Unifying the WSEP, CF 16-1 training efforts

by Senior Airman Sergio A. Gamboa
325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

12/22/2015 - TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla.  -- When several military organizations come together to accomplish a common goal, it not only validates their commitment to the mission, but it strengthens the morale of its members.

Nowhere was this more evident than in this year's combined Checkered Flag 16-1 and Combat Archer exercise.

The 83rd Fighter Weapon Squadron came together with the 325th Fighter Wing for the second time to host the Air Combat Command's Checkered Flag 16-1 exercise. Checkered Flag is a large-force exercise that gives several legacy and fifth-generation aircraft the chance to practice combat training together in simulated employment from a deployed environment.

Every year the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group's 83rd FWS hosts 12 Weapon System Evaluation Program's, known as Combat Archer, a platform that evaluates the air-to-air weapon system capability of combat aircraft.

"The data gathered from the Combat Archer evaluation is used to make strategic decisions on air-to-air weapons by senior U.S. Air Force leaders and combatant commanders," said Col. Scott Ward, 53rd WEG commander. "Part of the [53rd] WEG's mission is to evaluate air-to-air weapons, so these evaluations are vital to accomplishing that mission."

The 325th FW and 83rd FWS hosted Checkered Flag units, and together they provided all of the required support for the visiting squadrons, including office, maintenance, equipment, airspace, scenario development and weapons support accommodations, said Ward.

Integrating both these exercises has provided supporting units with increased resources and saved the Air Force money.

"When you take a look at the amount of assets we're bringing in for the WSEP it makes sense to integrate more assets together and garner some costs savings," said Col. Joseph Kunkel, 325th FW vice commander.

Once Checkered Flag is finished, the lessons learned will be highlighted to Air Combat Command staff.

"From what I've seen, it went very well," Ward said. "The various units got the opportunity to train together in an exercise that's larger than the unit-level training they would usually get at home-station."

"Training like this is the foundation for everything the Air Force does, and it is vital to every mission," Kunkel said. "The Air Force is always looking for ways to save taxpayer dollars and with combining Checkered Flag and the WSEP they did just that. Not only is this going to improve our force, but it is also going to make our Airmen better."

Face of Defense: Air Force Becomes a Family Affair

By Air Force Airman 1st Class Larissa Greatwood 86th Airlift Wing

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany, December 23, 2015 — For one family, the Air Force was not only the answer to their immediate financial needs, but also the start of a multi-generational journey.

Steve Nutt and his wife, Brittany Nutt, decided they were ready for a change.

"I was working multiple jobs, only getting a couple hours of sleep a night,” Steve said. “My wife was teaching, working in a pharmacy and trying to get into physician assistant school. One tax season, we got a tax bill for about $1,200, and we didn't have anything. We ended up paying it, but we were eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for a few months straight."

For the Nutt family, working hard with little payoff was not the way to live. With advice from her uncle, who was an Air Force senior master sergeant at the time, the then 23-year-old Brittany knew the Air Force was the new obstacle for which she had been searching.

A Career Change, Then Another

"I wanted a change and a new challenge in my life,” Brittany said. "The Air Force offered benefits, a new career field and so many educational aids."

The couple both enlisted in the Air Force, with Steve graduating from basic military training the week Brittany began hers in San Antonio, Texas .

"My [technical] school was in San Antonio, so I would meet her at church on Sundays,” he said. "I would check up on her and tell her what she was going to be doing during training each week.”

Steve went on to become a services specialist, while Brittany became a flight medicine technician.

Two years into her first four-year enlistment, Brittany discovered she could earn a commission to become a nurse practitioner.

With a chance to further her career, many things had to be taken into consideration to ensure their home life was stable. Brittany said they mutually decided the best decision for their family was for Steve to leave the Air Force, while she went into the Airman Education and Commissioning Program for nursing.

Despite moving several times due to his wife’s career, Steve said he benefited from his experience as a services specialist by finding a variety of civilian jobs in fields as diverse as mortuary affairs and accounting. He is now retired after working as a deputy sheriff for the Solano County Sheriff’s Office in Fairfield, California.

Air Force Offered Opportunities

“I loved being in the Air Force and tried to excel in every aspect,” he said. “The Air Force and being in the services career field allowed more flexibility for me in the workforce [in the civilian sector]. Moving around, there have always been services jobs available, but the best job I ever had was being a deputy sheriff. I was able to get that job because I had military experience.”

The Nutts agreed the Air Force enabled them to progress in their careers -- in and out of the military.

"I knew I wanted to do something with nursing, so I kept pursuing my dreams,” Brittany said. “My husband mentioned the physician assistant program. It allowed me to become a nurse practitioner, which is what I wanted to do."

Today, Brittany is a major with 19 years of service, two bachelor’s degrees, a master’s degree and a doctorate. She’s assigned 86th Medical Squadron as a women’s health nurse practitioner.

Beginning a Tradition of Service

The Nutts’ decisions shaped their family in unexpected ways, they said, as Kiersten, their eldest child, has now joined the Air Force. And Brittany administered the oath of enlistment to Kiersten before she left for training.

"My parents and I had done a lot of talking about my future,” Kiersten said. "Enlisting in the military is a good way to dip my toes into the pool of adulthood. Aside from that, it's a very stable career path and no matter what field I go into, I know I’ll be well-trained.”

Kiersten said one benefit to growing up in a military family was learning adaptability to new environments due to moving every two to three years. She attended nine different schools in 12 years and says she learned to develop friendships wherever she went.

Airmen are not always guaranteed their first career choice upon enlistment. Kiersten said she wanted to work toward a broadcast career with American Forces Network, but instead will be working with radio frequency transmission systems. This hasn’t dampened her enthusiasm for the Air Force, however. “I’m the type of person who sees the glass as 100 percent full,” she said.

SMC assists with L.A. veterans' stand down

by James Spellman, Jr.
Space and Missile Systems Center Public Affairs

12/23/2015 - LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE - EL SEGUNDO, Calif.  -- For three days in December, just before the holidays, the pace of events in downtown Los Angeles were anything but relaxed for a dedicated group of Space and Missile Systems Center personnel intent on helping former brothers- and sisters-in-arms in need.

In what was billed as the largest "stand down" for homeless military veterans and their families to ever take place in the country, more than 65 volunteers from SMC joined service providers from federal, state, city and county governments as well as local nonprofit partners from across Los Angeles County and the South Bay Dec. 19-21 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

The three-day event saw dozens of service providers from the public and private sectors assist vets with everything from housing and employment assistance to a variety of VA services to dental and other medical and wellness services. SMC personnel provided over 400 volunteer hours during the stand down. The active duty, civilians and contractors came from Los Angeles Air Force Base to help set up the event, hand out food and clothing and participate in the opening ceremony.

"There's something special about helping your own. Although I can't relate with their struggles, we do share one thing in common....we all raised our right hand and vowed to support and defend the Constitution. 'Homeless' and 'Veterans' shouldn't be in the same sentence," said Maj. Dex Landreth, Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Mission Integration chief with SMC's Launch Systems Enterprise Directorate. "It pulls at the heart strings when you see the numbers of over 5,000 homeless veterans in the Los Angeles area. I'm extremely proud to help out with the Los Angeles Veterans Stand Down."

According to the U.S. Vets website regarding the second annual L.A. Vets Stand Down, Los Angeles has the largest population of homeless military veterans in the nation living on the streets. Homeless vets account for nearly 20 percent of the people living on the streets and in shelters in Los Angeles. For a low-income veteran and family, attaining and maintaining affordable, stable housing is no easy achievement in the City of Angels. The overall cost of living in L.A. is 36 percent above the national average, with housing costs among the top 10 most expensive in the nation.

"No man or women who have served our country, particularly in combat, should be sleeping on the streets of Los Angeles," said Landreth, who in 2009, was selected to attend a nine-month civic leadership fellowship called Leadership L.A.

"The fellowship was geared towards individuals with a strong commitment for civic leadership and engagement within the city of Los Angeles. At the end of the of the nine-month fellowship, the expectation is to either sit on a non-profit/philanthropic board, become an appointed or elected official, and ultimately shape policies that influence the quality of life for all Californians," Landreth explained.

"It was during the fellowship that brought me to the attention of United States Veterans Initiatives, or U.S. Vets, a private non-profit organization that provides housing, employment, and counseling to our nation's veterans. With 21 residential sites and nine service centers in 14 cities across six states, it's the nation's largest nonprofit provider of comprehensive services to homeless and at-risk veterans.

"It started with a simple email to Stephen Peck, CEO of U.S. Vets and son of Academy award-winning actor Gregory Peck. He immediately responded to my desire to contribute to the organization and brought me to the Inglewood facility and introduced me to Ivan Mason, the executive director of U.S. Vets Inglewood. From that time on, I was elected to their Advisory Board and have participated in numerous volunteer events and solicited volunteers from SMC to support the fight against homeless veterans."

According to Landreth, President Obama and the Department of Veteran Affairs set a national goal of ending veteran homelessness. In July, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, a U.S. Navy Reserve officer, signed on to the President's Challenge and committed to ending veteran homelessness.

"As the second largest U.S. city, Los Angeles is a leader in solving community issues and with Mayor Garcetti and the City Council's backing, the stand down will be an invaluable tool in reaching this important goal," said Landreth.

For more information on how to meet the President's Challenge of ending homelessness among veterans, visit the U.S. Vets website at www.usvetsinc.org or contact Maj. Landreth at (310) 653-3022 or via e-mail at dex.landreth@us.af.mil.

AFRL develops integrated weapons analysis capability to meet warfighter needs

by Jeanne Dailey
Air Force Research Laboratory

12/23/2015 - KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- The Air Force Research Laboratory commander, Maj. Gen. Thomas Masiello, wants an integrated analysis capability and common framework that allows understanding the effectiveness of directed energy and kinetic weapons, whether used separately, cooperatively or synergistically.

To meet this need, AFRL created the Integrated Weapons Environment for Analysis, or IWEA, which brings together, for the first time, analysis tools that are used to evaluate the effectiveness and military utility of potential weapons technologies into a common analysis environment.  Before IWEA, the military utility attributed to a particular weapon technology was assessed individually with varying degrees of fidelity.

"Bringing the tools together in a common analysis environment increases the overall fidelity and allows analysts to consider the synergistic benefit of combining different technologies like kinetic and directed energy weapons," Masiello said.  "IWEA provides a comprehensive weapons strategy to better meet warfighter needs."

The IWEA project began in 2012 as a multi-directorate project under the AFRL Commander's Research and Development Fund with researchers from the Aerospace Systems, Directed Energy, Human Effectiveness, Munitions, and Sensors Directorates supporting development.  AFRL's chief technologist Dr. Morley Stone highlighted IWEA as a "shining example of AFRL cross-directorate collaboration."

Masiello designated the Directed Energy Directorate as the lead directorate with Linda Lamberson as program manager responsible for leading integration of the directed energy analysis tools into the IWEA environment.

Capt. Melanie Walton, the deputy program manager from the Munitions Directorate, was responsible for leveraging and enhancing existing kinetic weapon analysis tools and for providing the Endgame Framework software that was used to integrate all of the lethality tools together.  IWEA is also now using the Analytical Framework for Simulation, Integration, and Modeling for all mission level simulation requirements.

Leveraging from research in autonomy, the Aerospace Systems team provided novel aircraft/weapons employment optimization tools to rapidly and efficiently explore the best combination of weapons and weapons load-outs for specific mission areas.  Human Effectiveness provided tools to evaluate collateral personnel hazards from directed energy employment.  Sensors provided the interface to their high fidelity sensing data analysis toolset.

"AFRL envisions many uses for the IWEA environment," Lamberson said. "AFRL technologists can use IWEA to identify specific design requirements that will support research and inform technology investment decisions, ultimately resulting in capabilities that better meet our warfighter needs.  Also, analysts from AFRL or other Air Force and Department of Defense agencies can use IWEA to generate weapon effectiveness data for use in military utility studies designed to evaluate alternatives to meet specific mission needs."

Modeling and simulation is a critical component of AFRL's support to Air Force development planning, Masiello said.

"AFRL is leading the way for the Air Force in new modeling and simulation paradigms which includes IWEA.  The integration of IWEA with our AFSIM modeling program will be a powerful combination of AFRL M&S tools directly supporting development of national defense capabilities."

Face of Defense: Soldier Spreads Joy Through Love for Piano

By Kevin Walston 10th Mountain Division

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan, December 22, 2015 — Among Army Spc. Anne Lee's earliest memories, she said, is being a young girl staring at the pianist during Sunday church services and wondering what it took to make that kind of music.

“I think I was about 5 years old or so, and I was fascinated by the music she played,” she said. “Every chance I’d get, I’d sneak over after service to sit with her and tap on the keys. Soon afterwards, I started taking piano lessons.”

Today, she’s not only an automated logistics specialist serving here as part of the 1st Armored Division’s Resolute Support Sustainment Brigade, but she's also an accomplished classical pianist who’s performed concerts around the world -- including New York City’s Carnegie Hall.

Cultivating Talent

The daughter of Protestant missionaries, Lee was born Yi Pyung-An in Hwajung, South Korea, and immigrated to Los Angeles at about age 18. Soon, she was given the opportunity to play piano during her father’s church service, and it was then she met Chung Chang-mi.

Chung was already an accomplished classical pianist when Lee met her. She’d come to Los Angeles from New York City to host some piano recitals. Chung had already trained countless pianists, and by chance, happened to attend Lee’s church and heard the way she played, Lee said. Chung would later become her mentor and biggest inspiration for the talents she displays today on the keyboard, Lee added.

“She was the first one who said she thought I had perfect pitch on the keyboard,” Lee said. “At that time, I was playing piano during Sunday services at our church and after service one Sunday, she asked my parents if I could come to her studio and take lessons from her.”

Chung invited Lee to come to New York with her and continue training, Lee said. “It was such a great opportunity, but at that time, my family couldn’t afford for me to move away so I couldn’t go with her,” she added.

Quick Ascendance

Chung decided to remain in Los Angeles for several months to teach, and Lee continued taking lessons from her and learning as much as she could. Lee said she was like a sponge, clinging to Chung’s every move as her fingers floated across the keys. Lee said Chung's teaching intensified her love for an instrument that she said has become a huge part of who she is. And before Chung eventually left Los Angeles to return to New York, she gave Lee a baby grand piano so that she could continue to perfect her talents.

Lee continued to practice her craft and at 19, enrolled in Pepperdine University. After becoming a member of the university choir, she was soon promoted to the position of lead classical pianist.

“When I first met the choir director, I remembered him asking me, ‘Where have you been, because I’ve never heard anyone so young playing like that before!'" she said. “That opened yet another door for me because before I knew it, I was the music director -- and then he hired me to be the lead accompanist for the university’s master choir. He really believed in me and gave me so much confidence, even when I was second-guessing myself.”

Soon, Lee was touring with the university choir across the United States and Europe. She said she remembers some special moments during mission trips to Turkey and Bulgaria that changed her life.

A Greater Cause

“I met so many children during those trips that were super-talented, yet because of economics, never had the chance to explore their talents,” Lee said. “That’s when I decided that I wanted a more meaningful career than just playing music and at about age 30, I met some Korean War vets who really inspired me.”

Lee said it was during those times with the vets who’d sacrificed so much that she realized she wanted to honor them by becoming a part of something bigger. Had it not been for their sacrifices years ago, she said she’d never have had the opportunity to immigrate to the United States.

So, on Aug. 6, 2012, she joined the U.S. Army and is now serving on her second deployment to Afghanistan.

“Having a chance to play the piano for people and have them enjoy it is a part of my religious testimony,” said Lee, who currently serves as the lead pianist for Bagram’s Enduring Faith Chapel’s Protestant Service. “It’s just what God has blessed me with and where he’s leading me as part of his plan. It’s all a part of being something bigger than I am.”

Cherokee Nation honors 188th Wing with visit

by Senior Airman Cody Martin
188th Wing Public Affairs

12/16/2015 - EBBING AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ark.  -- Cherokee Nation citizens demonstrated traditional aspects of their culture and spoke about their heritage for Native American Indian Heritage Month with a presentation at the 188th Wing Nov. 18.

The program began with a blessing from Crosslin Smith, a spiritual resource person, or medicine man. Smith represented the Cherokee Nation during the Korean War as a member of the 45th Thunderbird Division and is a member of the Keetoowah Society.

Tommy Wildcat, supervisor of the Ancient Village living history exhibit and accomplished Cherokee recording artist, performed on the Cherokee flute following Smith's blessing. Wildcat is renowned for his work on soundtracks that range from Discovery Channel's "How the West was Lost" to Turner Network Television's movie "Tecumseh, the Last Warrior."

After the performance, Joe Crittenden, deputy principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, spoke to the Airmen in attendance about the beautiful country of Cherokee Nation and their traditions. Crittenden served two terms as a Cherokee Nation council member and was elected as deputy principal chief in 2011.

"We want to keep our heritage, our culture and our language alive for as long as possible so we don't lose our being," Crittenden said.

The program ended with a song in the Cherokee language sung by Ja-Li-Si Pittman, the 2015-2016 Miss Cherokee. Pittman is currently the vice-president of the Cherokee Nation Tribal Youth Council and her platform has tackled youth needing strong mentors in school.

Col. Brian Burger, commander of the 188th Operations Group, recognized the participants with a 188th coin and a certificate of appreciation and thanked them for sharing their culture with the unit.

"The 188th made us feel like family," Crittenden stated. "I appreciate them and everything they do for the country."

"The Cherokee Nation has strong ties in the Fort Smith, Arkansas and Oklahoma areas, where many of our members of the 188th reside," said Col. Bobbi Doorenbos, commander of the 188th Wing. "Understanding and appreciating the local culture through programs like this helps to develop longstanding partnerships between the Cherokee Nation and the 188th Wing. We're very thankful for their presence in the community and their commitment to showcasing their culture and heritage to us."

Three awarded in memorial essay contest

by 1st Lt. Sarah Burnett
Air Force Space Command Public Affairs

12/22/2015 - PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -  -- Three Air Force Space Command Airmen were awarded prizes for their winning essay entries in the 2015 Gen. Bernard A. Schriever Memorial Essay Contest,  Dec. 10, 2015.

The purpose of the contest is to stimulate thought, discussion, and debate on matters relating to how the Air Force and Air Force Space Command  provide space and cyberspace capabilities for the joint force and the nation.

The Lance P. Sijan Chapter of the Air Force Association, in cooperation with Air Force Space Command, sponsors the Gen. Bernard A. Schriever Memorial Essay Contest. The theme for the 2015 Gen. Bernard A. Schriever Memorial Essay Contest was, "how does Air Force Space Command best develop space and cyber Airmen to win tomorrow's fight?"

The Lance P. Sijan Chapter of the Air Force Association provided cash awards for the top three essays.  In addition to plaques, the winning entrant received $1,000, the second place winner received $750, and the third place winner received $500.

A team of six judges, led by chief judge, retired AFSPC commander, Gen. Lance Lord, evaluated the submitted essays and determined winners.  Each of this year's winners presented a five minute summary of the papers at the award ceremony.

Presiding officials at the award ceremony were General John Hyten, Air Force Space Command commander, and Don Kidd, the Air Force Association Lance P. Sijan Chapter president.

The Air and Space Power Journal publishes the top three essays with honorable mentions given to three other notable submissions.

The 2015 Gen. Bernard A. Schriever Memorial Essay Contest winners are:

1st Place - 1st Lt. Christopher  Babcock, 50th Space Communications Squadron; "Preparing for the Cyber Battleground of the Future."

2nd Place - Lt. Col. Ernest Bonner, Flight Ops Division Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado chief;   "Defending Our Satellites:  The Need for Electronic Warfare Education and Training."

3rd Place - Maj. Sean Temple, Headquarters Air Force Space Command Financial Management; "Developing Tomorrow's Space Warfighter - The Argument for Contracting Out Space Operations."

Honorable mention went to:

Air Force Reserve Maj. Elisabeth White, 14th Air Force Space Operations and Lessons Learned Division chief; "Reconsidering the Cyberspace Human Capital Strategy."

Lt. Col. William McCulley, Headquarters Air Force Space Command Defensive Ops Branch chief; "Towards the Battle: Recommendations on Cyberspace Training."

Col. John Wagner, 460th Space Wing commander, and Lt. Col. Nathan Yates, 310th Operations Group deputy commander; "The AOC Model for Space C2: Enhancing the Future of Joint Operations."

The essay contest program was initiated in 2014 and this is the second year of the series.  The annual contest is open to all current Air Force military and civilian personnel, including Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard members.

The top three essays are online now on the Air and Space Power Journal website here http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/Index.asp. Also, the top three essays are published in the November-December 2015 printed edition.