Communicator leads in fight against Ebola

by Master Sgt. Timm Huffman
HQ RIO Public Affairs

11/26/2014 - BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- A team led by a reservist is providing command and control capabilities in Monrovia, Liberia, for the fight against the Ebola virus.

Maj. Kyle Johnson commands the Joint Communications Support Element at the Barclay Training Center. His detachment of more than 30 civilian and military command-and-control specialists supports communications at the nerve center for Operation United Assistance.

The JCSE is a tactical communications outfit supporting regional combatant commands, Special Operations Command and other agencies.

"When I heard we were deploying in support of OUA, I was very excited to make a difference in the lives of people who are suffering," said Johnson, an individual mobilization augmentee assigned to Headquarters Readiness & Integration Organization Detachment 3, Peterson AFB, Colorado.

Johnson learned in early September his unit would be needed as the Department of Defense began scaling up operations to fight the deadly outbreak in West Africa, One week after receiving the call, his first team was on the ground at Barclay Training Center, providing communications support to the Joint Forces Command.

Johnson and the rest of the team arrived Oct. 19 aboard three C-17 transport aircaft laden with 185 tons of communications equipment. Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, Defense Department civilians, and contractors from his detachment in Italy and another detachment in Tampa, Florida, had the core command and control elements operational in 44 hours; four hours under their 48-hour deadline.

"My team worked around the clock in searing heat, humidity and heavy rain to make the operational timeline," Johnson said.

The gear they delivered had everything needed to set up communications for a tactical JFC headquarters, including tents, generators, air conditioning units, computers, communications infrastructure, tables and chairs. The team brought the most sophisticated communications equipment available, including classified and unclassified communications, computers, phones, technical support and video teleconferencing capability.

Johnson's team also deployed four rapid response kits to locations around Liberia and Senegal to support command and control and logistics hubs.

He said the Barclay Training Center's beauty is juxtaposed with evidence of the civil wars that have racked Liberia in recent years. The center is surrounded by makeshift homes, poverty is rampant, and everything is dirty. Despite these hardships and the threat of deadly disease, Johnson said the locals seem to work hard, and he sees children out playing.

His team is only a few kilometers from a treatment facility, making everyone a little apprehensive. However, they have no contact with those suffering from Ebola and strict precautionary measures are in place, such as bleach hand-washing stations, hand sanitizer and twice-daily temperature checks to ensure the disease is not spread.

"I feel confident that my team is safe," he said.

With the initial command and control elements in place, Johnson and his team continue to operate and maintain the equipment. The skilled communications specialists also provide network and administrator support, help desk functions and generator mechanics to the JFC.

"[I] have the best professional communicators and maintainers in the Department of Defense, and I'm extremely proud to serve with them," Johnson said.

414th FG maintainer stays on target on and off flightline

by Senior Airman Ashley J. Thum
4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

12/1/2014 - SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C.  -- As a young boy on a north Georgia farm, Stuart Brown showed an interest in hunting birds that continued into his teenage years.

Brown later enlisted in the Air Force as an 18-year-old, newly graduated high school student, never dreaming his childhood interest would develop into a passion that would last more than two decades and take him across the country.

Now a master sergeant and 414th Fighter Group F-15E Strike Eagle tactical aircraft maintenance section flight chief, Brown's skill with a shotgun has garnered him countless awards on the fields of American skeet, to include a recent win, claiming the high all-around average at the 2014 World Skeet Championship in San Antonio, Texas. Brown took the top spot by destroying 548 out of 550 targets.

In American skeet, shooters must cycle through eight stations and hit clay targets launched from two fixed positions, a "high" house and a "low" house, using 25 shots. It may seem like plenty of ammunition, but the shooter must destroy double the amount of targets at stations one, two, six and seven, and use the 25th to either re-shoot their first miss or shoot an additional target launched from station eight's "low" house if they have hit all the previous targets.

"American is the oldest and most traditional form of skeet," Brown said. "It was developed by hunters to sharpen skills on a variety of moving targets. You have to strive for perfection. It requires a mastery of hand-eye coordination to strike targets flying at more than 50 miles per hour with a shotgun. Your chance is over in three or four tenths of a second."

For professionals like Brown, the prestige that is gained among peers for performing at a high level is significant, but for Brown, prestige comes second to other, less tangible benefits.

"I don't need awards or recognition," Brown said. "I don't need to be reminded. What takes place in those moments is enough for me."

Mutual respect among his fellow shooters and a fierce level of competition also help keep Brown's interest in the sport at its peak.

"There's so much integrity in the sport," Brown said. "You can't cheat when you, God, and John Wayne are all watching."

The skeet field isn't the only place Brown has had to exercise mental fortitude. He retired from active duty with more than 20 years of service, but wasn't quite ready to hang up his uniform just yet. Joining the Air Force Reserve after retirement is a complex and lengthy process, but Brown dug his heels in, put himself through the necessary paces, and has now been a full-time air reserve technician for more than two years.

"The same determination to stay in the Air Force is what carries me out on the field," Brown said. "You've got to have it in your heart and want it more than everybody else."

Whether it's the precise way he describes re-packing his own spent shell casings instead of buying new factory-made ammunition, the admiration in his voice when he shares lessons from his shooting mentors, or the look in his eye when he recounts especially memorable shots, it's not hard to see that Brown puts his heart into his sport.

Although there may be a few targets that have escaped his aim, Brown has learned to conquer whatever obstacles he encounters, and that's a score no referee can tally.

"When things go wrong, I look at it as a challenge and I look for the positive side," Brown said. "If you have a negative attitude during a shoot it reflects in your scores. It's the same as when I cross the flightline fence - I turn it off and leave it all behind me."

Hill's fighter wings celebrate Thanksgiving together

by Bryan Magaña
419th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

11/26/2014 - HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- Airmen from the 419th and 388th Fighter Wings celebrated Thanksgiving a little early this year.

The airplane hangar normally used to maintain the base's fleet of F-16s was transformed into a banquet hall, decked with autumn décor. Tables were hauled into the hangar and topped with handmade thank-you letters from students at Lakeside Elementary in Clearfield.

The Reserve and active-duty members enjoyed a complete meal thanks in part to donors and business leaders from the communities surrounding Hill AFB, some of whom showed up to personally serve food to the troops. The joint Thanksgiving feast has become a yearly tradition for Hill's two fighter wings.

The 419th FW currently has about 80 reservists deployed around the world who will celebrate Thanksgiving with comrades at their deployed locations around the world.

Face of Defense: Native American Navy Veteran Paved Way for Women Sailors

By Shannon Collins

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

SOUTH GATE, Calif., Nov. 28, 2014 – The head woman dancer at a recent Native American Veterans Association pow-wow is a retired sailor who helped blaze the path for women in the Navy.

Retired Navy Chief Petty Officer Old Horn-Purdy, from the Crow tribe, took part in the annual Veterans Appreciation and Heritage Day here on Nov. 8-9, 2014. She was one of the first females in the Navy to serve on a combatant ship.

Long before she ever set out to sea, however, Horn-Purdy’s journey began on the Crow Agency reservation in Montana.

“I grew up around very traditional grandparents, and my father would pass down stories. We had oral history,” she said. “They would teach us from our ancestors. Nothing was written down. I grew up knowing some of my language, but my first language was English. I went to school off the reservation, so I lived in both worlds.”

She said it was a culture shock when she went to the school off the reservation, but she had to adapt.

Military Benefits

Horn-Purdy said she joined the military for the benefits, such as education, training and travel.

“I needed a place to sleep, something to eat and, for me, that was good enough,” she said, adding that she wanted to “learn, that was the main reason.”  She said she can relate to other military people coming from other countries who are just glad to have some place to sleep, eat and work.

When she got to her ship in 1985, she found out she was among the first group of women on her deployed ship. Then, in 1999, she found out that she was to be among the first group of women on a combatant ship.

“It was hard, but we had to adapt if we wanted to continue and learn and do our job,” she said. She was in engineering but wasn’t allowed to call herself a machinist at that time. She said that, at her three-year mark in service, the career field opened up to women.

One of the First

“I ended up becoming a machinist, one of the first women in there,” she said. “I ended up advancing quickly through that because not too many people wanted to be in there. I don’t know if it was because I was naïve or young, but I used to think, ‘I’m going to be tough. I’m Indian. I’m going to make it.’ It was hard to learn the theories and engineering principles. I’m thankful for the co-workers who helped me through it. It was hard, but I got through it.

“I’m appreciative of those particular men who would look beyond my race and gender and would try to teach me and help me to think the way I should think so I have a lot to be thankful for. They helped me learn,” she said.

Serving in the military is also a Native American tradition. Her paternal grandfather, Allen Old Horn served in the Army in World War II and her maternal grandfather, George Thompson, was in the Navy in World War II. Her great uncles Barney and Henry Old Coyote were code talkers in World War II, and great-grandfather James Red Fox was also one in World War I.

Old Horn-Purdy said her father, Sarge Old Horn Sr., encouraged her throughout her time in the military and is proud of her time in the uniform.

Since the Beginning

She said Native Americans have defended America since the beginning.

“Native Americans weren’t given medals or accolades that we get now for defending America,” she said. “But we still have to protect America, no matter what. It’s in our blood.”

She encourages people to attend pow wows in their communities to learn more about Native American culture.

“You don’t have to be Indian to be at a pow-wow,” she said. “Many people don’t know anything about Indians so it’s great to educate them about us, because Indians have a different viewpoint and different stories. It’s good for people to learn and see what we’re all about.”

Ebola risk low, but prevention still counts

by 673d Medical Group
News Release

11/28/2014 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- The recent import of the Ebola virus to the United States has highlighted one of the challenges of our global community - we are all connected to events in far-off places.

Locally, our risk is low; however we must ensure we have measures in place to detect this virus.

Similar to procedures you have seen across the nation, the Department of Defense has initiated screening procedures to assist in detecting any potential Ebola virus disease patients who may arrive at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

Screening focuses on two key areas - symptoms, and the travel history of the patient and those they had contact with.

Patients complaining of fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, or unexplained bleeding will be asked if they have traveled to West Africa (Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia), or have had contact with someone who is infected with Ebola virus disease.

If you are scheduling an appointment for any of the symptoms noted above, you  should expect to be asked about travel history and contacts.

As noted, our risk for Ebola virus disease is low.

Because we are entering cold and flu season, we expect people will have fevers and other symptoms common to these illnesses.

The travel and contact history portion of the screening will help identify those who could have EVD instead of common illnesses like colds and influenza.

The most important way to combat illnesses, including Ebola, is good hand-washing practices and "cough etiquette."

This is even more important as our children have returned to school, and as we gather indoors as the temperatures get cooler.

The more we gather, the greater the opportunity to share whatever we have.

To combat the spread of diseases - from Ebola to the common cold - wash your hands, cover your coughs and sneezes, stay home if you are sick, and get your flu vaccination.

We appreciate everyone's assistance in helping to keep our community healthy, and in providing some additional information should you need an appointment for symptoms associated with EVD.

Thanks for partnering with us to promote health and wellness year around across our entire JBER community.

Face of Defense: Native American Vietnam Vet Takes Spiritual Path

By Shannon Collins

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

SOUTH GATE, Calif., Nov. 28, 2014 – Cherokee tribe member Tony LittleHawk waved a bald-eagle-feather fan as he performed the Sun Dance at the Native American Veterans Association’s Annual Veterans Appreciation and Heritage Day Pow-wow held here Nov. 8-9.

The Sun Dance is a distinctive ceremony where Native Americans use intense dancing, fasting, piercing, sun-gazing and other spiritual devices to pray on behalf of their people for healing, according to the Encyclopedia of the Great Plains.

LittleHawk, who is also a Native American spiritual adviser, went from being a Los Angeles gang member, an Army Airborne combat medic and infantryman in Vietnam and motorcycle gang member to getting a calling to run sweat lodges and be a Sun Dancer. He also started performing counseling services for his Native American community.

Early Years

LittleHawk was born in Marshall, Texas, but he grew up in North Hollywood, California, with his mother and grandmother in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood.

“My grandmother always told me about my culture though,” he said of his Cherokee tribe. “My great grandmother was on the Trail of Tears in 1835.”

He joined a gang when he got older but got into trouble for fighting and joy-riding in the 1950s, so his probation officer encouraged him to join the military. He joined the Army for eight months and then re-enlisted.

LittleHawk said he was one of two Native Americans in his basic training unit.

“We were very few, even in basic. There was only one other Native beside myself,” he said, laughing. “We became friends right away. Even after basic, when I went to medical training and then jump school, there were very few Natives, few and far between.

“When I was in Vietnam, I ran into my next-door neighbor, who was Sioux,” he continued. “I used to go out with his sister. We ran into each other while I was out on patrol, and we were sitting in a foxhole together in Vietnam.”

After basic training, LittleHawk was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division and deployed to the Dominican Republic for three months.

Military Service in Vietnam

He said he picked up valuable skills, patching up civilians in the Dominican Republic by holding sick-call hours in an abandoned home. Afterward, LittleHawk volunteered twice to go to Vietnam, and since he was a jungle expert and pathfinder, his name was first on the list. He was assigned to the 173d Airborne Brigade and signed up for the Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol.

“I loved the jungle, crawling around out there, being all secretive, trying not to get caught,” he said. “I was very patriotic, gung-ho. I was like, ‘Let’s go out and end this war the best way we can.’ I started volunteering for every mission.”

LittleHawk said he employed his first-aid kit to assist American troops and Vietnamese civilians.

“I’ve delivered babies, picked out shrapnel metal, you name it, whatever it was to be done,” he said. “If we were out on an operation, it was about finding the enemy and killing them or escaping them. But if we went through a village and there were civilians, I would treat them. I never lost that compassion to help people. It was a strange situation.”

LittleHawk said his fellow soldiers never treated him differently for being Native American.

“I got a lot of respect because I was very devoted to my job, and I would always tell them if you get hit, make sure you’re hit, because if they can see you when I go out there, they can see me,” he said, leaning forward. “My guys knew I was going to take care of them, and they took care of me. When we would pass through a town, it was like, ‘Doc, your money’s no good here.’

“They took care of me because they knew I had their backs when we were out there,” LittleHawk continued. “I didn’t care if I was under fire or what. I was going because I wasn’t going to leave my guys out there suffering.”

Difficult Experiences

He said his most difficult experiences in Vietnam occurred when he’d “look into somebody’s eyes when they got hit, and they’re going, ‘Doc, help me’ and you’re looking at them, and I’m going, ‘I got you’ but I already know they’re going to die from their wound and you could just see it in their eyes.

“But you have to go, ‘Don’t worry, I’ve got you,’ and then in a few minutes, they’re dead,” he continued. “It was hard not to be able to do something for them.”

LittleHawk said while he was there, he never thought he was going to die until shortly before he was to leave Vietnam.

“Even though I worked on a lot of guys who died and patched guys up, sucking chest wounds, slapping them with morphine, whatever I had to do, the thought never entered my mind that I was going to die,” he said. “I’m going to get out of here. When I got short, I had less than 30 days to go in-country over there. They wanted to send me out on a mission. I finally told them, ‘No, I’m not going.’ Something made me feel like I wasn’t going to make it this time.”

Return to Civilian Life

LittleHawk said because he had volunteered for so many missions, he didn’t get any reprisals and was able to return home.

He got out of the Army as a buck sergeant with a few broken bones, a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, and a Vietnam Cross of Gallantry and caught a ride home to California with a Marine.

Decades later, in 2000, after encouragement from fellow Native American veterans, LittleHawk started receiving treatment and disability for his post-traumatic stress from his time in Vietnam.

Motorcycle Club Member

After his military service concluded, LittleHawk said, he didn’t want to put on a suit and sit behind a desk every day. He said he wanted an experience that provided a shot of adrenalin like during his military days, so he decided to join a motorcycle club. He ended up riding with the club for 16 years and was an officer for 12 of them.

“Almost all of the guys in my chapter were ex-military. They were all reconnaissance, Navy SEALs, Airborne or whatever,” LittleHawk said. “I was right at home. I retired out of the club, though, because I didn’t see my life going anywhere. It was all about partying, riding and whatever.”

Immersed in Native American Culture

LittleHawk went back to college to learn technical illustration and substance abuse counseling. Then, a friend took him to a pow-wow. He said when he first heard the beat of the drums, he was hooked and has been going to pow-wows ever since.

“I would’ve never thought 30 years ago that I would be doing what I do right now,” LittleHawk said. “It was like it was all about me for the first 40 years of my life and then the Creator said, ‘You’ve done your thing; now it’s my turn.’ I sold my motorcycle, retired out of the club, everything. In a year of my life everything changed -- 180-degrees. I have no regrets.”

LittleHawk said his Uncle Matt in Montana adopted him into the Gros Ventre Nation on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, and he started going to the Pipe Ceremony. On his fourth year, he made a new pipe and while he was in the Sun Dance arena, he offered the pipe up and committed to 16 years.

“When I Sun Dance, I suffer for the people, so they don’t,” LittleHawk said. “Somebody always needs help. Creator helps them -- I’m just the instrument.”

LittleHawk will be 72 years old in January but said he won’t be finished with Sun Dancing for three more years. He gets pierced several times a year on behalf of his people.

“I’m the oldest Sun Dancer around here right now,” he said with a barking laugh. “Even my aunt and uncle said, ‘We’re thinking about 86’ing you because you’re getting too old for this. Why don’t you let the youngsters do it?’ I have a commitment for 16 years. If I can give the motorcycle club 16 years of my life, I can make a 16-year commitment to Sun Dance. I’m going to keep giving back to the community.”

Helping Fellow Veterans

LittleHawk has also worked with United American Indian Involvement as a counselor and is the Native American Veterans Association spiritual adviser. He also became ordained online so he could sign marriage contracts after performing traditional Native American weddings.

“I’ve been doing marriages now for over 10 years,” he said. “When they want somebody to do a traditional wedding, they call me. A lot of people call me for funerals too. When a church is involved, I go talk to the priest or minister or whoever, and I let him do the inside part, and I do the gravesite part. I do the traditional part, singing Native songs and giving Native blessings.”

Even though he said he’s retired, LittleHawk continues to perform ceremonies, conduct sweat lodges, and provide counseling to whoever needs it. He said everyone calls him “uncle” out of respect but he won’t let them call him “spiritual leader” until he hits his 80’s and has white hair.

LittleHawk said he’ll continue to visit hospitals and pray with Native American veterans and help them however he can.

“I pray for a lot of people,” he said. “I’m proud of my people, and I love my people to death. I’ll be doing what I do until the day I die.”