A-10s, Airmen complete training in Slovakia as part of TSP

by Senior Airman Dylan Nuckolls
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

5/26/2015 - SLIAC AIR BASE, Slovakia -- Approximately 40 Airmen and four A-10 Thunderbolt IIs from the 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron completed a deployment to Sliac Air Base, Slovakia, May 25, 2015, in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

The small contingent trained to improve interoperability in allied air operations and multinational close-air-support operations with the Slovakia air force during the week-long deployment.

"This has enhanced our ability to work with another NATO country and their joint terminal attack controllers and see how our interoperability will go with their JTACs and our pilots performing CAS," said U.S. Air Force Maj. Ben Rudolphi, 354th EFS director of operations. "Their military controllers both in the air and on the ground have been a huge help to us with our training. They have been open, made us feel at home here and have really taken care of us."

The 354th EFS is deployed to Campia Turzii, Romania, but participates in these micro deployments across Europe to show NATO allies the U.S. commitment to a peaceful and stable Europe as part of a theater security package.

"The part we got out of this training is knowing that we have another partner nation that we can operate with almost seamlessly with both their tactics and the common language of close air support," Rudolphi said.

These deployments increase interoperability between NATO partners as well as build stronger ties, said Theodore Sedgwick, U.S. Ambassador to Slovakia.

"The relationship between the Slovak military and the American military here in Slovakia is very close and has been for many years," said the ambassador during a May 18 visit to Sliac Air Base. "This is a terrific way to continue to strengthen the military relationship we have with Slovakia."

The TSP serves as part of a routine deployment of additional fighter squadrons, support personnel and equipment aimed to bolster U.S. forces in Europe on a rotating basis. Theater security package rotations have been occurring in the Pacific region since 2004.

Luxembourg, US honor freedom's sacrifice during Memorial Day

by Staff Sgt. Joe W. McFadden
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

5/26/2015 - LUXEMBOURG -- More than 300 Luxembourgers and Americans paused to reflect on the sacrifices of fallen U.S. service members as part of a Memorial Day ceremony at the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial in Luxembourg, May 23, 2015.

Crown Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg; Xavier Bettel, prime minister of Luxembourg; Alison Shorter Lawrence, deputy chief of mission for the U.S. Embassy in Luxembourg; and U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Darryl Roberson, 3rd Air Force and 17th Expeditionary Air Force commander, participated in the observance ahead of the American federal holiday May 25 which is dedicated to remembering those who gave their lives while serving in its military.  

"The price for freedom does not come without sacrifice," Roberson said. "Today, we honor the 5,076 brave men and women who fought for freedom's cause and are now laid to rest within these grounds. We honor the families of those who paid the ultimate price, whose loved ones died, or were taken captive and never returned. We remember the missing--the 371 service members yet to be repatriated. You are not forgotten."

The general also highlighted how this year's Memorial Day coincided with the 70th anniversary of the Allied victory in Europe during World War II.

"We reflect upon the alliances forged in the aftermath of that terrible war and the common bond of trust we share as founding members of NATO since 1949," said the general. "We have worked to find common solutions to common problems for future generations. In these uncertain times, we will continue to reassure our allies of our steadfast NATO commitments.  Today, we honor the legacy that these noble service members started over seventy years ago."

The ceremony commenced with a flyover by two F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft assigned to the 480th Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. The base's Airmen also served as a ceremonial flight in service dress, caretakers of the cemetery's Luxembourg and U.S. flags, and escorts for guests to lay wreaths. The installation's Honor Guard also presented the colors and conducted a ceremonial volley.

"General Eisenhower said to his troops prior to the invasion of Normandy, 'The eyes of the world are upon you...I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle,'" said Roberson, quoting U.S. Army Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, then the Supreme Allied Commander. "Today, we are so grateful for that courage, devotion and skill; as once again, we honor those memorialized here and the legacy they left for generations."

One of the wreath layers included Marilynn Rustand Lieurance, whose father, U.S. Army Air Corps 1st Lt. Hanford "Rusty" J. Rustand, a B-17 bomber pilot assigned to the 323rd Bombardment Squadron, 91st Bomb Group, is buried at the cemetery. Rustand died when his B-17 came under enemy fire during a mission near Merseburg, Germany, and crashed, Nov. 2, 1944, nearly half a year before Lieurance would be born.

"If you take the time to think of freedom and what it means, then you can realize the sacrifice that all these men and women made and what it meant to them that they gave their life," Lieurance said.  "My dad was 22, and a lot of his crew were 19 and one was 21. Life was just beginning for these young men. They were starting school, thinking about their future and what they were going to do with their life or get married. And yet the country needed them. Their families needed them, but the country needed them more. We all needed them, and I like to say to young people, 'Don't you realize what you have and what you wouldn't have had?' We need to remember these soldiers and what they did."

Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May in remembrance of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and has origins beginning with the memorial observances for the Civil War.

Nepal Earthquake Response Task Force Deactivates

From a Joint Task Force 505 News Release

KATHMANDU, Nepal, May 26, 2015 – Joint Task Force 505 deactivated today after redeploying from here and from Utapao Royal Air Field, Thailand, in support of Operation Sahayogi Haat.

Service members with the joint task force deployed to Nepal in support of multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake caused widespread destruction across the mountainous country April 25.

During Operation Sahayogi Haat -- "Helping Hand" in Nepali -- the task force worked with personnel from 24 countries to limit further loss of life and human suffering.

In coordination with the Nepalese government and the U.S. Agency for International Development, the task force delivered about 120.2 tons of emergency relief supplies, including plastic sheeting, shelter kits, blankets, water, medical supplies, and emergency and supplemental food. In addition to delivering aid, the task force transported 553 personnel and conducted 69 casualty evacuations.

Effort Involved 900 Personnel

About 900 U.S. military and civilian personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps contributed to the Nepal relief efforts under Joint Task Force 505’s auspices. About 300 of the task force’s personnel worked in Nepal, 320 at the main headquarters in Japan, and 280 at the intermediate staging base in Thailand.

Joint Task Force 505 contributed three Marine Corps UH-1Y Huey helicopters and four Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft to the relief effort throughout Nepal. Additionally, four Air Force C-17 Globemaster IIIs, four Air Force C-130 Hercules and four Marine Corps KC-130J Hercules aircraft, as well as various ground and aviation command and control assets, contributed to the effort.

USSTRATCOM Commander Presents Omaha Trophies to 5BW and 91MW Leadership

by Senior Airman Malia Jenkins
Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs

5/24/2015 - MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D.  --
U.S. Navy Adm. Cecil D. Haney, U.S. Strategic Command commander, presented the coveted 2014 Omaha Trophies to the Warbirds and Rough Riders of Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, May 20, 2015.

The 5th Bomb Wing was named the 2014 Omaha Trophy recipient for the fourth time as the command's premier strategic aircraft operations wing, and the 91st Missile Wing was named the 2014 Omaha Trophy recipient as the command's premier intercontinental ballistic missile wing, in recognition of outstanding support to U.S. Strategic Command's global strategic missions over the last year.

This is also the fifth time the 91st MW has earned the Omaha Trophy and will be added to the coveted Blanchard Trophy they earned from the Air Force Global Strike Challenge.

Haney visited Minot to award the 5th BW and 91st MW Omaha Trophies and express his appreciation to the men and women of Team Minot for enabling a safe, secure and effective deterrence force 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year.

Since taking command more than a year and a half ago, Haney has visited the base on numerous occasions under diverse weather conditions. He said he knows how everybody on the team works together, whether it's the chefs at the alert facilities, the maintainers doing intricate maintenance procedures on the aircraft, the alert crews themselves or the defenders. Everyone works together for a common cause.

"It is very important that you continue your Omaha Trophy performance as you continue to work through calendar year 2015. And so far, as I look at what you've been doing here in 2015, I would say I can thank you for having that remarkable performance continue well beyond 2014," Haney said.

The Omaha Trophy celebrates USSTRATCOM's premier intercontinental ballistic missile wing, ballistic missile submarine, strategic aircraft operations wing and global operations (space/cyberspace) unit.

Those receiving awards represent units throughout USSTRATCOM which are critical to fulfilling the combatant command's primary mission: to detect, deter and prevent strategic attacks against the United States and its allies. The tradition began as a single award in 1971, when the Strategic Command Consultation Committee created the trophy as a token of appreciation to, then, Strategic Air Command's best wing.

"It's important for the United States of America that we have a safe, secure and effective strategic nuclear deterrent," Haney said. "When you look at the long list of things you had to do in 2014, it was all about mission excellence and that's exactly what we want potential adversaries to understand in the deterrence calculus. Your performance makes sure that's well known."

Haney said, sometimes in the busyness of the day, the importance of getting the mission right can get lost. He urged the Airmen to continue keeping mission excellence at the forefront -- backing each other up so that the team performance is where it should be.

He also added, "As Commander of United States Strategic Command, I want to personally thank you for mission excellence as demonstrated in these trophies."

Both wing commanders thanked the Airmen for their hard work and dedication and spoke about the importance of having a great teammate, wingman and leader as they accepted their respective trophies.

Aviano F-16s take on Arctic Challenge 2015

by Staff Sgt. Evelyn Chavez
31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

5/26/2015 - KALLAX AIR BASE, Sweden -- More than 150 Airmen and 12 F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, at the invitation of the government of Sweden, arrived at Norbotten Wing here in support of Arctic Challenge Exercise 2015.

This year, the multinational flying exercise will include approximately 115 combat aircraft from nine different countries including the U.S., Finland, Sweden and Norway. The Arctic Challenge exercise will focus on improving interoperability with fellow air forces to prepare for any possible future challenges.

"The aim of ACE 15 is to provide a safe exercise with a large and unrestricted training area and demanding scenario," said Col. Carl-Johan Edstrom, Norbotten Wing deputy exercise director. "This will give participating units an extraordinary opportunity to plan, execute and evaluate large force employments in a multinational air operation."

The exercise, larger than the first which took place in 2013, will operate over the skies of Finland, Norway and Sweden and as many as 90 aircraft will fly simultaneously. The exercise will allow for prompt responses on how to improve practices particularly in a multinational environment.

"The biggest and most important part of participating in ACE 15 is the interoperability with the different allied nations and partners," said Maj. Brian Kellam, 510th Fighter Squadron chief of advance programs and fighter pilot.  "Knowing each other's tactics is essential, so when a real situation arises, we are familiar with how each country operates; the familiarity will lead to better proficiency in our missions."

The 510 FS "Buzzards" hope to maintain their joint readiness and strengthen their European relationships by conducting close air support operations, air interdiction and defensive counter air scenarios during the exercise.  According to Kellam, experiencing this type of large force exercise will prepare them by testing their management while flying.

"Typically we fly with maybe six to eight maximum aircraft daily," said Kellam.  "The exposure to operating with 90 aircraft at the same time will pay big dividends [for everyone], especially our young pilots."

Throughout the duration of the exercise, U.S., NATO and Partners for Peace militaries will work in a joint environment to deliver unified responses for simulated contingencies. ACE 15 is scheduled to continue until June 5, before concluding with its final air operations.

The short life and long legacy of 2nd Lt. George Whiteman

by Staff Sgt. Brigitte N. Brantley
509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

5/21/2015 - WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- It's impossible to know what is going through a man's mind in the final minutes before he dies.

As 2nd Lt. George Whiteman ran toward his P-40B Warhawk on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, he likely thought only of getting airborne to retaliate against the attacking Japanese fighters.

As a burst of enemy gunfire shot through his aircraft's cockpit wounding him, he may have thought of his younger siblings back in Missouri, waiting for their big brother to return safely.

As his plane crashed and burned moments after he lifted off the runway, he may have thought of his mother waiting for her first-born to make it home alive.

It's impossible to know exactly what Earlie Whiteman was doing at the moment her son took his last breath.

Although it was morning in Hawaii, it was afternoon in America and all throughout the country, radio programs were interrupted with breakings news: Japan had attacked Pearl Harbor.

At 10:13 p.m. that night, official news reached Earlie back in Sedalia, Missouri: Her 22-year-old son George had died. When interviewed by a newspaper reporter, she said, "It's hard to believe. It might have happened anytime, anywhere. We've got to sacrifice loved ones if we want to win this war."

It was the same news 416,000 other mothers of American service members during World War II would receive.

On August 6, 1945, pilots from the 509th Composite Group dropped the "Little Boy" atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. On August 9, a second crew dropped "Fat Man" on Nagasaki.

George is now believed by many historians to be the first pilot killed in aerial combat during the war. Although his life was cut short, his legacy lives on in military history.

In 1955, the recently re-opened Sedalia Air Force Base was renamed Whiteman Air Force Base in his honor. Fast forward to 2015. Each year, a ribbon-covered wreath is placed on the young lieutenant's grave to honor the sacrifice he made.

This year's wreath-laying ceremony was held on May 16. As the flag was raised to half-staff, George's grave was surrounded on three sides by groups he impacted in one way or another. On one side were Security Forces Airmen from the base, lined up in a neat formation with sharp salutes. On another side, descendants from his nine brothers and sisters solemnly watched the flag slide up the pole. On the last side of the grave, veterans from multiple conflicts also rendered the proper salutes.

The event's guest speaker was U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Glen VanHerck, commander of the 509th Bomb Wing, which ties its roots back to the 509th Composite Group.

"He would be proud to know the wing that dropped the atomic bomb and effectively ended the war now resides at the base that bears his namesake," said VanHerck.

VanHerck, whose first assignment as a young lieutenant was also to the Pacific as a part of the 44th Fighter Squadron under the 18th Fighter Wing, said he feels a personal connection to Whiteman, who was assigned to the forefather units of that squadron.

"Whiteman had a choice: he could run from the fight or he could run to the fight," said the general. "He could have easily spared his life, but he placed himself in harm's way for his country, his family, his fellow Airmen and all of us standing here today. He embodied everything we desire in our service members."

This year, in addition to the traditional wreath-laying ceremony, plaques were placed at locations throughout his hometown on a route known as the Whiteman Corridor. The plaque located in Katy Park at the intersection of 24th and Grand streets is accompanied by two metal sculptures by local artist Don Luper.

The first sculpture, a P-40 pointing toward his childhood home, represents the past. The second sculpture, a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber pointing toward Whiteman Air Force Base, represents the future. Together, they are called "Whiteman: Legacy of Freedom."

"Whiteman Air Force Base has grown and changed many times in the past 60 years, but its mission remains the same as Lt. Whiteman's missions that early December morning: to protect this country, its people and its freedom from those that would do it harm," said Dianne Simon, who serves on Sedalia's Military Affairs Committee.

"When the base received its current name, many Sedalia residents would have still remembered Lt. Whiteman and his family, or known others who have served and sacrificed in that Great War," Simon added. "Today, the numbers of that generation are rapidly dwindling and we do not want the memory of Lt. Whiteman to fade away with them."

George Williams, the lieutenant's nephew who was named after his uncle, agreed that it's important to remember the pilot's sacrifice.

"Today's generation doesn't fully understand what he did and what others did," said Williams, who added he's very proud of the service members who gave the sacrifice then as well as the ones who are serving now. "This ceremony helps keep it in front of them."

It's impossible to know what Whiteman would think of his legacy, but it's likely he would have been proud of the base that bears his name and the Airmen who help keep his memory alive.

Face of Defense: Kazakhstan Native Selected for Officer Training

By Air Force Senior Airman Cierra Presentado

455th Air Expeditionary Wing

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan, May 26, 2015 – A C-17 Globemaster III supply clerk from the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron at Al Udied Air Base, Qatar, was recently selected to attend Officer Training School while forward deployed here.

Air Force Senior Airman Aigerim Akhmetova said she remembers waking up early to stand in line with her mother for loaves of bread while growing up in Kazakhstan when it was a Soviet republic.

With her country going through difficult times, Akhmetova said, she became strongly goal-driven. She knew she wanted to travel and get an education, she added, so that is what she set out to do.

After receiving a master’s degree in translation from the University of Kyzylorda in Kazakhstan, Akhmetova worked as an interpreter for a large company, speaking Kazakh, English and Russian. She later decided to move to the United States to find a steady job and to travel more.

Challenging Job Hunt in America

“When I came to America, it was challenging to find a job, because my background and all my references were from Kazakhstan,” she said. “So I searched for a career to try to build up my resume. It was hard, but I had to make a decision on what I needed to do. That’s when I decided the Air Force was the right path for me. I could make a difference by helping others and build a career for myself.”

Akhmetova said that with her college degree, she wanted to be an Air Force officer, but because she was not a U.S. citizen, she learned, she could not be commissioned. Undeterred, she enlisted.

Her recruiter advised her to enlist, serve one year at her duty station and then apply for Officer Training School. “I figured it would be a great experience for me and my family to learn about the military culture, so I went ahead with it,” she said.

U.S. Citizenship

Akhmetova went to basic military training in November 2011, and after graduating and going to technical school, she was awarded U.S. citizenship, opening the door for her to apply to become an officer.

“After I got my citizen certificate, it was game on. My goal was to get to my duty station, learn and be efficient at my job, and start building up my package to apply,” she said. “Unfortunately, at the time I was ready to apply, they had a freeze in the OTS board, so I took advantage of that time and continued my education and got my [Community College of the Air Force associate’s degree] for my career field.”

During the time Akhemtova was waiting to apply for OTS, she said, she accomplished a lot at her home unit at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. She joined many organizations and played a part in leading events. In December 2014, it was time to submit her package, and with a clean record and all requirements met, she was on her way to becoming an officer.

“With the help of my leadership, we submitted my package, and from there I stayed hopeful that I would make it,” she said. “Although I had lots of encouragement from my friends and mentors, I thought of the submission as a familiarization process that would prepare me for my next try at applying if I didn’t make it.”

Selected for Officer Training School

After submitting her package, Akhmetova was notified that she was tasked to deploy. It was a month into her tour that she received the news from her supervisor that she was selected for Officer Training School.

“I got the news from her commander from her home station, and I couldn’t wait to share it with her,” said Air Force Master Sgt. Douglas Fielding, 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron C-17 production superintendent. “She is a hard worker; she puts in extra hours to attend organizations around [Bagram] and she strives to be the best airman she can be. We’re all extremely proud of her here,” he said.

Akhemtova will attend OTS at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, next year.

Prepared for the Opportunity

“I’m so grateful and extremely excited to become an officer. I’ve set many goals for myself, and I’m prepared for this new change in life that I am about to experience,” she said. “Throughout my journey as an officer I’m going to take advantage of as many opportunities as I can, and help others along the way.”

Akhemtova said persistence is the key for enlisted airmen looking for a new challenge as a commissioned officer.

“Whatever you do, don’t give up,” she said. “If you know you want to be an officer, keep applying. Keep trying, and don’t be afraid to go to your leadership and mentors for help. Don’t give up on your goals.”

AFGSC conducts Minuteman III missile test launch from Vandenberg

Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs

5/26/2015 - VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with a test reentry vehicle from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, at 3:37 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time May 20.

The ICBM's reentry vehicle, which contained a telemetry package used for operational testing, traveled approximately 4,200 miles to the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

Every test launch verifies the accuracy and reliability of the ICBM weapon system, providing valuable data to ensure a safe, secure and effective deterrent for as long as nuclear weapons exist. The launch team, under the direction of the 576th Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, included Airmen from the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming, and the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.

Maj. Jacqueline Sartori from the 90th Missile Wing served as the Task Force commander for the launch.

"Operational test launches are an amazing opportunity for our Airmen to see the results of their hard work first-hand," Sartori said. "This launch will help us verify the reliability of our ICBM weapon system and processes."

The launch was initiated by crew members from the 625th STOS, aboard the U.S. Strategic Command Airborne Command Post E-6B aircraft employing the Airborne Launch Control System.

Lt. Col. Grayson Higby, 625th STOS commander, said everyone on the test launch team always looks forward to the end result. "The test marks the culmination of dedicated individual effort as well as effective coordination between multiple DoD organizations," Higby said.

F.E. Warren AFB is one of three missile bases with crew members standing alert 24-7 year round, overseeing the nation's 450 ICBM alert forces.

The ICBM community, including the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and U.S. Strategic Command will use the data collected from this mission for continuing force development evaluation.