DoD Education Activity Teachers Earn National Honors

From a Department of Defense Education Activity News Release

ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 10, 2015 – Two Department of Defense Education Activity teachers are national awardees of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

President Barack Obama named 108 mathematics and science teachers as recipients of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching earlier this week.

Among them are Ryan Goodfellow, a mathematics and science teacher at Vilseck American High School in Germany in 2013; and Jennifer Wilson, a mathematics teacher at Andersen Middle School in Guam in 2013.

Goodfellow is now an instructional systems specialist for the Mediterranean District, and Wilson, a military spouse, is no longer a DoDEA employee.

The national winners represent all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. territories, and DoDEA.

Selected by Scientists, Mathematicians, Educators

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching are awarded annually to outstanding K-12 science and mathematics teachers from across the country. The 2013 winners were selected by a panel of scientists, mathematicians and educators following an initial selection process done at the state level.

Each year, the award alternates between teachers teaching kindergarten through 6th grade and those teaching 7th through 12th grades. The 2013 national winners teach 7th through 12th grade.

Obama is emphasizing education in science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM, fields.

Winners of this presidential honor receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation to be used at their discretion. They also are invited to Washington for an awards ceremony that will take place later this summer.

“Competence in STEM, especially proficiency in mathematics and science gained in grades K–12, forms the foundation of an educated, capable, and technical future workforce,” said Adrian Talley, DoDEA’s principal deputy director and associate director for education. “It is exciting to see our teachers recognized on a national level for bringing innovation and forward thinking into our schools.”

DoDEA plans, directs, coordinates, and manages pre-kindergarten through 12th grade education programs for school-age children of Defense Department personnel who otherwise would not have access to high-quality public education. DoDEA schools are located in Europe, the Pacific, Western Asia, the Middle East, Cuba, the United States, Guam, and Puerto Rico. DoDEA also provides support and resources to local educational agencies throughout the United States that serve children of military families.

Oregon ANG begins training in Romania

by Senior Airman Dylan Nuckolls
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

7/9/2015 - CAMPIA TURZII, Romania -- U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 142nd Fighter Wing, Oregon Air National Guard, Portland, Oregon, commenced training with the Romanian air force as part of a theater security package of F-15C Eagle fighter aircraft deployed to Campia Turzii, Romania, July 6, 2015.

More than 200 Airmen from various active duty and ANG units comprise the 123rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron which is serving in the TSP as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve along with NATO allies.

"Our mission in Romania is to support Operation Atlantic Resolve," said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Sean Sullivan, 123rd EFS commander. "It is to show the United States' dedication to security, stability and peace in Europe and to work on interoperability with our NATO allies."

The 123rd EFS took over as the lead unit of the TSP from the 159th EFS from the 125th FW, Florida Air National Guard, Jacksonville, Fla. The 159th EFS arrived in Europe in March with 12 F-15Cs to start the ANG TSP in the European theater.

"The U.S. Air Force's forward presence in Europe, augmented by a rotational force like the TSP, allows us to work with our allies to develop and improve ready air forces capable of maintaining regional security," said U.S. Air Force Gen. Frank Gorenc, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa commander, in a previous news release.

These TSP-type of deployments are not new to the Air Force as fighter squadrons have been deploying like this to the Pacific region since 2004.

"It is very important for us to exercise that capability with our NATO allies, and I think we can all benefit from this experience," said U.S. ANG Maj. Gen. Eric Vollmecke, ANG assistant to the USAFE-AFAFRICA commander, in a previous news release concerning the 159th EFS' deployment to Leeuwarden Air Base, Netherlands. "Our NATO allies are very capable aviators and have great air forces. There are many things we can learn from them, especially from their innovation. They may not have the resources that the U.S. has, but they have done an incredible job of maintaining an impressive level of readiness."

AFRL secretary wins Air Force 2015 disability award

by Jeanne Dailey
Air Force Research Laboratory

7/9/2015 - KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M.  -- Stacy Gatling, executive secretary to the Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate director, is the winner of the 2015 Outstanding Department of Defense Employee with a Disability Award.

"I am very surprised, excited, and thankful," Gatling said.

Born legally blind due to albinism, Gatling says she has tried not to let her disability greatly affect her.

"One of the biggest issues is not being able to drive and get around on my own," she said. "I have been blessed with a family who helps and many co-workers who make sure I get to where I need to be."

Gatling explained that ocular albinism is lack of pigmentation in the eye.

"My vision is 20/200 in each eye, which is not correctable," she said. "The eye doctors say, when looking at my eyes, it is such a clear view, compared to individuals with colored eyes."

Gatling began her federal career more than 30 years ago as a medical board secretary at William Beaumont Army Medical Center at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, where she met her future husband. They moved to New Mexico in 1982, and in 1984 she resumed her civil service career at Kirtland.

Gatling moved up through the ranks in administrative positions, starting out as an appointment clerk at the Kirtland hospital, later becoming a branch secretary in base supply and eventually transferring to AFRL in 1997.

David Hardy, who is Directed Energy Directorate director and Gatling's boss, said Gatling proved herself as a great employee time and again.

"I selected Stacy as my secretary after observing her capabilities as my deputy's secretary," he said. "I am impressed with her administrative skills, upbeat attitude, and warm personality. In 2014 she won this award at the major command level, and I am delighted to see Stacy recognized for her accomplishments at the Air Force level."

Gatling uses magnifiers, telescopic glasses, and large view computer screens to help her handle the multitude of paperwork and computer tasks necessary in each job she has held.

"Stacy demands the highest standard of excellence from her work and does not consider herself disabled," Hardy said. "She has learned to overcome the obstacle of lifelong blindness and has done this so effectively that it is easy to forget she is legally blind."

Along with an outgoing disposition, perseverance also describes Gatling. She said her mother raised her to be the person she is today.

"She put me in public school and let me play like all the other kids," Gatling said. "I was never treated as handicapped. I knew I couldn't see nearly as well as the other children, but I learned to get around that."

She said some "wonderful people" have helped her in managing her disability.

"My husband and my children are so supportive -- they are a blessing from God," she said. "My school teachers would go the extra step to make sure I had the type print and other tools I needed to do my lessons. My teacher who taught me how to type on a manual typewriter and use the abacus (which I didn't like) was totally blind. My counselors from the State Commission for the Blind in Texas and New Mexico have been excellent. The Texas Commission provided tutors in high school and one of my counselors helped me get my first civil service job at Fort Bliss."

Gatling said she has overcome discrimination barriers in which employers were initially reluctant to hire someone with her challenges. Looking back, Gatling said she appreciates the opportunities the Department of Defense has offered her that she might not have received from other organizations.

"I have met and worked with so many great people," Gatling said. "At the Satellite Assessment Center, my first job in AFRL, they called me the 'Mom of SatAC.' Now they all come to see me when they are in Albuquerque, and we keep in touch through Facebook, text messaging, and phone calls. My co-workers have taught me so much. I think it is an honor to work for the military."

GWCSG Improves Combat Efficiency With Dynamic War-at-Sea Exercise During Talisman Sabre

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brian Sloan, USS George Washington Public Affairs

TIMOR SEA (NNS) -- The George Washington Carrier Strike Group (GWCSG), the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy completed a dynamic war-at-sea exercise (WASEX) as part of Talisman Sabre 2015 (TS15), July 8-9.

WASEX simulated searching for and engaging hostile surface warships in order to improve joint interoperability, assess carrier strike group operations and to defend against maritime threats.

"Our goal was to practice neutralizing surface threats that might attack the carrier strike group," said Lt. Michael Beer, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15 exercises and engagements officer. "We used the air wing's distance and striking power to eliminate the threat before it can get close enough to engage us."

In order to demonstrate a conflict at sea, two Royal Australian Navy and two Royal New Zealand Navy ships acted as aggressors while the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) and USS Mustin (DDG 89) maneuvered and counter-attacked the simulated threat according to Beer.

Additionally, communications and target tracking were improved during the exercise.

"We had some minor difficulties with communication circuits between the strike groups, but we were able to obtain the latitudes and longitudes of the threats and overcome obstacles very quickly," said Beer.

TS15 enables real-world proficiency in sustaining joint forces through detecting, locating, tracking and engaging units at sea and in the air in response to various mission areas.

TS15 is a biennial land, sea and air military training exercise between U.S. and Australian forces that features more than 33,000 personnel, 21 ships, 200 aircraft and three submarines, which increases U.S.-Australian interoperability to respond to a wide variety of contingencies and maintain security, peace, and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

Two VFA-195 Sailors to Receive Maintainer of the Year Awards

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brian Sloan, USS George Washington Public Affairs

TIMOR SEA (NNS) -- Two Sailors from the "Dambusters" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 195, embarked aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), will receive the 2014 Maintainer of the Year Awards for their respective ratings.

Aviation Electronics Technician 1st Class Branden Forwood, from Boise, Idaho, and Aviation Structural Mechanic (Safety Equipment) 1st Class Joseph Huguelet, from Ocala, Florida, were selected for the Richard P. James Memorial Award and the Douglas L. Scott Memorial Award, respectively, after a nomination by their commanding officer, Cmdr. David Pollard.

"They repeatedly prove themselves as a cornerstone of my squadron's maintenance effort, through commitment to duty, professional expertise and leadership," said Pollard.

According to Lt. Michael Willis, VFA-195's safety officer, Forwood and Huguelet receiving the awards simultaneously is indicative of the squadron's mission readiness. He added that it is rare for any Sailor to receive these awards because they are Navy-wide recognitions.

"We have a lot of Sailors who are good at their jobs, a lot who are good at organizational skills, a lot of leaders and a lot who do community service," said Willis. "But Huguelet and Forwood are among the few Sailors who excel at all those things."

In addition to being well-rounded, technical experts in their respective fields, the maintainers attributed their success to the squadron's teamwork and mentorship.

"It was all about bringing out the best in my shipmates and having everybody work together," said Huguelet. "I knew what I needed to do and I knew that my success would be impossible without the proper mentorship and the help from my shipmates."

As a final word of advice to junior Sailors who want to succeed, Huguelet emphasized that finding a proper source of motivation played a key role in his success.

"Every time I hear a jet launch, I love knowing that I did my best to take care of that aircraft," he said. "I know that I maintained the safety equipment that will give the pilot a final way out in emergency scenarios."

George Washington and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, are on patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. The ship will conduct a hull swap with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) later this year, after serving seven years as the U.S. Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier in Yokosuka, Japan.