Face of Defense: Airman Describes Military Journey

By Air Force Airman 1st Class Brittain Crolley
4th Fighter Wing

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C., Sept. 20, 2013 – She had a limited English vocabulary that made it difficult to understand and communicate with her instructors. Her family was thousands of miles away, though it felt even farther for her. Nothing came easy.

After spending the first 27 years of her life in Puerto Rico, earning two college degrees and working as a pharmacy chemist, Senior Airman Yesenia Camacho-Arce joined the Air Force as a nondestructive inspection specialist, but never forgets her Hispanic roots. Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 each year and highlights the achievements and    (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

But after completing eight weeks of Air Force basic military training, there was finally a light at the end of the tunnel.

For Senior Airman Yesenia Camacho-Arce, 4th Equipment Maintenance Squadron nondestructive inspection specialist, the support of her family has encouraged her to reach the goals and dreams she has set for herself.

“I was so happy and proud that I made it,” Camacho-Arce said. “It was a very special moment when I graduated and got to see my family again and share it with them.”

Graduating from basic training was just the beginning of her transition into the blue.

Originally from Dorado, Puerto Rico, a small town on the northern coast, Camacho-Arce said her family has a very strong heritage and bond with each other. Puerto Rico has nearly 4 million residents, yet the island is only slightly larger than Delaware, a state with fewer than 1 million residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

With so many people in such a relatively small space, Camacho-Arce said, families and townspeople tend to be very close.

“The biggest difference [between Puerto Rico and the United States] is the people,” she explained. “I am very close with my entire family -- aunts, uncles and cousins. It made it really hard to leave them behind.”

During her last few years in Puerto Rico, Camacho-Acre spent her time earning two degrees from the University of Puerto Rico. She received an associate’s degree to become a pharmacy technician and quickly began putting her skills to work. While working full-time to help support her family, she also went to school to achieve a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial chemistry.

She spent more than a year working as a chemist at a pharmacy before the idea of military life crossed her mind. Her brother, a Navy chief petty officer and one of her role models growing up, influenced her to enlist, she said.

Camacho-Arce said she joined the Air Force in November 2010. As a nondestructive inspection specialist, she is responsible for inspecting jets, munitions and ground vehicles to ensure all moving parts are in working order.

The job is similar to a doctor taking an X-ray of a body to see exactly where the problem is, she explained, and it requires attention to detail. Spotting imperfections, such as wears and cracks, she said, is critical to the aircraft’s operational safety.

In her short time in the Air Force, Camacho-Arce has piled up a list of accomplishments. She earned a below-the-zone promotion to senior airman in June 2012, and was recognized as the Quality Assurance Top Performer later that year.

“She is the first to accomplish a job without anyone having to tell her to start the job,” said Air Force Staff Sgt. Cinnamon Linkous, Camacho-Arce’s supervisor. “Her motivation is admirable, and I see a lot of potential in her with her leadership skills.”

With a bachelor’s degree on her résumé, Camacho-Arce originally considered becoming an officer, but she said the timing just wasn’t right. But as much as she enjoys her job now, she added, she’s still considering obtaining a commission in the future.

Regardless of her decision, Camacho-Arce said, her family has always supported her in whatever goals she sets out to accomplish.

“Every day I tell my wife that she is capable of doing anything she wants to, because she is so persistent,” said Evaristo Santiago, her husband of six years. “We are always going to be there for her and be so proud of her.”

Camacho-Arce said she looks forward to continuing to excel as part of the Air Force family.

“I never could have accomplished the things that I have without the support of my husband and family,” she said. “The Air Force has been a big change from my life in Puerto Rico. My family keeps me going, even though it’s hard sometimes, but it has been a great opportunity for us.”

"These things we do that others may live"

by Senior Airman Camilla A Elizeu
355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

9/18/2013 - DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz.,  -- Eight Airmen from Davis Monthan Air Force Base will receive two prestigious military awards Sept. 20, 2013 at the 55th RQS hangar.

Capt. Brian Dicks, Capt. Charles Napier, Master Sgt. William Fritsch and Staff Sgt. Joshua Reid will receive the Distinguished Flying Cross Medal with Valor, while Capt. Ryan Prince, Capt. Patrick Mount, Tech. Sgt. Justin Wilks and Staff Sgt. Jason St John will receive the Air Medal with Valor for their actions during a contingency operation Dec. 10, 2012.

According to the citations, while deployed to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, the 55th RQS members distinguished themselves during a high-risk mission to rescue a four critically wounded coalition soldiers.

During the mission two HH-60G, Pave Hawks, Pedro 61 and Pedro 62,were responding to an evacuation site when both aircraft came under small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades. The plan entailed one aircraft landing while the other maneuvered to engage the threats.

Though two U.S. Army OH-58 Kiowa attack helicopters attempted to engage the threat, they were unsuccessful because they could not positively identify the enemy positions. Pedro 61 and Pedro 62 maneuvered their formation, placing themselves between the enemy and friendly forces.This allowed them to engage the threats themselves, while marking the enemy for the attack helicopters.

Their actions allowed the attack helicopters to destroy the enemy position and give the Pedro crews enough cover to return to the hot landing zone to complete their mission of evacuating the critically wounded. Their actions also protected more than 25 coalition soldiers on the battlefield during this exchange.

Military Well Positioned a Year After Benghazi, Official Says

By Nick Simeone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20, 2013 – The U.S. response to the deadly attack on the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya, a year ago would have been faster if military assets now in place to deal with such a crisis had been forward postured and placed on alert status at that time, a senior Defense Department official with responsibility for special operations told Congress yesterday.

Gary Reid, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, told a House Armed Services Committee subcommittee that additional Marine security guards have been dispatched to U.S. missions in high-risk areas, and that the Marine Corps has stood up a security augmentation unit to provide trained detachments available for worldwide deployment on short notice when requested.

“At the request of the Department of State, Marines from these units were sent to eight posts in advance of the Sept. 11 anniversary last week,” Reid said, adding that the deployment reflects a shift in strategy “from simply reacting to crises to proactively addressing potential crises.”

Yesterday’s hearing was held to review changes DOD has made to ensure the military is positioned to respond quickly to threats or attacks like the one on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi a year ago that killed the American ambassador to Libya and three other Americans. In February, Leon E. Panetta, who was defense secretary at the time of the Benghazi attack, told Congress “this was, pure and simple, a problem of distance and time,” in explaining why military assets were not able to provide quick assistance.

Reid was asked to list the most significant changes that have emerged from the lessons learned since the Benghazi attack.

“Putting tailored response forces in closer proximity to the area of a most anticipated need [and] dedicating airlift to those assets,” he replied, adding that he believes significant progress had been made in getting the balance right.

“I want to underscore that we are more ready than ever to respond to a crisis or attack if one occurs without warning,” he added.

A year after the tragic events in Libya, Reid said, the chiefs of mission at U.S. outposts where threat levels are considered high “have our best estimate of response times to inform their decisions about adjustments to staff presence in times of increased security threats.”

In addition, he said, the United States continues to work with forces from less-capable host nations to help them carry out their obligations to protect U.S. missions.

Air Force Maj. Gen. Darryl Roberson, vice director for operations for the Joint Staff, said at the same hearing that some countries that have experienced the Arab Spring, including Libya, are incapable of providing any security for American facilities.

“We are working very hard to try to increase the capacity of the host nations,” said Roberson, who also noted that because of gaps in security, the United States recently withdrew personnel from embassies in several Middle Eastern countries.

Laughlin NCO saves life in Houston

by Senior Airman Scott Saldukas
47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs

9/20/2013 - LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- One Laughlin Airman has lived up to the military's motto of being on duty 24/7.

Nearing the end of his leave in Houston on Sept. 12, Staff Sgt. Robert Niter III, 47th Medical Operations Squadron NCO in charge of optometry, and his girlfriend, Rita, had planned an afternoon trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science before they realized there would be a slight detour on the way.

On their way to the museum, Niter noticed a man lying on the ground with a crowd of people around him.

"It took a second for things to sink in before I told Rita to turn the car around," Niter said, who hails from Memphis, Tenn. "When we turned around, I had Rita stop the car in the middle of the road where the victim lay on the other side of the road. I sprinted across the street and asked folks what had happened. They stated how the man was jogging, then he sat down with his water bottle and proceeded to pass-out."

After gaining an understanding of what took place, Niter instructed someone to call 9-1-1 immediately before he began to perform CPR.

"I checked for a response and I asked the young man if he was okay, but got no response," the Laughlin NCO said. "I then opened his closed eyelids and saw his eyes were rolled in the back of his head. I checked inside his mouth to ensure nothing was lodged in it and checked if he had a pulse. The gentleman did not have a pulse, he was not breathing, and he was a bluish purple color in the face with cold, clammy and wet skin. I then began administering CPR."

While performing CPR, his girlfriend elevated the feet and loosened the footwear of the downed pedestrian.

Niter explained, as people were beginning to pray for the unconscious man, an older gentleman began to assist him in the CPR process due to fatigue beginning to set in for the airman.

"After about 25 minutes of continuous CPR, the man began gasping for air and elevating his right arm," Niter said. "He opened his eyelids but his eyes were rolling all around. The man began coming back to life after appearing dead for a few minutes. His color was still abnormal, but had improved since arriving."

Approximately 30 minutes after noticing a crowd of people around a man lying down, the emergency medical technicians arrived on scene and took control of the situation.

"We placed the man on a stretcher and into the ambulance where the EMTs continued to perform CPR, hook him up with an IV and use an automated external defibrillator," Niter said. "The patient slowly began to stabilize under the care of the EMTs."

The patient didn't have any identification as he only carried a water bottle and cell phone, Niter said. The EMTs used the patients phone to call the most recent contacts to notify them of what had occurred, he added.

"After speaking with the lead EMT firefighter, he said that without us performing CPR, the guy would have died," Niter said. "Many of the people standing by thanked us for bringing him back. I really just saw myself as a vessel being called on at the right time. It is something any airman or military member would have done in that case."

Even though Niter was lauded by on-lookers and rescue personnel, he said he took something away far greater than recognition.

"Sure it's nice to be recognized," he said, "but it's not about an award or a medal. The feeling of knowing that you saved someone's life is truly an amazing feeling. Knowing that our actions that day prevented someone from dying and gave them another chance."

Niter said since the incident, he was told that the patient had recovered and was stable with no issues.

Crossing borders to cross into the blue

by Airman 1st Class Brittain Crolley
4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

9/19/2013 - SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- She had a limited English vocabulary, making it difficult to communicate with her instructors. Her family was thousands of miles away. Nothing came easy.
After enduring eight long weeks of Air Force Basic Military Training (BMT), there was finally a light at the end of the tunnel.
For Senior Airman Yesenia Camacho-Arce, 4th Equipment Maintenance Squadron nondestructive inspection specialist, the support of her family has encouraged her to reach the goals and dreams she has set for herself and has been her driving force to succeed.

"I was so happy and proud that I made it," she said. "It was a very special moment when I graduated and got to see my family again and share it with them."

Graduating BMT was the highlight of her military career, but that was just the beginning of her transition into the blue.

Originally from Dorado, Puerto Rico, a small town on the northern coast, Camacho-Arce said her family has a very strong heritage and bond with each other. The island of Puerto Rico is home to more than 3.5 million, yet is only slightly larger than the state of Delaware, which has slightly less than 1 million residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

With so many people in such a relatively small space, Camacho-Arce said families and townspeople tend to be very close.

"The biggest difference [between Puerto Rico and the United States] is the people," she explained. "I am very close with my entire family; aunts, uncles and cousins. It made it really hard to leave them behind."

During her last few years in Puerto Rico, Camacho-Acre spent her time earning two degrees from the University of Puerto Rico. She earned a pharmacy technician associate's degree and quickly began putting her skills to work.

While working full-time to help support her family, she enrolled again at The University of Puerto Rico, this time to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial chemistry.
She spent more than a year working as a chemist at a pharmacy before the idea of military life crossed her mind. Her brother, a chief petty officer in the Navy and one of her role models growing up, influenced her to enlist, she said.

Camacho-Arce joined the military in November 2010, opting to join the Air Force rather than the Navy because she was offered a job more suitable to her. As a nondestructive inspection specialist, she is responsible for inspecting jets, munitions and ground vehicles to ensure all moving parts are in working order.

Camacho-Arce said the job is similar to a doctor taking an x-ray of a body to see exactly where the problem is. It requires a sharp mind and attention to detail. Spotting imperfections, such as wears and cracks, are critical to the operational safety of the aircraft and missing them can have catastrophic effects.

In her short time in the Air Force, she has piled up a list of accomplishments. She earned a below-the-zone promotion to senior airman in June 2012, and was recognized as the Quality Assurance Top Performer later that year.

"She is the first to accomplish a job without anyone having to tell her to start the job," said Staff Sgt. Cinnamon Linkous, 4th EMS nondestructive inspection craftsman and Camacho-Arce's supervisor. "Her motivation is admirable and I see a lot of potential in her with her leadership skills."

With a bachelor's degree on her résumé, Camacho-Arce originally considered becoming an officer, but said the timing just wasn't right when she joined. As much as she enjoys her job now, she is still considering commissioning in the future.

Regardless of her decision, she said her family has always supported her in whatever goals she sets out to accomplish.

"Every day I tell my wife that she is capable of doing anything she wants to because she is so persistent," said Evaristo Santiago, her husband of six years. "We are always going to be there for her and be so proud of her."

With a great family support system that has carried her thus far, Camacho-Arce said she looks forward to continuing to excel as part of the Air Force family.

"I never could have accomplished the things that I have without the support of my husband and family," Camacho-Arce said. "The Air Force has been a big change from my life in Puerto Rico. My family keeps me going, even though it's hard sometimes, but it has been a great opportunity for us."

Patient expresses gratitude for lifesaving care 30 years later

by Elaine Sanchez
Brooke Army Medical Center Public Affairs

9/18/2013 - JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas  -- An ambulance carrying a critically ill newborn sped across town to Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio.

Every second counted as the military doctors raced to save Jacquelyn Burke's life. A neonatal team hooked her up to a heart-lung bypass machine, dubbed ECMO. Jacquelyn's heart and lungs were failing, and the new technology was the only remaining hope to keep her alive long enough for her lungs to recover. As her parents stood by, the doctors and nurses worked for days in the hopes she'd pull through.

Burke not only survived, she thrived. Nearly 30 years later, she's come forward to share her story -- and gratitude -- for those who saved her life back in April 1986.

"I proudly wear the scars on my neck and chest with honor," she wrote in a recent email. Without them ... I would not be here raising my son. I am very blessed and grateful."

ECMO, which stands for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, is a heart-lung bypass system that circulates blood through an external artificial lung, oxygenates it, then delivers it back into the bloodstream. It does the job of the patient's heart and lungs and gives them time to respond to treatments and heal, explained Air Force Lt. Col. (Dr.) Daniel Dirnberger, chief of neonatal medicine at San Antonio Military Medical Center here.

It's a proven lifesaver for infants with critical issues such as certain congenital defects , pulmonary hypertension, or, as in the case of Burke, meconium aspiration, which is when a baby inhales fetal meconium either before or during birth.

"With ECMO, we are adding a layer of care and allowing babies more time to recover," Dirnberger said. "In many cases, we're turning less than a 20 percent chance of survival into 80 percent."

The timing of Burke's treatment was fortunate. The hospital had stood up its neonatal ECMO program just one year prior, becoming the 12th of its kind in the country.

"It was new technology at that time," Dirnberger noted. Wilford Hall stood up the first ECMO center in Texas in 1985, and it was the only one in San Antonio when Burke was born. Burke, he added, was just the 10th neonatal ECMO patient at Wilford Hall.

In 2011, the program moved to SAMMC as part of the Base Realignment and Closure directive. It remains the sole neonatal ECMO program in the Department of Defense.

Over the years, more neonatal ECMO centers have been established, but the program here remains one of a few ECMO transport centers in the world. The SAMMC team has picked up and transported infants needing ECMO from around the United States and as far as Spain and Japan. The long-range transports are "tremendous endeavors," Dirnberger said, in some cases requiring two shifts of personnel and 2,000 pounds of equipment.

Dirnberger recalled the military's longest-range ECMO transport out of Wilford Hall in 2000. It was his first day as a staff neonatologist in Okinawa when a baby was born with meconium aspiration. The baby's health spiraled down so they requested an ECMO team for transport. The team arrived 36 hours later, placed her on ECMO and flew her back to San Antonio, where she was successfully treated.

That was the first of six ECMO transports out of Okinawa, Dirnberger said, noting that Wilford Hall and SAMMC have executed a total of 81 neonatal and pediatric global ECMO transports since 1985.

"Some of our most memorable ECMO babies were ECMO transports," he said.

As he spoke, Dirnberger pointed to a framed article about the baby from Okinawa hanging in the NICU hallway, which is lined with dozens of plaques and baby pictures. Each of these plaques, donated by grateful parents, tells a story about a baby who was treated at Wilford Hall or SAMMC. Some are adorned with pictures and others with simple words of gratitude. "Thank you for saving our son's life," one plaque reads. "It's amazing how one miracle can touch so many lives."

While these plaques are greatly appreciated, the doctor said, just knowing he had a hand in a baby's recovery is the only thanks he needs.

"This is why I went into neonatal medicine," he said. "To be involved with any lifesaving procedure ... it's tremendously gratifying."

Burke, who now lives in San Antonio with her 7-year-old son, said her aunt reminded her about her ECMO treatment at a recent lunch, and felt compelled to thank the doctors and nurses who saved her life 27 years ago.

"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for them," she said. "I will always be grateful for what they did."

Former POW: 'Never Give Up'

by Senior Airman Jesse Lopez
97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

9/20/2013 - ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -  -- Altus AFB honored National POW/MIA Recognition Day with the third annual Remembrance Ceremony Sept. 19 at the Wings of Freedom park. This day is observed on the third Friday of September each year to remember those who were prisoners of war and those who are missing in action, as well as their families.

The Warrior 5/6 Council, comprised of non-commissioned officers from the base, organized the event consisting of a firing party, playing of "Taps," a speech from a former POW Marine Sgt. Jack Warner and a twenty-four hour remembrance relay run.

"I think this is essential to upholding military traditions and honoring those that served in the past," said Tech. Sgt. Matthew Noble, Vice President of the Warrior 5/6 Council. "If you look at someone like Warner and the things he went through, he spent three and a half years in captivity. Service members should take every opportunity to recognize the service and sacrifice given to this country by individuals such as Warner."

Warner's account as a POW was among the events in remembrance of those who were imprisoned while serving in conflicts and those who remain missing. He visited the base and shared his experiences with Airman from Altus and provided a message for young service members.

"Don't ever give up," said Warner. "A lot of guys gave up and their life spans weren't very long."

His visit concluded with a base tour and lunch at the base track where the twenty-four hour remembrance relay run was held, using a baton engraved with Warner's name.

"The support from the base for my family and I has been wonderful," said Warner.

On August 10, 1990, the 101st Congress passed U.S. Public Law 101-355, which recognized the POW/MIA flag and designated it as the symbol of the United States' concern and commitment to resolving as the fates of Americans still prisoner, missing and unaccounted for

Powered flight program prepares prospective pilots

by Don Branum
Academy Spirit staff writer

9/20/2013 - U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- Four T-53 Kadet aircraft line up on the taxiway leading to Runway 16. Inside each aircraft sits one cadet pilot and one instructor. They're the last group to fly for the day on Sept. 9.

The weather, however, might cut their flights short. Maj. Nanette Menath, the 557th Flying Training Squadron's operations supervisor, warns them of cells forming over the mountains to the west.

"If the weather deteriorates, I'll call you back, either for patterns or for a full stop," she explains. "Fly safe."

One potential future pilot, Cadet 1st Class Joel Cramer, is assigned to fly with Capt. Nolan Thompson.

Monday's flight marks Cramer's seventh. He'll practice touch-and-go passes, bringing the aircraft onto the runway and quickly taking off again, before heading east to one of the Academy's training airspace areas. There, Thompson will lead Cramer through steep maneuvers and stalls and will grade Cramer on how well he controls the airplane. The entire training session will last one hour and 20 minutes, weather permitting.

But first Cramer and Thompson have to get off the ground. The first two T-53s in the queue take off; the third and fourth, including Cramer's aircraft, are told to wait while another aircraft approaches the runway. That aircraft, coming in too high, aborts its landing attempt.

A few minutes later, Cramer and Thompson are airborne. The weather holds, and they land later on without incident.

Thompson, Menath and others assigned to the 557th FTS, part of Air Education and Training Command's 12th Flying Training Wing, lay the groundwork for cadets' careers: Half the Academy's graduates become Air Force pilots, and those who don't will have a background in flight and a greater strategic understanding of how the Air Force projects global reach and global power. The program provides unique leadership opportunities and character development, said Col. Kim Hawthorne, the Academy's Airmanship Program director.

"Our graduates consistently tell us that their airmanship experiences while at the Academy significantly developed their character and leadership, and prepared them to serve as Air Force leaders," Hawthorne said. "As the Air Force's Academy, it is essential that we expose and motivate all cadets to aviation operations and airmindedness -- the lens through which Airmen perceive warfare."

From her perspective as the operations director, Menath sees this first hand when dealing with the cadets in the program.

"This motivates the cadets," Menath said. "They get a lot out of it. Overall, they really enjoy this program, but more importantly they gain experience and character development through the opportunities presented by the program."

Officials: Fort Hood Lessons May Have Saved Lives at Navy Yard

By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20, 2013 – Of 89 recommendations that came from two reviews of the 2009 shooting that killed 13 people at Fort Hood in Texas, 52 are fully implemented, and some may have helped to save lives during the Navy Yard shooting here Sept. 16, senior defense officials said.

The officials, who briefed reporters here this week, were unable to discuss the ongoing investigation involving a civilian contractor, 34-year-old Aaron Alexis, who killed 12 people and wounded several others at the Naval Sea Systems Command headquarters building before being killed by police.

But they did discuss results of the Defense Department’s 2010 independent review of events at Fort Hood and final recommendations from that review, and of a 2012 Defense Science Board review sought by DOD to look deeper into the motivations of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan, a U.S. Army major and psychiatrist, and other potential violent actors.

“In the area of response, there are a few very specific things that I believe helped save lives as a result and led to a faster response time [and] greater cooperation between local law enforcement with the FBI and in terms of warning people … on the Navy Yard at the time,” a senior defense official said.

Specifically, he added, as a result of one of the DOD recommendations, the department is using a North American telephone network feature called enhanced 911, or E-911, to push out alert notices during emergencies on DOD installations.

Because of some of the recommendations, the official said, guards have received training for scenarios in which they must respond to emergencies involving an active shooter or shooters, and there are new information-sharing agreements between the FBI and local law enforcement agencies that allow military-civilian collaboration.

“There are two examples of how we've increased information sharing,” the official said. First, “the Department of Defense and the FBI signed a memorandum of understanding by which if either organization has information about a threat to or from DOD personnel, we are obligated to share with each other.”

The senior defense official said that’s important because DOD persons and installations are a prime target of what's called homegrown violent extremism.

For those wanting to commit acts of violence, DOD people and facilities often are the target, he added, “so it matters to us when FBI has an operational case that they share information about threats that might be around a particular location or base.”

Second, he said, the Defense Department now has people working in a significant number of FBI-led joint terrorism task forces, giving DOD personnel insight into and awareness of FBI cases and how they may be relevant to DOD safety and security.

“I think we're in a significantly better place,” the official said. “Obviously we're not there fully, based on Monday's events, but there has been a lot of progress.”

After the Fort Hood incident, he added, then-Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates established an independent review of events that produced an August 2010 report and 79 recommendations to improve the ability to identify patterns that might lead to violence and to safety and security on installations.

One of the recommendations was to ask the Defense Science Board to look for useful indicators of warning in individuals who might be prone to acts of violence, the official said, adding that the board’s task force provided 10 recommendations of its own, for a total of 89 recommendations from reviews of the Fort Hood incident.

About 52 of the recommendations have been adopted and fully implemented, he said, and the vast majority of the remaining recommendations have been agreed to. Most are in various stages of implementation, he added.

The defense official said that some of the remaining tasks have to do with a Defense Science Board recommendation that the defense secretary direct a departmentwide requirement for the military departments and DOD agencies to establish a multidisciplinary threat management unit that identifies, assesses and responds to or manages threats of targeted violence.

“The kinds of things we're wrestling with right now [are], ‘How tailored do they have to be? Should there be one unique to the Navy, one to the Army, one to the Marines, one to the Air Force? Do you have something at headquarters?” he said.

And DOD officials are still working through some of the privacy issues involved in sharing information, he said.

“When an individual is assigned to one base and events and incidents that might happen at a base don't rise to the level of criminality -- because for criminal cases there's a pre-existing system by which that information is captured permanently -- and here someone could be going through a difficult period of life, and it could be a one-time incident,” he explained.

“We’re trying to make sure we have a system by which we are appropriately protecting [people] but providing information to the experts who need to know it,” the official said.

Such details, he added, “are difficult and important things for our military families.”

In March, the official said, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel issued an instruction directing rapid completion of the remaining tasks. “So this is something that's been very much on his mind as well,” he added.

This week, before a news conference with Pentagon reporters, Hagel and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, expressed condolences to the families and coworkers of the 12 Navy employees gunned down at the Navy Yard.

Hagel said he’s asked Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter to lead two departmentwide reviews. The first will examine physical security and access procedures at all DOD installations.

In the second, Carter will look at DOD practices and procedures for granting and renewing security clearances, including those held by contractors. He will coordinate with officials at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Office of Management and Budget, Hagel said.

The secretary also has directed an independent panel to conduct its own assessment of security at DOD facilities and of the department’s security clearance procedures and practices.

Proclamation Honors Reserve Component Employers’ Support

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20, 2013 – To honor employers who support their employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserves, President Barack Obama today signed a proclamation declaring Sept. 22-28 as National Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Week.

Here is the text of the president’s proclamation:

Across generations, members of the United States Armed Forces have made America the greatest force for freedom and security the world has ever known. This week, we honor members of the National Guard and Reserve who carry that legacy forward. We thank the employers who support them; and we reaffirm our promise to provide our troops, our veterans, and our military families with the opportunities they have earned.

The men and women of the National Guard and Reserve come from every background, race, and creed, and demonstrate an unfaltering commitment to our Nation. On the field of battle and here at home, they place themselves in harm's way to protect our freedoms, our lives, and our communities. We are grateful to the employers that provide our Reservists and National Guard members extraordinary support and flexibility. We commend the businesses that help service members advance their civilian careers and ease transitions between military and civilian life.

America must pledge our full support to those who serve in our Armed Forces and their families. That is why First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden launched the Joining Forces initiative -- a program that expands employment opportunities for veterans and military spouses. My Administration has also worked to connect veterans to the workforce through an online Veterans Job Bank and through the Veteran Gold Card program, which provide enhanced services to post-9/11 veterans. I also signed into law tax credits that provide incentives for businesses to hire returning heroes and wounded warriors.

The patriots who serve under our proud flag never lose that sense of service to one another or to country. This week, we pay tribute to these selfless men and women who wear the uniform, to their families, and to their dedicated employers, whose enduring commitment keeps our military strong and our Nation secure.

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 September 22 through September 28, 2013, as National Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Week. I call upon all Americans to join me in expressing our heartfelt thanks to the members of the National Guard and Reserve and their civilian employers. I also call on State and local officials, private organizations, and all military commanders, to observe this week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of September, 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.

BARACK OBAMA

460th SW members embrace new inspection system

by Staff Sgt. Paul Labbe
460th Space Wing Public Affairs

9/20/2013 - BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --  -- With the recent implementation of the new inspection system, 460th Space Wing members are taking the reins to self-evaluate and strive for success.

In the past, senior leaders would notify a base in advance of an upcoming operational readiness inspection. This notification would allow the base to prepare and become compliant in operations they may not have kept current prior to the inspection. When an inspection was conducted, senior leaders from the major command level would evaluate various exercise scenarios to determine the effectiveness of base operations.

After a rating was given to the base from these evaluations, the base commander would typically either praise his base's performance or work to fix any deficiencies found. Because of this cycle, a base would spend vast amounts of time getting ready for an inspection.

"There is data that shows that the Air Force was spending one full time year out of five on nothing but inspections," said Larry Tunnicliff, 460th SW inspector general.

The new inspection system contains various components and changes to the old inspection system that will help commanders highlight and correct discrepancies on their base throughout the year rather than on a major cyclical inspection schedule.

One of the initial changes is getting rid of the old ORIs and switching to the unit effectiveness inspections. Instead of inspections every two years based on the old system, bases now conduct continuous evaluations. The responsibility of making sure a unit is compliant has become an everyday occurrence and a part of everyone's primary duties.

"With the old system it was very much like taking a photo snapshot, while the new Air Force Inspection System is like creating a lasting photo album," Tunnicliff said.

Additionally, various systems already in place are being overhauled - with a new name, a new program or a few changes to existing procedures within a current program.

One minor change is the exercise evaluation team, which was previously an additional-duty function overseen by the wing plans and programs office, is now known as the wing inspection team and falls under the base inspector general.

Other changes include the addition of the Management Internal Control Toolset, MICT; Inspector General Evaluation Management System, IGEMS; and Commander's Inspection Management Board, CIMB; as well as an overhaul of the Commander's Inspection Program, or CCIP.

With the guidance of the base IG office, each program will be implemented and used cohesively to create an easier overall inspection process.

The use of MICT, which is a computer database that contains unit-specific checklists and is used Air Force wide, will help track the findings of discrepancies that may have been disregarded or undetected during past inspections. Discrepancies will be easily viewed and corrected by senior leaders or a delegated authority.

According to Tunnicliff, the MICT program aims at empowering wing commanders to run their own inspection program with the goal to make inspections a non-event and gives senior leaders the opportunity to log in and get a visual snapshot of the status of their units.

One step ahead of MICT, 460th SW members will have to get used to another new program implanted in the new AFIS - IGEMS. This program will track findings associated with discrepancies found in MICT checklists, but the findings may not necessarily warrant inputting a discrepancy in MICT. That's when IGEMS becomes necessary.

IGEMS is an unclassified web-based software program serving as an inspection tool comprising planning, executing, reporting and corrective action management.

For example, if during an evaluation on self-aid and buddy care two individuals fail to react correctly, it can lead to an IGEMS write-up. Within MICT, the unit may be complaint because they conducted necessary training required by the checklist; however, a 460th SW IG member will likely place those write ups in IGEMS to initiate a more focused evaluation to determine why these individuals didn't respond appropriately.

Another addition to the new AFIS is the CIMB made up of 460th SW commanders. Their main focus is to review the status of all open inspection items, to include progress and updates on corrective action plans; estimated close-out dates; mitigating circumstances; recommendations for closure, if warranted; and external assistance required.
Lastly, members of the 460th SW will adapt to the overhaul of the CCIP.

The focus of CCIP is to ensure the wing commander knows all he needs to know to assess risk, identify areas of improvement, determine root cause and efficiently apply resources where most needed. This process is completed by the IG office and the wing inspection team. The WIT coordinates with IG to create and conduct base exercises to discover and evaluate discrepancies across the 460th SW. After the findings are properly identified, they are then presented to the commander to be discussed during the CIMB.

The 460th SW, with guidance from the inspector general office, has significant change to adapt to, but base entities are coming together to become compliant with Air Force standards and ensure it stays that way.

Team Buckley CGOs dedicate time to honor Air Force

by Senior Airman Phillip Houk
460th Space Wing Public Affairs

9/19/2013 - BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- A group of company grade officers have worked to organize an Air Force Tradition - the Air Force Ball.

This year's ball will commemorate the 66th birthday of the Air Force and has been eight months in planning.

"The Air Force Ball is an event that allows us to celebrate, encourage comradely, and increase morale," said 1st Lt. Tyrone Martinez, 566th Intelligence Squadron mission manager and Buckley Air Force Ball Committee president. "You are being invited by the wing commander of Buckley Air Force Base to celebrate the birthday of the Air Force."
As with every celebration a lot of planning goes into a successful execution, and this year is no different.

"Well over 150 hours to date has gone into the planning of this event," Martinez said. "It is hard work but someone has to do it."

The Buckley Air Force Ball committee, led by members of the company grade officers committee, has more than 15 members in varying positions of responsibility.

"I devote at least four to five hours each week," said 2nd Lt. David Coyle, 566th IS intelligence officer and ticket sales lead. "I am responsible for organizing, getting the word out and working with different units points of contact across base concerning ticket sales.

"I first got involved after the committee got started and offered help wherever it was needed," he said.

The planning process for the Air Force Ball has taught those involved valuable skills for their Air Force career.

"There is a lot that we get from our operational roles that allow us to do well planning for this kind of event," Coyle said. "The skills involved whether you are selling tickets or leading operationally, remain the same. You are still directing and motivating people.

"When you get involved with an event like this you will not only draw upon your experience as a leader, but also build on your experience," he added.

For more information or tickets, contact your unit's Air Force Ball representative. Tickets for the Air Force Ball will be on sale until Sept. 23.

Upgrade gives B-52 more teeth

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

9/20/2013 - BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- The B-52 Stratofortress is set to receive an upgrade that will significantly increase its weapons payload.

The initial 1760 Internal Weapons Bay Upgrade (IWBU) will allow the B-52 to house up to eight advanced precision-guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions in its internal weapons bay, in addition to the 12 it can currently carry on exterior weapons pylons.

"It will increase the B-52's overall carrying capacity by 67 percent," Alan Williams, B-52 Deputy Program Element Monitor at Air Force Global Strike Command, said.

The 1760 IWBU is based on rewiring the existing B-52 launcher into a Common Rotary Launcher, which carries the munitions and is housed in the B-52's bomb bay. The rewiring allows the B-52 to communicate with the newest weapons in the Air Force's arsenal.

"Military Standard 1760 is the technical name," Williams said. "It determines how the wiring will be laid out and what signals will go through them. It's similar to your home's internet connection; you need a specific type of wiring to access the signal and a software agreement as to what those signals will be. Without that correct type of wiring and the software agreement, your computer can't talk to the internet."

While the B-52 has long been able to carry JDAMs and other cutting-edge weapons from that family, on an exterior pylon under each wing, the interior weapons bay was not equipped to communicate with those types of munitions.

"The system uses a digital interface," Williams said. "Then there's a software piece called a storage management overlay, or SMO. We currently have the SMO that can talk to the weapons on the wing. With the new wiring in place, we're now going to be able to change the software to also allow for communication with those weapons in the bomb bay."

The addition of the 1760 wiring in the internal weapons bay also lays the groundwork for future expansion to other advanced weapons.

"By having 1760 in the bay, it allows us to upgrade the aircraft," Williams said. "As new J-Series weapons come onboard, all we have to do is rewrite the software and add those weapons to the aircraft inventory. For instance, increment 1.2 will add the JASSM-Extended Range missile and the MALD-J missile into the complement in the bay," Williams said, adding that these missiles will bring greater mission flexibility to the B-52.

A contract for Engineering and Manufacturing Development, or EMD, has been awarded to Boeing to develop and produce six of these upgrades by April 2016. After those have been installed and tested, a new contract will be awarded for procurement of an additional 38 units.

All 1760 IWBUs should be online by October 2017, Williams said. With them, each B-52 will bring much more firepower to the fight.

"Now instead of three aircraft carrying 36 weapons, we can have two aircraft carrying 40 weapons," Williams said. "That lowers your number of crews for a mission, and lowers your fuel requirement, or it gives you the option to be able to put more weapons on target with the same number of aircraft. It will make us more efficient and more responsive to the warfighter."

Airmen From Vietnam War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of Air Force pilots Maj. James E. Sizemore of Lawrenceville, Ill., and Maj. Howard V. Andre Jr., of Memphis, Tenn., have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors on Sept. 23 at Arlington National Cemetery.

On July 8, 1969, Sizemore and Andre were on a night armed reconnaissance mission when their A-26A Invader aircraft crashed in Xiangkhoang Province, Laos. Both men died in the crash but their remains were unaccounted for until April 2013.

In 1993, a joint U.S./Lao People’s Democratic Republic team investigated an aircraft crash site in Laos. They recovered aircraft wreckage from an A-26. The team was not able to conduct a complete excavation of the site at that time.

Twice in 2010, joint U.S./Lao People’s Democratic Republic teams conducted excavations of the crash site recovering human remains, aircraft wreckage, personal effects and military equipment associated with Sizemore and Andre.

In the identification of the remains, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, such as dental comparison – which matched Sizemore’s records.

There are more than 1,640 American service members that are still unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, call 703-699-1169 or visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo.

Joint team clears flood debris from mountain entrance

by Staff Sgt. J. Aaron Breeden
21st Space Wing Public Affairs

9/18/2013 - CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN AIR FORCE STATION, Colo. -- CMAFS Airmen are receiving unwavering support from 4th Infantry Division Soldiers, stationed at Fort Carson, Colo., who are clearing tons of debris from the primary tunnel entrance.

For several days, Colorado was saturated with torrential rains, which flooded and devastated many areas across the Centennial State, including Cheyenne Mountain.

On the evening of Sept. 12, a rockslide swept down the hill in front of the north portal, leaving nearly 5,000 cubic yards of mud, rock and uprooted trees.

Col. Travis Harsha, CMAFS and 721st Mission Support Group commander, said that despite the rockslide, the air defense, space surveillance and missile warning missions inside of the mountain remained 100 percent operational.

In fact, the crews working inside of the mountain were completely unaware that a rockslide ever occurred.

Dino Bonaldo, 721st Civil Engineer Squadron director, said that everything started around 9 p.m. Sept. 12, when security forces personnel on-duty described what sounded like an earthquake and soon discovered the massive rockslide blocking access to the north portal.

Bonaldo added that immediately following the incident, the 721st MSG ensured complete accountability for all Cheyenne Mountain personnel without a single injury to report.

Currently, the focus is on the clean-up process, and the support from the 615th Engineer Company, 52nd Engineer Battalion Soldiers at Fort Carson has made a world of difference.

Fort Carson has been key to the clean-up efforts, said Harsha. Within an hour of the request for support, their assessment team was on site and heavy equipment arrived shortly thereafter, he added.

"(The Soldiers) were the primary thrust to gain access into the mountain," said Bonaldo. They showed up with several pieces of heavy equipment -- front end loaders, dump trucks, rock crushers -- to get the debris cleared as quickly as possible."

Bonaldo added that while they are working quickly to clear the main entrance to the station, they are simultaneously trying to ensure minimal impact to the residential community next door.

"We're trying to prevent down-stream impact," said Bonaldo. "We've got to secure the area closest to the impacted site, and then work out from there."

The clean-up effort is expected to continue throughout the week with plans to reopen the north portal Sept. 23.

Bonaldo added that despite the difficulties at Cheyenne Mountain over the past few days, the help from neighbors at Fort Carson has made the road to recovery much shorter.

"It's been a challenging time here," he said. "(A natural disaster like this) has never happened here before and to have the first responders and engineering team come together so quickly has been great."

Face of Defense: Soldier Helps to Meet Comrades’ Spiritual Needs

By Army Sgt. Eric Glassey
Regional Command South

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Sept. 19, 2013 – Army Sgt. Michelle McCullah lights a candle, adding its glow to the spectrum of color cast through the stained-glass windows into the chapel.

Army Sgt. Michelle McCullah lights a candle while developing chapel operating procedures at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Sept. 18, 2013. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Eric Glassey    (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

McCullah is a chaplain assistant for Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, stationed out of Fort Carson, Colo., who is serving here with Regional Command South.

Her responsibilities are as diverse as the world’s religions as McCullah works with Army Chaplain (Capt.) Samuel Rico to provide spiritual ministry to the battalion.

“In this unit, as a chaplain, I have to be concerned for the spiritual needs of some 900 people in some form or another,” Rico said. “That’s a lot for one person. It helps having her keep me on track.”

McCullah takes being a chaplain assistant beyond simple administrative work by extending Rico’s ministry to the soldiers.

“She is an enthusiastic [noncommissioned officer] who always has soldiers’ care on her mind,” said Army Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Bill Harrison, 4th Infantry Division chaplain. “She goes around as a morale officer for the unit, lifting the spirits of the soldiers, which makes for an ideal chaplain assistant.”
McCullah also pitches in with other duty sections.

“A big part of [my job] is getting to know the soldiers that are in our unit,” she said. “I’ll go out and help other sections, whether it is helping with inventory or the mail,” she said. “Just communicating with them and getting to know them better, and making sure they are being taken care of. A big part of our job is focusing on soldiers’ morale and welfare.”

Interacting and ministering with the soldiers while providing knowledge about various Army resources is the highlight of her job, McCullah said.

“My favorite part about my job is taking care of soldiers when they come in for help,” she added. “For whatever reason they come in, whether it’s informing new soldiers about resources like Army Community Service or Better Opportunity for Single Soldiers when they were in-processing back at Fort Carson, or here just listening to them until the chaplain gets there.”

McCullah’s responsibilities will expand when her battalion assumes responsibility for Fraise Chapel here Oct. 1.

“I am very excited to take on the chapel,” she said. “I hope to mentor younger chaplain assistants, as well as [improve] my skills and duties.”

McCullah said her aspirations keep her focused on what’s important in her life.

“I want to own a house … so that I can take care of my family,” the Marysville, Calif., native said. “I know where I came from, and I want to do better for myself.” She added that she expects to finish her associate’s degree by the end of next year and eventually to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Wright Vows to Focus on People, Readiness as Undersecretary

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2013 – If confirmed as undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, Jessica L. Wright told Congress today, she will continue to advocate for the Defense Department’s No. 1 asset, its people, as the military deals with budget challenges and new operational requirements.

“It is evident to me that our people and those that support them are the department’s greatest assets and our strength,” she told the Senate Armed Services Committee during her confirmation hearing.

Wright, a retired Pennsylvania Army National Guard major general, has served as acting undersecretary for personnel and readiness since Jan. 1. She previously served as assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs.

Testifying today, she attributed her 35 years in uniform and her family’s long tradition of military service with giving her unique insights into the challenges military members and their families face every day.

Wright called her late father, John Garfola -- a combat medic during World War II who was buried just this week -- her hero and role model for her family. In addition, her husband, Chuck, is a retired Army officer, and her son, Mike, is an Army lieutenant deployed to Afghanistan.

“The department has two sacred obligations. One is to care for its people who are willing to sacrifice their lives in order to protect the national interest. And the second is to ensure the national security of the United States,” Wright told the committee. “I bring a special understanding to both obligations.”

This understanding, she said, will guide her as Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s senior policy advisor on recruitment, career development, pay and benefits for 1.4 million active duty military personnel, 1.3 million Guard and Reserve personnel, 680,000 DOD civilians, and in overseeing the overall state of military readiness.

“I fully acknowledge that there are many challenges facing the department,” particularly the constrained fiscal climate, she said. But in confronting them, she promised to remain a staunch advocate for service members and their families, whose sense of duty drives them to “selflessly put the interest of our nation first.”

By doing so, she told the panel, they have made the U.S. military one of the most trusted institutions in society, and ensured the continued success of the all-volunteer force.

Wright said she will support Hagel’s commitments to the force and to ensuring it remains an agile, capable force for the future. That involves addressing what she called one of the most significant challenges facing it: stress resulting from more than a decade of deployments and high-tempo operational requirements.

“Although our service members never hesitate to answer the nation’s call, this call causes the toughest challenges on the battlefield and here at home,” she said. “Our service members and their families are under significant strain. Their minds, their bodies, their spirits require healing.”

Wright said she will ensure, if confirmed, that the department’s efforts to care for its people continue.
The security environment those people will be called upon to face in the future will be characterized by shifting operational requirements abroad, evolving threats to national security and continued budget challenges, Wright said.

“If confirmed, I would be vigilant and ensure the department provides the leadership in vision necessary to rebalance, adapt and evolve the all-volunteer force as it has done so well over the last 40 years,” she said. “I’m also committed to ensuring that we maintain the military’s status as the strongest, most capable, most respected fighting force in the history of the world.”

Also testifying at today’s hearing was Deborah Lee James, nominated to be the next Air Force secretary, and Marcel J. Lettre II, the nominee as principal deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence, and Kevin A. Ohlson, nominated as a judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.

Missile Defense System Intercepts Target in Test

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2013 – The Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Pacific Command and sailors aboard the USS Lake Erie conducted a successful flight test today of the Aegis ballistic missile defense system, intercepting a ballistic missile target over the Pacific Ocean.

A complex separating short-range ballistic missile target was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, Hawaii, and flew northwest toward a broad ocean area of the Pacific Ocean. The USS Lake Erie detected and tracked the missile with its onboard AN/SPY-1 radar. The ship, equipped with the second-generation Aegis BMD weapon system, developed a fire control solution and launched two SM-3 Block IB guided missiles to engage the target.

The first SM-3 that was launched successfully intercepted the target warhead. This was the first salvo mission of two SM-3 Block IB guided missiles launched against a single separating target, officials said, adding that they will assess and evaluate system performance based upon telemetry and other data obtained during the test.

The test exercised the latest version of the second-generation Aegis BMD Weapon System, capable of engaging longer-range and more sophisticated ballistic missiles, officials said. This was an operationally realistic test, as the target's launch time and bearing are not known in advance, they added, and the target complex was the most difficult target engaged to date.

This was the fourth consecutive successful intercept test of the SM-3 Block IB guided missile with the Aegis BMD 4.0 Weapon System and the 27th successful intercept in 33 flight test attempts for the Aegis BMD program since flight testing began in 2002.

Across all Ballistic Missile Defense System programs, this is the 63rd successful hit-to-kill intercept in 79 flight test attempts since 2001.

Edwards T-38 aircrew prep for new ejection seat upgrade

by Jet Fabara
412th Test Wing Public Affairs

9/18/2013 - EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- For test pilots at Edwards, their long-time trainer airframe, the T-38 Talon, is receiving an upgrade that is set to ensure the safety of T-38 aircrew now and well into the future.

The upgraded ejection seat, known as the Martin-Baker Mk US16T, brings added safety features that were not previously available.

"We have an entirely new ejection seat system for the T-38," said Maj. Jon Appelt, 370th Flight Test Squadron training officer. "The biggest benefit of this new seat is the expanded ejection envelope, which increases aircrew survivability. This includes the ability to successfully eject in a zero airspeed and zero altitude situation as well as improving survivability in the high altitude and high airspeed regime."

In addition to the zero-zero seat feature, Appelt mentioned the seat would include an inter-seat sequencing system, which allows one of the two aircrew members to start the ejection sequence for both aircrew members and sequences the ejections to avoid seat to seat interference.

"Potential seat to seat interference during the ejection process is a serious problem with the old system, and now with the new inter-seat sequencing system, the seats are automatically de-conflicted during the ejection, avoiding this problem," added Appelt. "Once the center ejection handle is pulled, the aft seat will always eject first, followed by the front seat, which reduces the possibility of both aircrew members colliding in-flight."

In conjunction with the inter-sequencing system is the seat's leg restraint system, which provides two upper and lower leg garters attached to the aircrew member's legs.

"This feature draws the pilot's legs in and retains them in a position, clear of obstacles, until man-seat separation occurs," said Master Sgt. David Buczynski, 412th Operations Support Squadron Aircrew Flight Equipment Quality Assurance. "The leg lines are connected to the inner pistons of the main beam assembly, which stays with the aircraft after ejection."

Since the new seat incorporates a parachute system built into the seat just like the ACES II system on an F-16, Buczynski said the aircrew member will no longer have to carry a 50-pound, back-style parachute out to the aircraft.

"Added features of this ejection seat include the use of drogue chute stabilization, an automatic chute deployment, automatic man-seat separation and a manual override system, in the event of automatic and backup system failure," added Appelt.

Although the new integration is ongoing, Appelt said aircrews will still be required to undergo the appropriate training before flying.

"Everybody flying in the new seat will be required to train on the new seat, which involves 30 to 45 minutes of ground training and about 30 minutes of training at the aircraft," Appelt said. "Once the modular training seat system is available, aircrews will be able to use the system as a fundamental training device."

The integration commenced in early July and, at this point, should end by mid-October, according to Appelt.

"Obviously, it will take a while to take all these T-38s through the modification process, but we're near the tail-end of the mod process. There are contractors working at Vance Air Force Base, Calif., which allows us to mod one jet per week, but training has to be accomplished on both airframe ejection seats nonetheless," said Appelt.

Hagel Reaffirms Department’s Commitment to Personnel Security

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2013 – Acknowledging that “something broke down” to permit a gunman to kill 12 people Sept. 16 at the Washington Navy Yard, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel yesterday reaffirmed the Defense Department’s commitment to providing for its people’s safety.

In an interview with Judy Woodruff on “PBS Newshour,” Hagel said the highest responsibility of leaders is to protect their people.

Earlier, Hagel announced that internal and external review panels will investigate the Navy Yard incident and will make recommendations on how to close gaps, address inadequacies and correct failures in security. He noted to Woodruff that this has been an ongoing process since the November 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, as the Defense Department to date has implemented about 65 of 79 recommendations that emerged from that investigation.

“Whether it's the access to bases, whether it's the physical safety and security of bases, whether it's the credentialing process, much, much has been done,” he said. “Obviously, we need to do more, and we will.”

Airman Makes Splash Giving Back to Community

By Air Force Airman 1st Class William J. Blankenship
Air University

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala., Sept. 18, 2013 – Military members find many ways to be involved in their communities. Some volunteer to clean schools, build homes or visit elderly veterans. Others use life experiences to mentor youth.

Air Force Airman 1st Class Lance Thornton coaches his Barracudas swim team at practice in Montgomery, Ala., Aug. 30, 2013. Thornton began volunteering in the community to share his experience from competing at the college level. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class William Blankenship   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

In 2011, Air Force Airman 1st Class Lance Thornton, then a Buffalo State College student-athlete, hung up his goggles and swimwear to join the Air Force. Today, he shares his aquatic skills with the Montgomery YMCA Barracudas swim team.

More than 20 years ago, Thornton took his first lap in a backyard pool in upstate New York. When he was 5, Thornton and his four brothers learned how to swim competitively under the direction of their mother.

The four-year all-conference collegiate swimmer competed in multiple events, including the 100-yard butterfly, 100-yard breaststroke, 50-yard freestyle and 200-yard individual medley, racking up numerous accolades and experience he would later use to mentor others.

"There came that point where I knew I was done swimming competitively," Thornton said. "But, I always knew I would be around the pool in some capacity."

Thornton said he is asked all the time why he chose the Air Force over the “aquatic” Navy or Coast Guard.

"The Air Force offered me the greatest opportunity to pursue a career field that I was interested in -- computer programming -- with a high quality of life," the Air University operations and communications technician said.

After technical school, Thornton started his first job in the Air Force as a programmer and began searching for community involvement opportunities shortly after arriving here.

"Once I got settled, I thought, as a military member, ‘What better way to give back to the community than doing what I love anyway?’" he said. "Coaching isn't like doing a job for me. It is the most rewarding experience I have ever been a part of."

Thornton holds Buffalo State's school record in the 200-yard individual medley and received a Robert Kissinger Swimming and Diving Award, which is presented to student-athletes who exemplify an "outstanding work ethic and commitment to the team and college.”

"I figured I had something to give back to the community, and my experience gave me an outlet to become involved," he said. "A vast majority of my weekends and evenings are spent volunteering, and I wouldn't trade that opportunity for anything."

After six months of volunteering with the Barracudas, Thornton became the head coach for the YMCA's entire swim program. In this role, Thornton leads the instruction for 130 swimmers ages 6 to 18.

"I spend about 12 hours a week at the pool with these kids," said Thornton, who also is a physical training leader with his Air Force unit. "We want to empower them to be successful both in the pool and, more importantly, in life. Our program aspires to foster an atmosphere for kids to make friends and their parents to get to know other adults. The camaraderie that comes from sports brings them together and benefits the entire family."

During Thornton's first season with the Barracudas, the team set 48 personal records out of 56 taper swims. Seven former team members are on current Division I college scholarships. In the past three years, the Barracudas have produced an Auburn University swim team captain and four 2012 Olympics trial swimmers.

Thornton uses a rank structure on his team similar to a military chain of command, which, he said, creates stability and organization.

"I lean on the lessons I learned both in the pool and thus far in my military career to stress dedication and discipline to my team," he said. "My goal is to prepare them for swimming and college with emphasis on proper work ethic, discipline and dedication to best prepare them for the next level."

From swimming in meets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., as a child to poolside coaching in Alabama, Thornton has traveled far to get to this point, but he said he knows this is just the beginning.

"For me, a child achieving a goal is what coaching is all about," he said. "It is way more rewarding when the kid succeeds than when I did as an athlete. If you're not coaching to see the smiles on the kids' faces, you aren't doing the right thing."

With aspirations of continuing to work with young people, Thornton said he wants to be an Air Force recruiter or military training leader if he is not accepted into a commissioning program.

Donley becomes 9th inductee into AF Order of the Sword

By Master Sgt. Lee Hoover, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Public Affairs

 WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Michael Donley, the 22nd Secretary of the Air Force, was inducted into the Air Force Order of the Sword at Joint Base Anacostia Bolling, D.C. Sept. 13.

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody led the ceremony to induct the former secretary, who was only the 9th person in Air Force history to be inducted in the headquarters Air Force Order of the Sword.

The chief described Donley, who retired in 2013, as a tremendous leader who deserves the rare honor.
"Every time I was with Secretary Donley, he wanted to talk about you -- there were many times others wanted to steer the conversation in a different direction, but he wouldn't let it happen," Cody said to the 300 enlisted Airmen attending the ceremony. "He always had you -- and all of our 690,000 Airmen -- on his mind. He truly cared about us and I can think of no one better to be honored with the Order of the Sword."

The Air Force's Order of the Sword was founded by the enlisted force to recognize and honor military senior officers and civilians, for significant contributions to the welfare and prestige of the Air Force enlisted corps, mission effectiveness as well as overall military establishment.

During the ceremony, Donley expressed gratitude to the Airmen for inducting him into the order.

"Words are not enough to thank you and the enlisted men and women of the United States Air Force for selecting me for induction into the Order of the Sword," said Donley. "I am sincerely touched and humbled to be placed in the company of the many great Air Force leaders who have been honored to receive this award."

Donley noted the honor of working each day with Airmen, particularly the non-commissioned officer corps, whose “unrivaled professionalism” gives the Air Force its strength.

“You are expert trainers, leaders, coaches, and mentors to our entire force -- from junior Airmen to officers alike,” Donley said. “What’s more, our NCO corps is the envy of the world, and for that we owe many of you a debt of gratitude."