Face of Defense: Marine Finds Purpose Caring for Wounded Warriors

By Marine Cpl. Jared Lingafelt

Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., March 9, 2015 – Brotherhood, loyalty and commitment aren’t just concepts to Marine Sgt. Jeremy Anderson. For him, as an athlete from Wounded Warrior Battalion – East competing in the 2015 Marine Corps Trials, those words are a way of life.

“I have always felt that it is my duty to take care of Marines,” Anderson said. “Coming up through the Marine Corps, I had leadership, but they weren’t really fully engaged. So, now that I am in the position I am in, I want to help as much as possible.”

Anderson has served in several positions throughout his career, including barracks manager, training clerk and staff judge advocate clerk. But it was the injuries he sustained while serving as a field artillery man that eventually landed him at the Wounded Warrior Regiment.

Helping Others Recover

Deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan took their toll on Anderson’s mind and body, he said, but his focus remained on helping out his fellow Marines.

“When I sit down and talk to a Marine and know that I have helped them out, even if it is just talking to them and letting them vent, they walk away feeling better and it’s a great feeling to know I was a part of that,” Anderson said. “I may have lost a little bit of sleep or it may have taken a couple hours out of my day, but I know that the Marine will be OK, and that is what it’s all about.

“I wouldn’t let anyone in my family go without something so why should it be any different for fellow Marines?” he added.

Anderson’s physical injuries make conducting daily tasks a challenge. Using a cane to aid even the simplest movements, Anderson never lets his injuries get between him and his Marines.

“I will do whatever I can to help someone out,” said Anderson. “If I just sat around all day and didn’t put myself out there, I wouldn’t be taking care of Marines. It’s our brothers and sisters in arms that matter.”

Full-time Commitment

Cpl. Barney Oldfield, one of Anderson’s friends, says the sergeant’s devotion and loyalty to his brothers and sisters in arms isn’t limited to the workweek –- he’s available to lend a hand or an ear whenever a Marine needs it.

“There was one incident when I was in [a fast-food restaurant]. I was having a hard time because there were so many people,” Oldfield said. “He was there with his family, and he saw that I was having trouble and that was all it took. He came over to me, stayed with me in line and talked to me … to make sure I was OK. Just because you are another Marine, you are already a brother or sister to him.”

When he completes the Marine Corps Trials, Anderson said, he hopes to return to Camp Lejeune with more experience and knowledge to help new Marines transitioning into his battalion.

“I’m still in the process of learning how everything works there, so when someone new does come in, I can be there to help,” said Anderson. “As leaders, we have to pass on the knowledge and information that we have to our Marines because the more knowledge they have, the more successful they will be, and in turn, the more successful the Marine Corps will be.”

Eagle Resolve 2015 Multilateral Exercise Kicks Off in Kuwait

U.S. Central Command

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla., March 9, 2015 – U.S. forces, Gulf Cooperation Council nations and international partners are participating in the multilateral Eagle Resolve exercise held in Kuwait, according to U.S. Central Command officials.

Eagle Resolve 2015 kicked off March 8 and the exercise concludes March 31, officials said. Exercise events are being held in Kuwait and its territorial waters, officials added.

Eagle Resolve will consist of a weeklong series of "injects," simulated events designed to exercise participants' ability to respond as a multinational headquarters staff, followed by a series of tactical demonstrations of land, maritime and air forces from several nations, officials said.

The exercise ends with a senior leader seminar to foster an environment for commanders to discuss issues of regional interest, officials said.

About 3,000 U.S. military personnel representing U.S. Central Command headquarters and its components along with military representatives from more than a dozen other nations will support the exercise, officials said.

This is the Kuwaiti government's first time hosting this exercise, officials said.

Qatar hosted Eagle Resolve 2013, officials said. The first iteration of the exercise was held at Centcom’s headquarters in Tampa, Florida, in 1999.

Passenger terminal renovations mean new look, more features

JBER Public Affairs

3/9/2015 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- They like to move it, move it. You like to move it, move it.

The mission of the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Air Passenger Terminal is to move passengers and cargo across the Pacific; now, thanks to $2.8 million worth of renovations unveiled during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Feb. 13, they'll be able to "move it, move it" that much better.

"The ribbon cutting ceremony was to signify that we're back to full 100-percent capacity," said Tech. Sgt. James Wall, 732d Air Mobility Squadron passenger terminal noncommissioned officer-in-charge.

The primary reason for the renovations was a cracked support beam running through the roof.

"The bones of this building go back to the 1940s," said Air Force Col. Seaborn Whatley, 715th Air Mobility Operations Group commander. "The record snow from the winter of 2011 was too much for them to bear and caused some significant structural damage to our building. So this project was a long time in coming."

In addition to structural renovations, a host of other upgrades were included to enhance the travel experience for passengers.

"Once the decision was made to fix the main structural problem, we decided why not spruce the place up, too," Wall said. "We put in heated sidewalks, because we have a lot of traffic in and out, and we don't want people slipping on the ice carrying bags and kids.

"We put in an all-recessed, eco-friendly, cost-effective lighting system that should save us $40,000 per year. We took out a huge animal display and divided it up into two smaller areas that will increase traffic flow in those areas and allow us to process passengers more efficiently," Whatley said.

Air Force Col. Brian Bruckbauer, JBER and 673d Air Base Wing commander, was on hand for the ribbon cutting and was impressed with what he saw.

"What an amazing facility," Bruckbauer said. "Yes, some old bones in here, but the facelift and the structural improvements are incredible. There was a famous person by the name of [Army Air Service] Brigadier General [Billy] Mitchell who once said about this location, 'It's the most strategic place on earth.' What a fitting place to have this great facility here."

Whatley concurred with the JBER commander.

"These upgrades will better enhance the travel experience for our active duty servicemembers, retirees and families, whether traveling for duty or taking advantage of their well-earned privilege of space-available travel," Whatley said.

"It's often said, the passenger terminal is the face of Air Mobility Command. I'm confident this beautiful facility is putting our best face forward. It will allow us to provide our mission partners and JBER community with a matchless travel experience."

Creating a positive travel experience for passengers is something near and dear to the heart of all the personnel at the passenger terminal, none more so than Wall.

"We try to make it a fun family experience," Wall said. "Nobody likes having their personal belongings looked at and inspected. It's a necessity and has to be done, but we handle it in a manner that doesn't put people on edge. We try to take that element out of it."

The passenger terminal creed is "safely, by the book, and then on time." While the men and women of the passenger terminal have that creed as their baseline, passenger comfort is also foremost in their minds.

"I've noticed some places funnel people into little areas, and everyone is sitting all over the floor. No one ever comes and tells you, 'hey, there's an open seat over there,' or 'hey, there's a plug for your phone over there.' We try to make people as comfortable as possible," Wall said.

Due to the nature of "space-available" travel, seating and schedules can be short notice, requiring some travel plan flexibility for those looking to take advantage of a fair
fare from here to there - Space-A travel is free.

To make the process more efficient and information more accessible, the passenger terminal has a Facebook page "Joint Base Elmendorf/Richardson Passenger Terminal," where they routinely post the next 72 hours' worth of flight information.

"Air Mobility Command has a social media initiative," Wall said. "All passenger terminals have to have one. What's great about that is not only can we get information out in a more user-friendly format, but people can like our page and other bases' pages and plan travel routes based on available missions."

Shuttling people throughout the world as part of Space-A travel is just one facet of the mission of the passenger terminal.

The PAX terminal supports the entire joint mission of  JBER, Wall said. They facilitate 3rd Wing deployments, as well as supporting the 11th Air Force and all the long-range radar sites. They also work hand-in-hand with the Army, and have a "great working relationship," he said.

Wall said he finds his line of work rewarding because it allows him to directly contribute to personally impactful moments in the lives of others. He told the story of recently being able to help a Soldier get to see his father before he passed away.

The Soldier asked if there were any flights to Kentucky, and JBER aircraft almost never fly to Kentucky, Wall said. Through extensive research, Wall was able to find a rare flight going exactly where the Soldier needed.

"We were able to get him on the flight and he was able to see his father before he passed away," Wall said. "He came back in and thanked me personally. Helping someone like that with such an important personal thing in their life makes it all worthwhile."

Winnefeld Pays Tribute to Crewmen Killed in Pearl Harbor Attack

By Lisa Ferdinando

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii, March 9, 2015 – The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff yesterday paid tribute to the USS Arizona’s 1,177 crewmen who were killed here during the Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese attack that brought the United States into World War II.

Navy Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr. and other visitors, holding handfuls of red rose petals, paused quietly at the Arizona memorial. The visitors then gently released the petals into the blue water and watched in silence as they floated away.

"It is my honor to be here today to remember the service and sacrifice of the men who gave their lives in service on a tragic day that changed the course of history," Winnefeld said.

The Arizona memorial is constructed above the submerged vessel, which is believed to contain the remains of 938 people, explained Amanda Thompson, military liaison for the National Park Service at the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument.

‘Tears of the Arizona’

The oil that continues to leak out of the vessel is called the "tears of the Arizona," she said.

"That oil has been leaking for 73 or so years and will continue to leak for another 80 to 100 years," she said. "The legend says that when the last Pearl Harbor survivor passes away, those tears will stop."

As the handful of the attack’s survivors pass on, they will never be forgotten, Thompson said.

"We will continue the story, and their memory will always live on here," she said.

Winnefeld visited the memorial as he and a group of celebrities rounded out a weeklong USO tour they spent circumnavigating the globe, bringing laughs, music and fun to deployed service members.

100th LRS celebrates its civilians

by Gina Randall
100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

3/9/2015 - RAF MILDENHALL, England  -- The 100th Logistics Readiness Squadron honored its civilian personnel with an appreciation day Feb. 27, 2015.

"Our civilians uphold a critical role in what we do on a day-to-day basis, from stepping up to fill in for the Airmen when they leave, to adapting to different leaders that constantly change, so the 100th LRS held a Civilian Appreciation Day event," said Staff Sgt. DeAlex Harrell, 100th LRS KC-135 Stratotanker Weapons System Fusion Cell supervisor from St. Paul's, North Carolina.

The squadron acknowledges that the civilians provide continuity in the ever-changing Air Force world.

"We wouldn't be able to work or operate at such a high level without the support of our civilian personnel," Harrell said. "Our civilians mean a lot to our squadron and we're trying to show them through coordinating an event just for them."

The participants made the most of the day. They were able to meet base personnel they may only speak with on the telephone, and see areas of the base they never knew about.

"It's great to get out from behind the desk and have the opportunity to see parts of RAF Mildenhall you wouldn't normally see," said Gemma Mayhew, 100th LRS facilities manager from Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. "I especially loved the military working dog display; we were so lucky to get the chance to watch them at work and to see what a rapport they seem to have with their handler. It was truly amazing."

Squadron leadership wanted to show the civilians what other units on base do so they can better understand their role in the wing's mission. The tour included a look at the fuel section, a fire truck viewing, a mobility bag demonstration, a military working dog display and a static KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft.

"We have some civilians that have been here for many years and they have yet to see the inside of a KC-135 Stratotanker," the weapons system fusion cell supervisor said. "When we asked them how we could show how much we appreciate them, a tour of the KC-135 was at the top of the list. I focused on the KC-135 because the 100th LRS plays one of the biggest parts in keeping this aircraft in the air. For our civilians to see up close what they're impacting would help them grasp the concept of how important they are -- that's big."

Military members were on hand to inform the civilians of any information about their role in the mission. Some civilians are new to the base or the military, so for them the event allowed a firsthand experience of what their military family does each day.

"The Civilian Appreciation Day gave me the opportunity to see the individual parts of the squadron," said Monika Skor, 100th LRS commander's secretary from Kysucke Nove Mesto, Slovensko. "I now have a better understanding of my squadron and I truly appreciate the Airmen's work, which is often very hard. It was a very interesting experience for me and I am very pleased that I was part of it. Thank you to our commander, Maj. Michael Boswell."

The organizers were pleased with how the day went, and how it brought people together.

"The day allowed civilians and military members to come together and share a common interest -- the best Air Force the world has ever seen," Harrell said.