Dempsey: Panetta Made Our Nation Safer

By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2013 – Like the character Prospero in Shakespeare’s “Tempest,” Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta has imbued a sense of public service in generations of men and women, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said during a farewell ceremony for Panetta at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall today.

“And like that knowledgeable duke, he now asks us to let our indulgences set him free,” the general said.
In his nearly 50 years of public service, Panetta has mastered the balance of service and self, Dempsey said.

Dempsey noted that Panetta’s mother wanted him to be a concert pianist, but he chose instead to orchestrate in a different way, advocating for the “purity of public service.”

“And then the nation called again, and you answered again,” the general said. “So for the past four years, you have led those in the intelligence and defense communities, those trusted with protecting our nation and our families.”

Prior to serving as defense secretary, Panetta was the director of the Central Intelligence Agency from Feb. 13, 2009 - June 30, 2011.

Panetta has led the fight for resources and balanced the threat of external attack with the threat of internal insolvency, Dempsey said.

Referring to the defense secretary’s historic tenure, one in which combat jobs were opened to women and “don’t ask don’t tell” was repealed, Dempsey said Panetta did more than talk about diversity, he took action.

“You have ensured that our forces will be able to draw upon the very best this nation has to offer,” Dempsey said. “You've overseen the fielding of new commands and necessary capabilities to meet the threats of tomorrow. And you have demonstrated a steadfast commitment to our families and to our troops wherever they are in the world. Your many trips to Afghanistan dedicate that only too well.”

A retelling of Panetta’s career would read like a spy thriller, Dempsey said.

“But here's some advice: Get it cleared first,” the general joked.

For nearly five decades, Panetta never yielded to cynicism, Dempsey said. “You've always believed in the goodness of governing well, and your character and competence have set the example.”

“Mr. Secretary, you have made our nation safer,” the general said. He credited Panetta with making America's men and women in uniform stronger and preparing the country to meet the challenges ahead. “And for that, you've earned our eternal esteem.”

Tinker Airman earns Bronze Star

by Mike W. Ray
Tinker Public Affairs

2/7/2013 - TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The White Aircraft Maintenance Unit superintendent in Tinker Air Force Base's 552nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron has joined one of his brothers as a recipient of the Bronze Star for meritorious service in Iraq.

Senior Master Sgt. Jesse A. Collins III was awarded the medal for "exemplary leadership, personal endeavor and devotion to duty" during his deployment to Iraq as superintendent of the 321st Air Expeditionary Advisory Group, 321st Air Expeditionary Wing, Kirkuk Regional Air Base.

"I am proud and humbled, but also conflicted," the sergeant said later. "A lot of people I worked with deserved the medal as much as I did, if not more."

Between June 17, 2010, and June 14, 2011, Collins served as the senior enlisted adviser for 277 Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors in seven squadrons at four locations in Iraq. Their duty was to support counterinsurgency operations and advise and train the Iraqi Air Force and Army Aviation Command, his citation relates.

"We were sent there to train and assist members of the Iraqi Air Force in ways to manage their airpower, to bring them back to where they could defend themselves," the sergeant said recently. "Our job was to teach them basic principles and practices of mechanics and airmanship."

While providing oversight of real-world operations and training missions alike, the sergeant "superbly guided the group's engagement in 13,000 combat flight missions spanning 29,000 flight hours," the citation continues.

Specifically, his leadership in advising the Iraqi Air Force in tracking, monitoring and executing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions "produced real-time imagery" for use by U.S. and Iraqi controlling agencies. "Their timely intelligence feeds protected citizens and directly led to apprehension of insurgents following terrorist attacks" in Baghdad.

Collins's "constant leadership on the flightline" yielded delivery of 24,000 personnel and 2,000 tons of cargo to and from the base, "fortifying combat support efforts in northern Iraq," the citation says.

Furthermore, after more than 50 attacks against the base by insurgents armed with mortars and rocket-propelled grenades, Sergeant Collins "deftly led the effort to account for personnel, conduct post-attack reconnaissance, render unexploded munitions safe, repair damage, and restore combat flight operations."

During his year-long tour of duty, he never took a day off. "Since I was separated from my family, it was easier to just stay busy every day," he explained.

Besides the language barrier, one of the difficulties was the cultural difference between Iraqis and Americans. "They have an officer-heavy corps structure. When an Iraqi officer needs someone to do manual labor, he summons enlisted personnel," Collins said. "For us, though, we trust our Airmen with complex, expensive weapons systems. We leave them in the hands of young men and women -- which is a foreign concept to the Iraqis."

The tour in Iraq was unique, he said. "This was probably the hardest, most difficult but most rewarding deployment I've ever had." The sergeant has deployed "eight or nine times" since joining the Air Force almost 24 years ago. His first deployment was to Saudi Arabia for the Desert Storm campaign that liberated Iraqi-occupied Kuwait in 1991.

Prior to leaving for Iraq, Sergeant Collins went to Fort Dix, N.J., for cultural training, some Arabic language training, combat and survival training.

He thinks he was tapped for the overseas assignment because of his past experience with AC-130 gunships in Air Force Special Operations Command. "I think that's what led to me being put on the short list for Iraq."

Public service features prominently in his family. His father served in the Army during the Korean War, and an uncle was an Army Ranger.

One of Sergeant Collins's older brothers, Tim, served in the Navy during Desert Shield/Desert Storm. His younger brother, Joshua, spent eight years in the Marine Corps and then joined the Army National Guard, earning a Bronze Star for his actions during a firefight while serving in Iraq as a convoy missions commander. Sergeant Collins's oldest brother, Mark, is a deputy sheriff in the family's hometown of Eagle River, WI.

Sergeant Collins said his inter-service familiarity served him well in Iraq. "The Air Force had a small footprint at Kirkuk, so I had to work with Army peers quite often."

The sergeant and his wife, Michelle, have been married for 20 years and have two children: 15-year-old daughter Riley and 11-year-old son Beckett.

Air Force Nuclear Force Anticipates Budget Constraints

by Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

2/7/2013 - WASHINGTON (AFPS) -- The Air Force Global Strike Command predicts budget cuts triggered by sequestration will reduce B-52 flying hours by 10 percent and lead to a 20 percent reduction in overall flying hours should the law kick in on March 1, Air Force Lt. Gen. James M. Kowalski said.

Kowalski, the commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, spoke to reporters at the Defense Writers Group here today.

The command handles two parts of the nation's nuclear triad: manned bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The general said he's satisfied with readiness in the command today, but the fiscal problems confronting the military in the months and years ahead would, at best, cause readiness to level off or decline.

"As we look downstream at the continuing impacts of both the continuing resolution and sequestration, it's pretty clear there's going to be some degradation there," he said.

The biggest and most disturbing impact for the command is on flying hours, Kowalski said.

"We are looking at up to a 20-percent reduction in flying hours," he said.

One defense is to keep the sortie count high, Kowalski said, because the importance of flying hours is not just the time in the air for aircrews. Sorties exercise the entire process, he said, generating aircraft, fueling aircraft, arming bombs, recovering the aircraft, the maintenance of the aircraft and so on.

"All of that is exercised because that's what we pick up and deploy to a forward operating base," Kowalski said. "What we want to do is maintain the sortie count to maintain readiness across all of those."

The general said he's carefully keeping an eye on personnel issues in the command as well. There is an issue with airmen in the missile fields, he said, noting this is remote duty and there are concerns about the suicide rate among these personnel.

Reenlistment has not been a problem within Global Strike Command to date, Kowalski said. Part of the willingness to reenlist may be tied to the state of the economy, he said, and part of it is because the young airmen believe in the mission.

"All of those folks are going to continue to do a great job, but they need to know what to do and they need to know that what they are doing is important," Kowalski said. "We have been very active in reminding them of the job's importance."

The force structure may change in the command, the general said, but it doesn't change the basic mission for the command.

"This is one of the most important missions in the military -- to make sure that the nuclear inventory remains safe, secure and effective," Kowalski said.

11th AF commander makes first visit to Guam

by Senior Airman Robert Hicks
36th Wing Public Affairs

2/6/2013 - ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam  -- Lt. Gen. Stephen Hoog, 11th Air Force commander, met with Team Andersen Airmen and received a mission tour Feb. 1, marking his first visit to Guam since the 36th Wing became part of 11 AF.

During his visit, he met with Airmen from the 736th Security Forces Squadron, 36th Mobility Response Squadron, 36th Medical Group and several other squadrons at Northwest Field, Guam, as members briefed their missions and explained what capabilities they bring to the fight.

The general also took the opportunity to explain Guam's unique role as a joint environment located in the western-most sovereign reach of the United States. He spoke of how Guam provides a unique training area for joint forces to improve their relationship and strengthen ties with regional partners.

"The capacity we have here on Guam, with our continuous bomber presence that's here day in and day out, is a statement of our commitment to the region, and the ability to flex up and bring a large number of air frames," General Hoog said. "For example, the 70-plus [aircraft here] for the Cope North exercise, shows the ability to not only host our coalition allies and practice together, it shows we have the logistics trail, training, tactics, techniques and procedures to make it all happen. Guam is only going to become more important in the future as we get into this pivotal refocus here in the Pacific region."

The general added that Airmen should be ready to support combatant commanders worldwide, stressing the importance of readiness for global deployment and employment. He said service members will continue to defend our borders and stay prepared to support local, state and federal organizations as they respond to natural or manmade disasters and continue to support the buildup of forces here on Guam.

Additionally, General Hoog acknowledged the support the local community provides to Team Andersen.

"We have to continue to maintain the support from the local communities," General Hoog said. "I have rarely seen support as solid and as enthusiastic for the installations as I have seen here in the Pacific. Specifically with Chamorros, they are great supporters of the mission at Andersen and across the entire island."

General Hoog noted that the Airmen of today are the future of tomorrow's Air Force, and that it's the supervisors' responsibility to assist Airmen by keeping them informed about self-improvement and educational programs made available to them.

"Bloom where you're planted," General Hoog said as a word of advice to Airmen. "A number of Airmen believe it's the next assignment that's going to be the one for them. The goal is to do the best with what you have where you are.

"Excellence isn't an on or off switch; you can't flip it on and say, 'Today I'm going to be excellent.' It has to be a habit. You build the habit pattern and you bloom where you're planted."

Carter Sees DOD Strategy at Work on Europe, Middle East Trip

By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2013 – Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter saw critical elements of the new defense strategy at work in European and Middle East nations and in a bilateral meeting with Indian defense officials during a six-day international trip that ended last night.

Carter met with defense leaders in Paris, at the 49th Munich Security Conference in Germany, and in Turkey and Jordan.

“I had the opportunity to congratulate the French on what is so far a very successful mission in Mali, and also to discuss with them where they go from here,” Carter told American Forces Press Service aboard his aircraft during his return flight.

“I was pleased to learn that they have a clear strategy for making the effort there -- one that includes a political settlement in Mali between the government in Bamako and a longstanding separatist group … that contributes to making the [northern part of the country] a place where radicals can take hold,” the deputy secretary added.

Carter said such a settlement has to be part of the future in Mali, as does helping the Malian forces bolster their capabilities until they can assume full responsibility for their own national security.
In remarks at the 49th Munich Security Conference, Carter said European defense spending is “falling to a level below which they will be incapable of independent action, and that’s inconsistent with the historic role of Europe in security affairs.”

France was able to carry out an independent operation in Mali, he added, but “few other European nations could do that, and if French defense spending is cut further, France won’t be capable of doing it, either.”

Such declining defense budgets worry the United States, which has counted on European partners, Carter said. And for the first time at a Munich conference, he sounded the alarm about the United States’ own unstable defense budget.

“This time, an American defense official is not only castigating Europeans but castigating our own political gridlock -- which, if it isn’t resolved, will lead us, as [Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta] and I have been saying for a year now, to devastating consequences for our military.”

On the sidelines at Munich, Carter held several bilateral meetings, including one with Shivshankar Menon, an Indian diplomat serving as national security advisor to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Carter and Menon discussed progress to date on an effort that Panetta launched and Carter has managed -- a joint U.S.-India initiative to boost defense cooperation and trade and streamline the nations’ export-control processes.

As Carter said during a visit to India in July, the United States and India have built a military-to-military engagement steadily through dialogues, exercises, defense trade and research cooperation, and U.S. defense leaders want to expand that linkage.

In Munich, the deputy secretary said he and Menon discussed the identification of co-development and co-production projects.

“The Indians don’t want to just buy weapons systems from us, they want to co-develop and co-produce systems of mutual value … that we can jointly export,” Carter said. “We support that aspiration in India. That’s the way we want to do things, too.”

During his July visit to India, Carter visited the facilities in Hyderabad where India’s Tata Advanced Systems Limited and U.S.-based Lockheed Martin produce parts for the C-130J, the “Super Hercules” four-engine military transport aircraft that Lockheed produces.

“The Indians are buying the C-130J, but they’re also building the C-130J, … and that’s a perfect example of the kind of project we want to do with India,” Carter said.

Carter’s next stop was Turkey, where he met with defense officials in Ankara and with about 80 U.S. Army soldiers who set up and are manning the first of two NATO-authorized Patriot missile batteries in Gaziantep, near the Syrian border.

“The reason I went to Turkey was to be there at the very time our Patriots arrived,” just 48 hours earlier, the deputy secretary said. The soldiers already had set up the missile batteries, radar and communications vans “and were justifiably proud of what they’d done,” he added.

Carter expressed the pride of the United States in the soldiers’ important work for a valuable NATO ally.

“Turkey is certainly in need of help, because the situation in Syria is chaotic,” the deputy secretary noted. “Missiles are being used within Syria, and there’s every possibility that missiles could threaten the Turkish population.”

Just before Carter’s arrival in Turkey, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Frank Ricciardone called to tell the deputy secretary that a terrorist had detonated a bomb outside the gates of the embassy in Ankara, killing embassy guard Mustafa Akarsu. The ambassador asked Carter if he still wanted to come to Ankara. Carter responded that he wanted to press on with the visit more than ever, to stress to embassy personnel and to Turkish local officials the importance of the relationship to the United States.

In Ankara, Carter met with Turkish Defense Minister Ahmet Yilmaz, who, in comments before the meeting, acknowledged for the first time the importance to his government of the placement of Patriot batteries on Turkey’s border with Syria.

“I would like to thank you for your support with Germany and the Netherlands [in augmenting] our existing air defense system,” Yilmaz told Carter in brief comments to reporters. “Such air systems, which our country will use for defense purposes, is the fullest indicator of the solidarity of the [NATO] alliance and the cooperation between Turkey and the USA.”

Carter’s final stop was in Amman, Jordan, another important U.S. ally whose location on the Syrian border opens the small nation to the possibility of collateral violence and the certainty of a growing refugee population.

“In Jordan it was encouraging and satisfying to see our assistance at work on the border, particularly persistent surveillance cameras all along the border” that show refugees struggling from Syria into Jordan, Carter noted, where the Jordanians give them food, water, blankets and medical assistance and get them to United Nations refugee camps there.

Carter said other highlights of the Jordan trip included talking with U.S. troops stationed there to support joint planning with the Jordanian armed forces in anticipation of scenarios related to the Syria crisis, and a meeting with King Abdullah II.

“Some of these kids just arrived a few days ago,” the deputy secretary said of the U.S. troops there. ”Some have never been deployed before, some have never been outside the United States, some just recently joined the Army or Air Force, [but] they are well trained and motivated, and for them to shoulder all that responsibility is just incredibly impressive.”

Of his visit with the king, Carter said he was impressed with the Jordanian leader’s strategic perspectives about his own region and the rest of the world, and his knowledge of all the activities the United States and Jordan engage in jointly.

The deputy secretary said he would pass the king’s insights on to President Barack Obama, who will host the king during an upcoming visit to the United States.

“Everything we’re doing, everything we discussed with allies and partners at the Munich Security Conference, everything [occurring] in our activities throughout the Middle East, is reflective of our strategy to address issues of the post-Iraq and Afghanistan era,” the deputy secretary said.

“All of that requires a stable budget environment,” he added, “and while I was there, watching all these wonderful things unfold that our military brings to the nation’s future, … I was very mindful of the fact that if Congress doesn’t act to stabilize our budget situation, all of these things will become much more difficult -- even impossible.”

Carter will testify next week on sequestration issues before the Senate Armed Services Committee, the House Armed Services Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee’s subcommittee on defense.

“I’ll have the opportunity to make that very point on the heels of this trip,” he added, “which illustrates everything that we can do and have to do with our new strategy, and why that is in jeopardy if the Congress doesn’t act.”

Air Force Nuclear Force Anticipates Budget Constraints

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2013 – The Air Force Global Strike Command predicts budget cuts triggered by sequestration will reduce B-52 flying hours by 10 percent and lead to a 20 percent reduction in overall flying hours should the law kick in on March 1, Air Force Lt. Gen. James M. Kowalski said.

Kowalski, the commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, spoke to reporters at the Defense Writers Group here today.

The command handles two parts of the nation’s nuclear triad: manned bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The general said he’s satisfied with readiness in the command today, but the fiscal problems confronting the military in the months and years ahead would, at best, cause readiness to level off or decline.

“As we look downstream at the continuing impacts of both the continuing resolution and sequestration, it’s pretty clear there’s going to be some degradation there,” he said.

The biggest and most disturbing impact for the command is on flying hours, Kowalski said.
“We are looking at up to a 20-percent reduction in flying hours,” he said.

One defense is to keep the sortie count high, Kowalski said, because the importance of flying hours is not just the time in the air for aircrews. Sorties exercise the entire process, he said, generating aircraft, fueling aircraft, arming bombs, recovering the aircraft, the maintenance of the aircraft and so on.

“All of that is exercised because that’s what we pick up and deploy to a forward operating base,” Kowalski said. “What we want to do is maintain the sortie count to maintain readiness across all of those.”

The general said he’s carefully keeping an eye on personnel issues in the command as well. There is an issue with airmen in the missile fields, he said, noting this is remote duty and there are concerns about the suicide rate among these personnel.

Reenlistment has not been a problem within Global Strike Command to date, Kowalski said. Part of the willingness to reenlist may be tied to the state of the economy, he said, and part of it is because the young airmen believe in the mission.

“All of those folks are going to continue to do a great job, but they need to know what to do and they need to know that what they are doing is important,” Kowalski said. “We have been very active in reminding them of the job’s importance.”

The force structure may change in the command, the general said, but it doesn’t change the basic mission for the command.

“This is one of the most important missions in the military -- to make sure that the nuclear inventory remains safe, secure and effective,” Kowalski said.

Leadership roundtable demonstrates solidified partnership

by Capt. Chris Hoyler
Cope North 13 Public Affairs

2/6/2013 - Cope North 2013 Public Affairs, Andersen AFB -- With nearly 2,000 Airmen from three countries beginning two weeks of intense training at Cope North 2013 Feb. 4, leaders from the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and Royal Australian Air Force discussed the invaluable impact the exercise has on the readiness of their forces.

Gen. Herbert "Hawk" Carlisle, Pacific Air Forces commander, was joined by Lt. Gen. Masayuki Hironaka, JASDF Air Support Command commander, and Air Commodore Anthony Grady, RAAF Air Combat Group commander, in addressing their respective objectives for the exercise and how it increases the combat readiness and interoperability of their forces.

"Cope North has evolved and it has matured to become a better training and interoperability exercise for our nations," Carlisle said.

The humanitarian assistance and disaster relief training, being conducted through Feb. 7 at four airfields on Guam, Tinian and Saipan, has proved particularly vital following the international support for Japan during Operation Tomodachi in March 2011.

"The HA/DR component is particularly important, since it is a real-world requirement that is clearly going to provide disproportionate value when our nations most need it," Grady said.

This year, Republic of Korea Air Force members are observing the HA/DR training for the first time, opening the possibility for participation and an increased presence at future Cope North exercises.

"The statement about the Pacific is not if a natural disaster will happen, but when, given the environment," Carlisle said. "So we see the HA/DR portion of the exercise increasing. There is a potential to invite the Republic of Korea as more than observers, and there is certainly the opportunity to invite other nations that may be interested."

With Cope North now in its third year of tri-lateral involvement, the concept of shared objectives for the training has become central to ensuring success during the exercise and in establishing improved readiness in the event of a real-world tri-lateral military response.

"We have three objectives," Hironaka said. "One is to develop our tactical capabilities. Second is to enhance our interoperability among each country. And third is to bolster the military understanding between the countries."

The Large Force Employment portion of Cope North, which has been part of the exercise since its inception in 1978, is critical in developing a multilateral common operational picture using U.S., Japanese, and Australian airborne and land-based command and control assets. Each day of the exercise sees morning and afternoon rounds of aerial operations involving fighter, refueling and command and control aircraft from all three nations. This provides an optimal training environment to develop multilateral interoperability and combined procedures for air power missions, which include air superiority, interdiction, electronic warfare, tactical airlift, aerial refueling.

"All nations are developing their capabilities," Carlisle said. "Some of them are done in cooperation, like the Joint Strike Fighter, the F-35, and some of them are individual programs, like the Wedgetail for the Australians. We continue to work interoperability, and that's one of the things that Cope North is great at. We get a chance to exercise that interoperability and find out where those glitches are and where things aren't talking to each other when we think they should be.

"We see where those seams are and where those interoperability questions are, and we can get better at making those systems talk to each other. It's not prohibitive, it doesn't stop us from anything, it just forces us to figure out how to make it work," Carlisle added.

Financial, Employment Training Aids Soldiers, Vets

By Ashley Roy
Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center

EDINBURGH, Ind., Feb. 6, 2013 – The Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center here recently implemented the Veteran’s Opportunity to Work to Hire Heroes Act, a national program designed to assist transitioning soldiers with financial and career planning.

Soldiers take part in a financial planning course at the Veteran’s Opportunity to Work program at Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center in Edinburgh, Ind., Feb. 1, 2012. U.S. Army Photo by Ashley Roy   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Signed into law in 2011, the program was implemented on November 21, 2012, in an effort to reduce unemployment and debt among veterans.

A 2011 study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that 12.1 percent of veterans who served on active duty post-9/11 are unemployed. Among young male veterans, age 18 to 24, the unemployment rate rises to 29.1 percent.

Debt is another problem. According to Debt.org, military personnel generally carry more debt than their civilian counterparts, and a quarter of military personnel with credit card debt owe an excess of $10,000.

With veteran unemployment rates higher than the national average, President Barack Obama has made it a priority to get soldiers programs to easily transition from military to civilian life.

The VOW program is mandatory for all reserve component members who serve 180 days or more on active duty.

“This program was created because we have seen in the news for the past five years, all these soldiers that have been coming from the Iraq war and the Afghanistan war, and they don’t have a job,” said Army Lt. Col. Mary Shaw, Camp Atterbury’s deputy director for the directorate of human resources.

Soldiers can expect seven additional hours of class time during mobilization training, and two extra days during demobilization which allows them to attend a budgeting course, sign up for VA benefits and learn how to transition their military skills during the military occupational specialty crosswalk.

“This program will help soldiers create a resume, and on that resume also provide a lot of information to transition military skills, such as infantry soldier, into skills that can be used in the civilian marketplace,” Shaw said.

Soldiers that are unemployed or underemployed are mandated to attend a three-day Department of Labor workshop, given at the state level, as well.

“Our budget class has been pretty popular. It’s given soldiers the tools to figure out, ‘Hey this is how I should be managing my money,’ specifically for credit monitoring,” Shaw said. “We really encourage soldiers to do credit monitoring while they’re deployed, so they can see what’s happening to their money while they’re away.”

According to Shaw, these programs mirror the Army Career and Alumni Program that has been in place for active-duty soldiers for more than 20 years.

Soldiers from the Installation Support Unit at Camp Atterbury and Nebraska’s Agricultural Development Team 4 underwent the financial planning portion of the VOW program on Feb. 1, 2012, taught by Kurt Ault, an ACAP financial counselor out of Fort Sheridan, Ill.

Ault instructed soldiers on creating a monthly budget plan, reducing debt, managing credit scores and planning for finances long-term.

USS Truman, USS Gettysburg Deployment Delayed

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2013 – The deployment of the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg to the U.S. Central Command area of operations has been delayed, according to a statement issued today by Pentagon Press Secretary George Little.

The Secretary of Defense has delayed the deployment of the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) and the USS Gettysburg (CG-64), which were scheduled to depart later this week for the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Area of Responsibility, Little said in his statement.

The USS Harry S. Truman is home-based at Norfolk, Va., and the USS Gettysburg is home-based at Mayport, Fla. Little's statement continues as follows:

“Facing budget uncertainty -- including a Continuing Resolution and the looming potential for across-the-board sequestration cuts -- the U.S. Navy made this request to the Secretary and he approved. This prudent decision enables the U.S. Navy to maintain these ships to deploy on short notice in the event they are needed to respond to national security contingencies.

“The United States will continue to maintain a robust military presence in the CENTCOM region, including the current carrier presence and a mix of other assets, to fulfill enduring commitments to our partners. The U.S. military continues to stand ready to respond to any contingency and to confront any threat in the region."

Panetta Discusses 2014 Defense Budget Request

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2013 – Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta revealed that the proposed military pay raise for 2014 is 1 percent, and that the department is proceeding in a logical, careful way to do its part to cut the deficit and preserve military capabilities.

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, answer questions during a media roundtable at the Pentagon, Feb. 6, 2013. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke at the Pentagon during a reporters roundtable about what the 2014 budget proposal would look like and what the threat of budget uncertainty -- including the looming threat of sequester -- would mean to it.

In a normal year, defense officials would be discussing the fiscal 2014 DOD budget request now. But this year is far from normal, and officials do not expect the budget to even go to Congress until late in March.

The budget the secretary outlined includes the $487 billion in cuts that were proposed in 2011. The budget also is based on the defense strategy unveiled in January 2012. It “really does set a framework for what the force of the 21st century should look like,” Panetta said.

What’s most important is the budget proposal would “protect the strongest military on Earth,” he said.
The fiscal year 2014 budget proposal also requests a military pay raise of 1 percent.

“No one is getting a pay cut, but we will provide a pay raise that’s smaller than we’ve seen in past years in order to achieve some savings by virtue of what we confront in the compensation area,” Panetta said.

The DOD will ask for money for new investment in transition assistance, sexual assault prevention, suicide prevention, and family programs to boost support for the all-volunteer force.

The department needs to get personnel costs under control, Panetta said. These accounts have grown 80 percent since 2003, and if steps are not taken now it would force the department to cut military end strength and sacrifice readiness.

Congress has approved a DOD request for a commission to look at military retirement, the secretary said.
“We will stress that retirement benefits would be grandfathered,” Panetta said, noting the department will continue to look for savings in the military’s TRICARE health program.

The secretary stressed that the budget would find savings in overhead and efficiencies.

“We have identified $30 billion in new initiatives over the next five years to eliminate overhead and duplication,” he said. The department will consolidate capabilities and look to new technologies for more savings.

In the budget, the secretary proposes another round of base closures and realignments. “We will have to because … you can’t have a huge infrastructure supporting a reduced force,” he said.

The budget continues the glide path for reductions in land, naval and air forces detailed last year. Ultimately, the Army will go down to 490,000 active duty soldiers and the Marine Corps to 182,000 troops.

The department will propose some additional cuts to the Air Force and “we will resubmit some of our proposed cuts to the Navy,” Panetta said. These are proposals that Congress rejected last year.

The department will continue to push for growth in special operations capability and cyber warfare experts.
The department must continue to modernize the force and the budget continues the push for tactical fighters, aerial refueling capabilities, ballistic-missile subs and bombers, Panetta said. New capabilities include sea-based unmanned aerial vehicles, cyber tools and space systems.

This is the bare bones of the fiscal year 2014 budget, but it would all go out the window if sequestration occurs on March 1.

DOD is taking steps to confront sequestration “because at the spend rate we’re on now … if we continue it will be that much more of a blow,” Panetta said. The department has ordered hiring freezes, cutting back on maintenance and in other areas.

And, budget uncertainty -- including a continuing resolution and the looming potential for across-the-board sequestration cuts -- has caused DOD to delay the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg to the U.S. Central Command area of operations.

If sequester happens, DOD is looking at furloughs for as many as 800,000 civilian employees. This would mean a 20-percent pay cut.

“It’s a lousy, lousy way to treat people frankly,” the secretary said.

Sequestration cuts Army training, Air Force and Navy flight hours, and shrinks ship operations.

“These are real consequences and our fear is that it really is going to cause a readiness crisis for the military to respond to the crises that we still have to confront in the world,” Panetta said.

Charleston reservists score with humanitarian aid mission to Guatemala

by Senior Airman Bobby Pilch
315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

2/5/2013 - GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala -- The National Football League wasn't the only organization busy this Super Bowl weekend. Reservists from the 300th Airlift Squadron here traveled more than 2,700 miles to deliver about 77,000 pounds of cargo to a children's hospice facility in Guatemala Feb. 3.

The mission involved a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft delivering a donated school bus and supplies through the efforts of the Mission of Love Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Austintown, Ohio. It is estimated that more than 3,500 people from the rural area of Tecpan, Guatemala, will benefit from the donated school bus, food, clothing and medical supplies.

Missions like these are made possible by the Denton Amendment, a state department program allowing the Air Force to delivery donated humanitarian aid on a space available basis.

"We could not do it without the Denton program," said Kathleen Price, founder and director of the Mission of Love Foundation. "Through the Denton program and U.S. Air Force, our hands are extended worldwide."

The humanitarian aid will affect thousands of lives and the school bus will provide the Mayan children with the opportunity to obtain an education, according to Price.

"It's a cool opportunity to get aid to people who otherwise would not get the chance to receive these items, said Staff Sgt. Justin Palmer a resident of Powell, Tenn., and 300th AS loadmaster. "It's an honor to take part in these types of missions, it makes the trip worthwhile to be able to see their faces and to see their appreciation."

Thomas Nelson, a resident of Poland, Ohio, was on-hand in Guatemala to see the school bus unloaded from the Charleston-based C-17. "We are hoping the bus can change generations of lives," said Nelson who, along with his wife Dr. Kathie Nelson, purchased the bus for the foundation.

While airmen assigned to the 300th AS execute numerous missions annually, it's these types of missions that can have a profound affect on the crew.

"It makes you feel great and has a direct impact more so than just giving money away," said Lt. Col. Lance Livesey, one of the 300th AS reserve pilots on the mission and civilian pilot for Delta airlines. "Additionally, it adds to the crew's moral."

In the past year, the 315th Airlift Wing has flown seven missions, transporting more than 84 tons of humanitarian aid as part of the Denton cargo program to six different countries including Nicaragua, Guatemala, Haiti, Belize, Antigua and Honduras, according to 315th AW Current Operations. Typical cargo has included food, fire trucks, an ambulance, school and medical supplies.

The relief missions are part of the ongoing efforts by the 315th AW to utilize flight training hours to provide humanitarian relief to countries in need while also providing mandated training to C-17 aircrew members.

Historic deployment for 310th AS

by Airman 1st Class Sarah Breer
6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

2/5/2013 - MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- In January 2001 the 310th Airlift Squadron joined Team MacDill. Twelve years later, it made a bit of history, when one of its C-37A aircraft and two crews were deployed.

The squadron's twin-engine, turbofan aircraft routinely run missions from MacDill for high-ranking government and Department of Defense officials, but when the plane departed Sunday for its deployment to support the mission overseas, it was a first.

The deployment is a departure from the normal MacDill-based mission of the 310th AS of "providing five-star service to the four-stars," a great source of pride for the squadron, whose job is to make sure the military's highest ranking members experience the same comforts and capabilities in the air as they do in their offices.

Onboard the plane, military members can use secure and unsecure internet, communication, phone and fax lines. High ranking officials can eat, sleep, and work all while aboard the plane, meaning that they can accomplish the mission while travelling.

"The C-37 mission is positive because we provide hands-on support to the war fighter," said Lt. Col. Derrick Hodges, 310th AS commander.

Two crews headed to the area of responsibility to support the mission overseas. One crew consists of two pilots, a communications system operator, a flight engineer and a flight attendant. Both crews share a squadron aviation resource manager.

Preparing for this historic first deployment was a new experience.

A typical deployment is at wing level, said Hodges. This slot was filled by a squadron.

"The Air Mobility Command tasked the squadron for the deployment, but since our squadron had never deployed with the C-37A, every process had to be built from scratch," said Hodges of the deployment.

A squadron of 62 members pulled the deployment together quickly. It usually takes a whole group with the support of the wing behind it to put a deployment together, with much more time to prepare.

"We had about five weeks' notice that we were tasked to fill this slot," said Hodges. "It has been a challenge since we have never deployed before, but we have stepped up. It is hard to measure what we have done, but long term, we are proud of what we bring to the fight."

Each service member going on this deployment volunteered to be a part of it, said Tech. Sgt. Ricky Osborne, 310th AS flight engineer. Everyone was pumped to go.

Osborne cross trained to be a flight-engineer from health services management. He chose to do this job.

"This job lets me travel to places most people don't get to go," Osborne said.

Members in the career fields that are deploying are all at least second-term Airmen, as their jobs are not available out of basic military training.

In addition to military members, civilian contractors are also being deployed. A new contract had to be written so that they could go with the plane overseas. The civilians will perform full line-maintenance on the plane while it is deployed.

To do their job, they work together and have to know what they are doing, Osborne said. They could not succeed without the whole crew.

Hodges said he is proud of his unit for volunteering, but he isn't surprised that they did.

"We are different," Hodges said. "It takes a special person to do this job."

Everyone who is tasked to deploy is experienced and ready to go because the mission is necessary and important, said Hodges. We have to be on time and in the right place every time we do anything.

While deployed, the crews will do the same job the do stateside. The crews will replace an Air Force unit from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and will be gone for a typical rotation, approximately three months.

Air Force mortuary provides compassionate service

by Airman 1st Class Brooke P. Doyle
18th Wing Public Affairs

2/5/2013 - KADENA AIR BASE, Japan  -- (Editor's Note: It's important for service members to remember to update their Virtual Record of Emergency Data (vRED), or Defense Document Form 93. This will allow the military to have correct and up-to-date next-of-kin and beneficiary information in case of death.)

When someone passes away there are plenty of decisions to be made.

Most of the time, military members and their families choose not to speak of such a taboo subject.

"Everyone should have the conversation with their family member," said Robert Glassheim, director of the United States Air Force Mortuary at Camp Kinser outside Naha City, Okinawa.

For every military member, Department of Defense civilian and loved ones in the Western Pacific region, the U.S. Air Force Mortuary in Okinawa is there to prepare loved ones for the trip home to the United States.

When the mortuary receives a body from the hospital or medical examiner, with permission from the family, they will begin the process of embalming, which is done primarily to disinfect the remains.

"After that process is done, then the remains are dressed, casketed and then we transfer them back to the states," Glassheim said.

As a licensed funeral director, Glassheim said he's honored to support people during their most difficult time in life.

"When a death happens, this family that's been caught up in this loss, it becomes a journey," Glassheim said. "We call that the 'grief process' and I have the privilege of helping them through this part of the journey."

Sending a loved one home is part of a complex process. The mortuary affairs staff makes travel arrangements aboard United States airlines for both the deceased and their escort.

An escort is a military member of equal or greater rank who escorts the remains back to the states. It can also be, at times, a coworker, friend or possibly a family member in the military.

The staff also notifies the Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Customs and the United Service Organization support systems to facilitate the transfer process.

"A lot of the airlines take this very seriously and provide the most awesome display of dignity and respect for our fallen that anyone could ever want for their loved ones," Glassheim said.

Glassheim said some airlines arrange for water cannons to be sprayed over the aircraft, and uniformed men and women from local law enforcement stand and watch as fallen Airmen, Soldiers, Marines and Sailors come off the plane.

"It's very heartwarming to see that - the American display of patriotism for the fallen," he said. "It tears me up to witness that or hear about it."

Carter Meets with Jordanian Leaders, Praises U.S. Troops

By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

AMMAN, Jordan, Feb. 5, 2013 – On the final leg of his six-day visit to Europe and the Middle East, Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter met with military leaders and Jordan’s King Abdullah II here today, and praised U.S. forces stationed here during what he called a pivotal time for the region.

U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter shares lunch with U.S. Army enlisted men and women from U.S. Central Command in Amman, Jordan, Feb. 5, 2013. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Carter spoke with young U.S. soldiers this afternoon before shaking their hands, giving them commemorative coins and posing with them in photographs.

The deputy secretary also expressed appreciation for Jordan as a premier U.S. ally lately burdened with caring for thousands of refugees fleeing over its borders to escape hunger, brutality and death rising in Syria since March 2011 by the clash between opposition fighters and the Bashar Assad regime.

“I’ve been in the region for several days, and around the region many times,” Carter told the soldiers. “The good news is that everybody wants to be a friend to the United States, … not only because we’re good at what we do, but because we’re good. And they like and value that -- none better than the Jordanians.”

In October, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta announced that Pentagon officials were working with Turkey and Jordan to help with collateral humanitarian and security issues affecting them because of Syria.
“We have been working with Jordan for a period of time now on a number of the issues that have developed as a result of what’s happening in Syria,” Panetta said during a news conference at the time.

Humanitarian relief was among those issues, as was help for Jordan in monitoring Syrian chemical and biological weapon sites and determining how best to respond if such weapons were used, the secretary added.

“We’ve also been working with [Jordan] to try to develop their own military and operational capabilities in the event of any contingency,” Panetta said.

“We have a group of our forces there,” he added, “working to help them build a headquarters and to ensure that we make the relationship between the United States and Jordan a strong one [to] deal with all the possible consequences” of the war in Syria.

In a cool and hazy Jordanian capital today, Carter started his day at the U.S. Embassy, where he met with Deputy Chief of Mission Stephanie Williams and received a briefing from the country team.

Afterward, in the embassy’s tiled circular courtyard, the deputy secretary greeted each of the seven Marine Corps guards, took photographs with them, gave them coins from his office, and thanked them for their service to the embassy and the nation.

He also chatted, shook hands and posed with several members of the embassy staff.

Carter later traveled to one of King Abdullah II’s royal palaces, Bab As-Salaam, meaning “the Gate of Peace.” Joining the king and the deputy secretary there were Dr. Fayez Tarawneh, chief of the Royal Diwan, or the main executive office of the king; Imad Fakhoury, the king’s office director; and Gen. Mashal al Zaben, chairman of defense.

Next, just before Carter spoke with Army troops at the military installation in Amman, he sat down for lunch there with 10 of the young soldiers working in Jordan to help with repercussions of the Syrian crisis.
One of the soldiers was Spc. Sarah Moyer, who has been in the Army for about 18 months and has five years to go on her contract. Moyer is a military police soldier from McDonough, Ga., who works in the security force on the Amman installation.

Moyer joined the Army initially to increase her education, she said.

“I know it betters you in a lot of ways. It increases your [physical training] and brings up morale and teaches you teamwork,” she noted. “A lot of main values you hold in the Army [convinced me] to join. So I’ll uphold those values and learn more about them.”

Marquise Washington is an information technology specialist from Los Angeles who joined the Army about a year ago when he was looking for a stable career. “I’ve had a good experience so far here in Jordan and in my military career,” the father of two said.

After lunch, Carter congratulated the soldiers on their courage and commitment and told them to keep up the good work.

“It’s sad what’s going on in Syria and what the Assad regime is doing and willing to do to its people,” he told the soldiers. “He’s on the wrong side of history and will lose and suffer the consequences in the end.
“I don’t know when that will be -- how many months or even years -- but that is a result that is inevitable,” Carter continued. “And … until that happens, your help is going to be needed and our help is going to be needed, and that’s what your mission is all about.”

Face of Defense: Marine Changes Fields, Finds Passion

By Marine Corps Cpl. William Jackson
Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif., Feb. 5, 2013 – Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Casey Senn, an explosive ordinance disposal technician here, finished his first enlistment as a combat cameraman and began a new life in 2006.

Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Casey Senn finished his first enlistment as a combat cameraman and began his new life as an explosive ordnance disposal technician in 2006. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. William Jackson   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

“I wasn’t fulfilled in my old job,” Senn said. “I didn’t feel like there was anything for me to learn anymore. EOD is an always-evolving and ever-changing field. You’re never going to reach your limit. There’s always something more you can do.”

 

His family, however, isn’t as enthusiastic about his new field.

“They hate it,” he acknowledged. “I’ve got three kids: Ashlyn, 9; Brayden, 6; and Kaitlin, 3. My oldest has become more aware, but for the other two, they’re too young to understand what’s going on. For my wife, it’s hard when I deploy.”

EOD is a small community, and the risks are high. The basic EOD course is about seven months long, said Senn, looking back almost six years to his days as a student.

“I don’t think you’re going to find a more fulfilling job anywhere,” he said. “It’s the amount of pride because of all the [training] we have to go through, all of the school we have -- high-level training that we do to stay on top of our game.”

Keeping fellow Marines out of harm’s way provides tangible results from the job, Senn said. “You see the devices [that can] kill people, and you take them apart with your hands,” he added. “You get instant gratification.”

During his first deployment as an EOD technician to Iraq in 2007, Senn said, EOD technicians noticed a transition from conventional ordnance, such as 155 mm rounds, to improvised explosive devices that Marines now are more familiar with during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

“The first real crazy [IED] I had was about five days into my first deployment as a tech,” Senn said. “We had five IEDs at an intersection, and we lost our robot that day. The robot ran over a tertiary IED, and it blew the robot about 20 meters down the road.

“It was interesting going to an IED and dealing with that and trying to stay on par with the changing tactics, techniques and procedures with the enemy,” he continued. “It was adapting to what they were adapting to.”

When the U.S. military would come out with a technical advancement, such as mine rollers or mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles, Senn said, the enemy would work to create a tactical way around those advancements.

“It was interesting to try and stay in the loop and bridge the technology gap with how we operate,” he said.

Though he enjoys his work, Senn said, he’s not sure what will come next.

“I don’t know if I’ll stay in an EOD-related field or not,” he added. “I think I might transition into something a little less dangerous afterwards. I’m trying to be really family oriented.”

Mass casualty exercise tests Charleston responders

by Staff Sgt. Shane Ellis
315 Airlift Wing Public Affairs

2/2/2013 - Joint Base Charleston, S.C.  -- When the Airman walked into the clinic there were no immediate signs of distress; however, it didn't take long before his demeanor changed and chaos soon erupted. With a phone in one hand, and a semi-automatic pistol in the other, the last thing he said walking out the front door of the clinic was "I will blow this place up!"

Once the lone gunman was outside, smoke began to fill the clinic waiting room. People started to moan and cry out for help, and many of the injured simply lied motionless on the floor. Airmen were covered with blood, and many of them showed visible signs of mass trauma to their bodies.

A mass casualty exercise is now underway at the Joint Base Charleston Medical Clinic. Handling this type of incident is never easy; however, the men and women of the 315th Airlift Wing were put to the test as they worked to showcase their readiness for any real-world disaster they might encounter.

According to Maj. Amelia Simmons, 315th Aerospace Medicine Squadron chief of medical readiness, more than 145 Airmen from the 315 AW here actively participated in the exercise Jan. 26. Firefighters, civil engineers, members of the clinic, and aeromedical evacuation personnel all played crucial roles in the success of the exercise.

Firefighters from the 315th AW were first to respond to the scene of the attack. Securing the building and removing wounded heroes from danger was their first priority.

Outside the clinic, health-care providers from all backgrounds began the process of triaging the wounded. Speed, accuracy and proper communication were crucial components of the triage efforts.

"Seconds save lives in situations like this," said Simmons. "Our men and women are professionals and they know what to do. We train hard, and we know how to work together to ensure the best possible outcomes for our patients."

Some of the simulated injuries were minor, and the injured Airmen were able to walk away with small scrapes and bruises; however, many of the Airmen required critical care and needed to be transported by plane to another location for proper medical treatment.

Doctors, nurses, medical technicians, and other 315th AW Airmen carried wounded Airmen on stretchers and loaded them onto busses for transport to a C-17 Globemaster III which was awaiting their arrival. Onboard the aircraft were team members from the 315th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron.

Members from the 31th5 AES are trained to save lives. They have a unique Air Force Reserve mission, and within minutes they can transform the cargo compartment of an aircraft into a flying hospital.

"Our goal today is to ensure everyone participating in the exercise understands the proper way to load our wounded Airmen onto the aircraft and secure them for flight," said Senior Airman Storm Ford, 315th AES medical technician. "Proper communication is the key to getting patients loaded safely and quickly. Any break in our communication process slows us down, and we can't afford to lose valuable time when lives are hanging in the balance."

More than 15 evaluators monitored the exercise, and they placed high emphasis on safety, timeliness and accuracy. Simmons and her team were debriefed by the evaluators after the exercise.

Simmons said it's important to receive solid feedback from the evaluators. The feedback helps them address any issues, learn from their mistakes, and capitalize on their accomplishments.

An exercise of this magnitude required everyone involved to pay attention to detail and work together to stay one step ahead of the game. Communication was vital.

"Our biggest challenge is always communication," said Simmons. "We overcome communication obstacles by staying focused, keeping our minds clear, and thinking forward. We know the challenges, and it's our job to go out there and make great things happen. I'm proud of what we accomplished here today."

A run to remember: Creech Airmen honor fallen warriors

by Staff Sgt. Nadine
432d Wing/432d Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

2/4/2013 - CREECH AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- Physical fitness is a major focal point for Airmen readiness across the Air Force and running is a key element. Airmen at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., have decided to do more than just run for fitness, they run for a purpose.

What initially started as a quick way to get Airmen of all fitness levels to get out and run has grown into a club of more than 60 Airmen who run to remember.

"We run in memory of our fallen brothers and sisters," said Senior Airman Tanya, a weather forecaster from the 78th Attack Squadron, and running club president. "It gives us a little bit more motivation if we remember that we are able to run, yet others who aren't able to run anymore would be out here if they could be."

Kicking off in early October 2012, the Creech AFB Fallen Warriors Memorial Club was initiated by Tanya with a focus on honoring not only Creech fallen warriors, but all those who have lost their life serving their country.

"I started the club because I noticed that we didn't really have anything like this here and I had experience from a past unit so I thought I'd try it," Tanya said.

Now, the group trains once a week with an option to attend a specific fitness program geared toward their individual needs.

"I believe this running club really brings out the best in the individuals who participate," said 432d Wing/432d Air Expeditionary Wing Command Chief Master Sgt. "It meshes together two very important items in today's military; maintaining our fitness level and honoring our fallen warriors."

This club has gained not only the support of leadership, but has also left a lasting impression on its members.

"I love the club, it's awesome," said Staff Sgt. Brock, 432d Maintenance Group quality assurance inspector. "We are running for a good cause and supporting our fallen warriors while supporting each other as well."

Typical runs build endurance while others such as tempo runs build speed to help members prepare for their AF fitness assessment.

Staying physically fit is nothing new to Tanya, who has been running for years and has a passion for both the military and fitness.

"Our runs eventually build to eight miles and that becomes our memorial run," Brock said. "We wear our fallen warriors t-shirts and the whole thing is a very positive experience that I'm glad to be part of."

Tanya said that she is happy Airmen have come out to support the cause and is excited that people are networking with others outside of their own units.

"Our job is to stay fit to fight and this is a way to motivate people who may or may not like running to come out and get healthy," Tanya said.

"It's a new spin on out fitness program and motivates our Creech Airmen to stay active and fit my giving them another reason to run," said the 432d WG/AEW Command Chief Master Sgt.

FAST members provide much needed security at remote airfields

by Tech. Sgt. Raymond Hoy
U.S. Air Forces Central Command Public Affairs

2/4/2013 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) -- An aircraft commander has plenty to worry about while flying in potentially hostile environments: What are the landing conditions like? Is there security at the landing site? Are my crew and the aircraft safe? Do I have enough fuel? Do I have any mechanical issues?

Thanks to U.S. Air Forces Central Command fly-away security teams, or FAST, at least a few of those concerns can be put to rest.

The FAST program was established in 2007 and is designed to provide discreet, low-visibility, fly-away security for additional protection when needed aboard aircraft transiting the AFCENT theater of operations.

Once tasked for deployment as a FAST member, security forces Airmen attend specialized training to become FAST certified through the Regional Training Center at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

"The Air Force prepares you pretty well for the mission," White said. "It's definitely not something you can just be thrown into."

While constantly being on the move may seem stressful to some, White was up for the challenge.

"I didn't volunteer for it, but I was definitely open to being on this team," she said. "It's one of the missions that really makes you enjoy being a cop. You're always on the move; it's fun."

Although the mission can be fun and adventurous, FAST members fill important roles.

"On these missions, we are security police, ambassadors and humanitarians all at the same time," said Master Sgt. Chad Eagle, the fly-away security manager for the 609th Air Operations Center in Southwest Asia. "Many of the areas the teams fly into may have never had Americans and U.S. military aircraft in them, so what the Airmen do or how they act can make or break an area's perception of the United States."

This mission takes the Airmen to locations across their area of responsibility.

"My favorite part about what I do would probably be getting to see all the different places around Afghanistan," said Senior Airman Bambi White, a FAST member assigned to the 451st Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. "It's great to be able to experience the different cultures."

The FAST program has teams on standby throughout the AFCENT theater, ready to go when called upon. Members provide security for the plane and its crew, in addition to distinguished visitors who sometimes travel aboard the aircraft. Based on the mission tasked, there could be a two-, three- or four-person team involved, Eagle said.

"On average, I have about 10 teams projected to perform missions each day," Eagle said. "They are important because without their presence, some missions wouldn't be able to succeed."

McChord Reservist helps out in France

by Airman 1st Class Madelyn McCullough
446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

2/5/2013 - MCCHORD FIELD, Wash. -- A simple phone call can change everything.

Less than eight hours after receiving the call to manage U.S. airlift operations in support of French efforts against extremist forces in Mali, Lt. Col. Ben Morley was on the road.

On Jan. 20, mere hours after the call, he landed in Istres, France, where he began a whirlwind series of up to 20-hour days managing the complicated logistics of transporting French troops and equipment to the war-torn African nation.

"As an operations mission commander, my team and I routinely work complex logistics issues," said Morley, an Air Reserve technician with the 446th Airlift Wing and assistant operations manager for the 313th Airlift Squadron here. "That includes hotels, transportation, communication, meals; all the things aircrews need when they get to a location."

Setting up for the operation wasn't easy and Morley's small team had its work cut out for it. Early on, many people on the team had to take on multiple roles to get the job done. One challenge in particular illustrates the importance of teamwork in accomplishing the mission.

"We had to divert a crew to an alternate airfield when they came back from their mission due to high winds," said Morley, who has been a member of the 446th AW since 2000. "During their crew rest at the alternate location our team prepped a jet here with cargo and fuel. We coordinated crew paperwork, meals, et cetera. so when they finally returned they simply transferred over to the new jet and completed the mission."

Morley, a 23-year veteran with more than 4,000 flying hours said that for him, the most challenging aspect of the mission was the short-notice tasks driven by real-world necessity.

"As operations mission commander, I take the best strategic level planning from Air Force and joint headquarters, then execute the plan," Morley said. "We match up the aircrews and jets that are on station and we press the button."

The operation, which began Jan. 21, is part of a U.S. Africa Command effort to help France and other partner nations resolve the security situation in Mali. U.S. aircraft are airlifting French army personnel into Mali at the request of the French government. To date, those efforts have so far resulted in nearly 50 missions transporting more than 1,100 tons of cargo and more than 900 passengers.

New Warrior Center ‘Gift From American People’

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

FORT BELVOIR, Va., Feb. 5, 2013 – The USO, two days after its 72nd birthday, again demonstrated its commitment to wounded, ill and injured U.S. troops and their families by opening its largest center in the world.

Senior Army leaders, United Service Organizations leaders, and corporate sponsors participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new 20,000-square foot warrior and family care facility at Fort Belvoir, Va., Feb. 5. DOD photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.    (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

The USO hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony here today to showcase its new 20,000-square foot Warrior and Family Care Center which will serve all U.S. service members and their families.

Sloan D. Gibson, USO president, identified a number of corporate sponsors such as the Northrop Grumman Foundation which, at $5,000,000, provided the largest donation in the USO’s history for the center.

“But what you won’t see are the names of nearly a quarter of a million individual Americans that have made a donation honoring the wounded, ill and injured troops and their families to Operation Enduring Care,” he said.

“I think when we talk about this center being a gift from the American people that’s what we’re talking about,” Gibson said.

The USO says this new center will support the non-clinical needs of wounded, ill and injured troops and their families throughout their rehabilitation. It will be staffed by USO of Metropolitan Washington and 350 volunteers.

Army Lt. Gen. William J. Troy, director of the Army Staff, said this new center will help troops and their families cope as they recuperate from their injuries.

“This will give the families a place to come -- a home away from home if you will -- to relax and visit,” he said. “And to have a place that will be very supportive and nourishing to them as they go through this.”
“It’s extremely important that they have a place that they feel comfortable -- that they feel at home,” Troy said. “Especially when you’re going through some of the things that you have to go through as a wounded warrior or someone who’s here at Fort Belvoir for treatment. It’s a great asset to have a place like this here.”
Army Col. Gregory Gadson, garrison commander of Fort Belvoir, praised the USO for recognizing the need for a warrior care center.

“The USO has not only identified a need, but they’ve taken action, and that is so commendable,” he said. “And it’s their leadership and their partners – corporate, private, volunteers, members of the board – that have mustered the efforts that have made this day possible.”

“I’ve had the privilege, over the past few years, of watching the USO’s efforts evolve as they’ve continued to provide for our service members,” Gadson said. “[And] not just overseas, but in a very visible way, stateside.”

Gadson, a double amputee, said the USO’s efforts in building the center in two and half years will vastly improve the quality of life of troops and their families.

“I know that my family and so many other families are in a better place because of the efforts of the USO,” he said. “And there’s a lot of personal emotion that I have as I’ve seen this building.”

“And now it’s about to come alive with so much hope and so much promise,” Gadson added.