World War II went to school, re-entered the job market and settled down to start families. “It was la-la land,” he said.

The last thing most Americans wanted at the time was the distraction of another foreign war, particularly one that initially started as a “police action,” he said.

Yet that police action escalated. At the height of the war, about a half-million U.S., United Nations and South Korean forces found themselves arrayed against 1.5 million Chinese and North Korean forces.
“Nowhere during World War II did American forces ever face as many enemies in such a short frontage as in Korea,” Weber said. “It was the bloodiest foreign war in terms of the percentage of casualties we have ever fought.”

Weber rattled off statistics to back up his claim: The chance of those serving being killed or wounded during World War I was 1 in 22; during World War II, 1 in 12; in Vietnam, 1 in 17.

“If you went to Korea, you stood one chance in nine of being killed or wounded,” he said. “American [service members] died at the average rate of 1,000 a month and were wounded at the rate of 3,000 a month for 36 continuous months on a peninsula that was only 160 miles wide.”

To help honor that sacrifice, Weber served nine years on the the presidentially appointed advisory board that led to the dedication of the Korean War Veterans Memorial on Washington’s National Mall in 1995.

The memorial features 19 seven-foot-tall stainless steel soldiers on patrol, the wind blowing their ponchos as they move across the landscape.

But to Weber, who chairs the Korean War Veterans Memorial Foundation, the memorial honors those who served in Korea, but not who made the ultimate sacrifice. He and many other Korean War veterans hope to one day erect a glass remembrance wall that lists those who died in the conflict.

“The American people have never been told the cost of that freedom [won in Korea]. Well, it is 36,574 dead and 103,284 wounded in 36 months of continuous, unbroken combat,” Weber said. “You won’t find anything like that anywhere in America’s history of foreign wars.”

Visiting South Korea for the first time since the war in 2002, Weber said he has no doubt that the sacrifices have paid off.

“I saw firsthand the amazing things the [South] Koreans have done with the freedom that we have enabled them to have,” he said. “A population and a nation that was decimated has become the 12th-largest economy in the world.”

Weber said he remains struck by the gratitude the South Korean people continue to show for those who came to their defense.

He noted, for example, the ongoing Korea Revisit Program, paid for by the South Korean government, which provides Korean War veterans free hotel rooms, meals and tours of Korea.

“It’s an unbelievable thing, the respect and admiration they have for Americans and their U.N. counterparts because of what they did to save their country,” he said.

With the average Korean War veteran now 84 years old, and the population declining by about 700 a day, Weber said, America’s memory of the Korean War is likely to fade as well.

Even after tomorrow’s commemoration, expected to draw thousands of the half-million living Korean veterans to the National Mall, Weber is pragmatic about what will follow.

“I predict with certainty that right after the 27th of July, the Korean War will fall back into the cracks of history again,” he said.

What will keep it alive, he said, is the legacy left by those who fought in the Korean War and of the service of those who have continued to defend South Korea during the past six decades.
Since the signing of the armistice, North Korean attacks have killed 100 U.S. and more than 450 South Korean troops.

Today, 28,500 U.S. forces continue to serve in South Korea, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with their South Korean counterparts to provide security on the peninsula.

“They are trip wires,” Weber said. Even with the South Korean Army now holding the demilitarized zone created by the armistice agreement, “the Americans are there, so the North Koreans know that if anything started, the United States would be involved,” he said.

Together, they continue to demonstrate the commitment Webber and his fellow Korean War veterans made six decades ago, he said.

“You can take a good, hard look at what Korea is today and realize that, at one part of our history, we were responsible for that happening. We saved a free people and kept them free and gave them an opportunity to take advantage of their innate ability to progress as a nation,” Weber said.

“One can’t possibly look at the South Korea of today without accepting the fact that what we did there was justified and necessary,” he said. “So you tell me: Why is it an unknown war in the id of American culture?”

Homestead F-16 upgrades bringing new capabilities

by Ross Tweten
482nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

7/25/2013 - HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. -- F-16 Fighting Falcons assigned to the 482nd Fighter Wing here are undergoing another round of avionics tweaking that will significantly change the way the wing flies and fights.

Homestead ARB began Software Component Upgrade SCU-8 in their Block-30 F-16s in March. Similar to upgrading to a new operating system on a PC, this eighth-generation version is a comprehensive upgrade that integrates with newer avionics systems such as the Helmet Mounted Integrated Targeting and the Center Display Unit.

F-16s assigned to the 301st FW, Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas, are also undergoing these modifications.

The CDU is a multi-function digital display, akin to a handheld smart tablet. It will replace the cockpit's original analog instruments that provide airspeed, altitude, and aircraft position data, and also provide additional tactical situational awareness to the pilot.

"When fully integrated, the new CDU is going to change the way we do business," said Lt. Col. Adam Meyers, 482nd Fighter Wing Safety chief and F-16 pilot. "Over the years, we've jammed more and more information onto our original cockpit displays, to the point where the pilot can become task-saturated just trying to understand it all. The increased-size display and flexible format of the new CDU will allow us to present even more data in a manner that it becomes knowledge to the pilot instead of just a jumbled mess on a screen."

The CDU's sizable high resolution color display places information in front of the pilot's eye, which reduces the time the pilot's head is down in the cockpit. The CDU also includes information on ground forces.

HMIT, another bonus in the future for Air Force Reserve Command assigned F-16s, drastically reduces the F-16's time to acquire targets. This time reduction ultimately results in increasing the potential of acquiring a high-value target and reducing the potential of the high-value target slipping away.

In the visual arena, pilots typically acquire targets by pointing the aircraft at the target to place it within the heads-up display field of view. This tactic is both time consuming and requires the pilot to maneuver their aircraft closer to the threat. HMIT gives pilots the ability to acquire targets simply by looking at them.

"HMIT gives the pilot the ability to look over his shoulder, at either an airborne or surface target, and cue a weapon against it as quickly as he can move his head," said Myers. "It literally takes the fight out of the cockpit displays and puts it where it should be, outside where it's happening. Targeting pod, radar, weapons - all can be slaved to the helmet without the pilot looking inside. And like the CDU, the HMIT will also display sensor information in a format that will markedly increase pilot situational-awareness while drastically reducing the time to complete the kill chain."

For maintainers, the upgrade process can be challenging because, according to Senior Master Sgt. Jason Pruitt, 482nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron shift supervisor, technical data may not cover all of the nuances of the new software.

"There's also the issue of having to use multiple sources for gaining all the required software and items to accomplish the upgrade," said Pruitt. "But an upgrade this important, with the latest in technology standards, makes it worth the extra trouble."

The expertise needed to complete these upgrades requires roughly five maintenance professionals specializing in their own aspect of the update.

"The F-16 and its avionics are getting more and more complex," said Meyers. "The fact that our aircraft maintainers are able to do what they do and the fact that the jets are more combat-capable now than when first built 25 years ago speaks volumes about the amount of work that they put into the jet."

The F-16 was built to be the low-cost flyer. Upgrades have increased the mission scope of the fly-by-wire fighter since its inception, all in the name of increased capability.

"You get a lot out of the money that you put into the F-16," said Meyers. "Upgrades like these are cost-effective ways of continuing to make the F-16 one of the most relevant airframes in the Nation's inventory. I think the mission effectiveness that we're getting out of the Block 30 indicates that this is an airplane that we're probably going to have around for a while."

While the F-16 community has grown accustom to being at the leading edge of combat capability, the changes it's currently seeing are nevertheless encouraging as the airframe itself solidifies its promise as a low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the U.S.

"It's always an exciting time to be in the F-16 community," said Meyers. "But I think that what we're seeing in SCU-8, and the associated hardware, is probably the biggest single leap forward that we've had in the Block 30, maybe ever."

Maintainers keep edge during sequestration with Gunfighter Challenge

by Senior Airman Benjamin Sutton
366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

7/25/2013 - MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho  -- Airmen built munitions, launched and recovered taxied aircraft, conducted self-aid buddy care drills, and performed fitness challenges as part of a new and improved Gunfighter Challenge at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, July 11-12.

With the sequestration and civilian furloughs continuing to put a strain on personnel, 366th MXG leadership decided to hold the event as a way to raise morale while promoting camaraderie and teamwork within the multiple squadrons.

"We have created two teams and each team includes members from the aircraft maintenance, component maintenance and equipment maintenance squadrons as well as maintenance operations," said Col. James McClellan, 366th MXG commander. "All of the events are centered on our group's mission statement of generating and sustaining combat ready F-15s and maintainers."

While the 389th Fighter Squadron is currently deployed to Southwest Asia, and despite the stand down of the 391st FS, Gunfighter maintainers and aircrew are required to be ready to deploy across the globe when called upon to defend the Nation.

"All of the skills required to accomplish these tasks are pertinent here as well as in a deployed location," McClellan said.

"While we are currently in a reduced ops tempo environment, we could be called upon at any time to execute our mission and defend the Nation's interests," said 1st Lt. Jesse Gariepy, 366th MXG quality assurance officer in charge. "These personnel spent a great deal of time and effort preparing and honing their wartime skills, and we've incorporated many of those skills into competition-based events. It's also a chance to build fellowship between squadrons and get the competitive juices flowing."

Throughout the two-day challenge many personnel took full advantage of the time as a way to get out and have some fun with their fellow Airmen.

"It's great seeing everyone out here having a good time because if we did nothing during this stand down period, our skills would degrade and our effectiveness would diminish. The challenge is a fantastic way to remain sharp and train like we plan to fight," Gariepy said.

Unfortunately, not all personnel were able to participate in this month's challenge.

"I didn't get a chance to be a part of the challenge this month," said Senior Airman Tyrin Rush, 366th AMXS crew chief. "I was able to come out and watch a few of the events like the races and the sandbag carries. Hopefully, next time I will have the opportunity to participate on the aircraft maintenance squadron team."

Services Continue Efforts to Open Combat Jobs for Women

By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 25, 2013 – The Defense Department continues working toward its goal of ensuring the mission is met with fully qualified and capable personnel, regardless of gender, the Pentagon’s director of officer and enlisted personnel management said here yesterday.

Speaking at a House Armed Services Committee subcommittee hearing on women in service, Juliet Beyler said the services and U.S. Special Operations Command are working with research agencies to review and validate occupational standards.

“The department is proceeding in a measured, deliberate and responsible manner to implement changes that enable service members to serve in any capacity based on their ability and qualifications,” she said. Each service is conducting thorough doctrine, training, education, facilities and policy analyses to ensure deliberate and responsible implementation, she added.

Beyler was joined at the hearing by witnesses from each of the military services and Socom.
“Our goal is to integrate women leaders and soldiers into recently opened positions and units as expeditiously as possible,” said Army Lt. Gen. Howard B. Bromberg, deputy chief of staff for personnel. The first step is to validate the physical and mental performance standards for every military occupation, he said.

From there, a battery of tests will be developed to assess whether recruits are capable of achieving the standards of their potential occupation, said Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Robert E. Milstead Jr., deputy commandant for manpower and reserve affairs.

Standards ultimately will become gender-neutral, Bromberg said, though training for those standards may be different for men and women. Occupational training in the Marine Corps is gender-mixed, Milstead told the panel, but in recognition of the need to train men and women differently, the transformation from recruit to Marine is gender-segregated.

“Our boot camp is about the transformation of individuals -- men and women -- from being a civilian to being a United States Marine. … They just need different steps as they go,” he said. “They end up in the same place -- they're United States Marines.”

The decision to rescind the 1994 rule excluding women from direct ground combat and combat occupations was announced earlier this year. Then-Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, directed the military services and Socom to implement the change by Jan. 1, 2016, Beyler said. By September 2015, each service and Socom must review and validate all occupational standards to ensure that they are occupationally and operationally relevant and applied gender-neutrally, she added.

“We have always maintained that our [special operations forces] standards are occupationally specific, operationally relevant and gender-neutral. They are just the standards,” said Army Maj. Gen. Bennet Sacolick, director of force management and development for Socom. “Our review will be a good opportunity to verify this assumption.”

Plans for managing the integration of women into previously closed units and occupations already have been submitted and reviewed by Dempsey and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and were released last month, Beyler said. Each plan manages positions in two general categories: currently open occupations that previously were restricted by the unit of assignment, and currently closed occupations, such as infantry or armor specialties.

“And each has identified decision points by which they will make final determinations to open occupations and positions or request an exception to policy to keep the position or occupation closed,” Beyler said.

For Socom, the focus is on whether small units, operating near or behind enemy lines, can achieve full integration while maintaining unit readiness, cohesion and morale, Sacolick said.

“Women have been attached to our combat units for several years, part of our cultural support teams, civil affairs, military information support teams, intelligence support and a host of other occupational specialties,” he said. “And they have performed magnificently.”

The Air Force already has more than 99 percent of its positions open to both men and women, said Brig. Gen. Gina M. Grosso, director of force management policy and deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services.

The remaining 4,600 positions are in seven career fields affiliated with special operations and long-range reconnaissance ground combat units. The Air Force is working to open these positions as well, Grosso added.

“[The] Navy expects to have no closed occupations, a very limited number of closed positions, and equal professional opportunity for females in every officer designator and enlisted rating by 2016,” said Navy Rear Adm. Barbara Sweredoski, reserve deputy for military personnel plans and policy.
Exceptions must be personally approved by both the defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Beyler said. Opening combat occupations to women will enhance the readiness and combat effectiveness of forces, she added.

“Implementation through 2016 will be an evolutionary process,” she said. “We are committed to opening positions and occupations when and how it makes sense while preserving unit readiness, cohesion and the quality of the all-volunteer force.

“Standards will be uncompromising, established for the task of defending our nation and rooted in carefully analyzed requirements,” she added.

Bromberg said the Army is taking that approach. “We will not sacrifice warfighting capability, the trust of Congress or that of the American people as we seek to enhance force readiness and capability,” he said. “We will select the best-qualified soldiers, regardless of gender, for each job within the Army profession, ensuring our future force capability and readiness.”

Beyler told the House panel that the Defense Department is committed to doing it right.

“We recognize there will be challenges, but we will learn much from each step,” she said. “By addressing issues head-on, capitalizing on lessons learned and through open communication with Congress, we will institutionalize these important changes integrating women into occupations and units in a climate where they can succeed and flourish.”

Pentagon Spokesman: Public Affairs Must Change With Times

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 25, 2013 – The Defense Department is facing a once-in-a-generation change, and its public affairs practitioners around the world need to communicate that change clearly, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman said today.

George Little, assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, spoke to commissioned, enlisted, civilian and contract employee defense public affairs professionals gathered at the Defense Media Activity’s headquarters on Fort Meade in Maryland. Little’s remarks also were webcast.

“Public affairs is an absolutely critical component of our military and our department,” he said. “We operate in a world so tightly connected that every world event, big or small, can be felt in real time.”
Little noted that thanks to the Internet, social media and smartphones, the walls between citizens, journalists and the military have never been thinner. He challenged his audience to consider three factors that argue for a new approach to public affairs:

-- Changes brought about by war and the media’s evolution;

-- An expanding toolbar of essential skills for public affairs professionals; and

-- Military and civilian defense leaders’ responsibility for effective communication.

Little pointed out that the widespread embedding of reporters in Iraq and Afghanistan forged close bonds between military members and the Fourth Estate. As deployments wind down and the services return to a more garrison-centered public affairs environment, he said, “we must look for new ways to enhance these bonds.”

Little said new approaches should include engaging more with nontraditional journalists such as bloggers and tweeters, who sometimes break news but also may report gossip and rumor.

“We must be constantly listening for new voices on defense issues,” he said, “and develop those relationships as well. … We must engage with anyone and everyone who is interested in what the department is doing. … In order to effectively communicate our message, we must be communicating across all platforms, new and old. By creating richer, more interesting content, we can create a deeper connection with the American public, and nourish the growing news appetite, on our terms.”

Little said DOD’s public affairs professionals have done a stellar job over the past 12 years. In the face of new challenges, he added, they must push themselves to be even better, both in their individual skills and in collaborating as a community.

“We must all think creatively on how best to communicate with the American people. … We must be ready to experiment with new and less expensive ways to connect with the nation,” he said.
In any medium, he added, public affairs professionals must be effective communicators.

“Leave the jargon and acronyms to the planners and operators. … We must communicate with the American public in crisp and memorable lines that deliver a clear and accurate message,” he said.
He urged each member of the workforce he leads to “truly become a student of writing and media.”
Those who excel in the profession, Little said, “are hungry for information. They are always reading articles, journals, fiction, [and] even reading The Duffle Blog and watching ‘The Daily Show.’”

The better that public affairs practitioners understand the media business -- “not just the military media business” -- the better they will be at their jobs and the more successful they will be in communicating with the American people, Little said.

Intellectual curiosity, added to professionalism and craft, provides a basis for sound work in a career that requires an inside-out knowledge of issues, he noted.

Little said some public affairs professionals may think their job largely is simply to link reporters with experts. He disagrees with that notion.

“It’s important for us … to gain a firm grounding in the substance,” Little said. “You must all aim to be experts of your beat, whether it’s the aircraft carrier you’re stationed on, the [forward operating base] where you’re deployed, or the issue that you’re covering in my press ops office.”

Little advised his audience to strive to know more than the reporter who’s asking the questions.

“You must always be willing to be the spokesperson, and to shape the story yourself,” he said. “Part of the job in public affairs is to provide context -- [to] help the public understand what we are doing, and why we are doing it, and how it fits into our larger strategy. … Expanding our reach is meaningless if we are not explaining our issues in a clear way, and in terms the public can understand.”

Since they are a strategic resource for their commanders and senior civilian leaders, Little said, public affairs officers must maintain a close and trusted position, “helping your leadership navigate a complex media landscape and an equally complex set of issues surrounding national security.”

Little said commanders must be open and honest with the media. The department can’t hide bad news stories, he noted.

“When bad things happen, the American people should hear it from us, not as a scoop on the Drudge Report,” he said.

This requires all commanders to be open and honest with the press and to rely on their public affairs officer’s strategic advice in developing communication strategies, Little said. Commanders also bear some responsibility for community outreach, he added, calling military-civilian interaction a key component of long-term public affairs planning.
“No matter what the issue -- veterans or the budget, personnel or weapons systems -- we must engage the public through all channels, … not only with the press, but also with community leaders and stakeholders, to deliver our message as many ways as possible,” he said.
While public affairs work will become more difficult as the department grapples with funding issues and conflicting priorities, he said, the public affairs community has a duty to provide Americans with clear, accurate and timely information.
“We are going to have to be a steady hand at the helm through some rough waters,” Little said. “I’m confident we can rise to meet this challenge. With the support of military and civilian leadership, I know we can play a critical role in delivering the department’s message to the American people. That, after all, is our mission.”

18th Wing NCO has Nhu story to tell

by Tech. Sgt. Jocelyn L. Rich-Pendracki
18th Wing Public Affairs

7/24/2013 - KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Think of taking time off, leave, or going abroad. What comes to mind? Perhaps some time for you, a way to reinvigorate or reenergize?

For one staff sergeant, time away from the day-to-day grind was spent reinvigorating a children's home in Thailand.

As Staff Sgt. Eric Gargus, 18th Civil Engineer Squadron structural craftsman, attended a service at the Kadena Chapel one Sunday in January, he learned of a trip to Thailand. The goal of this trip was to make a difference in the lives of children living in homes supported by the organization Remember Nhu, who have been taken off the streets and out of lives that could lead to tragedy.

"Remember Nhu deals with the prevention of human trafficking and they have scores of kids to care for," said Capt. Daniel Call, a chaplain with the 18th Wing.

Intrigued, Gargus did a little more research and found out more about Remember Nhu.

"When I heard about this trip, something inside spoke to me; (it was) a calling, I had to go," Gargus said.

Remember Nhu is a non-profit organization that supports homes for children in Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia with the intent of getting them off the streets and sparing them from human trafficking. The organization's namesake, Nhu, was such a child, before being rescued and adopted by Carl and Laurie Ralston from Portland, Ore.

Remember Nhu's approach at combating human trafficking is to help one child at a time by creating a loving, educational, peaceful and happy environment with spiritual guidance.

After learning all that he could about Nhu and the organization, Gargus reached out to a member of the Kadena youth ministry. They began discussing ideas for a brand new playground to be built on the grounds of homes in Northern Thailand. Talk became action, and before long the plans were drawn and the trip was underway.

"We came up with plans for the playground that we wanted to build for these kids, something for them to enjoy," Gargus said.

The playground went from the drawing board to reality.

"We used [about] 10,000 feet of rope and webbing to make the cargo nets that made up the playground. All the nets were hand tied by the teams (thousands of knots). The playground also included a 60-foot zip line," Call said. "Nothing is more satisfying than seeing 30 to 40 children delighted in the gift of the playground through the squeals and laughter that we saw the last day we were in Thailand."


Remember Nhu currently supports four homes with about 45 children in each home, with the hope of opening more in the future. Gargus got to spend time and work at these houses in Northern Thailand for a month.

"These kids were incredible," Gargus said. "We got to eat with them every day. I sat on the floor with one little boy that I saw eating by himself; the next thing I knew, there were kids surrounding me. The experience was life changing."

Since his initial involvement seven months ago, Gargus has decided to increase his participation.

"I want to go back someday, and am looking forward to returning soon and fulfilling my calling," Gargus said.

He also plans on continuing his support to Nhu, the organization and the children by raising money and volunteering as much time as he can.

"God has blessed me with a certain skill set needed for my job, as well as the love to help people," Gargus said. "Doing the job I love and helping people while serving God is a dream come true."

36th Rescue Flight rescues injured horseback rider

by Scott King
92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

7/24/2013 - FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash.  -- Airmen from Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., rescued a 66-year-old male July 21 near McCall, Idaho, after he was kicked by his horse and injured his hip and leg.

The victim, John Beeh, was on his way via horseback with his wife and another couple to camp at 20-Mile Lake when the incident occurred. He was on the lower edge of a bowl-shaped portion of the mountain just downhill from the lake, unreachable by car or all-terrain vehicle.

Neither local officials, nor a local ground rescue team could extract Beeh. Running out of options, the Idaho County, Idaho Sheriff's Office contacted the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., which contacted the 36th Rescue Flight here. Four Airmen were then dispatched to the area in a UH-1N Iroquois helicopter.

Once they arrived on scene, they were time constrained due to fuel and had to expedite the extraction.

"My co-pilot, Capt. Tyler Rennell did an excellent job providing a solid hover for the dual pickup," said Maj. Brent Golembiewski, aircraft commander. "We were low on fuel and the actual extraction point was a small rocky area roughly [5 x 20] feet surrounded by 100-foot-tall dead pine trees - not exactly easy to do, but over all it was a great mission, and I'm proud to be part of such an exceptional crew."

Once safely hovering, flight engineer, Tech. Sgt. Kenneth Griego, lowered independent duty medical technician, Master Sgt. Joseph Brownell, roughly 200 feet through a 10 x 10 window to Beeh.

"It was a very tight opening," Griego said. "Luckily we were able to lower Brownell down where the victim was already on a backboard. He re-evaluated Beeh's injuries, loaded him onto the stokes litter, and then attached himself with a harness to the litter for a dual pick up - this was my first save, I couldn't have done it without the expertise of my crew and medic."

Recovering from his injuries at home today, Beeh is extremely grateful for the Fairchild crew.

"Heck yeah, I'm glad the Air Force showed up to help me," Beeh said. "I didn't know how everything was going to turn out, now thanks to the Air Force, I'm still alive - they did one whale of a job"

His wife of 49 years, Georgia, is also glad the Fairchild crew showed up.

"There was no other way he was going to get out of there," she said. "I'm so glad they were able to help us through this awful experience. I was in awe at what they did for him - he owes them his life."

The rescue took approximately three hours from the time the 36th RQF received the call to the time the Beeh was transported [via the Iroquois] to St. Joseph Hospital in Lewiston, Idaho.

Beeh spent three days in the hospital and is now at home recovering from a broken femur bone and other bumps and bruises.

The crew consisted of: Maj. Brent Golembiewski, 36th RQF aircraft commander; Capt. Tyler Rennell, 36th RQF co-pilot; Tech. Sgt. Kenneth Griego, 36th RQF flight engineer; and Master Sgt. Joseph Brownell, 336th Training Support Squadron independent duty medical technician.

This most recent rescue was the flight's 683rd.

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.

Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper, left, posthumously awards the National Intelligence Medal for Valor to Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jared Day's parents, Karolyn Kimball Day and Sam Day of Salt Lake City, in a ceremony at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in McLean, Va., July 22, 2013. Day, a tactical communicator, and Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Strange, an information operations operator, were assigned within Naval special operations when they were killed Aug. 6, 2011, in Afghanistan in a helicopter crash following a rocket-propelled grenade attack. DOD photo by Terri Moon Cronk   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

The families of Petty Officers 1st Class Jared W. Day and Michael J. Strange received the posthumous awards. Calling Day and Strange “two young heroes who gave the last full measure of devotion to their country,” Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper presented the medals in front of a standing-room-only gathering of families, friends and shipmates.

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

7/24/2013 - ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- A full-time reservist on the staff at Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command here is one of the Air Force's 12 Outstanding Airmen of the 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

by Staff Sgt. Abigail Klein
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.

The Korean Demilitarized Zone and Joint Security Area were created by the armistice that was signed in 1953. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Park Youngho   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Signed on July 27, 1953, the ceasefire agreement brought the brutal three-year conflict to an end.

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

by Staff Sgt. J. Aaron Breeden
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.