Stratcom Chief Outlines Deterrence Challenges

By Terri Moon Cronk

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, July 11, 2014 – Strategic deterrence in the 21st century is complicated, challenging and vastly different from that of the Cold War, the commander of U.S. Strategic Command said yesterday.

Navy Adm. Cecil D. Haney said extremist organizations, significant regional unrest, protracted conflicts, budgetary stresses and competition for natural resources could have strategic implications for the United States and the world.

“While terrorism remains the most direct threat to our nation -- particularly weapons of mass destruction -- we are also dealing in advances in state and nonstate military capabilities across air, sea, land and space domains, and cyber security,” the admiral told an audience at the State Department’s George Marshall Conference Center.

Some nations continue to invest in long-term modernization with strategic capabilities, he added, some are replacing their older systems, while others are modernizing based on their perceived need in the geopolitical situation. He cited India, Pakistan, Russia, Iran, North Korea and China as examples of nations developing modern military capabilities.

When Russia recently invaded Ukraine and overtook Crimea, Haney said, Russian troops also exercised “their strategic ability, not just their conventional capabilities.” On May 8, he said, “Russia conducted a major strategic force exercise involving significant nuclear forces and associated command control six months from the last one. And I don’t mean just moving it around. I mean demonstrating firing each part of their associated arsenal.”

While adversarial threats grow against the United States, the nation still retains the strategic advantage, he said, although potential adversaries are moving quickly in their development of destructive capabilities.

“While we have improved and increased our cyberspace capabilities, the worldwide threat is growing in sophistication in a number of state and nonstate actors,” he said. “As we monitor developments, we must not lose sight of nation states and non-nation-state actors [that] continue to have goals of obtaining proliferation,” Haney said. “As long as these threats remain, so too does the value of our strategic capabilities to deter these threats.”

The Stratcom commander emphasized the importance of the U.S. nuclear triad.

“Each element of the nuclear triad has unique and complementary attributes in strategic deterrence,” Haney said. “As we look at ballistic missiles and air response capabilities to the survivable leg of our submarine capability to the heavy bombers, the real key is integration of all three that make a difference in the deterrence equation for any country that would want to take us on. And it works.”

Haney pointed out that while the United States has sought to have a world free of nuclear weapons, those weapons still have a role in strategic deterrence and in the foundational force, “until we can get rid of them.”

“We must continue to lean forward with arms-control agreements while continuing to provide assurance and deterrence,” he said. “As a nation, we must create strategies and policies to deal with this diverse, multidisciplinary-problem world we live in, because we have to deliver strategic stability and effective solutions in a conscious manner, given today’s fiscal environment.”

Haney urged students in the audience to challenge traditional thinking.

“Successful 21st-century strategic deterrence lies in our understanding that this is not about a Cold War approach,” he said. “It’s about understanding that deterrence is more than nuclear.”

And while U.S. nuclear weapons are just as salient today as in the past, Haney said, “it’s understanding that what our adversaries are willing to risk requires deep understanding.”

Successful deployment shapes future training for all ACS units

by Senior Airman Emmanuel Santiago
103rd Airlift Wing, Public Affairs

7/10/2014 - SEA GIRT, N.J. -- Airmen from the 103rd Air Control Squadron deployed to the National Guard Training Center here June 8 - 18 where they successfully established remote connectivity to specific simulation systems located in Connecticut, an achievement that, according to unit leadership, had never been accomplished before by any air control squadron.

The deployment began with an advanced echelon team, or ADVON, led by Lt. Col. John Breisler and 2nd Lt. Fred Bond, both assigned to the 103rd ACS, which left for Sea Girt on June 5 to prepare for the arrival of the bulk of the unit's Airmen, who departed on June 8.

"ADVON and main body convoy arrivals at the tactical site were smooth and efficient," said Lt. Col. John Breisler, who served as the deployment's chief of maintenance. "The convoy commanders managed their respective convoys well; this is significant considering the number of newer unit members in the convoys."

The mission was to deploy much of the unit's equipment and personnel via convoy to establish a functional tactical site in the field. From there the goal was to utilize radio, satellite and various theater deployable communication systems to connect with multiple locations, including their own home station in Orange, Connecticut, where some of the unit's Airmen remained and participated.

The unit is trained and equipped to establish largely self-sufficient tactical sites from which they provide command and control support to military aircraft. From establishing generator power and building tents from which to work, to connecting operations modules to remote radar feeds and setting up on-site communications, a deployment like this is a significant undertaking. But the men and women of the 103rd ACS are no strangers to these tasks, having supported missions throughout Southwest Asia in recent years.

The major challenge was establishing and maintaining connectivity with the unit's Control and Reporting Center Simulation Package, commonly referred to as the CSP, located back in Connecticut. The system enables operators to remotely inject simulated aircraft and situations into realistic tactical air control training scenarios so Airmen can interact with them from the field.

After nine months of preparation and with 80 percent of the squadron deployed in field conditions, the Airmen of the 103rd ACS were able to establish the necessary connections, receiving data from the simulation package and from as far away as Iowa to control two designated training air spaces in which they created simulated midair scenarios such as refueling, close air support and aircraft detection in the designated locations.

"A team effort by dedicated professionals," said Lt. Col. William Neri, commander of the 103rd ACS.

Such a mission took effort from personnel of all ranks, including Airman 1st Class Kyle Romitti, a maintainer assigned to the squadron, who along with his fellow Airmen took turns on three main shifts to monitor the squadron's 24-hour satellite connectivity.

"It's interesting, and it's nice to know that we have such a big role in what's going on here; without us, there's no communication," said Romitti.

The unit's success in remotely connecting with their CSP will be documented and eventually be used as a template for all air control squadrons, said Breisler.

"There was no approved method of using the CRC Simulation Package for field training before this deployment," said Breisler. "Thanks to a tremendous amount of work from our folks, the 103rd ACS paved the way for all active-duty and Guard units, our proven process will set the new standard."

Joint exercise provides cost-effective, life-saving training

by Maj. Marnee A.C. Losurdo
403rd Wing Public Affairs

7/11/2014 - KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron and the 81st Medical Group took part in Operation Magnolia Medical En route Care, a joint medical training exercise July 9 at Keesler AFB and the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center.

Keesler's Air Force Reserve weather recon unit and the active-duty med group partnered with the Mississippi Air National Guard's 172nd Airlift Wing and its 183rd Air Evacuation Squadron, based in Jackson, and the 186th Air Refueling Wing, based in Meridian. The training also involved a Mississippi Army Guard HH-60 helicopter and other rotary aircraft, which are frequently used to extract medical patients in a combat area. The helicopter flight, however, had to be cancelled because of severe weather.

Maj. Kaitlyn Woods, a 53rd WRS aerial reconnaissance weather officer, said the exercise was cost-effective because the Hurricane Hunters were able to combine their weather training mission, which benefits the pilots, navigator, aerial reconnaissance weather officer and loadmaster, with the aeromedical training at the same time.

"This Total Force training exercise demonstrates how aircrews and medical personnel work together in the field to save lives," said Col. Frank L. Amodeo, 403rd Wing commander, who added that the aeromedical evacuation system provides a more than 98 percent survival rate. "While aircrew and medical personnel have vastly different jobs, these personnel are able to simultaneously conduct valuable training on the same flight, epitomizing the 'cost-conscious-culture' initiative."

The objective of the exercise was to complete four separate training missions with one flight, providing cost-effective and joint training for medical personnel and aircrew. The event simulated a combat medical extraction and aeromedical evacuation from a combatant commander's area of responsibility to a military medical facility all while the 53rd WRS Hurricane Hunters conducted a simulated storm data gathering mission for the National Hurricane Center.

The 81st MDG Critical Care Air Transport and Tactical Critical Care Evacuation Teams need aeromedical evacuation teams and aircraft in order to train. The 183rd AES worked with critical care air transport and tactical critical care evacuation teams in the back of Reserve and Guard aircraft on a simulated patient in critical condition. Amodeo said the training on various medical scenarios was invaluable in honing skills that may save the lives or limbs of real patients in a real scenario.

"As (aeromedical evacuation) we have to fly on multiple airframes," said Tech. Sgt. Megan Clifton, 183rd AES medical technician. "In one day you could be flying on three different airframes, so it's good for us to be able to maintain our currency on all aircraft. We were able to set up a C-17 today, like we normally do for our training, and we were able to get on a C-130 ... and move all of our equipment and personnel to a C-130, which is very realistic. And, we were able to get ground training on a KC-135."

AE crews are often required to move patients from one aircraft to another in order to get patients to a medical facility for patient care, she said. Same-day training on all three aircraft is very rare, but the collaborative efforts in Southern Mississippi made it possible.

An AE crew consists of a medical director, flight nurse and three aeromedical evacuation technicians. They routinely move critically ill or injured troops after they've been stabilized or received damage-control surgery. AE personnel frequently work with CCAT and TCCE teams. A CCAT team consist of a doctor, intensive care nurse and respiratory therapist. This specialized medical team operates a portable intensive care unit. A TCCE team consists of an emergency medicine or critical care physician, a nurse anesthetist, and emergency or critical care nurse who provide emergency critical care in most rotary and fixed-wing aircraft.

The joint training was very beneficial, said Lt. Col. Stan Martin, 183rd AES flight nurse.

"When we do get deployed, we all work together as one big team, the active duty, the Reserve, and the Guard, so it's very rewarding to be able to do these kinds of missions," he said.

"The beauty of it is, in the event we go to Afghanistan or a ... natural disaster here on the coast like a Katrina, we'd all work together," said Col. Paul Nelson, chief of 81st Aerospace Medicine, who assisted in organizing the exercise. "We'd work together for our medical side and our line side, everybody coming together to do realistic training so if we are called upon, we could do the mission."

Not only was the training beneficial for several military organizations, but it was also convenient due to the proximity of all the air assets involved. The Guard and Reserve conduct 88 percent of the AE mission, primarily using C-130s, C-17s and KC-135s, all of which participated in the exercise.

"This exercise not only demonstrated the multi-missioned capabilities of the WC-130J aircraft but also highlighted the uniqueness of the South Mississippi area by providing every possible element of training for medical en route care in one state," said Amodeo. "The amount of resources and medical expertise demonstrated here cannot be duplicated in very many parts of the world."

Ohio unit hosts Luftwaffe officers

by Capt. Elizabeth Caraway
445th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

7/11/2014 - WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Two German air force officers continued a 30-year tradition when they came here June 6.

Lt. Col. Stefan Bitterle, Luftwaffe public affairs officer, and Maj. Malte Hinz, Luftwaffe internal security officer, spent two weeks learning how the Air Force Reserve does business and sharing more about their military.

Since the signing of a memorandum of understanding in 1985, more than 300 Luftwaffe officers have participated in the Reserve Foreign Officer Exchange Program with the United States.

All the exchange German officers first traveled to Washington, D.C., for historic tours and briefings from Pentagon officials. From there, 25 Luftwaffe members were sent on to U.S. bases across the country on a mission.

"We are here to learn about the U.S. Air Force Reserve system and use what we've learned to make suggestions to our superiors on ways to improve our own," said Hinz.

Unlike the U.S. system, reservists in Germany have no set number of required days. If they deploy, their deployments last up to six months, are entirely voluntary and can be broken up and served in increments. Pay is rarely competitive, with reservists often losing money during their time in uniform. Still, neither officer has any plans of leaving their service.

"The Luftwaffe gives me an opportunity to give back to my country and preserve it for future generations," said Bitterle.

Hinz said the Luftwaffe has faced multiple challenges during the last few years.

"It used to be that all German males had to participate in the military or in civil service," he said. "The draft was lifted. That policy was done away with in 2011. Since then, we've had a difficult time filling out our ranks."

Germany spent just over 6 percent of taxes on its armed forces last year. The budgetary shortfalls have created challenges, requiring the Luftwaffe to partly outsource air transport to commercial aircraft, an expensive endeavor.

Hinz and Bitterle spoke favorably of the European Air Transport Command, a six-nation organization that stood up in 2010 to share military air transportation needs.

"The EATC is a successful example of optimizing our existing resources," Bitterle said. "By sharing more than 160 aircraft among six countries, we minimize spending, increase our interoperability and minimize our physical, in-country military footprint."

The EATC provides an avenue for member nations to submit requests that are considered based on asset and crew availability. Members recognize that political and legal ramifications may prevent mission support, so countries have veto power.

"It's really a harmonization process," said Hinz. "The EATC has to balance the resources against each country's missions and politics."

The German officers expressed enthusiasm over the A-400M Atlas, the newest aircraft in Germany's inventory. To date, 174 of these aircraft have been sold to seven NATO allies and Malaysia. The four-engine turboprop aircraft has been praised for its multi-role design. Its cargo hold can carry resources too large for a C-130, it can operate on unpaved short fields, and it has tanker and receiver capable.

"With the A-400M, we can overcome the payload and range challenges of other aircraft," said Bitterle.

The nine C-17s of the 445th Airlift Wing also garnered their respect.

"The C-17 is an awesome aircraft," said Bitterle. "When I was deployed to Afghanistan, I flew in it from Bagram Air Base to Spangdahlem Air Base (Germany) and was very impressed."

Dyess AFB members help open new 75 EAS chapter at CJTF-HOA

by Staff Sgt. Leslie Keopka
Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa Public Affairs Office

7/11/2014 - CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti -- The 75th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron was activated on May 28, 2014 at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti and is currently comprised of personnel deployed from the 317th Airlift Group from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.

Future squadrons rotating into Camp Lemonnier will be assigned to the 75th EAS under the 449th Air Expeditionary Group.

"The 75th has an awesome heritage that dates back to airlifts in WWII, Vietnam, Desert Storm and Desert Shield," said U.S. Maj. Seth Schwesinger, 75th EAS commander. "It is a really broad spectrum of what we do and defines [our mission] almost exactly."

Squadron leadership worked with the United States Air Forces in Europe history office to match the unit with a squadron that had significant history. The 75th Airlift Squadron was originally activated on February 8, 1943, but has been deactivated and activated many times since.

The C-130J aircrews fly a wide range of missions, including the timely movement of the East Africa Response Force (EARF) in support of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.

"[Our] mission is robust," Schwesinger said. "We support medical evacuations, disaster relief, humanitarian and airdrop operations into fields that a lot of other aircraft can't normally go."

The Airmen of the 75th EAS are able to get the job done despite the challenges they may face with loading large cargo and having limited cargo handling equipment at off load locations.

"The most rewarding part of my job is [taking care of] the mission," said Senior Airman Dan Cabanas, 75th EAS loadmaster. "Carrying items that people need and bringing them where they need them is pretty rewarding."

With the sense of accomplishment comes adventure.

"My favorite part is seeing the world," Cabanas said. "I never really left my hometown of West Corvina, California prior to joining the Air Force. Since joining, I have traveled a good amount of places. It's amazing."

Since May 2014, the squadron has transported more than 420 tons of cargo and more than 280 personnel to different locations throughout East Africa, supporting the CJTF-HOA mission.

The 75th EAS replaced the previous 52nd EAS.

Reservists help cadets “build” futures

by Staff Sgt. Matthew Burke
914th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

7/11/2014 - NIAGARA FALLS AIR RESERVE STATION, N.Y. -- Reservists from the 914th Civil Engineer Squadron traveled to the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in June for annual tour training.

During the first two weeks of June, they supported the academy's Field Engineering & Readiness Laboratory Program.

FERL is a nationally recognized program that provides a hands-on educational and construction experience. This year 62 cadets received a foundation for learning scientific theory and engineering design principles in more advanced courses of the civil and environmental engineering curriculum.

"As a squadron commander, there is no greater thrill than watching my troops showcase their skills," said Maj. Matthew S. Heinsler, 914th CES commander. "Mentoring the cadets provided our CE troops the opportunity to train future Air Force leaders and advance our mentorship techniques, which is especially beneficial for our new unit members."

Seventeen enlisted reservists along with active-duty and Air National Guard personnel, provided leadership and hands-on experience from specific civil engineer career fields to academy students.

The reservists put in more than 1,400 man hours of instruction and hands-on training in various Air Force specialty codes, including engineering assistants, heavy equipment operations, utilities, structures, electrical and power production.

"The FERL site is a laboratory just like any other college lab," said Senior Master Sgt. Michael Haag, senior air reserve technician in the 914th CES. "It allows for the cadets who are learning to be civil engineers to have hands-on experience in what they will be leading and supervising in the future."

The reservists showcased Niagara's best practices, mentored others, completed core tasks needed for upgrade training and provided a labor force for projects throughout the academy that needed to be accomplished.

The trainers provided functional expertise in their specialties and served as role models in an advisory capacity. During FERL, the cadets worked with experienced personnel on tasks such as concrete placement, roadway construction, surveying, heavy equipment operations, power production, welding, and wood-frame construction. These duties were selected to provide a broad exposure to the civil engineer career field.

The FERL program is mandatory for cadets majoring in civil engineering.

Among their jobs, the reservists worked with the cadets on two Hogan Homes, which are traditional Navajo homes designed as an eight-sided structure with the main entrance built facing east to greet each day's sunrise.

Once the homes are complete, they are declared surplus property. Through the Department of Defense's Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service, the Southwest Indian Foundation takes ownership and eventual possession of the Hogan Homes.

"Our unit members' smiles and overall emotion of the trip said it all," Heinsler said. "They came home happy, had a great sense of purpose and achieved a high level of satisfaction from their work."

Israeli Defense Minister Updates Hagel on Unfolding Events

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, July 11, 2014 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Israeli Defense Minister Moshe “Bogie” Yaalon spoke by phone this morning about the events unfolding in Israel and Gaza, Carl Woog, assistant Pentagon press secretary, said.

In a statement summarizing the call, Woog said Hagel reiterated his condolences on the recent kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers and expressed U.S. condemnation of continuing rocket fire into Israel by Hamas and other terrorist organizations.

“The secretary reaffirmed Israel's right to defend itself against these attacks,” Woog said. “He also expressed concern about the risk of further escalation and emphasized the need for all sides to do everything they can to protect the lives of civilians and restore calm.”

The two leaders agreed to speak again soon and to continue working closely on the broad range of security issues facing the United States and Israel, Woog said.

Unit opens new 75 EAS chapter at CJTF-HOA

by Staff Sgt. Leslie Keopka
Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa Public Affairs Office

7/11/2014 - CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti  -- The 75th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron was activated May 28, 2014 at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, and is currently comprised of personnel deployed from the 317th Airlift Group from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.

Future squadrons rotating into Camp Lemonnier will be assigned to the 75th EAS under the 449th Air Expeditionary Group.

"The 75th has an awesome heritage that dates back to airlifts in WWII, Vietnam, Desert Storm and Desert Shield," said U.S. Maj. Seth Schwesinger, 75th EAS commander. "It is a really broad spectrum of what we do and defines [our mission] almost exactly."

Squadron leadership worked with the United States Air Forces in Europe history office to match the unit with a squadron that had significant history. The 75th Airlift Squadron was originally activated February 8, 1943, but has been deactivated and activated many times since.

The C-130J aircrews fly a wide range of missions, including the timely movement of the East Africa Response Force (EARF) in support of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.

"[Our] mission is robust," Schwesinger said. "We support medical evacuations, disaster relief, humanitarian and airdrop operations into fields that a lot of other aircraft can't normally go."

The Airmen of the 75th EAS are able to get the job done despite the challenges they may face with loading large cargo and having limited cargo handling equipment at off load locations.

"The most rewarding part of my job is [taking care of] the mission," said Senior Airman Dan Cabanas, 75th EAS loadmaster. "Carrying items that people need and bringing them where they need them is pretty rewarding."

With the sense of accomplishment comes adventure.

"My favorite part is seeing the world," Cabanas said. "I never really left my hometown of West Covina, California, prior to joining the Air Force. Since joining, I have traveled a good amount of places. It's amazing."

Since May 2014, the squadron has transported more than 420 tons of cargo and more than 280 personnel to different locations throughout East Africa, supporting the CJTF-HOA mission.

The 75th EAS replaced the previous 52nd EAS.

One bird three stones: KC-135 crew completes three missions in a day

by Senior Airman Micaiah Anthony
100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

7/11/2014 - RAF MILDENHALL, England -- Out of the quiet, clear blue sky, a KC-135 Stratotanker bursts through the clouds, racing towards its destination. Inside, a small swarm of people move swiftly through the cabin. The chatter is broken by an Airman shouting, "He's crashing!"

Another Airman rushes to her side and immediately begins performing chest compressions as the female Airman pumps oxygen into the unconscious individual. The Airmen work for several minutes, attempting to revive the incapacitated passenger, when suddenly a faint beep suspends the action. The tension finally lifts as a series of beeps begin to become more frequent and the Airmen continue their work to sustain the patient.

On June 24, 2014, this scenario was one of three missions supported by a KC-135 aircrew from the 351st Air Refueling Squadron on RAF Mildenhall, England. Though the in-flight emergency was part of a training exercise, the crew also performed two other missions this day, transporting military personnel and their families and aerial refueling.

The first mission the crew supported was a space-available mission from RAF Mildenhall to Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

"When mission and cargo permits, we're able to provide space available travel to bases with passenger terminals," said Capt. David Clark, 351st ARS chief of wing weapons and tactics from St. Clair Shores, Michigan. "It's a nice benefit for retirees, military members and their dependents at almost no cost."

When passengers are present, it's the boom operator's responsibility to ensure all cargo, including luggage, are secured.

"We're in charge of everything behind the flight deck," said Staff Sgt. Michael Eiland, 351st ARS boom operator from Omaha, Nebraska. "We're responsible for loading and keeping the baggage secure during the flight, along with making sure passengers are safe and comfortable."

With passengers on board and luggage secured, the aircraft departed RAF Mildenhall for Ramstein AB. Shortly after the passengers disembarked the aircraft, a truck pulled up alongside the aircraft and several Airmen from the 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron strategically unloaded medical equipment from the vehicle and onto the tanker.

"We brought in-flight kits which contain all of the medical supplies we need, along with an equipment litter that has all of our life sustaining equipment on it," said Staff Sgt. Ryan Dahlberg, 86th AES medical technician from North Branford, Connecticut.

With all equipment and crew on board, the aircraft once again departed. Once in the air, Airmen from the 86th AES talked through various medical scenarios and KC-135 statistics.

"For some of our Airmen, it was their first flight on a KC-135," said Dahlberg. "We walked around and discussed the aircraft's electrical and oxygen systems, along with emergency exits."

After the familiarization overview, the training was suspended due to aerial refueling.

"We offloaded 10,000 pounds of fuel to eight German Tornados to support our NATO partnership," said Clark. "We provide the power projection to get forces where they need to be in a rapid fashion and enable that power worldwide."

Shortly after the last Tornado was topped off, training for the 86th AES Airmen continued with an in-flight emergency.

"For the hands-on scenario, we had a cardiac emergency to test the Airmen's advance cardiac life-supporting training," said Dahlberg. "However, our main objective for this flight was to get our Airmen comfortable with the aircraft during medical emergencies."

With the medical training complete, the aircraft returned to Ramstein AB to exchange the in-flight medical crew and their equipment for another group of travelers and their luggage to RAF Mildenhall.

"We're a worldwide asset. We can go anywhere, anytime, due to our extremely efficient, fast and versatile aircraft," said Clark. "Whether supporting medical evacuations or in-flight refueling, we're ready to support any mission."

As the sun began its final descent for the day, so did the KC-135. The aircraft tires screeched as the rubber met the pavement. The timeworn tanker trembled as the reverse thrusters engaged. At its final destination, passengers departed as the aircrew began their post flight checks.

Once the aircraft was buttoned up, the crew wound down and headed home to relax and prepare for their next mission.

Spangdahlem welcomes new Saber Lead

by Airman 1st Class Dylan Nuckolls
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

7/11/2014 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- Before hundreds of Sabers, local leaders and an F-16 Fighter Falcon fighter aircraft, U.S. Air Force Col. Peter Bilodeau took command of the 52nd Fighter Wing during an assumption of command ceremony at Hangar 1 here July 11.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Darryl Roberson, 3rd Air Force commander, presided over the ceremony in which Bilodeau, former commander of the 8th Operations Group at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, took charge of the wing led by the former commander, Col. David Julazadeh.

"As you take command of this wing, I charge you with three things: motivational mission accomplishment, taking care of our Airmen and families, and improving and innovating on everything we do," said the general, who also served as wing commander here from 2006 to 2008, to Bilodeau. "The 52nd Fighter Wing is vital to the success of (U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa's) Forward-Ready-Now posture. Make this your own wing. Lead these Airmen who are the greatest asset that our Air Force has to offer."

Bilodeau inherits the mantle as the wing's 26th commander since its activation as the 52nd Tactical Fighter Wing in December 1971. He is also a command pilot with more than 3,000 flying hours, including 450 combat hours over Serbia and Iraq in operations Allied Force, Southern Watch, Northern Watch and Iraqi Freedom.

This command represents his second assignment at Spangdahlem Air Base, having last served here in 1996 through 1999 as a combat pilot, assistant chief of weapons and F-16 instructor pilot for the then-23rd Fighter Squadron.

"We know Spangdahlem's mission of defending American and allied interests and building partner capacities, which is very, very important," said Bilodeau during his first address to the wing. "I intend to continue that and work as hard as I can."

The commander then identified his priorities in addition to the wing's mission and in tandem with higher command initiatives.

"Here's what we have to do: project air power as necessary if called upon by combatant commanders and, when in-garrison, to organize, train and equip to the highest readiness levels - that is our charge," Bilodeau said. "We will be in line with the commander of USAFE's Forward-Ready-Now initiative and with General Roberson's motivational mission accomplishment, taking care of Airmen and families, and improving and innovating."

As Saber Lead, Bilodeau now assumes command of five groups, 24 squadrons, 16 geographically separated units spread across five countries with approximately 4,500 active duty military members, 6,000 family members, 250 U.S. civilians, 850 host-nation employees and 300 retirees.

"I know that you will respect the office of the 52nd Fighter Wing commander," Bilodeau said. "I don't ever doubt that. But Pete Bilodeau has to earn your respect."

An assumption of command is a military tradition that represents a formal transfer of authority and responsibility for a unit to a commanding officer. The wing's ceremonies also included Spangdahlem-unique customs alluding to the base's lineage.

Col. Lars Hubert, 52nd FW vice commander and acting wing commander since May, passed a ceremonial saber to Bilodeau, in a practice dating back to the 1980s.

Staff Sgt. Bradley Buckner, a 52nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron dedicated crew chief, unveiled the commander's name emblazoned on the wing's flagship F-16.

Finally, in closing his address as well as beginning his command, Bilodeau called upon all Airmen in attendance to shout out the 52nd FW's motto:

"Sabers!"

"Seek! Attack! Destroy!"

Face of Defense: Airman Competes in First Marathon

By Air Force Senior Airman Rusty Frank

52nd Fighter Wing

SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany, July 10, 2014 – Some people hope that when they compete in a marathon they can finish it in one piece.

"I would like to finish it, potentially without stopping," said Air Force Master Sgt. Donald Stichter, 52nd Equipment Maintenance Squadron noncommissioned officer in charge of munitions inspection. "Even if I stop, I will be happy just to finish it alive."

Starting at sunset May 31, more than 9,000 people ran in the ING Luxembourg Night Marathon. Before that race, Stichter said, he never had a desire to run in a marathon. However, after his commander heard the Lakewood, Colorado, native had completed a Tough Mudder -- a 10-to-12-mile series of obstacle courses -- he asked Stichter why he’d never attempted a 26.2-mile marathon.

Thinking that he was going to be smarter than his commander, Stichter said, he made him an offer: if he completed a full marathon, his commander would have to do a Tough Mudder.

Fully expecting his commander would decline, he added, he was surprised when his boss called his bluff.

After the deal was sealed, the training commenced. Stichter relied on the four pillars of the Comprehensive Airman Fitness concept to help train for the marathon.

For the social part, Stichter ventured outside family zones by going on group runs with people he wouldn't normally meet.

"I think the social aspect of going out and running with guys and girls who are training with me for the marathon has been a lot of fun -- a little bit of bonding," he said.

With the physical pillar, Stichter noticed he could work out longer with an even higher intensity. He also noticed that the mental and physical pillars tied together.

"My cardiovascular abilities have gone through the roof," he said. "I've been able to see how I can push my body past points that I've never thought I would be able to when I started. A lot of long-distance running is mental and being able to push through those hurdles. Yes, your legs hurt, yes, your body hurts, but [it’s a matter of] pushing through that pain and saying, 'Yes, I can go another mile.’"

As someone who attends church regularly, Stichter said, he used the spiritual pillar to help him with every aspect of his training.

With preparing for the race, Stichter said, he overcame a lot of adversity. First, he was out for two weeks with a nasty cough. Then he injured both of his Achilles tendons and lost another week. Right before the marathon, he aggravated an old foot injury.

One would think that with all the training required to finish a marathon, his wife and children would be making a sacrifice of time with him. But that's not how it worked with his family.

"He got up extra early in the morning to do his runs, or he would do them at work so that the kids still got their time with dad and I still got to see him the normal amount of time," said DeeAnn Stichter, his wife. "He sacrificed a lot of his time, a lot of sleep, so that he could do the long runs and still be able to see us."

After four months of preparation, Stichter crossed the finish line in less than 4 and a half hours. Moments after the race's completion, Stichter's squadron commander commented on how the senior NCO's dedication to a training program served as a model for the rest of his squadron.

"I was extremely proud to see him cross the finish line and actually have the gumption to go forward and commit to training," Air Force Maj. Bryan Wong said. "He is in a perfect position on my leadership team to portray a positive image, both professionally and physically. He plays a significant part as a role model, since he commits himself to expanding his horizons, establishing personal goals and pushing for perfection. He not only challenged himself. He challenged his squadron teammates."

With the race behind him, Stichter said, he learned some helpful things that he could use as a mentoring tool to help out younger airmen who could be struggling with physical fitness.

"I think you can tell people who are starting to struggle even with the little things, ‘Don't just go out and start running 14 miles every day,’" he said. "Train your body to overcome those mental obstacles. [Find] friends and co-workers not only to be able to run with you, work out with you, but to be able to push you could be a positive influence for you when are hitting those obstacles.’"

116th Medical Group promotes first female Chief in unit

by Tech. Sgt. Regina Young
116 Air Control Wing, Public Affairs

7/9/2014 - ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- The 116th Air Control Wing here inducted their first female chief master sergeant to the Medical Group June 21.

Chief Master Sgt. Cynthia Haines was promoted to chief by Col. Muriel Herman, the first female Colonel to hold a commander position in the 116th MDG.

"It's so humbling; it's really an honor to wear this rank," said Haines on being promoted. "I hope that I will be an inspiration to the younger females."

Haines supports the Guard's regional mission as the superintendent of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and enhanced conventional weapons or CBRNE out of Atlanta. She also works one weekend a month as the superintendent of nursing services, the largest section in the group.

With more than 23 years of service in the medical field in the Air National Guard, Haines attributes her success to having been proactive and having been mentored by chief master sergeants.

Haines said that since was a teenager, she wanted to join the military but she waited until her 30's to join the Georgia Air National Guard.

Being a late starter, she said, "I didn't have any time to waste if I want to make it to the top."

According to Haines, she could not have achieved this milestone without the support of her husband and children.

Haines' goals now are to "teach and be a good mentor to younger Airmen," she said.

Little Rock unit to get new name

7/10/2014 - LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- Air Force Reserve Command's C-130 unit here is changing its name.

Maj. Gen. Mark A. Kyle, commander of AFRC's 22nd Air Force, will activate the 913th Airlift Group and present the unit's new guidon in a ceremony July 13.

The 913th AG replaces 22nd Air Force, Detachment 1. The detachment was activated in March 2011.

The Reserve unit has more than 500 personnel assigned. It's authorized to increase in size to about 800 Airmen and civilian employees in fiscal 2015.

"The Air Force Reserve at Little Rock AFB has been preparing for this transition for a while, and we're proud to have a more visible place in Team Little Rock," said Col. Archie Frye, the unit's commander.

About 28 percent of the unit works fulltime as air reserve technicians and civil servants. The rest of the unit is made up of traditional reservists.

Elements of the 913th AG will include a headquarters unit, 327th Airlift Squadron, 913th Operations Support Squadron, 913th Maintenance Squadron, 96th Aerial Port Squadron, 913th Force Support Squadron and 913th Aerospace Medical Squadron.

The detachment worked with Air Education and Training Command's 314th Airlift Wing and the Air National Guard's 189th AW for nearly three years as part of the formal training unit mission at Little Rock AFB.

The Reserve unit began transitioning to a combat mission in October 2013 through an Air Force Total Force Integration action with Air Mobility Command's 19th AW and its 50th Airlift Squadron and aircraft maintenance unit.

Communicators turn on "juice" in joint exercise

by Christian De Luca
514th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

7/10/2014 - JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Airmen from the 42nd Combat Communications Squadron took part in a month-long joint exercise at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland, in June.

The Joint Users Interoperability Communications Exercise tests the communication capabilities of federal agencies during emergencies and national and international threats. JUICE participants included the military services, FBI, Federal Emergency Management Agency, national coalition partners and others.

"It's a multi-lateral communications exercise to see how agencies will respond to a mass event in a real-world scenario," said Capt. Charles Gilbert, 42nd CBCS officer in charge of communication operations. "We want to see that, after an invasion or a chemical attack, or a natural disaster, these agencies can unilaterally communicate with each other to fix the incident."

Gilbert said the primary goal for the 42nd CBCS is to support the Joint Network Operations Control Center, which serves as a control agency for the management and direction of the joint forces communications systems.

"We are their backbone," he said. "So any communications they need to reach the outside world, be it Internet, email or phone, we support. We house their main servers and provide everything they need."

John Kahler, lead for the Joint On-Demand Interoperability Network, said the 42nd CBCS was an intricate part of why the J.U.I.C.E. exercise was a success.

"They rolled in with their equipment. They didn't need to ask a lot of questions. They just started working, unloading trucks and setting up tents," he said. "Their responsibility was to set-up the communications for the (joint task force), but they did more than that. They started to interface with the other organizations. So not only did they complete their mission, they supported other missions as well. They just rolled up their sleeves and made it happen."

The interface, technical and social, with other military branches is an important part of these joint exercises, according to Lt. Col. Chuck Rich, 42nd CBCS commander. Deployments often mean working and living with sister services to complete a mission, so training alongside them stateside and learning each other's equipment is imperative.

"These days you're not going to just deploy the Air Force, so communications with our sister services is extremely important in getting the job done," he said. "We all have our specialties. Some things the Air Force is good at that the Army isn't and vice versa. We have to mesh together, and if we're going to play that way, we have to practice that way."

Rich said the one thing that binds the communications community together is they all speak the same language.

"When you get the Air Force or the Navy together they have their own lingo. But when their (information technology) guys, or the geeks, get together, we all speak the industry standard. It's not all branch specific acronyms we made up," he said. "All of our equipment is very deep off-the-shelf industry stuff. So we can talk about packets and IP addresses and all these kinds of things, and we're all on the same page."

When deployed, the 42nd CBCS has the capability to provide communications to about 3,000 people and can be up and running within four hours of hitting the ground. Having a proper communications system that is rapidly operational is crucial to mission completion, according to Master Sgt. Donovan Cameron, 42nd CBCS unit deployment manager. Because of that, a team of civil engineers is attached to the squadron to provide power to its extensive and sometimes sensitive array of equipment.

"On a deployment, civil engineers would be everywhere, setting up buildings, etc. We would be low priority for them," Donovan said. "Then the base commander would ask, 'where's my communications?' So we weren't getting the attention we needed to do our jobs. Having our own engineers who are dedicated to our operation and know the intricacies of our equipment was imperative to meeting our mission requirements."

"I am like their electric company," said Tech. Sgt. Arthur Jones, 42nd CBCS power production technician, who is in charge of the seven-engineer production team. "We're the first ones in to set up and the last ones breaking things down to get out. Anywhere in the world they go, I grab our generators and we go."

During the exercise, Jones supplied power to four air conditioning units, two tents worth of equipment, and the squadron's satellite dish, which is the heart of the operation.

"Our mission, when deployed, is to provide reach-back capability back to stateside. We'll set up our antennae, which will point to a satellite, which will point back to home station," said Senior Airman Jeremiah Warren, 42nd CBCS cyber transport technician. "During this exercise, our home station is right next door. Without our equipment everyone here would still be able to talk to each other. With our equipment they have the ability to talk securely worldwide."

The 42nd CBCS is assigned to the 960th Cyberspace Operations Group at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, but geographically located at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. The squadron is scheduled to deactivate based on the Department of Defense budget request for fiscal 2015.

The squadron will continue to move forward, according to Rich, because,despite what happens in the future, having competent, up-to-date Airmen is beneficial to the Air Force Reserve, as well as the trained individual.

"Although we're on the Department of Defense's Appropriations Bill for closure, we're still doing everything we're supposed to be doing," he said. "We're doing our training. We're doing exercises. We're keeping up with it. So, if we get to stick around, we're going to be good. If our guys have to go to other units, they will still be highly trained and prepared."