America Departs Chile, Continues to Peru

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Demetrius Kennon, future USS America, Public Affairs

VALPARAISO, Chile (NNS) -- The future amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) departed Valparaiso, Chile after a scheduled three-day port visit, Aug. 27.

This was the crew's fourth stop on the ship's maiden transit, "America Visits the Americas" from Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, to its homeport of San Diego. Since the ship departed, the crew has also made port visits to Cartagena, Colombia; Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and hosted distinguished guests from Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay on board.

While in Chile, the ship hosted a reception in the ship's hangar bay for more than 300 guests.

Distinguished guests included U.S. Ambassador to Chile, Michael Hammer; Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr.; and numerous senior Chilean, U.S. government and military officials.

"Chile is a great Pacific nation. The United States is a great Pacific nation. It is imperative that we work together to ensure peace, stability and prosperity in the Pacific," said Harris.

Rear Adm. Frank L. Ponds, commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 3, embarked on board America, said the ship's visit emphasizes the longstanding relationship between the two nations and helps build the interoperability that will have impact on both regional and global issues.

"This reinforces not just the military relationships, but relationships between our governments and with our Sailors and Marines that have families and friends here in the South American region; and I believe we will have made a lot of new friends during our visit," said Ponds.

America's Commanding Office, Capt. Robert A. Hall Jr., said that exchanging lessons, learned and procedures with partner nations, such as Chile, strengthens important partnerships.

"This ship has great capability in wartime, but it's our peacetime mission that we've really been stressing as we transit around South America," said Hall.

During the three-day port visit, the crew provided guided tours of the ship to nearly 500 people from the local community including U.S. Embassy families, members of the Chilean military and students. The crew was also able to experience their host nation and serve as goodwill ambassadors through sporting events with Chilean soccer and rugby teams, and through participation in a community relations event at Arturo Prat Childrens' Home.

"It was nice to experience Chilean culture and eat some of the fine cuisine, and see some of the sites," said Interior Communications Electrician 1st Class Eric King, assigned to America. "This was a short tour, but I plan on taking some leave later and coming back to visit South America."

U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command / U.S. 4th Fleet and U.S. Marine Forces South support U.S. Southern Command's joint and combined military operations by employing maritime forces in cooperative maritime security operations in order to maintain access, enhance interoperability, and build enduring partnerships in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions.

America is the first ship of its class, replacing the Tawara-class of amphibious assault ships. As the next generation "big-deck" amphibious ship, America is optimized for aviation, capable of supporting current and future aircraft such as the tilt-rotor MV-22 Osprey and F-35B Joint Strike Fighter. The ship is scheduled to be ceremoniously commissioned Oct. 11 in San Francisco.

Soldiers Redeploy After South Korea Exercise

By Walter Ham

20th CBRNE Command

YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea, Aug. 29, 2014 – Soldiers from the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command conducted a change of mission and prepared for redeployment Aug. 28 following their participation in the Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise held in South Korea.

Ulchi Freedom Guardian is designed to keep U.S. and South Korean forces ready to deter aggression on the Korean Peninsula and maintain stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

Defensive in nature, the annual exercise involved 3,000 personnel from military bases in the U.S. and across the Pacific.

The 20th CBRNE Command, based out of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, deployed its tactical command post and more than 100 soldiers to the Korean Peninsula for Ulchi Freedom Guardian.

The command also deployed the tactical command post of the 48th CBRNE Brigade, based out of Fort Hood, Texas, along with the commander and staff of the 71st Ordnance (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Group from Fort Carson, Colorado.

Soldiers and civilians from 20th CBRNE Command train to counter weapons of mass destruction, eliminate CBRN and explosive ordnance threats, and defeat improvised explosive devices. Serving on 19 military posts in 16 states, members of the 20th CBRNE Command train and operate with joint, interagency and allied partners around the globe.

"This exercise demonstrates the strength of the ROK-U.S. alliance and the flexibility of the 20th CBRNE Command to deploy and execute CBRNE related missions anytime and anywhere," said 20th CBRNE Commanding General Army Brig. Gen. JB Burton, the former deputy commanding general for maneuver of the South Korea-based 2nd Infantry Division.

Burton returned to Korea for the exercise. He said the 20th CBRNE Command has built a strong relationship with the Republic of Korea’s Army Chemical, Biological and Radiological Defense Command.

Burton added that his 20th CBRNE soldiers trained together with the ROK Army during Exercise Atropian Phoenix at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California.

"It is an honor to serve with our great Republic of Korea allies and our fellow joint service members who defend liberty daily on freedom's frontier. Katchi Kapshida! (Korean for 'We go together')," said Burton, who hails from Tullahoma, Tennessee.

National Guard Identifies Fallen F-15C Aviator

By Steve Marshall

National Guard Bureau

BARNES AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Mass., Aug. 29, 2014 – Massachusetts National Guard officials today identified the pilot of an F-15C Eagle jet that crashed in Virginia as Air Force Lt. Col. Morris "Moose" Fontenot Jr.

The veteran aviator was killed Aug. 27 when his aircraft crashed in remote, mountainous terrain near Deerfield Valley.

“We all continue to keep the Fontenot family in our thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time,” said Col. James Keefe, commander of the 104th Fighter Wing based here.

Fontenot served with the 104th Fighter Wing as the full-time Wing Inspector General, responsible for the implementation of the Air Force Inspection System and as an F-15 instructor pilot with more than 2,300 flight hours. A 1996 Air Force Academy graduate, he was additionally a Weapons School Graduate with more than 17 years of F-15 flying experience. He served as a squadron commander at multiple locations.

Following active duty assignments in Washington D.C., Japan, Idaho, Florida, Alaska and numerous deployments to the Middle East, Fontenot joined the Massachusetts Air National Guard in February 2014. He was a decorated combat veteran, earning the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, and Combat Readiness Medal, among others.

An official safety investigation board is being convened and the investigation into the crash is ongoing.

A massive search ensued following the Aug. 27 crash of the jet in dense forest. The search involved personnel from the National Guard, Virginia State Police and civilian searchers, some with dogs and others on horseback.

At approximately 9:05 a.m. Aug. 27, Washington Center Air Traffic Control in Washington, D.C., lost radio contact with the aircraft stationed at the 104th Fighter Wing, and at approximately 9:30 a.m. the wing learned that the aircraft had crashed in a remote site near Deerfield Valley, Virginia.

The single seat F-15C aircraft was en route to Naval Air Station New Orleans to receive a radar system upgrade. The flight was not related to the 104th Fighter Wing’s homeland defense mission, and there were no munitions on the aircraft during the flight, a National Guard news release said.

Fontenot was flying a solo mission when he reported an in-flight emergency prior to the loss of radio contact with Washington Center.