Aircrews deliver on time, target for Steadfast Javelin II

by Airman 1st Class Jordan Castelan
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

9/6/2014 - RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- More than a dozen C-130 and C-17 aircraft from two continents and six states are providing tactical airlift from the power projection platform known as Ramstein Air Base for Exercise Steadfast Javelin II.

The NATO-led exercise, taking place Aug. 31st through Sept. 11th here, includes active-duty and Air National Guard Airmen collaborating with paratroopers from the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne) and multinational forces to prepare U.S., NATO Allies and European security partners to conduct unified land operations.

Combat airlift plays a pivotal role in the exercise's overall mission success, however the flying mission begins well before takeoff.

"Our timeline begins regularly five hours or more before we take to the air," said Tech. Sgt. Mathew Merkley, 37th Airlift Squadron loadmaster. "Before an aircraft can take to the skies, loadmasters and crew chiefs examine the aircraft from tail to nose."

Operation specifics vary widely from mission to mission, but the responsibility of the aircraft lies with the aircrew operating it.

"I'm responsible for this [C-130J] Super Hercules," said Senior Airman Christian McDevitt, 37th AS loadmaster. "Pilots, passengers and cargo rely on me to ensure the safe and proper packaging and distribution of whatever we might be carrying. It is up to me and my fellow loadmasters to safely deliver our manifest."

Airmen remaining properly positioned are also a factor when handling real-world and exercise situations.

"We at the 37th AS stand constantly on alert and ready for whatever life may throw our way," said Capt. Clayton Martin, 37th AS pilot. "Operationally speaking we are called upon to supply safe, accurate, fast and successful airlift power within our area of operation and we make it our duty to do so."

By maintaining an always ready posture, the 37th AS prepared themselves to fluidly and effectively work with the 1st Bn., 503rd Inf. Regt. while refreshing their interoperability with multi-national forces.

"The constant training and interactions with the people we support allows us to understand the needs and necessities of the Army, or any partners to successfully complete their objectives," said Martin.

As the propellers stop spinning, the loadmasters complete final checks and the pilots stretch their legs after a long flight, once again the loadmasters and pilots of the 37th AS completed another mission successfully.

"Tonight we were able to drop 4,000 pounds of cargo along with 36 paratroopers quickly, accurately and most importantly safely," said Airman 1st Class Emily Mitchell, 37th AS loadmaster. "It's a thrilling experience to know I'm bringing these soldiers and their fight to the drop zone."

Whether it is cargo, passengers, humanitarian aid or paratroopers the 37th AS and their aircrew are ready to deliver on time and target wherever they are tasked to fly.

Following her father's flightplans

by Airman 1st Class Dillon Johnston
100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

9/8/2014 - RAF MILDENHALL, England -- Some families have a history of military service, whether it be cross-service or within the same branch. It is somewhat less common however, to have two consecutive generations not only serve in the same branch of the military, but to pursue the same career field.

This is the case with U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Danielle Repp, 351st Air Refueling Squadron boom operator from Spokane, Washington, and her father, Daniel Repp.

Both Repps chose to be boom operators, with Danielle entering the Air Force in 2012 and Daniel entering in 1981.

Danielle's desire to become a boom operator stemmed from her father's career, which she got to observe first-hand growing up.

"Boom operator was definitely number one on my list," Danielle said

Her first exposure to the boom operator world was all it took to peak her interest in the career field.

"I got to fly space-available once on a flight from Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, to Hawaii and I got to watch (my dad) during the (refueling)," she recalls. "Seeing pictures and hearing how much he likes the job made me think 'You know, I don't want to sit at a desk all day, I want to be out there doing something.'"

Daniel, now a retired chief master sergeant, supported Danielle in her decision as soon as he heard about it.

"I'm proud my daughter chose to serve her country in a job that motivates and challenges her to be her best," he said. "It's been fulfilling for me to see the community I served for 30 years is solid, with a sound formal education process, and filled with strong leaders, instructors, and professional aviators."

Although they were never stationed together, they have a bond through their mutual love of the career field.

"Our enlisted aviators are a little closer to the pointy end of our nation's will than many, and being a boom operator provided a sense of mission and purpose," Daniel said. "The support of our tankers enables our nation to feed the hungry, protect the threatened, and bring hope to the despondent."

"It's such a cool job," Danielle said. "I love when you take passengers on a flight and you get to see their eyes get all big when they see the jet behind us. It reminds you how cool the job actually is."

While they are both familiar with the same job, things have changed since Daniel joined.
"When I was a senior airman, we flew with navigators, the boom operator made celestial observations with a sextant to aid the navigator in position keeping, and night lighting for air refueling was poor and unreliable at best," he recalled. "There weren't the high-fidelity simulators we have today for pilots or boom operators; training relied on more live-flight learning."

"It's still the same job, but the mission is a lot different," Danielle said. "I can still call my dad up any day and be like, 'This happened on the jet today and I thought that was weird' and he will sit there and talk me through everything, break it down and put it into terms that I'll understand a lot better."

In the end, it's still the same over-arching mission. The father and daughter duo helped enable global reach and made the Air Force a more capable force. They just happened to do it decades apart.

Airman 'catches planes,' saves lives

by Gina Randall
100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

9/8/2014 - RAF MILDENHALL, England  -- "For lack of a better term, we catch planes!" exclaimed Senior Airman Brian Magkasi, 100th Civil Engineer Squadron Power Production journeyman from Great Mills, Maryland.

Installed on the RAF Mildenhall runway are two aircraft arresting systems designed to act as a "second chance" for any fighter aircraft having an in-flight emergency. These aircraft arresting systems, more commonly called "barriers," are installed to primarily support the F-15s from RAF Lakenheath, but are capable of supporting any transient aircraft in need of a safe place to land.

"We stop them with these barriers," the Maryland native explained. "I personally like that aspect of the job because I get to say 'Hey I've saved two pilots lives, or I've saved one pilot's life and $15 million worth of aircraft."

The Airmen in the 100th CES maintain these safety barriers to ensure that in the event of an emergency they are ready. If an F-15 attempts to land and its brake system is unable to stop the jet, the barriers are engaged by a tailhook catching the cable, stopping the aircraft before it reaches the end of the runway.

But this vital task is not the only mission-critical aspect of Magkasi's work.

"Day-to-day I pretty much run the generators," the journeyman said. "We have a set schedule on when the generators run. We run it for one to two hours and do a scheduled operations check to make sure everything is in good working order, just in case a power outage does happen. These generators will allow all important missions to continue without skipping a beat."

Though all offices on base are important, and the service members and civilians working in those offices require power to perform their duties, tough choices must be made on which missions are supported and which are not. In the present economic climate there has to be decisions made on what offices cannot be without power, even for a few minutes. The 100th CES, in coordination with wing leadership, must prioritize these limited government assets.

A few examples of these mission-critical work stations include the 100th Operations Support Squadron air traffic control tower, 100th CES Fire Department, 100th Security Forces Squadron dispatch, 100th Air Refueling Wing command post and the 100th ARW headquarters building. These key facilities must have a constant power supply to keep aircrew safe while airborne and to maintain the communication network to launch a mission if required.

Magkasi takes pride in his work to keep the generators used by these buildings operational.

"I like having that satisfaction of (saying), 'Hey, I fixed a generator so that facility is now covered just in case a power outage does happen'," the 100th CES Airman reflected.

Magkasi enjoys his time stationed in England, but has hopes for the future.

"Right now it's my goal to become an officer and see where the road takes me from there. You need at least a bachelor's degree which is exactly what I'm working towards, so slowly and surely I'll get there. I'm in no rush because right now I'm in England," the Maryland native laughed. "When I get there, I'll get there and I'll press forward."

He enjoys working with NCOs who have taught him a great deal during his time at RAF Mildenhall. He also knows he couldn't perform his tasks without the aid of fellow squadron members.

"Being civil engineering, we take care of the team," Magkasi explained. "Different shops work well together and assist each other for the common goal. We help each other out: Engineers lead the way!"

Magkasi's leadership is proud of the young Airman as well.

"Every Airman is a valuable asset to the world's greatest Air Force," said Staff Sgt. Jose Vargas, 100th CES NCO in charge of barrier maintenance from El Paso, Texas, "and Senior Airman Magkasi is no exception."

Controlling an air war; what it takes

by Senior Airman Gustavo Castillo
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

9/8/2014 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany - -- Fourteen enlisted Airmen and officers work 24/7 to control an air war by staring at computers with a plethora of shimmering dots passing over a map showing 251,000 square miles of airspace.  This is the job of the air battle managers and weapons directors, also known as 606th Air Control Squadron operators.

These operators maintain a real-time picture of the area of operations while communicating with air and ground assets. The three-dimensional airspace management includes allocation, de-confliction and integration of aircraft around the clock.

"All the unmanned aerial vehicles, surveillance aircraft, air drops; when the joint terminal attack controllers request kinetic support, show of force and show of presence - All that stuff is run through guys like us," said U.S. Air Force Capt. Michael Acanas, a 606th ACS air battle manager and native of Sacramento, California.

The 606th ACS developed a six-week plan in order to prepare Airmen for the long hours and stressful work they will face. The constant training Airmen undergo allows them to be ready to deploy at a moment's notice

"It was six months of a crawl, walk and run phase," Acanas said. "Each ramping up in difficulty and making it so each crew position got to see certain things that would get them prepared for contingent operations."

There will be no time for a slow start. They will be thrown into 12-16 hour days of constant work that will require extreme concentration and attention to detail.

"From talking to the new people, they said it was like drinking through a fire hose," said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Kristian Brown, a 606th ACS weapons director and native of Amarillo, Texas. "I believe them because that is how I felt last time. I think a little stress is good; it keeps you on your toes. When it comes to controlling aircraft, if you get relaxed you are much more likely to make a mistake."

The program consisted of 3,000 total man hours of academics, tests and simulations, including 100 simulated hours of maximum capacity aircraft representing the deployed environment supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

"We gave them weekly tests to prepare them with call signs they will see, JTACs they will work with, the airfields and the air traffic control air route names and points," Brown said. "I think we gave them really good training and we had a bunch of really good controllers and surveillance personnel to get them ready, now it will be up to them."

Veteran operators oversaw the training and certification process. Having deployed at least once before, they have the knowledge and expertise of exactly how operations run in a deployed location. This allows them to give laser-targeted training points to the Airmen.

"We have a lot of experience so people know what to expect, but even then you don't know what the area of operations is going to be like," said Acanas. "Even six months later it could be completely different, so that is what we did, we built that framework."

The training has prepared the 606th ACS Airmen to perform at their best. Operators emerging from this six-week crash course will be able to provide timely, decisive airpower to meet emerging challenges and execute the mission during any contingent situation down-range. These forward, ready forces will be able to support combatant commanders and global operations.

914th Airmen particpate in Feds Feed Families Program

by Tech. Sgt. Andrew Caya
914th Airlift Wing

9/6/2014 - NIAGARA FALLS AIR RESERVE STATION, N.Y. -- Members of the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station donated non-perishable food items to a local food pantry under a federal food donation program September 5.

Using the program Feds Feed Families, 914th Airlift Wing Airmen and their civilian counterparts donated 315 pounds of food to Heart, Love and Soul Inc. Food Pantry and Dining Room located in Niagara Falls, New York.

Heart, Love and Soul Inc. Operations and Personnel Manager Michael Daloia said in the summertime the pantry purchases lots of fresh fruit however, the non-perishable food items donated by the Wing are the pantry really needs.

"It's great," said Daloia of the donation. "We can't do this without community involvement and community support, and the (NFARS) has been such a fantastic partner with us; whether it's coming in to serve a meal or doing grounds work for us or doing maintenance--and collecting the food is another fantastic thing that they've done for us in the past."

According to the website of U.S. Department of Agriculture, since the Feds Feed Families campaign began in 2009, Federal workers have donated and collected 24.1 million pounds of food and other non-perishable items to support families across America.

While members from different units across the Wing contributed to the cause, the Fire and Emergency Services donated the most food. This outcome was due to a friendly competition within the ranks, according to John Schultz, assistant chief of fire prevention .

The base fire department is always involved in working with charities, said Schultz. When the notification of the Feds Feed Families came out, the firefighters wanted to make a challenge out of it.

"We wanted to see which shifts, also known as pods, could donate the most to the cause," said Shultz. The fire chief gave a gift card to a local super market to the pod that contributed the most food, however the winning Pods chose to donate the cards to the Food Pantry to buy the food they needed, said Schultz.

Schultz said overall, the firefighters contributed $50 in gift cards and nearly 250 pounds to the food pantry.

This year 4,933,000 pounds of food have been collected so far by federal employees to the Feds Feed Families program.

"During the summertime we've seen our need increase because kids have been out of school, and it's just a busier time for the food pantry, so we've needed to replenish...so to have our shelves restocked it just a fantastic feeling." said Daloia.

CARCAH manages storm requirements

by Master Sgt. Brian Lamar
403rd Wing Public Affairs

9/5/2014 - KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- A man sits in a small side room of the National Hurricane Center in Miami and scans a bank of computer monitors that stream satellite information, communications from weather reconnaissance aircraft, and the flight path data, when the phone rings with news of aircraft being denied clearance into Hurricane Cristobal.

The plate is full for John Pavone, a supervisory meteorologist and aircraft coordinator with the Chief, Aerial Reconnaissance Coordination All Hurricanes (CARCAH) cell, who is coordinating with air traffic control during an investigative mission off the coast of Texas while dealing with Hurricane Cristobal off the coast of North Carolina.

"This is a busy day. We are having a lot of fun today," said Pavone, who has been working in CARCAH for 27 years.

CARCAH is a three-man unit, located at the NHC and is a subunit of the 53rd WRS, whose main mission is to act as a single point of contact to coordinate all the reconnaissance flight requirements into the storms.

The middle of the Atlantic Ocean can be a frustrating place for the NHC hurricane forecasters due to the data sparse environment.

One of the best ways to get the ground-truth data from a storm out in the wild blue yonder is to send a WC-130J from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron or a P3 Orion with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration into the storm, according to Pavone.

CARCAH handles all the requests for reconnaissance flights from the NHC and Central Pacific Hurricane Center forecasters to satisfy the requests with the 53rd assets.

"Managing the data from several aircraft at one time especially when flying more than one storm can be a real challenge," said Pavone.

The flights typically cover the areas of the Atlantic, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Missions are given priority based on their location and threat to make landfall and then assigned to the 53rd WRS for operational data collection purposes to get the latest weather information to assist the NHC with providing the forecasting models.

Every 10 minutes, the reconnaissance aircraft send volumes of weather data via satellite.

The CARCAH cell members also act as quality control for the data pouring in during a storm reconnaissance flight making sure it is correct before it is sent it to the world.

"We check the information coming in from the aircraft to make sure it is meteorologically sound and accurate before we release it," said Pavone.

Another job that can pop up during a weather flight that keeps the men of CARCAH hopping is helping coordinate with Air Traffic Control to gain flight permissions in certain areas.

During the invest mission into a storm designated as AL98 off the coast of Texas, the aircraft has trouble getting into an operational altitude because of all the traffic coming into the Texas coast airports.

Pavone worked with Air Traffic Control to gain access to the area and the 53rd WRS was able to determine that the storm was not likely to develop into a tropical depression.

During the winter season, CARCAH also coordinates winter storm requirements in support of the National Winter Storm Operations Plan. Winter storms are flown to gather information for forecasters to help predict impact areas of where heavy snowfall will occur.

The other two members of the CARCAH cell are Steve Feuer, who came from the NOAA's Hurricane Research Division and Warren Madden, who had recently been working with Lockheed Martin as a software developer.

"An added benefit of hiring Madden was his computer skills. Madden took the software that we use to plot reconnaissance data and fixed it," Pavone said.

According, Dr. Rick Knabb, the director of the National Hurricane Center, the relationship between the forecasters and the 53rd is important to the livelihood of those affected by a storm.

"So many of our operations decisions are based on the aircraft data. In my view, the aircraft data is not a nice to have, it is a must have, and CARCAH does a great job to facilitate our requests for data," said Knabb.

At the end of the day, Pavone began briefing Feuer giving him details of the reconnaissance flights completed during his watch and a look to what was planned for the next day.

As Pavone grabs his things to go home for the night, he smiles and says, "It's been a great day. We had lots of excitement".

"I do this everyday because it is fun. I love it. When it stops being fun, I will stop, but I am still here so it must be fun," said Pavon

Global Strike Command holds first ARC focus day

Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs

9/5/2014 - BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- Air Force Global Strike Command hosted its first Air Reserve Component focus day here, Aug. 26 - 27.

The ARC is comprised of the Air Force Reserve Command and Air National Guard, and it complements the Air Force's active duty capabilities. In a time marked by shrinking budgets, AFGSC is increasingly leaning on its Reserve components to bolster mission effectiveness.

The inaugural AFGSC ARC focus day brought together regular Air Force, Reserve and Guard leaders from around the command to participate in discussions regarding their operations and the way ahead.

"The ARC is important because it can offer a lower-cost alternative," said Lt. Gen. James Jackson, commander of Air Force Reserve Command. "We offer many of the same capabilities that the active duty component does, but we can do it for less in some circumstances because of our lower associated manpower costs."

The ARC achieves their lower manpower costs by not maintaining full strength at all times, Jackson explained.

In the ANG for instance, members sometimes serve as little as one weekend per month and two weeks sometime during the year. During those periods, guardsmen receive training comparable to that received by their active duty counterparts. During the rest of the year, many guardsmen work in the private sector.

Throughout the ARC focus day, attendees heard from unit representatives from the 307th Bomb Wing, 131st Bomb Wing, 102nd Air Operations Group and 219th Security Forces Squadron. AFGSC leaders including Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson, AFGSC commander, were briefed by these representatives on matters affecting their respective units such as training schedules and manning.

"Our active duty units need to listen closely to what their ARC counterparts have to say," Wilson said. "Many of the issues that they deal with can be found in their own units as well. It's important that we learn from each other."

In a broader perspective, attendees were presented with information on topics such as AFGSC's Force Improvement Program, the upcoming Presidential Budget and the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force. They also participated in open discussions on ARC initiatives and future programs.

The ARC focus day also served as an opportunity to network with peers.

"Look at the person to either side of you," said Wilson. "Chances are you'll be working with at least one of those people in the coming years. The first time you meet shouldn't be during a crisis."

As the government and Department of Defense continue to cut budgets and limit spending, the Total Force concept will play a progressively more prominent role in the Air Force's future, Jackson explained.

"As we move forward, programs like the ARC focus day will become more important," Jackson said. "If we are to operate seamlessly together -- active duty, Reserve and Guard -- we need to stay informed on what each component has going on."

America Departs Peru, Sets Sail for Homeport

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Scorza, USS America (LHA 6) Public Affairs

PACIFIC OCEAN (NNS) -- The future amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) departed Callao, Peru, Sept. 3 after a three-day port visit.

This was the crew's final port visit on the ship's maiden transit, "America Visits the Americas" as the ship continues to make its way from Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss. to its homeport of San Diego.

The crew visited Cartagena, Colombia; Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and Valparaiso, Chile before visiting Callao, Peru.

While in Peru, the ship hosted a reception in the ship's hangar bay for more than 300 guests. The distinguished guests included the Honorable Brian A. Nichols, U.S. Ambassador to Peru; Gen. John F. Kelly, commander, U.S. Southern Command; as well as senior Peruvian, U.S. government and military officials.

During the visit, the ship's military and civilian crew had the opportunity to experience their host nation and to serve as goodwill ambassadors.

While in port, 25 America Sailors participated in a community relations (COMREL) project with Peruvian Navy sailors at Immaculate Conception Municipal School. The volunteers teamed up with the Peruvian sailors to paint portions of the school and refurbish the lawn.

"It's impressive the impact that a group of Sailors and Marines can have in a community during a few short hours," said Rear Adm. Frank L. Ponds, Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 3, currently embarked on America. "They are great ambassadors for the U.S. because of their can-do spirit and desire to be of service to others during port visits."

America's soccer team also played a friendly match against the local Peruvian Navy team. After the game, members from both teams exchanged mementos and enjoyed a barbecue prepared by the Peruvian Navy. In addition, members of the America crew participated in rugby and basketball games with Peruvian Navy sailors.

"I am very proud of the Sailors and Marines serving on board America," said Capt. Robert A. Hall, Jr., America's commanding officer. "Throughout this maiden transit, the crew has far exceeded what the expectations typically are for a ship in this phase. From COMREL projects to meaningful exchanges with various countries, everyone on this journey has contributed to something much greater than the ship. They have contributed to the strong bond that exists between the U.S. Navy and navies throughout South America."

Following the ship's departure from anchorage, America conducted a series of formation drills with seven Peruvian naval ships. Hall described the experience as the prime example of partnership building and training.

"Safely performing complex evolutions with another Navy so soon after departing the shipyard is a testament to the quality of Sailors we have in America's bridge and combat information center watch teams," said Hall. "I was impressed with the flawless communication between the Peruvian Navy ships and our own watchstanders, as well as the professionalism of the Peruvian Navy shiphandlers."

America is now on the final leg of its journey to its homeport of San Diego and is expected to arrive mid-September. As the maiden transit comes to an end, the crew continues to strive toward refining its processes and preparing to join the fleet.

U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, U.S. 4th Fleet and U.S. Marine Forces South support U.S. Southern Command's joint and combined military operations by employing maritime forces in cooperative maritime security operations in order to maintain access and build enduring partnerships to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions.

America is currently traveling through the U.S. Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet area of responsibility. America is the first ship of its class, replacing the Tarawa-class of amphibious assault ships. As the next generation "big-deck" amphibious assault ship, America is optimized for aviation, capable of supporting current and future aircraft such as the tilt-rotor MV-22 Osprey and F-35B Joint Strike Fighter. The ship is scheduled to be ceremoniously commissioned Oct. 11 in San Francisco

Forward Deployed Aircraft Carrier, Air Wing Team Continues 7th Fleet Patrol

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Alonzo Archer, Task Force 70 Public Affairs

USS GEORGE WASHINGTON, At Sea (NNS) -- The United States Navy's only forward deployed air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, flew aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) Sep. 5 to continue their 2014 patrol of U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations (AOR).

CVW-5 is composed of nine squadrons with approximately 1,900 Sailors and 67 aircraft, which complete the full capacity of operations and manning for George Washington.

"Carrier Air Wing 5 has been patrolling with the George Washington since 2008," said Cmdr. Brian Downey, CVW-5 Operations officer. "I look forward to the reintegration of our commands each time we're called upon. The respect we show each other during these patrols lends to the professionalism of both commands. They know their job, and we know ours, and we both trust each other to perform at the highest level."

During the first half of their 2014 patrol CVW-5 and George Washington completed exercise Malabar 2014, a multinational maritime event including the Indian Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), a bilateral operation with JMSDF, four goodwill port visits and two air power demonstrations for Independence Day and a Tiger Cruise respectively.

"This is my first deployment with Carrier Air Wing 5 and the George Washington," said Lt. Andrew Ginnetti, an EA-18G Growler pilot with the "Shadowhawks" of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 141. "It's great to finally be in the fleet, applying the skills I've learned in flight school. I personally feel I'm a part of the most mission ready air wing in the Navy."

The aircraft carrier and air wing relationship is symbiotic in more ways than one; both units need each other to complete vital carrier qualifications and maintain pilot currency.

"By instruction, all fixed wing carrier pilots have to maintain periodic currency," said Cmdr. William Berryman, George Washington air operations officer. "We as a ship must also maintain certain qualifications by operating with aircraft. We work together to accomplish these qualifications across the board in order to keep the air wing-ship team combat ready."

CVW-5's squadrons are a collection of aircraft designed to perform various functions and missions. The aircraft are attached to: the "Diamondbacks" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102 flying the F/A-18F Super Hornet; the "Royal Maces" of VFA-27, the "Eagles" of VFA-115 and the "Dambusters" VFA-195 each flying the F/A-18E Super Hornet; VAQ-141 flying the EA-18G Growler; VAW-115 flying the E-2C Hawkeye; the "Providers" of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 30, Detachment 5, flying the C-2A Greyhound; the "Golden Flacons" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 12 flying the MH-60S Seahawk; and the "Saberhawks" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 77 flying the MH-60R Seahawk.

CVW-5 is on patrol in the 7th Fleet AOR supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia- Pacific region.