Global ASNT awards contract, moves toward next phase

by Justin Oakes
66th Air Base Group Public Affairs

1/14/2014 - HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- After moving into the engineering and manufacturing development stage, the Global Aircrew Strategic Network Terminal, or Global ASNT, program office awarded a contract to Raytheon last month, ushering the program into the first of three incremental phases.

The $134 million Increment 1 contract is a 36-month development effort where Raytheon will be responsible for developing new command and control terminals for the Air Force's nuclear bomber mission. The entire contract could grow to almost $500 million based on the Air Force exercising options for production, training, fielding and initial sustainment.

"The Global ASNT team is very excited to reach this important milestone," said Lt. Col. Kenneth Decker, Global ASNT program manager. "We have worked diligently over the past few years to set a solid program foundation; by working with the operational users to refine affordable requirements and define a low risk acquisition strategy, we are confident that we will be successful. We're anxious to begin work with our industry partners to bring this much needed system to the warfighter."

The program office focuses on engineering and sustaining nuclear C2 terminals. Secure, survivable ground terminals at wing command posts receive emergency action messages, which are then disseminated to bomber, tanker and reconnaissance aircrews for action.

Increment 1 focuses on receiving messages by establishing a secure communication path with satellites utilizing Extremely High Frequency waveforms. The new systems will be compatible with both the existing legacy Milstar satellite system as well as the new Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellites.

"The Air Force is in need of new command and control terminals that allow for communication with the new AEHF satellite constellation," Decker said. "Additionally, the legacy systems are nearing the end of their life cycle and becoming difficult to sustain."

Global ASNT terminals, specifically designed for ground usage to support the nuclear bomber mission, include both fixed and transportable units.

The operational requirement calls for 90 terminals, split between units fielded at fixed locations and transportable units designed to be flown to other sites if the mission dictates. The fixed and transportable units will be identical in design -- with the current contract calling for approximately 45 of each -- and no modification to aircraft will occur as the terminals are not intended to be an airborne system.

The Increment 1 terminal itself is comprised of a dish, antenna and two cabinets, roughly the size of a household refrigerator, which contain complex electronics equipment.

Raytheon was selected through open source competition for Increment 1. Therefore there is no guarantee that the Increment 2 and 3 contracts will go to the same contractor; the same open source selection process will be utilized for the remaining phases. Increment 2 will focus on distribution of emergency action messages to aircrews via pagers, radios and klaxons (loud warning horns). Increment 3 will provide a redundant receiving capability via Low Frequency/Very Low Frequency, otherwise known as LF/VLF, channels.

Global ASNT, an Air Force Life Cycle Management Center-owned program, anticipates production of the new terminals in fiscal year 2014, but "it is largely predicated on budget," according to Decker. However, Global ASNT has already taken the necessary steps in the right direction to reach their planned goal -- full operational capability by 2019.

AF names 319th CS best small communications unit in service for 2013

By Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez
319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

1/15/2014 - GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The members of the 319th Communications Squadron have an extra reason to walk a little taller after recently being named the best small communications unit in the Air Force.

The cyber warriors of the 319th CS won the 2013 Air Force Information Dominance Small Unit Award at the Air Force level.

"It takes a tremendous amount of professionalism, proficiency, and passion to win an award of this caliber," said Col. Paul Bauman, 319th Air Base Wing commander, in an official announcement to the base. "They took home the Air Mobility Command-level award a few weeks ago and now have proven that they are truly the best in the entire Air Force."

The Air Force Information Dominance award recognizes a communications and information organization each year for excellent support to the Air Force mission.

"I think what helped the squadron earn this award was a mentality that dictates being part of a team is the most important thing," said Lt. Col. Frank Gonzalez, 319th CS commander. "All these people come together every single day to make the sum greater than the whole, and frankly, that's why I think these Airmen earned this award."

The communications squadron has a long list of actions that led to their recognition.

One notable example is the new way in which the squadron approached machine patching, a process Gonzalez described as mundane and very time consuming.

He added that by taking time out in order to think about how to best approach the problem, the Airmen developed new tools that helped them save 24,000 man-hours of work.

"That's like creating eleven-and-a-half new people to work solely on one thing for a whole year," said Gonzalez. "They basically found a way to 'do more with less.' In fact, this process is so good, we are working with Air Force-level folks at Peterson Air Force Base [in Colorado] to try to leverage these tools in other places."

Another example of the squadron's notable actions involved the performance of the Airmen in the airfield, radar and radio sections, who earned an outstanding rating during an airfield operations and certification inspection that took place earlier this year alongside members of the 319th Operations Support Squadron.

Out of 416 graded areas, they had only one minor write-up that was corrected on the spot. It was a feat Gonzalez didn't hesitate to emphasize the uniqueness and importance of.

"Over a two-year period, only one other unit in Air Mobility Command was assessed as outstanding," said Gonzalez. "This is a big deal because most of these Airmen in these sections are first-termers and new to the Air Force. In fact, at the time there was only one senior NCO and two NCOs throughout those shops. What got them the big win was a desire to do the job right and young people stepping up with a 'next person up' mentality."

Although the Air Force-level award reflects the dedication and hard work of 151 Airmen as a whole, Gonzalez was quick to point it shouldn't be lost on anyone that this award really isn't just about the communications squadron.

"There is no way our Airmen could have been competitive without the support of everyone on this base," he said. "From customers that give us unique opportunities to excel on a day-to-day basis, to the leaders that are engaged and set the stage for risk-taking and innovation, Team Grand Forks should be proud...this award is a testament of how we integrated into the larger team to find innovation and assure victory."

Needless to say a change in the squadron's overall morale has taken place especially among the junior enlisted Airmen who found it easy to echo Gonzalez's sentiments.

"There is a lot of great work going on here at Grand Forks Air Force Base, not to mention in the Air Force as a whole, so to even be considered for this award is a great honor for our squadron," said Airman 1st Class Olivia Winks, 319th CS commanders support staff journeyman. "To be a part of those that were recognized for being the number one Communications Squadron in the Air Force is absolutely amazing. I am privileged to work alongside the dedicated and hardworking members of the 319th Communication Squadron and the 319th Air Base Wing whom we support."

One Airman believes the squadron's recent recognition will positively affect not just the unit's current members but future Airmen assigned to the unit.

"You know there are many people who would probably not get excited about being stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base," said Senior Airman Kyle Becker, 319th CS knowledge operations manager. "It's a small base with a non-traditional flying mission and notoriously known for harsh winter weather, but knowing that you are part of the best unit of its kind in the entire Air Force is something I think any Airman can be excited about."

Air Force Transports Rwandan Troops to Central African Republic

By Claudette Roulo

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17, 2014 – U.S. airlift operations are continuing in the Central African Republic, Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren said today.

Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft initially began operations Dec. 12 in response to a French request for limited support in the region. During those initial operations, small teams of U.S. airmen transported a Burundi light infantry battalion.

The troops are part of an African Union-led international support mission intended to help prevent the further spread of sectarian violence.

The United Nations estimates that thousands of people in the Central African Republic have been killed and 2.2 million are in need of humanitarian aid due to rebel violence.

Airlift operations to transport a Rwandan mechanized infantry unit began Jan. 14, Warren said. That operation, he said, is expected to take about three weeks to complete.

It will take longer to move the Rwandan soldiers and their equipment than it did to move the Burundi troops, he said, “because this is a mechanized battalion that we're moving this time, so there are just more pieces of equipment that have to be moved and they take up more space.”

Since Jan. 14, the U.S. Air Force has transported a total of 131 Rwandan soldiers, 22 pallets of supplies and equipment, 13 vehicles and 1 forklift, Warren said.

Two small teams of U.S. Air Force personnel are on the ground in Kigali, Rwanda, and Bangui, Central African Republic, to help load and unload the aircraft. Security is being provided by French and African Union soldiers, a defense official said. About 100 additional Air Force personnel are in Entebbe, Uganda, to support flight operations.

SMC's Directorate Wins Command's Award

1/17/2014 - LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, El Segundo, Calif. -- The Space and Missile Systems Center's Space Logistics Directorate (SMC/SL) was recently named the U.S. Air Force Space Command's 2013 Maintenance Effectiveness Award winner in the Depot Maintenance category.

"SMC/SL won this honor by accomplishing superior communications and electronics depot maintenance for space system ground segments," wrote Lt. Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, SMC commander, in a congratulatory email. "The directorate assured the United States military uninterrupted and continuous access to space systems by maintaining equipment valued at over 56 billion dollars, including critical mission support for Operation Enduring Freedom and the continuous War on Terrorism. In addition, SMC/SL developed and executed maintenance plans, assuring ground sites remained operational at 60 worldwide locations."

From depression, suicidal thoughts to retired chief

by Staff Sgt. Amber R. Kelly-Herard
Air Mobility Command Public Affairs

1/16/2014 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill.  -- After graduating from college, doctors didn't think Kathy Cooper would survive her depression, panic attacks and suicidal thoughts.

Twenty-seven years later, she is now a retired chief master sergeant.

"My doctor had tested me for depression, and he said I was so far off the scale they couldn't even score the test," said Cooper, who considers Springfield, Mo., her hometown. "My doctor said I was suicidal and placed me in a psychiatric hospital. Six weeks later, I had a $10,000 hospital bill, no job and basically started life all over again - and it was the best thing that could have ever happened."

Shortly after, Cooper was accepted into the Air Force as a flutist.

"My doctors told me not to join the Air Force, because I couldn't handle it," said Cooper. "But one doctor had faith in me and encouraged me to join."

While stationed at then-Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, Cooper met an author at her local church, who encouraged her to write a book about her journey, leading to her book, "Solo Rising."

"The book is just a ministry tool to help get my story out to more people," she said. "My life's mission is to help other people know it's ok to ask for help."

While at Scott AFB in the U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America, Cooper spoke at public forums such as Phoenix Stripe, a leadership conference for NCOs, and chief induction ceremonies to prove it can be done.

"I've had so many people pull me aside afterward and say, 'I thought I was the only one who felt that way,'" she said. "People will relay their own story and some have asked to meet with me privately, just to talk. Others have asked for my book to pass along to someone they know who is also struggling.

"I once received a call that one of our Airmen was holding a gun to his mouth. I rushed over there and by the time I got there his friends had talked him into putting the gun down, but we got him to the hospital to get him help," she continued. "He was refusing to go to the hospital, but after I shared my story with him of my own struggles, he finally relented. Today he is doing great."

Cooper knows from experience how helpful it is seeing someone make it.

"When I was in the hospital, I saw someone who was in the same predicament as me come out fine, and I thought, 'if she can do it, so can I,'" she said. "Now I want people to see you can get help and still thrive, progress and even make chief. Throughout my career I have continued to struggle with depression and anxiety, but I now know how to deal with it and I'm surrounded by friends and family who provide me a great support system."

In coming full circle, at Cooper's retirement ceremony, the doctor who encouraged her to join the Air Force pinned on her retirement pin.

"He's the one who believed in me and told me not to listen to everyone else," she said. "Going from near death to retiring as a chief master sergeant, I felt it was appropriate my doctor would do the honors.

'We all struggle and it doesn't have to be combat-related," she continued. "We all struggle with different things and there are a lot of pressures that face each of us every day and in different ways. It is only by God's grace that I am here today and I am grateful to Him every day."

Now that the chief's retired, she will finish her Master of Arts in Biblical Theology and become a missionary.

Disaster Psychiatry Emerges as DOD Field of Study

By Cheryl Pellerin

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17, 2014 – At the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, experts in the emotional toll of disasters help the Defense Department, government agencies and first responders worldwide understand how best to help communities struck by terrorist attacks, mass casualties and natural disasters.

The center is part of the psychiatry department at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md. The USUHS serves the Army, Navy, Air Force and U.S. Public Health Service by educating health professionals for DOD and USPHS career service.

“The center was established essentially to address concerns by the Department of Defense about psychological impacts and health consequences that might result from the potential use of weapons of mass destruction during combat [and] acts of terrorism or hostage events,” Dr. Joshua C. Morganstein told American Forces Press Service during a recent interview.

Morganstein, a commander in the Public Health Service, is an assistant professor in the USUHS psychiatry department and a scientist at the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress.

“There was growing interest by DOD in the general psychological impact and health consequences resulting from a broad category of traumatic events,” he said, including peacekeeping missions, operations other than war, and natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis. DOD also was interested in more common stress-producing events like physical assaults or boat, plane and car accidents for uniformed and civilian communities, he said.

The center was established in 1987 as part of the USUHS psychiatry department. Since its inception the center has been run by department chairman Dr. Robert Ursano, who Morganstein said is internationally renowned in the field of disaster psychiatry, which differs from general psychiatry in important ways.

“Traditional psychiatry is, for the most part, hospital or clinic based, taking place in a traditional treatment setting and generally one on one … to focus on problems that an individual has sought care for,” Army Col. (Dr.) David M. Benedek told American Forces Press Service.

Benedek is associate director for consultation and education at the center, and professor and deputy chairman of the USUHS psychiatry department.

“Disaster psychiatry is an effort to target the range of possible responses to a disaster without people necessarily seeking care,” he said, adding that the population-based approach in disaster psychiatry is to do “things that help all people regardless of whether they have identified themselves as having an illness” or as needing mental health care.

Benedek and Morganstein explained that a key element underlying disaster response is a set of principles that together are known as psychological first aid.

These five early intervention principles promote a sense of safety by helping people meet basic needs for food and shelter, promote connectedness by keeping families together, promote self-assurance by giving practical suggestions that help people help themselves, promote hope by directing people to government and other kinds of services, and promote calming by being friendly and compassionate even if people are being difficult.

Examples of what not to do, according to the center’s fact sheet, include not forcing people to share their stories, not giving simple reassurances such as “Everything will be all right,” not making promises that may not be kept, and not criticizing existing services or relief activities.

Psychological first aid, Morganstein said, “is designed to encourage health-seeking and decrease the incidence of more severe psychiatric symptoms or emotions and distress behaviors in the wake of a disaster.”

After the terrorist attacks on 9/11, the scientist added, “people really sought Dr. Ursano out to address the impact of that event and the nation’s need for disaster planning and preparedness for future events.”

In 2003, the center, whose multidisciplinary team had expertise in disaster psychiatry, military medicine and psychiatry, social and organizational psychology, neuroscience, family violence, workplace preparedness and public education, established an Office of Public Education and Preparedness.

“Before this,” Morganstein said, “Dr. Ursano and other senior leaders here at the center played a role during disasters [like the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident in Ukraine, the 1988 Lockerbie, Scotland, Pan flight 103 jumbo jet crash, and the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States]. They provided expertise, consultation and spoke with people about the best evidence for managing psychiatric aspects of a disaster scenario.”

But the center needed a better way than individual consultation to get its expert information out to more people affected by disasters and to those involved in disaster response, he said.

An answer to this, and part of the new office’s multipronged approach to education and outreach is producing and disseminating rapid-response fact sheets tailored to ongoing situations such as last year’s Navy Yard shootings.

“The fact sheets get information out there to [the DOD and military mental health leadership], potential patients or affected public, [health care providers] and other people who are in a position to provide leadership and guidance,” Benedek said.

The goal, Morganstein added, “is to offer educational resources to a wide range of folks who might potentially benefit from this information in response to a disaster that’s happening.”

During the Navy Yard event, the center got a request from the District of Columbia’s mental health department to consult with its leaders, and from the mental health team lead from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center that augmented Navy medicine’s SPRINT team response, Morganstein said.

“One of the personnel from our center, a Public Health officer, was asked to participate in the on-the-ground behavioral health response,” he said. “Then we had about a 12-hour turnaround where, based on the information as it rapidly evolved, we decided on what would be relevant issues to the military, the D.C. government and first responders.”

Fact sheets were tailored to issues unique to an active-shooter situation on a military installation in which many people were killed, the shooter was killed, and challenges likely would arise as the D.C. government and the Defense Department worked through managing a response to people on the base and in the local community, he said.

The fact sheets were developed, reviewed by center subject-matter experts and then disseminated to key leaders in DOD and the D.C. government, the services’ mental health leadership, and organizations such as the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the USPHS leadership and others.

“That was the first 12 to 18 hours after the news broke of the shooting as we watched it unfold,” Morganstein said.

The center’s consultive services and educational products such as fact sheets, written in language everyone can understand, help to fill a longstanding gap in medical education.

“Because disaster psychiatry is not something that over the past several decades has gotten a lot of education,” Morganstein said, “it isn’t built into the curricula of behavioral health or medical providers -- not even in DOD, and certainly not in the civilian sector.”

Receiving such disaster-specific information can be a paradigm shift for health providers, he added, “because what we’re saying to a psychiatrist or a psychologist, for instance, is the therapy you spent years learning to give and the medicines you spent years learning to prescribe may not necessarily be the most important tool in your arsenal right now.”

Still, Benedek said, many training programs increasingly recognize the need, in mental health and across medical disciplines, for specific disaster training.

“Certainly, we’ve been advocating that in academic channels and have published on the need for the development of an academic disaster curriculum,” he said, adding that the USUHS psychiatry department offers a disaster fellowship for one or two students a year.

The post-graduate training program is open to psychiatrists and some internists who ultimately receive a master’s degree in public health and then participate in rotations with agencies committed to disaster response.

“As far as we know, it’s the only disaster fellowship,” Benedek added, “but other residency programs are developing at least some training in this area for their psychiatric residents.”

In late March, for example, by joint invitation from Sheppard Pratt Health System and the University of Maryland, Morganstein will present a half-day seminar on disaster psychiatry for fourth-year residents from both institutions.

“We’re interested in partnering more widely in this region to begin with,” Morganstein said, “and potentially creating an educational curriculum for psychiatry residents and expanding that potentially even further.”

Agencies such as the Red Cross, the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association disseminate disaster information, Benedek said, but particularly in the last five or six years, medical training programs have recognized the need to for curricula.

One such organization is the National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, established in 2008 by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21 as an academic center of excellence in disaster medicine and public health.

The NCDMPH, also affiliated with USUHS, initially developed a curriculum for responding to children's needs during disasters, Morganstein said, then partnered with the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress to develop a behavioral health curriculum toolkit called “Curriculum Recommendations for Disaster Health Professionals: Disaster Behavioral Health,” published this month.

Benedek said the new center, the fellowship at the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, and increasing interest in disaster-focused health curricula all are evidence that awareness of the need for such training is growing nationwide.

“The lengthy conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have certainly brought to the surface the reality of the emotional consequences of traumatic exposures,” he said.

“Certainly, at military and governmental levels there’s an awareness that bad events exact a psychological toll,” Benedek added, “and there’s a need for a response to those events and training to develop an appropriate and rational response across populations.”

352nd SOG conducts exercise at RAF Fairford

by Staff Sgt. Stephen Linch
352nd Special Operations Group Public Affairs

12/23/2013 - RAF FAIRFORD, England -- The 352nd Special Operations Group conducted an exercise involving approximately 130 Airmen and six aircraft at RAF Fairford, England from Dec. 9-12.

The exercise was designed to allow the 352nd SOG to practice and evaluate their ability to efficiently forward deploy their newest assets, the CV-22 Osprey and MC-130J Commando II.

"Before we ever did anything with these new aircraft - other than local training - we sat down and took a long time to think about all of the skill sets and all of the equipment that we would need to go on the road," said Lt. Col. Michael Thomas, 352nd Special Operations Support Squadron director of operations and exercise mission commander. "This exercise is a way to validate our efforts and identify those things before we look at venturing further from home."

The 352nd SOG received their first CV-22s and MC-130Js earlier this year. The CV-22 Osprey is flown by the 7th Special Operations Squadron and combines the vertical takeoff, hover and vertical-landing capabilities of a helicopter with the long range, fuel efficiency and speed of a turboprop aircraft. The MC-130J is flown by the 67th Special Operations Squadron and flies low-visibility, single or multi-ship low-level air refueling missions for helicopters and tilt-rotor aircraft as well as resupply and transport of military forces via airdrop or airland.

According to Col. Christopher Ireland, 352nd SOG commander, they couldn't have picked a better location for the exercise.

"RAF Fairford is a perfect location for us to test our ability to forward deploy our new CV-22s and MC-130Js," Ireland said. "These new aircraft bring enhanced and new capabilities, and we greatly appreciate the opportunity to test ourselves so close to home."

The 352nd SOG is based at RAF Mildenhall, England. The unit plans and executes specialized and contingency operations using advanced aircraft, tactics and air refueling techniques to transport and resupply military forces.

Youngstwon confirms 'Thunder over the Valley 2014' air show

by Master Sgt. Bob Barko Jr.
910th Airlift Wing Publci Affairs Office

1/16/2014 - YOUNGSTOWN AIR RESERVE STATION, Ohio -- The 910th Airlift Wing recently received approval to host a 2014 air show and open house.

'Thunder over the Valley 2014' hosted by the 910th AW and presented by the Youngstown Air Reserve Base-Community Council, is scheduled for May 17-18. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team, America's Ambassadors in Blue, is scheduled to headline the show. Additional flying acts and static displays will be featured and will be announced as they are confirmed by show coordinators.

"We are proud to open our gates to the public and highlight our world-class personnel and facilities," said Col. James D. Dignan, 910th AW commander. "It is more important now than ever to invite the residents of the Mahoning Valley and beyond to YARS and let them see not only what we bring to the national defense but to the local community as well."

For information on featured acts or participation as a flying act or static display, please visit the YARS public website at www.youngstown.afrc.af.mil or the YARS Facebook page at www.facebook.com/youngstownARS. This information is also available by e-mailing 910aw.pa@us.af.mil or 910airliftwing@gmail.com.

For more information on becoming a show sponsor or vendor, please contact the Youngstown Reserve Base Community Council at thunderoverthevalley@gmail.com.

Preparing Yokota

by Staff Sgt. Chad Strohmeyer
374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

1/16/2014 - YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Security forces personnel have always played a vital role in Yokota's mission. However, one of the more unnoticed aspects of security forces is their commitment to ensuring that Yokota Airmen are proficient in combat arms.

Combat arms training instructors provide ground weapons training and inspections for all Air Force personnel. Yokota Air Base employs five skilled instructors who train 2,500 - 3,000 students annually.

"We are here to ensure Yokota Airmen have the ability to effectively and safely handle the weapons systems we train on," said Staff Sgt. Stephen Ceo, 374th Security Forces Squadron combat arms instructor. "Without us, service members would not deploy with the confidence and capability they need to protect resources and each other."

Combat arms instructors train Airmen on a variety of weapons to include pistols, submachine guns, shotguns, grenade launchers and rifles.

With recent changes to the qualification, students can expect to go a little more in-depth with their weapon than before.

"Recently, the Air Force has implemented new changes to the qualification process," said Senior Airman Dominique Adams, 374th Security Forces Squadron combat arms instructor. "We now instruct students on how to shoot and move quickly and effectively. Students are also required to communicate their status as they take cover, reload and conduct immediate actions," he said.

Though the job can be stressful for instructors, it still comes with many rewards.

"Watching a student who was nervous about handling weapons getting "expert" is a great feeling as an instructor," said Adams. "Knowing they accomplished something they could not have done without you is one of the reasons why I love my job."

Students can feel confident when they enter each combat arms class. Each instructor attends a ten-week course specializing in professional firearms and spends several years learning the components of a variety of weapons. Not to mention comprehensive instructing techniques to better relay information to students.

"We will ensure the best possible training for each and every person who gets on the plane heading to war from Yokota," said Ceo. "We go through rigorous training so we are able to effectively prepare service members before they go downrange."

Force management guidance only clicks away

by Airman 1st Class Ashley J. Thum
51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

1/16/2014 - OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea  -- Fiscal Year 2014 Force Management programs have been rolled out, and have raised more than a few questions from the Airmen affected by them.

Although the news may seem daunting, the Air Force Personnel Center and Osan's own 51st Force Support Squadron Manpower and Personnel Flight have several avenues for assistance.

Capt. Andrew Beidler, 51st FSS MPF commander, said he encourages everyone to visit myPers, accessible by clicking here, for the latest guidance.

"AFPC updates myPers weekly, and as new information becomes available," Beidler said.

Senior Master Sgt. Sharon Green, 51st FSS MPF superintendent, said the base MPF is here to help.

"We can visit individual squadrons and give briefings, or speak at commander's calls, to give an overview of the FY 14 Force Management programs," Green said. "If we can't answer a question right there, we'll contact AFPC and find an answer."

Beidler and Green added that a town hall is in the works for late January that will have segments tailored to the needs of Airmen who fall into different force management categories.

"I encourage everyone to look over the PSDMs (personnel services delivery memorandums) listed on myPers to see what they may be eligible for, and to review their records in the virtual MPF to make sure they're accurate" Beidler said. "If there is any inaccurate information, or a missing document in their Personnel Records Display, service members can contact the MPF for assistance. We are here to help!"

For local guidance on enlisted force management, contact Green at 784-2445, Master Sgt. Jermel Carter at 784-5792, or Master Sgt. Bonny Reyes at 784-7376.

For local guidance on officer force management, contact Beidler at 784-1091, or 1st Lt. Lana Moore at 784-2788.

Rescue center lynchpin to saving lives

by Staff Sgt. Wes Wright
JBER Public Affairs

1/16/2014 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- It was a perfect sunny day the morning of Aug. 8, 2010. As a recreational bush pilot and avid golfer, Don Erbey's agenda called for a quick flight up to Knik Glacier with a handful of friends and then a tee time of 2 p.m. It was going to be a good day.

A Navy veteran and current 773d Civil Engineer Squadron power production section work leader, Erbey took off into the crisp morning air with clear skies and a planeload of excited tourists. Spirits were high and chatter abuzz as they climbed up the glacier approaching Lake George, located in a valley surrounded by jagged mountains.

Out of nowhere the weather changed. What were clear skies moments before was suddenly a fog that allowed near zero visibility. An experienced pilot, Erbey knew he had to get out of the area, and fast.

"Normally in a situation like that, you do a 180 and get out of there," Erbey said. "But due to the weather system that was settling in, the aircraft was being forced down. My altimeter showed I was dropping rapidly."

As Erbey started his turn, he hoped and prayed he had enough altitude to clear a turn over the glacier and get out of the valley. He did not.

The ground rose up fast. Erbey did his best to get the plane into some sort of landing position with only seconds to brace for collision.

Impact. The plane hit unevenly, ripping the right strut off the aircraft and causing the 300 horsepower Cherokee Six plane to skip across the glacier before coming to a stop.

Miraculously, the worst injury was a gash on Erbey's nose. All souls were still breathing.
Erbey took stock of his people and resources, analyzing what to do next. He noticed his emergency locator beacon, which is supposed to go off automatically, did not. He manually activated it and began calling for help. His calls were answered. A fellow pilot heard his calls and began relaying them to rescue officials.

His locator beacon was picked up by the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center located on JBER, setting off a chain of precise responses by highly trained military professionals. Weather and terrain made for hellish rescue conditions for the responders. In all, three different aircraft and four pararescuemen, or PJs, spent four days assisting Erbey and his passengers to get off the mountain.

Erbey missed his tee time that day, but everyone made it safely back to civilization with "more bruised pride than anything else," as Erbey put it.

Making it off the mountain would not have been possible without the hard work of everyone involved, but none more crucial than the coordination efforts of the Alaska Air Guardsmen with the AKRCC.

SAVING LIVES

Since 1994, the AKRCC has helped coordinate the rescue of more than 2,065 lives through 5,120 missions.

The primary mission of the Alaska RCC is to provide a 24-hour rescue coordination capability in support of military and civil aviation search and rescue needs in the Alaska search and rescue region. Additionally, the center may provide assistance in the prosecution of humanitarian rescue in Alaska, other countries and to SAR agencies in other SRRs if it does not conflict with AKRCC's primary mission. Ultimately, the role of the center in civil rescue is in direct support of the National SAR Plan, a cabinet-level federal plan. Representing Alaska's federal inland search and rescue coordinator, the AKRCC serves as the single agency responsible for coordinating on-land and aviation federal SAR activities in the mainland of Alaska.

The Alaska RCC is located on JBER and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The center directly ties in to the Federal Aviation Administration's alerting system and the U.S. Mission Control Center. In addition to the Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking information, the AKRCC computer system contains resource files that list federal, state and volunteer civilian organizations, which can conduct or assist in SAR efforts throughout the state and neighboring regions.

As one of only two Air Force rescue coordination centers in the U.S., the AKRCC operates differently than any other search and rescue program.

"The Alaska Search and Rescue program is one of the most highly sought after plans because we have excellent partner agency relationships," said Robert Carte, AKRCC superintendent and a 20-year Alaska Guard veteran. "In the Lower 48, SAR is controlled by county sheriffs, so there is a lot of coordination that has to go on, whereas in Alaska we are the central location to help out state agencies."

BEHIND THE SCENES

"We perform an active duty mission with title 32 Air Guard status," Carte said. "Twelve full time guardsmen - six rated officers pulling double duty that fly for the 176th Wing and six enlisted Airmen."

Those 12 Airmen perform the administrative actions that are critical to SAR.
"Many times, our end customers only see what happens at the ground level - the PJs getting off a helicopter, and they are amazing in their own right," Carte said. "But a lot of coordination happens in the background to make that happen."

Getting an emergency call sets off any one of a number of checklists at the AKRCC designed to most efficiently preserve life and limb and beat the "tyranny of time and distance," Carte said.

"When the phone rings, we start taking notes on that and start the process," Carte said. "But the key takeaway is the AKRCC has no tasking authority. We're responsible for coordinating SAR in the Alaska region, yes, but we use whoever will say yes."

The rescue center has many different assets at its disposal to include Civil Air Patrol, the Army National Guard, active-duty Army and Air Force, and the Coast Guard just to name a few, but their primary assets are the three rescue squadrons of the 176th Wing at JBER.
Air National Guard Lt. Col. Karl Westerlund, AKRCC director stressed the importance of all the agencies working in harmony to save lives.

"Whether it's a dedicated military SAR unit, a state organization or a local volunteer team, it takes people from all of the pages of our playbook to successfully execute SAR missions across Alaska and the Arctic," Westerlund said. "Without the assistance of our joint and partner agencies, none of it would be possible."

Carte said the positive relationships within the joint and total force are key to saving lives in Alaska.

"Relationships here matter and amplifies why we have citizen Airmen here in this job," Carte said. "When SAR happens in Alaska, it's a little more critical because of the extremes. Seconds matter and if we have to forge new relationships with the person on the other end of the line every time we make that phone call, it wastes time."

AHEAD OF THE GAME

A veteran of three different Air Force Specialty Codes, one of which was a helicopter flight engineer, Carte's experience allows him to be able to efficiently plan out rescue efforts.
"I have experience being out on the 'cold dark and stormy' as we call it," Carte said. "I know what they're going through out there. I know how to think ahead five or six steps so that the flight crews as my customers get the best service they need. If I know they're going to need gas and the usual place is snowed in, I'm going to find gas in three other locations and have it set up with somebody standing at the pump waiting for them."
From talking to frantic survivors to calling hospitals to arrange care for incoming patients, it's all in a day's work for Carte.

"This job is extremely rewarding," he said. "All of us here, we all do this because it's what we want to do. This isn't a job to us. This is our lives."

Westerlund summed up with the intangible rewards of saving lives.

"The business of SAR is a virtuous calling," Westerlund said. "Being part of a life-saving effort on a daily basis has no higher reward. The controllers of the AKRCC are the critical connection between those in peril, and those who have the capability to prosecute a rescue mission."

HAVE A PLAN

Carte stressed that while he and the crew at the rescue center are willing and eager to help save lives, if you have to call them, something went wrong.

"Having a plan and ensuring you have adequate survival supplies will go far in you helping yourself," Carte stressed.

The AKRCC has emergency locater beacons available to JBER personnel and highly encourages people to stop by and check one out free of charge before setting off on any trip or adventure in the Alaskan wilderness.

Don Erbey discovered the importance of having some sort of emergency locator beacon firsthand.

"When I went down, my radio still worked for a little bit, but I don't know what we would have done without an emergency locator beacon," he said. "Anybody going out should always have a plan and have emergency supplies like that."

For more information on the AKRCC or to request an emergency locator beacon, please call 551-7236.

An Airman's journey following destruction and devastation

by Senior Airman Chelsea Smith
514th Air Mobility Wing public affairs

1/16/2014 - JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Hurricane Sandy's punch brought a long aftermath of recovery efforts to rebuild, renew and regenerate livelihoods and a sense of normalcy to the victims. Now remembered as one of the strongest and probably most brutal hurricanes on record to ravish the East Coast, many were forced to start from scratch, tirelessly rebuilding homes, businesses and replacing a life's worth of belongings.

Several Freedom Wing Airmen were affected by Sandy and many participated in the relief efforts following its aftermath. One Airman's unique journey required him to recuperate amid a two-month shipment to basic military training, four months of technical school training and another three months of seasonal training, all within the one year anniversary.

October also marked two anniversaries for Senior Airman Julius Guest, a 514th Air Mobility Wing knowledge operations manager: The day he lost his home to an accidental fire and his first wedding anniversary with his longtime friend and confidante, Kathlyn Guest, who served as his motivator and supporter along his jarring journey.

A seasoned New Yorker and long-time Queens resident, Guest regularly attended unit training assemblies to prepare for BMT while serving as a member of the wing's development and training flight.

A month into his marriage, he was living the typical newlywed life building a foundation for his family, which included his wife and cat, Mischief, in their three-bedroom home situated on the second floor of a three-story complex. On the night of the storm, a freak accident would drastically change the trajectory of 2013 - a year pre-planned for new beginnings that would now include new challenges.

"I vividly remember the night of the storm because I was watching Monday Night Football," Guest said. "I was next to my stockpile of flashlights and batteries in case of any outages due to the impending storm."

Despite a fast approaching storm, his block stayed relatively calm and unaffected by the fierce winds which caused power outages. Before retiring to bed, he brewed a cup of tea but was confused by the burning smell permeating the room and the heavy footsteps prodding from above. The commotion concerning due to the arrival of the storm prompted him to wake his wife, retrieve their cat and leave the sanctuary of their home, he said.

"We went outside and saw our neighbors huddled beneath a tree," he said. "They were in a safe spot away from the flames. Smoke engulfed the top level of our housing complex then the fire started spreading to lower levels and to the adjacent houses."

Piercing sirens were heard from the fire trucks which descended upon the scene. Their home did not succumb to flooding or high force winds. Instead, the loss came from a candle flame that ignited a top floor curtain burning not only a building, but families' essentials and several years' worth of belongings. A neighbor's cat was the single fatality in the accident and conditions were unequivocally altered for residents of the housing complex.

"Going back into the house was terrible because there was so much damage," he said. "There was water damage in the living room and bedrooms, and we had no clothes left."

Only able to retrieve the few items they were able to salvage, Guest and his wife were forced to move in with their in-laws nearby until the Federal Emergency Management Agency evaluated their losses. The ensuing aftermath was a mandate for Guest to realign his priorities. He was initially hesitant to leave home amidst the chaos and confusion citing concerns about leaving his wife to search for a new home while spending eight and a half weeks more than 1500 miles away, he said.

However, with the encouragement of his wife and support from Senior Master Sgt. Joseph Gentile and Tech. Sgt. Timothy Mullin, 514th Air Mobility Wing development and training flight instructors, he prevailed. Guest said he could not be deterred by distance and the prospect of uncertainty and was eventually able to reclaim his ambition and enthusiasm for an aspiration he's desired for years - a career in the Reserves.

"The members here were very empathetic to my situation," he said. "I was able to go to my instructors for assistance and they were very helpful with coordinating assistance through the family readiness center here which supplied me with canned goods, clothing and other resources I needed help getting access to."

A component of the recovery process required Guest to follow through with obligations to his family and the Reserves. His wife was an integral piece of that realization and an enforcer of his commitment.

"One of the many lessons I learned from my relationship with Julius is that you have to support the healthy, positive dreams," said Kathlyn. "Julius has always wanted to join the Reserves and I felt like I would be doing our relationship a great injustice by holding him back. Julius is my best friend, and when he is happy, I am happy."

Challenges brought on by the uncertainty of home conditions stayed with him in January of this year when he arrived in San Antonio and found himself immersed in an intimidating new world known as BMT. Even without the burden of starting a life from scratch, BMT can be daunting for any new trainee under the watchful eye of virulent military training instructors and unfamiliar situations, but the greatest hindrance was scarce communication and updates from home.

"I needed reassurance that I could make it through BMT but at the same time I had to stay positive for my family because my wife was still living with her mother, dealing with FEMA, working full-time, and trying to secure a new home for us," he said. "The distance was hard because I didn't want her to feel like she was neglected, but we both needed comforting during that time."

Although the anxiety of his absence brought worries, Kathlyn said she redirected her energy towards stabilizing the situation at home. In March, she moved into a three-bedroom home just five months after the storm, spending time organizing their possessions and decorating her canvass to prepare for her husband's return. She also continued working professionally as an international relations specialist with Credit Suisse. However, her emotional scars still needed nurturing after being temporarily separated from her husband and forever losing some of her most precious belongings.

"Coping was hard after the fire," she said. "In some ways, I'm still deeply affected. I panic if I smell an unfamiliar scent in the house or if I hear a fire truck nearby. But the humbling lesson from this experience was to appreciate life's treasures found in people and relationships. Realize how sudden your life and loved ones can be taken away from you and cherish the time you have with them."

In June, they were reunited when Guest returned from technical school, but the reunion was abbreviated once Guest subsequently began a three-month seasoning training obligation here. However, the devastating consequences of the most life-altering event either of them had endured brought the pair closer together and equipped them to face adversity in the future, said Guest.

"This ordeal was a learning experience for both of us," he said. "As soon as my wife found a new home, we immediately purchased renter's insurance, educated ourselves on fire prevention and home safety measures, and committed to save more money."

Guest and his wife bestow a great deal of credit toward their network of supportive family and friends, including service members here, who carried them through the roughest period of their lives. On the weekend of their first anniversary, they celebrated with dinner and a movie, capped off by a relaxing evening in their new home.

"We had a great double anniversary weekend," said Guest. "I hope going forward things only get better. We are still planning our honeymoon and hopefully, we can avoid any hurricanes."

Wounded Warriors participate in adaptive surf session

by Staff Sgt. Alexander Martinez
15th Wing Public Affairs

1/15/2014 - JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- For their last full day in Hawaii, several participants and volunteers of the 2014 Wounded Warrior Pacific Invitational participated in an adaptive surf session at Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii, Jan. 11.

Under the instruction and supervision of trained surf professionals, the participants received training on how surf, specific to their comfort level, and hit the waves.

Tony Jasso, program manager for the Air Force Adaptive Sports Program, said he was impressed at how well the participants did during the surf activities.

"I think today has given the Warriors another sport that can have a healing effect on their lives," Jasso said. "There's something about the ocean that helps bring an inner peace they might not be able to get in the gym or on the track."

Retired Army Sgt. Kari Miller, a WWPI participant, said surfing was challenging and forced her out of her comfort zone.

"Surfing gave me a sense of excitement and another challenge to take on," Miller, a double amputee athlete, said. "Getting out there and confronting the big waves and animals in the water - it's a way for us to get over our fears. Instead of thinking about all the things that could go wrong, I just focused on having fun and catching a wave or two. It was a great time."

The surfing day wrapped up a week of adaptive athletic events including cycling, seated volleyball, swimming, track and field and wheelchair basketball.

Jasso said he feels confident the athletes grew mentally, physically and emotionally over the past week.

"This week the athletes learned more about teamwork, selflessness, and service to their fellow teammates," he said. "It's been a time where there has been a lot of growing, healing, and raising the bar in regards to what these athletes want in their recovery. It's been an important week helping them forget about what they can't do because, instead, they're learning what they can."

JBER 673d CES firefighters conduct annual ice water rescue training

by Airman 1st Class Ty-Rico Lea
JBER Public Affairs

1/16/2014 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska  -- The alarm bell clangs in the fire station: ice water rescue. Firefighters scramble to the truck and are out the door in less than 60 seconds. Conditions permitting, they can reach some of the remote lakes on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in seven to 10 minutes. In water at the freezing point, even an experienced swimmer in good condition could die or become incapacitated in less than 15 minutes.

One minute to dress, seven to get to the water's edge: eight minutes. The responders have about seven minutes to make the difference between life and death - rescue or recovery.

This small window of time to make a difference in extreme temperatures is why members of the 673d Civil Engineer Squadron conducted ice water rescue training Jan. 11 at Upper Otter Lake on JBER. The training prepared firefighters on the proper methods of water rescue; when minutes and seconds count, it pays to be ready to act instinctively.

The training is an annual requirement for military and civilian firefighters new to the concept of ice water rescue. It requires participants to travel out to a sheet of ice covering the lake and plunge in, one by one, in simulated rescue scenarios. Each scenario varied in conditions and required firefighters to perform specific rescue sequences with various tools. For example, using specialized survival suits, rescuers would break the ice at their feet, swim out to the deepest part of the lake, swim back and climb back onto the surface. Firefighters completed this process several times to ensure all members could effectively get in and out of frigid water.

"We came here today to learn the ice rescue technician course and it was a lot of fun," said Airman 1st Class Cody Burnett, 673d CES firefighter. "I learned a lot of stuff. We used things such as Mustang suits, which were insulated outfits that doubled as personal floatation devices, so we can float to the victim and back to land with very minimal effort."

As the training progressed, trainers implemented additional pieces of equipment for use.

The trainees used ropes to reel in victims and drag them to shore and sent an inflatable boat to retrieve multiple victims while trainers blew whistles to signal others for help.

Louis LaRousse, 673d CES firefighter, was the lead instructor for the training. He required the participants treat each exercise as if they were real rescues.

"I try to make it as realistic as possible," LaRousse said. "It's a service we provide to the people. When we do have an issue, emergency or real-world, members of the 673d CES fire department here on base can provide coverage for both the Air Force and the Army side."

Paying it forward

by Air Force Staff Sgt. Robert Barnett
673d Air Base Wing Public Affairs

1/16/2014 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska  -- When Gaebriel Diaz left Eagle River for Basic Military Training in San Antonio, Texas, his wife, Samantha, was left with two small children and instructions to obtain her military identification card.

New to the military and unable to contact her husband to ask questions, she turned to social media for help.

"I had no idea where to go or what to do," Diaz said. "That's when I found the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Wives page on Facebook and I put up a post saying that I'm new and I don't know where to go. A few ladies answered and they referred me to Petra. She saw it, dropped everything and instantly asked to meet up. She said, 'I'll bring you on and show you around.' She signed me on base. I really appreciated it."

Petra Cooke, wife of Army Master Sgt. Travis Cooke, acting First Sergeant for Comanche Company, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 501st Infantry Regiment, and a native of Paris, Texas, is an example of a military spouse who loves helping people, and hopes that feeling will rub off on others.

"It's not really volunteering," Cooke said. "It's more just serving the community. For example, with Samantha, I offered to help and thank God she took it. We got a lot of stuff done. I helped her get on base, we got her I.D. and we got her signed up on TRICARE."

They also used the opportunity and checked out some of the programs like Family Advocacy, she said.

"It can be challenging for military families to have the opportunity to gain knowledge about resources," said Jennifer Frysz, Family Advocacy Outreach manager and native of Buffalo, N.Y. "When we have seasoned spouses who have been around, they are one of our greatest assets. They help break down stigmas associated with some agencies. Our military spouses are a key point in getting communication out there."

Cooke doesn't just wait for someone to ask for help - she takes the initiative.

"Those are the things I do. I see a need, I roll up my sleeves and I do it," she said. "If someone says they have a really bad cold, I make some chicken soup and bring it over."

Cooke has created programs and events to fill needs, such as organizing morale packages for single Soldiers in her husband's company. They also provided a homemade Christmas dinner including cookies for the installation gate guards.
"I love just seeing them be happy having a little taste of Christmas in the barracks," said Cooke, a native of Berlin, Germany. "You leave your comfort bubble, you see a need and you just act on it. It doesn't hurt to offer help to somebody. What's the worst that will happen, they say no? At that moment, that person feels that you care."

Cooke said she hopes others will follow her example, and those she helps will pay it forward.

"If I can help one spouse at a time make that transition to being a pro at the military lifestyle, it needs to be done," she said. "I help Samantha and then maybe down the line, she pays it forward to the next one."

She recommended knowing what programs are where, such as what's offered in Building 600, the Arctic Chill, the Arctic Oasis and other facilities. She suggested keeping those phone numbers handy for yourself and others.

"I make it a point to help a different person every day," she said. "I would love for others to do that too."

"Petra bringing folks in here is a perfect example of connecting people and resources, which makes my job easier and helps families," Frysz said. "She's an example of a spouse who puts her best foot forward and gets people connected. She actually cares about people getting out of their house. She sees value in helping people."