AF establishes new key developmental reporting identifiers

By Master Sgt. Lesley Waters, Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs Command Information / Published May 06, 2015

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The Air Force has established four new reporting identifiers to identify Airmen serving in key developmental positions outside of their control Air Force specialty, effective April 30.

The four new key developmental position reporting identifiers are: key developmental senior master sergeant and chief master sergeant enlisted positions on headquarters Air Force staff and the Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy (9D100), enlisted engagement manager/international affairs (9L100), secretary of the Air Force enlisted legislative fellows (9N000) and Military Entrance Processing Command senior enlisted advisor (9M000).

"These positions confirm our continued commitment to the development of our enlisted force, and the ability for enlisted Airmen to serve at the highest levels,” said Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James A. Cody.

Airmen assigned to these positions will be considered performing outside of their normal career progression pattern, requiring a different duty Air Force specialty code from the current AFSC. Their duty AFSC will reflect the reporting identifier. The Airman’s control AFSC will match the primary Air Force specialty code (except for skill level, if necessary).

For example: Senior Master Sgt. Smith, 3S091, is selected for 9N100 duties. Smith’s CAFSC will remain 3S091, the primary AFSC will remain 3S091 and the DAFSC will be updated to 9N100.

Eligibility to serve in one of these positions includes the following:

• Grades: senior master sergeant – chief master sergeant

• Skill level commensurate with grade.

• Overall enlisted performance report rating of 5 on the last three enlisted performance reports.

• 80 percent or above on the last two fitness tests, or 90 percent or above on the most recent fitness test, with no failure on any portion within the last 12 months.

• No assignment on file - personnel with an approved follow-on assignment can be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Airmen receiving a selective reenlistment bonus (SRB) are eligible to apply. For those selected to serve in a key developmental position, future SRB payments will be affected. Although members would maintain their primary and control AFSCs and could stay qualified within their respective AFSCs, they would no longer serve within the specialty, which is a requirement to maintain SRB payments.

For Airmen to avoid recoupment of an SRB, they must have completed at least 50 percent of the current enlistment and agree to waive all remaining payments. However, if an Airman accepts a key developmental position before completing at least 50 percent of the current enlistment, recoupment will be required.

Permanent change of station consideration:

• For permanent change of station consideration, an Airman’s return from an overseas date must be within the report-no–later-than-date window to apply. Airmen with an indefinite overseas return date are eligible for nomination and PCS consideration.

• Airmen stationed stateside must have at least 24 months’ time on station as of the RNLTD to be eligible to PCS.

Approximately six months prior to a senior master sergeant key developmental position becoming vacant, the vacancy will be advertised on the Equal Plus listing. The key developmental chief master sergeant enlisted positions on headquarters Air Force staff and the Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy commandant position (9D100) will be filled through the Air Force Chief’s Group nomination process. Once the advertisement period ends, the Air Force Personnel Center enlisted assignments branch will forward eligible applications to the hiring authority for selection.

“The Airmen serving in these positions will shape our future,” Cody said. “They will lead Air Force initiatives and influence future policies. The Air Force will benefit for years to come."

Misawa Sailors Take Part in Onagawa, Japan's Mikoshi Festival

By Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Ryan C. Delcore, Naval Air Facility Misawa Public Affairs

ONAGAWA, Japan (NNS) -- Sailors stationed and deployed at Misawa Air Base, Japan, took part in Onagawa, Japan's sacred mikoshi festival May 3.

The Sailors helped local citizens carry a portable Shinto shrine, known as a mikoshi, to Onagawa's neighborhoods and businesses as priests prayed for another year of protection and good fortune.

"This festival has happened here for over 200 years. Onagawa is a fishing town and it's important that we pray for a calm ocean and a lot of fish," said Suzuki Noriyuki, a resident of Onagawa who owns a fishing company and who helped organize the Sailors' visit.

Fishing companies, grocery stores, and the local hospital were also visited during the festival.

Noriyuki, along with other local leaders, visited Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, last April to visit with U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet leadership and thank them for their help during Operation Tomodachi. While there, U.S. Pacific Fleet leadership agreed to continue to support Onagawa by sending U.S. Sailors to attend the city's mikoshi festival.

"When the 2011 tsunami happened, the American Navy was the first to bring relief supplies for the city of Onagawa. The U.S. Navy helped clear debris and reopen the Sendai Airport which is a major hub for flying in relief supplies to the Miyagi prefecture. It would have been even worse if we didn't have those supplies for the surrounding areas that were affected by the tsunami. Many lost everything during the tsunami and the Navy ensured we had what we needed and that the survivors were kept safe," said Noriyuki.

"This is a unique experience. I definitely want to learn about the culture while I'm here and learn about everything while I can. Most people were willing to come up and talk to me. I've also went up and talked to a lot of people, and there was a lot of fun interaction," said Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Lonnie Shepard, from Rockwall, Texas.

The members of the team consisted of Builder 2nd Class James Delacruz, assigned to Public Works Department, Misawa, from Popanga, Philippines; Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Fuels) Thomas Johnson, assigned to Naval Air Facility, Misawa, from Wilsonville, Ala.; Aviation Support Equipment Technician 3rd Class Kester Baird, assigned to Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Detachment, Misawa, from Brooklyn, N.Y.; Information Systems Technician 3rd Class Liam Fazio, assigned to Commander, Task Force 72, from Fort Wayne, Ind., Yeoman 2nd Class Robert Barker, assigned to Navy Munitions Command East Asia Division Unit Misawa, from Colorado Springs, Colo.; Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Joenel Gloria, assigned to Aviation Support Detachment, Misawa, from Ewa Beach, Hawaii; Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Lonnie Shepard, assigned to Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Far East Detachment, Misawa, from Rockwall, Texas; Aviation Structural Mechanic 2nd Class Alejandro Henriquez, assigned to the Screaming Eagles of Patrol Squadron 1, from Chicago; and Aviation Structural Mechanic 3rd Class David Malievsky, assigned to the Black Ravens of Electronic Attack Squadron 135, from Hotchkiss, Colo.

Face of Defense: First Female F-35 Pilot Begins Training

By Air Force 1st Lt. Hope Cronin

33rd Fighter Wing

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla., May 7, 2015 – Air Force Lt. Col. Christine Mau, 33rd Fighter Wing Operations Group deputy commander, completed her first training flight in the single-seat F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter here May 5.

Previously, Mau completed 14 virtual training missions in the F-35 Academic Training Center’s full-mission simulator.

“It wasn’t until I was taxiing to the runway that it really struck me that I was on my own in the jet,” said Mau, formerly an F-15E Strike Eagle pilot. “I had a chase aircraft, but there was no weapons system officer or instructor pilot sitting behind me, and no one in my ear, like in simulators.”

And with that, like the other 87 F-35A pilots trained here over the last four years, Mau thundered down the runway and was airborne as the first woman in the Air Force’s premier fighter.

An Easy Adjustment

“It felt great to get airborne,” she said. “The jet flies like a dream, and seeing the systems interact is impressive. Flying with the helmet-mounted display takes some adjusting, but it’s an easy adjustment. The training missions in the simulator prepare you very well, so you’re ready for that flight.”

The initial flight in the F-35 training syllabus is designed to orient pilots with the physical aspects of flying the F-35 as compared to other fighters they’ve flown previously, such as the F-15E Strike Eagle, F-15C Eagle, F-16 Falcon, A-10 Thunderbolt II or F-22 Raptor.

Women have served in combat aviation roles in those and other aircraft for more than 20 years.

Mau acknowledged that although she may be the first woman pilot in the F-35 program, her gender has no bearing on her performance. She joked that the only difference between her and her fellow F-35 pilots is the size of her G-suit and facemask -- both extra-small.

A Great Equalizer

“Flying is a great equalizer,” Mau said. “The plane doesn’t know or care about your gender as a pilot, nor do the ground troops who need your support,” she explained. “You just have to perform. That’s all anyone cares about when you’re up there -- that you can do your job, and that you do it exceptionally well.”

Mau’s combat experience and technical prowess in the cockpit were the primary draws for her selection to her position with the 33rd Operations Group.

“Lieutenant Colonel Mau brings a valuable level of combat and operational knowledge to our team,” said Air Force Col. Todd Canterbury, 33rd Fighter Wing commander. “We’re nearly a year out from declaring initial operational capability with the F-35. We need battle-tested pilots to help us put the F-35A through its paces and ensure we have a trained and ready force of F-35 pilots to feed into our combat air forces.”

Canterbury witnessed Mau’s leadership and combat effectiveness first-hand when they were both deployed to Afghanistan in 2011, where she was part of another important milestone for women in the combat aviation community.

Made History in Afghanistan

While with the 389th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Mau was part of the first all-female combat sortie. The combat mission provided air support to coalition and Afghan forces in Afghanistan’s Kunar Valley. From the pilots and weapons system officers of the two F-15E jets to the mission planners and maintainers, the entire mission was carried out entirely by women.

“As a service, we need to attract the most innovative and skillful airmen possible for one reason: it makes us more effective,” Canterbury said. “The broader the net that we cast into the talent pool, coupled with a laser focus on performance, ensures we have the best airmen in place to carry out the mission. Performance is key, and it’s the standard we hold all of our airmen to in the Air Force.”