Team Kadena welcomes new 18th Wing commander

from 18th Wing Public Affairs

4/2/2015 - KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Brig. Gen. James B. Hecker relinquished command of the 18th Wing to Brig. Gen. Barry R. Cornish during a change of command ceremony at Kadena Air Base April 2.

Lt. Gen. Sam Angelella, U.S. Forces Japan and 5th Air Force commander, presided over the event held inside a hangar where Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and distinguished U.S. and Okinawan guests helped to welcome the new commander.

"It's an honor to participate in today's change of command as we close out one chapter in the storied history of the 18th Wing and open another one with the transfer of leadership from Brig. Gen. James Hecker to Brig. Gen. Barry Cornish," Angelella said.

Angelella described how developing the U.S.-Japan partnership into one of the most relevant and powerful alliances in modern times has required the hard work and
dedication of both American and Japanese personnel.

"Kadena Air Base and the 18th Wing have been a significant part of that effort," Angelella said. "For the past two years, the 18th Wing has continued a tradition of excellence and strengthened our alliance with Japan under the exceptional leadership of General Hecker."

Hecker was selected for promotion to major general and reassignment as director of plans, programs, and requirements for Headquarters Air Combat Command at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.

"It was only a short time ago when I was up here receiving this flag, and now, I have to return it -- something no commander wants to do. The only thing that provides me some solace is that I am giving up command to a great team, Team Cornish," Hecker said.

After accepting the guidon from Angelella, Cornish addressed his new family, Team Kadena.

"My commitment to you is simply this, I will work as hard as I can every day to help you execute our critical mission," Cornish said. "Countless lives depend on what you do every day."

He said the number of lives increases when the 18th Wing is called to respond for a humanitarian crisis or cast in the path of conflict should deterrence fail, and that his job is to ensure Kadena emerges victorious and brings everyone home.

Cornish most recently served as the executive officer, Pacific Air Forces at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. He is a command pilot with more than 2,200 flying hours in the F-15, AT/T-38 and T-37, and is a graduate of the USAF Weapons School. Cornish also commanded the 67th Fighter Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, in 2008.

During his closing remarks, Cornish expressed what an honor it was to be back at Kadena and to be able to serve the United States in a partnership capacity with friends here in Okinawa at such a pivotal time in history.

"You are the key to success in this mission and I work for you," Cornish said. "Missy and I appreciate you all being here today. Thank you and God bless."

Colorado ANG team's innovation saves millions, earns national recognition

by Capt. Kinder Blacke
140th Wing Public Affairs

4/1/2015 - GREELEY, Colo. -- Four Airmen from the Colorado Air National Guard's 140th Wing here recently received the annual Department of Defense Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications Team Award for developing and fielding a solution to replace a failing mission-critical system saving the Air Force more than $10 million in potential redesign and replacement costs.

The 4-man team recognized a lack of serviceable Military Strategic and Tactical Relay Antenna Reference Units in the United States Air Force Supply System, which are required to successfully operate the nation's only survivable and endurable missile warning and attack assessment capability.

This task is conducted by the 233rd Space Warning Group's Mobile Ground System, maintained and operated out of the Greeley Air National Guard Station.

"After ordering multiple ARUs in 2013 and 2014, it became very apparent that this part was in very short supply," said Senior Airman Jonathan Smail, satellite communications technician with the 233rd Space Communications Squadron. "As we examined the number of remaining ARUs in the supply system and the average fail rate, we knew that something would need to be done."

Without a serviceable ARU, the MILSTAR Communication Vehicle lacks the proper navigational information to be able to quickly and reliably acquire communication with the MILSTAR satellite. No replacement for the ARU had proven effective, which left the Mobile Ground System lacking a mission critical capability.

"As our trucks continue to age beyond their expected lifespan, we are finding it more and more challenging to preserve the functionality of each line replaceable unit that the truck houses," said Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Gourd, radio frequency transmission systems craftsman, 233 SCS. "The ARU issue emerged as one of the first we were faced with a few years back when the supply inventories discovered we had minimal replacements."

Instead of waiting for the Air Force to remedy the situation, members of the 233 SCS set their minds to the task of creating a work-around solution in order to maintain mission readiness.

Tech. Sgt. Grady Murphy spearheaded the project, augmented by Staff Sgt. Guy Winn, Gourd, and Smail, all members of 233rd SCS, Satellite Wideband Flight.

"I am most proud of the fact that when others throw their hands in the air and walk away because the challenge seems insurmountable, our Airmen increase their resilience, dig in their heels, and fight for solutions," said Col. Thomas McKenna, commander of the 233rd Space Group. "They will not quit until they have exhausted every available resource and option at their disposal.  'Failure' is not in their vocabulary."

And their hard work and determination paid off because the team managed to come up with a manual log-on procedure to be able to reliably acquire communication with the MILSTAR satellite using only a few hundred dollars' worth of commercial, off-the-shelf products.

"Tech. Sgt. Grady Murphy and Staff Sgt. Guy Winn were the true engineers behind the manual log-on procedures," said Smail. "It was amazing to watch them analyze what information the ARU provided to the terminal and work to create manual steps to recreate what happened electronically. That fact that they could take simple tools from a hardware store and reproduce what a half million dollar part did is truly phenomenal."

In a nutshell, the team developed, designed, tested and implemented a manual log-on process using $500 of COTS equipment that saved an estimated ten million dollars in ARU re-design and replacement costs and most importantly, saved the critical weapons system from an indefinite amount of down time.

"I am incredibly humbled when events like this occur and I see the brilliance of our Colorado Air National Guard technicians," said McKenna. "Their ability to devise unique solutions to new and evolving problems makes me sleep well at night knowing our mission will be successful despite the challenges they will inevitably face employing aging equipment in austere environments."

But of course every good idea needs to prove its worth, and that's a large part of how Gourd contributed to the project.

"I think it was a 'right time, right place' situation for me; I just happened to walk in on Sergeant Murphy and Sergeant Winn plugging away on the mathematical portion of this solution and really wanted to help," said Gourd, who says he was motivated by "the successful completion of this amazing vision."

Gourd, who is a licensed electrician in Colorado, developed the tool inventory necessary to achieve the required parameters for satellite lock, and was also a key player in the field testing phase of their solution.

"The Force Package (MILSTAR Flight) that I led in the annual field training period last year was the first to bring up the truck in the field using our method and it worked perfectly," said Gourd. "I can tell you this; it was a fine day for the ARU team and the MILSTAR team."

Additionally, their solution was field-tested and officially approved during U.S. Strategic Command's Global Thunder exercise in 2014, ensuring top Air Force leadership that endurable, mission-critical missile warning data necessary for Presidential decision making will be provided until a replacement ARU system is eventually fielded.

As a result of this demonstration, Strategic Command's Director of C4 Systems, Kerry Kelley, Senior Executive Service, was so impressed that she nominated the team for the NC3 TEAM Award, which is a DOD-level award that recognizes outstanding contributions to the Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) community, explained McKenna.

It didn't take long for their hard work to be recognized. On Feb. 24 the team was chosen above nine other nominees to receive the NC3 TEAM Award at the ITW/AA Stakeholders Meeting in Colorado Springs.

"It's incredibly gratifying when our customers take the time to see the 'minor miracles' our Airmen perform in the trenches on a daily basis and then highlight them on the biggest stages," McKenna said.

Murphy, a radio frequency transmission technician who has been in the career field for more than 11 years, says the project took about nine months to develop and field test.

"I was just doing my duty to maintain and operate the MILSTAR terminal," Murphy said when asked what motivated him to undertake this huge challenge.

All members of the team expressed feelings of honor and good fortune to have been a part of the award-winning team, and give thanks to their leadership in the 233rd Space Group for encouraging them along the way.

"The support that we received from our squadron- and group-level leadership was unparalleled," said Smail. "From the very beginning, we had their full support in trying to remedy this problem. They would make time in their busy schedules to stop and see our progress."

The effort to maintain and sustain the aging equipment is clearly a top priority for the 233rd SG.

"We continue to face challenges on a daily basis with the sustainment of our aging weapon system," explained McKenna. "Some of our equipment is entering its fourth decade of service to our nation. Unfortunately, budget cuts, sequestration, and programming complications have delayed our critical modernization--the SBIRS Survivable Endurable Evolution--years past the design life of our current system."

Thankfully, the determination and ingenuity of these Airmen and others like them have enabled the 233rd Space Group to keep their systems running beyond their life expectancies.

"Since we provide critical missile warning and nuclear detonation detection to the Nuclear Command and Control enterprise, the actions of our Airmen demonstrate why the Air National Guard is so essential to the security of our nation," McKenna said.

Carter: Demographics, Economics Boost Asia’s Global Profile

By Jim Garamone

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, April 3, 2015 – Demographic changes in Asia will make the region more important to the United States, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said at the State Department recently.

As Carter prepared to depart April 6 for his first trip to Asia as defense secretary, he reiterated that the United States is a Pacific power and will remain one, adding that this is in the best interests of Asian nations and of the United States.

Demographic trends show that Asian nations will only become more important globally in the 21st century, as Asian nations -- enjoying peace provided by American presence -- prosper and grow, Carter said. In the future, he added, no region will affect U.S. prosperity more, and it is in American interests to maintain a strong security presence in the region.

The math is inescapable, Carter said at the State Department.

“We know that 95 percent of the world’s customers live beyond our borders, and the spending power of middle-class consumers in today’s emerging markets is expected to increase by $20 trillion over the next decade,” he said.

Rising Middle-class Consumption

Just five years ago, the United States and Europe accounted for around 50 percent of global middle class consumption, and Asia accounted for about 20 percent, he said.

“Five years from now, the U.S. and European share of middle-class consumption will shrink to about 30 percent, while Asia’s will rise to 40 percent,” the secretary said. “And this trend will continue as Asia’s 570-million-strong middle class grows to about 2.7 billion consumers over the next 15 years.”

So, from an economic standpoint, Asia will become more important to American manufacturers, American jobs and American consumers. The central premise of America’s overall Asia-Pacific strategy is the recognition that, in the 21st century, no region holds more potential for growth, development and prosperity, Carter said.

Growing Populations

Roughly 7 billion people live in the world today. In 25 years, demographers estimate that number will grow to 9 billion, with much of the growth occurring in Asia, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics and the CIA World Factbook.

China and India are the world’s two most populous countries and will remain so through 2050. Today, China has around 1.355 billion people, and India has around 1.236 billion. By 2050, officials expect India to be the most populous country in the world with 1.65 billion people, and China’s population will be 1.303 billion.

Economic progress in both countries has been building. Today, China has about 150 million people earning between $10 and $100 per day -- the amount economists calculate as putting a person in the global middle class. If the country continues its current growth, as many as 500 million Chinese could enter the global middle class over the next decade. This means that by 2030, 1 billion Chinese people could be in the economic middle class.

India’s middle class is much smaller -- about 50 million people. But economists expect India’s middle class to reach 200 million by 2020 and 475 million by 2030.

Both countries have systemic problems they need to overcome, and projections may fall short, officials said, but they added that the projections have the potential to prove accurate.

This growth is not limited to the two largest countries in Asia. Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines also are posed for an incredible growth in their middle classes.

Capable Militaries

From a security standpoint, Asia is home to some of the largest and strongest militaries on the globe. China, Russia, North Korea, India and Pakistan have large and capable militaries. With the exception of North Korea, the U.S. military is working to improve relations with each. American military leaders also are working with traditional allies such as South Korea, Japan, Australia, the Philippines and New Zealand to strengthen multilateral cooperation in the region.

Other nations -- Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Burma -- also are working to preserve stability in the region.

Snapshot of Military Powers

Here’s a snapshot of the various military powers in the region:

-- China spends at least 2 percent of its gross domestic product on defense and has the world’s largest armed forces, with 2.333 million active duty forces and 2.3 million reserves. Its stated defense budget is $145 billion. China has about 3,000 aircraft in its armed forces, has bought an aircraft carrier from Russia, and is building one of its own. The Chinese have more than 9,000 tanks and almost 5,000 armored fighting vehicles and are modernizing across all services.

-- South Korea spends 2.88 percent of its GDP on defense. The republic has 624,465 people on active duty and almost 3 million in the reserves. South Korea has 1,412 total aircraft and a naval strength of 166 ships. The South Korean military is extremely capable and has a defense budget of $33.1 billion.

-- Japan spends about 1 percent of its GDP on defense. There are 247,173 personnel in the Japanese Self-Defense Force, with about 58,000 active reserve personnel. The Japanese military has 678 tanks, 2,850 armored fighting vehicles, 1,613 aircraft and 131 ships. The defense budget is $41.6 billion.

-- India spends 2.43 percent of its GDP on defense. The nation has 1.325 million people under arms, with 2.1 million more in reserve status. India’s military has about 2,000 aircraft, two aircraft carriers, 202 ships, more than 6,400 tanks and 6,700 armored fighting vehicles. The Indian defense budget is $38 billion.

Silicon Valley-based Guard Airmen support Saudi pilots rescue

from 129th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

4/2/2015 - MOFFETT FEDERAL AIRFIELD, Calif. -- Pararescuemen from the California Air National Guard's 129th Rescue Wing were involved in the rescue of two Saudi Arabian airmen from the Gulf of Aden after their two-seater Royal Saudi Air Force F-15 Eagel aircraft crashed March 26.

The California Guard Airmen are trained to execute personnel-recovery missions anywhere in the world, from arid deserts to snow-covered mountains.

Pararescuemen, also known as PJs, and Combat Rescue Officers of the 129th Rescue Wing's 131st Rescue Squadron have been providing personnel recovery support for Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa during their deployment to the region.

"No matter what the environment or the circumstances, our Air Guardsmen always rise to the occasion," said Col. Gregory F. Jones, 129th Rescue Wing commander. "In every rescue our Air Guardsmen perform, they live up to the Air Force Rescue motto: 'That Others May Live.'"

While deployed these airmen have been supporting Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa's ongoing multinational, joint, interagency, intergovernmental counter insurgency and stabilization operations throughout the region.

Based in the heart of Silicon Valley, the primary mission of the 129th Rescue Wing is to perform personnel recovery anywhere in the world. Equipped with Air Force MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft, HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopters and Guardian Angel teams, the 129th Rescue Wing performs a wide variety of civilian and military personnel-recovery missions, including the rescue of distressed persons aboard ships, lost or injured hikers, and medical evacuations. To date, the 129th is credited with saving the lives of more than 1,000 people.

Please contact 1st Lt. Roderick B. Bersamina at (650) 404-7995 more information.

OK Guard Airmen volunteer, assist families with seriously ill children

by 1st Lt. Jennifer Proctor
138th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

4/2/2015 - TULSA, Okla.  -- Members from the Oklahoma Air National Guard's 138th Fighter Wing here volunteered March 29 at the Tulsa Ronald McDonald House.

Ten Airmen disassembled several old beds and then assembled and installed new ones at the Tulsa Ronald McDonald House for families with seriously ill children while those children receive medical care in Tulsa.

Before the Oklahoma Airmen installed the new beds, each room at the Tulsa Ronald McDonald House could only accommodate two people. Often, air mattresses were used to supplement families with other children and this wasn't acceptable to the house staff.

After hearing about the lack of bed space, TempurPedic stepped up and donated 22 beds to the Tulsa house. Then, it was up to the house staff and Air Guard volunteers to assemble and install them.

Master Sgt. Matt Wilson, a member of the138th Civil Engineering Squadron, was contacted by the Ronald McDonald House, an organization that he has volunteered with for more than a year and a half, and asked to help with the installation of the new beds.

"They asked me to help and I knew that other Airmen would want to help as well," said Wilson "Guardsmen not only serve our country, but also serve our communities. It's important to give something back."

The Ronald McDonald House is an organization that gives family members with seriously ill children a place to stay that's close to the hospital where the child is being treated. The house is completely dependent upon donations and even though an occupied room actually costs $80 a night, the house only requests $10 a night from the families. If a family can't afford $10, there is no need to worry.

"We never turn a family away if they can't afford it," said Mary Gregory, house manager. "We are always open; because hospitals don't close, we don't close."

The Gaddy family has been staying at the facility for more than a month since their twin girls were born prematurely.

"This place has been great. I don't know what we would have done driving two hours each way, every day," said Sarah Gaddy, the twin's mother.

The twin sisters have two older brothers that are ready to have their parents and baby sisters' home with them as well. The Gaddys are just one of the approximately 630 families that have stayed at the facility this past year.

USNS Comfort Deploys for Continuing Promise 2015

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW) Amy Kirk, Continuing Promise 2015 Public Affairs

NORFOLK (NNS) -- The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) departed Norfolk, Virginia, April 1 for a six-month deployment in support of Continuing Promise 2015 (CP-15).

CP-15 is a collaborative effort that affords the opportunity to work alongside partner nation and civilian experts, promoting the commitment and shared interests within the region of Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

"Continuing Promise 2015 will enable us to strengthen ties in support of our enduring partnerships with the people of Central America, South America and the Caribbean - a partnership that will enhance our shared values, interests, and commitment to unity, security and stability within the region," said Capt. Sam Hancock, mission commander for CP-15.

CP-15 personnel will be working alongside partner nations and non-government organizations (NGOs) to conduct civil-military operations including humanitarian assistance, providing medical, dental and veterinary care as well as engineering support and subject matter expert exchanges (SMEEs) to foster goodwill and build enhanced partnership capabilities.

Comfort is scheduled to conduct mission stops in Belize, Colombia, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua and Panama.

"Some of the events that are currently planned include: medical sites established at host nation stadiums, hospitals and clinics; subject matter expert exchanges at various medical centers and aboard USNS Comfort; and engineering projects at schools and medical clinics." said Hancock.

Currently, personnel anticipate serving more than 130,000 patients and conducting more than 800 SMEEs that will cover medical, veterinary, engineering and environmental health topics; in addition to more than 20 engineering and building site projects that are scheduled to take place.

Building on relationships created in previous year's missions, CP-15 participants will work together to increase the capacities of countries and communities to provide for themselves.

This is the seventh CP mission conducted under the guidance of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S.4th Fleet (USNAVSO/FOURTHFLT). Comfort served as the hospital ship in 2007, 2009 and 2011.

Continuing Promise 2015 is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored and U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet -conducted deployment to conduct civil-military operations including humanitarian-civil assistance, subject matter expert exchanges, medical, dental, veterinary and engineering support and disaster response to partner nations and to show U.S. Support and commitment to Central and South America and the Caribbean.

C-17s not fazed by shorter runway

by Airman 1st Class Zachary Cacicia
436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

4/2/2015 - DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del.  -- With runway renovations in full swing, this ongoing 18-month construction project will soon enter a new phase that will limit the operational capabilities of Team Dover's C-5M Super Galaxy fleet. But this does not mean that all of Team Dover's operational capabilities will end or be temporarily relocated.

Though well known for its armada of C-5Ms, it will be Team Dover's smaller, more tactical airlifter, the C-17A Globemaster III, which will continue to operate here during the construction.

"The C-17 was designed to be an intermediate strategic and tactical airlifter," said Lt. Col. Jason Mills, 3d Airlift Squadron commander. "It has long range capabilities, but a tactical capacity as well; it was designed to land on short fields."

Since February 2, Dover AFB's north-south runway 01-19 has been closed to undergo a complete renovation. The base's other runway, 14-32, is still fully operational. But when the next phase of construction begins this summer on the two runways' intersection, this will cut the length of runway 14-32 from 12,900 feet to 6,000 feet.

This cut will limit the operational capabilities of Team Dover's C-5Ms. They will continue to be able to fly in and out of Dover AFB for maintenance at an absolute minimum weight. During this time period of limited operations, the C-5M fleet will be temporarily moved to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey.

"We will be heading up to JB MDL in the June timeframe which will allow the C-5 mission to continue," said Lt. Col. Mark Radio, 436th Operations Support Squadron director of operations. "The beauty is our relationship that we have with our joint base to the north. It is close in proximity so our people will be able to come back and see their families during that timeframe, minimizing the stress."

According to Capt. Justin Brozzetti, 3d AS squadron tactics chief, Team Dover is being proactive in dealing with the upcoming changes, especially with the C-17s and their crews.

"The Operations Group here has said, we know this is going to be difficult for pilots," said Brozzetti. "To look at the airfield, it's going to be completely different, so let's start planning ahead."

In preparation, Team Dover's C-17 flight simulator is undergoing a few changes to better help pilots familiarize themselves with the new look of the airfield.
"We are modifying the digital database of Dover," said Miguel Lutman, L-3 Communications site manager. "This is so it looks like what the construction will look like when they're in the process of doing it."

Working in conjunction with OSS, Lutman, a contractor and Reservist C-17 pilot himself, has taken charge to better prevent mishaps during the construction time period. Not only will C-17 pilots from the 3d AS and Reservist 326th AS be able to practice, but all C-17 pilots throughout the Air Force will have access to this database.

"This is so the pilots can practice before it actually happens," Lutman said. "And so pilots from other bases can see what it's going to look like."

Only minor limitations will affect the C-17s.

"We will routinely land on 3,500 feet of runway," Mills said. "We will be given 6,000 feet of runway; we will be able to land and take off on that, that distance will only limit our weight capacity."

According Brozzetti, the shorter runway may force the C-17s to add an additional leg to their missions because of the takeoff weight limitations.

"We may have to pick up fuel at [Joint Base] McGuire[-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey] or [Joint Base] Andrews, [Maryland] to have enough to make it across the ocean to Europe," said Brozzetti. "We are preparing for this; more in-route stops to pick up fuel."

It is expected that this phase of runway construction will last from June until December 2015.

"I have the absolute confidence in my crews," Mills said. "This is what we train for-- we are trained in a tactical mindset."