NGB Chief visits Ohio: best part of job is seeing Guard men, women

by Senior Airman Wendy Kuhn
121st Air Refueling Wing

5/1/2015 - Columbus, Ohio -- The Chief of the National Guard Bureau was the guest speaker here April 25 during the 2015 Ohio National Guard Association and Ohio National Guard Enlisted Association Spring Dinner Dance, which is part of the annual ONGA/ONGEA conference.

Army Gen. Frank J. Grass currently serves as the 27th chief of the National Guard Bureau and also is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

During his speech, Grass outlined three unique missions of the Ohio National Guard -- providing warfighting capabilities for Air Force and Army combat missions worldwide; providing mission capability for the governor when called to respond in the homeland; and fostering long-term partnerships with State Partnership Program participants Hungary and Serbia to form global security alliances.

Grass said the annual ONGA/ONGEA conference provides an opportunity for members of the Air and Army National Guard to get together, away from their jobs, and reflect.

"We are able to gather and talk about issues," said Grass. "What's in the future?  What are the things we're going to need be able to do our homeland mission as well as our overseas mission and our partnerships in the future?"

Grass also traveled to Ohio to meet with Ohio National Guard leaders and tour facilities at Defense Supply Center Columbus and the 178th Wing in Springfield, Ohio.

"Gen. Grass had the opportunity to speak to the largest warrant officer muster in the nation [at DSCC] and express his personal thanks for the professionalism that they bring to the Ohio Army National Guard," said Maj. Gen. Mark E. Bartman, Ohio adjutant general. "In addition, he was able to see, firsthand, Ohio Airmen engaged in the daily warfight overseas, while visiting the [Unmanned Aircraft Systems] and intelligence area [in Springfield]. Our Soldiers and Airmen greatly appreciated Gen. and Mrs. Grass' visit to Ohio, and look forward to a potential return to see additional capability."

Grass was joined by his wife, Patricia Grass, whose visit included meetings with Ohio National Guard Family Readiness leaders, the United Services Organization of Central and Southern Ohio, and The Ohio State University Extension 4-H.

"She's getting an opportunity to talk to the volunteers here as well as the Family support groups," Grass said.  "After 14 years of war, who knows better what the impact of that is than the Families?"

Bartman's wife, Christi Bartman, who was the lead host for Patricia Grass' visit, said she could not have been more proud to introduce her to Ohio's Army and Air Family Readiness volunteers and staff.

"Their dedicated service to our Families and Guard members was evident in the stories they told of their experiences with the countless programs we provide our Families here in Ohio," said Christi Bartman.

During his visit to the Buckeye State, Grass emphasized that he had a message for the Soldiers and Airmen of the Ohio National Guard.

"You are the best of the best, no doubt, and we want to keep it that way," he said. "Our nation, our children and our grandchildren need you now more than ever to reassure the security of the United States and even the world.  The best part of my job is to go out and see the men and women that serve in the Guard. There is nothing better."

Minnesota National Guard encourages female career growth and development through symposium

by Capt. Winnie Tan
133rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

4/28/2015 - ST. PAUL, Minn. -- More than 300 Minnesota National Guard members gathered for the first Joint Female Professional Development Training Symposium at Metropolitan State University here, April 18, 2015.

This symposium was designed to open the window for females to have the same opportunities as their male colleagues, who have historically been offered more opportunities for professional training, mentorship, and networking in the military.

The keynote speakers were Gen. Janet C. Wolfenbarger, the Air Force's first female four-star general and retired Command Sgt. Maj. Cynthia Kallberg, former MNNG Senior Enlisted Advisor. Both shared insights on making it to the top of a male-dominated organization.

Wolfenbarger spoke about her experience, the challenges she faced along the way, and the importance of having a healthy work-life balance. She spoke on the importance of putting due diligence into the things that you want after your career ends. For her, family, friends and health were priorities so that is where she put her energy.

Kallberg focused on the evolution of including women in the military over the decades.

"I spent a lot of years in my career trying to get people to not focus on the fact that I was a woman, and focus on my skills," said Kalberg. "I thought that in order to be successful in this organization, I had to never, ever speak about my experience as a woman."

She also highlighted the significance of the symposium and emphasized the importance of women sharing their military experiences, making it easier and more normal for the next generation.

"This event today is so significant, because I believe it's important for women to share their military experiences, to make it easier and more normal for the next generation," she said."

State leaders in attendance were Maj. Gen. Richard Nash, the Adjutant General of the Minnesota National Guard, Brig. Gen. Robert Cayton, the Chief of Staff and Air Component Commander for the MNNG, and Command Sgt. Maj. Douglas Wortham, the MNNG Senior Enlisted Advisor, as well as senior leadership from Minnesota Army and Air National Guard units.

The day also included breakout sessions to promote growth and development in the areas of skills advancement, communication, career mapping, being a leader, and competing in the arena.

"I have nothing but great things to say about the symposium," said Staff Sgt. Alyson Welter, a 133rd Airlift Wing Airman. "My biggest take away from the whole day was listening to General Wolfenbarger. Her words were very inspiring and I walked away feeling empowered and positive. All in all, it was a great day!"

Breedlove: Russia Now Taking ‘Different Path’

By Jim Garamone

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, May 1, 2015 – The West assumed the best of Russia once the Cold War ended, but Russian President Vladimir Putin had other plans and NATO must remain strong in face of the threat from the East, Air Force Gen. Philip M. Breedlove said here yesterday.

Breedlove, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe and commander of U.S. European Command, told the Atlantic Council that freedom is being challenged by “a revanchist Russia embarked on a reaching revision of what once were shared hopes for a stable and mutually beneficial partnership.”

Breedlove yesterday received the Distinguished Military Leadership award from the council.

The general said that when the Berlin Wall fell and the Cold War ended, the United States fundamentally changed the way it dealt with Russia. The United States believed there was a genuine hope for a new friendship, a new partnership and the prospect of a Europe whole, free, at peace and prosperous, he said.

“We broke with confrontation and pursued a policy of cooperation, and for a long time many of us believed Russia would also embrace that cooperation,” Breedlove said. “But as we look back, there were clear signs that Russia was on a different path.”

In the early 1990s, Russia stoked separatist tensions in Georgia and Moldova, Breedlove said. In 2007, Russia suspended observance of the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty. In 2008, Russian forces invaded Georgia. Through it all Russian leaders clamped down on freedoms the Russian people had only recently won, the general said.

‘Signals of a Changing Russia’

“All of these were signals of a changing Russia, breaking with the principles and the values of the West,” he said.

But the United States and its NATO allies remained optimistic and continued to treat Russia as a valued and trusted partner, Breedlove said.

But last year, with the illegal annexation of Crimea and movement into Eastern Ukraine the West’s optimism faded, the general said. Russia’s actions against Ukraine since last year have signaled “a clear end of what I see as two decades of clear Russian struggle over security policy,” Breedlove said.

Russia is now on a far different course, he said, one that shifts the relationship between Russia and the West from strategic cooperation to one of strategic competition. This is not a temporary aberration, but the new norm, Breedlove said.

“This is a Russia that recognizes strength and sees weakness as an opportunity,” he said.

Strategic Competition

This strategic competition requires a new mindset and a new approach, the general said.

“The U.S. and NATO must adapt,” he said. “And we are. The stakes are high but we must not shy away from that because, frankly, Russia is not.”

There still must be a dialogue with Russia, but conversations with the country must be done from a position of strength, the general said.

“We must embrace cooperation wherever our mutual interests align, but we must also ensure that we are ready to compete,” Breedlove said.

NATO is Strong

NATO is strong and it gives the West the ability to compete successfully against current and future challenges, he said.

Breedlove said NATO must challenge Russia’s current policies and demonstrate that Putin’s current approach will not be allowed to damage security.

The alliance also must deter Russia “by carefully shaping Moscow’s choices and managing Putin’s confidence,” the general said.

He added, “And it means continuing to lead courageously, as an alliance and as a nation.”

NATO is rock solid, Breedlove said.

“We are standing together,” he said.

Operation Team Spirit improves efficiency, readiness

by Senior Airman Wendy Kuhn
121st Air Refueling Wing

4/23/2015 - RICKENBACKER AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ohio -- Members of the 121st Air Refueling Wing's Maintenance Squadron and Maintenance Group here took part in inspections on a 121 ARW KC-135 Stratotanker during its programmed depot maintenance as part of Operation Team Spirit, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., Mar. 2, 2015 - Mar. 4, 2015.

The program allows home station maintenance Airmen to collaborate with 564th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron personnel while they perform inspections on aircraft in the depot facility as it undergoes the intense four- to six-month process of depot maintenance.

Depot maintenance is performed on KC-135 aircraft every five years, and involves stripping the aircraft down, inspecting it for deficiencies, and fixing or replacing parts as necessary, said Senior Master Sgt. Edward Taylor, quality assurance team lead, 121st ARW Maintenance Group.

"This is a 1958 model so given its age, corrosion is a huge enemy to this aircraft," said Taylor.

Prior to Team Spirit, acceptance inspections were performed at the aircrafts' home stations after the maintenance was completed, said Taylor. This process resulted in a higher amount of write-ups found during the inspections and increased inspection times. Under the Team Spirit process, many issues can be corrected on the spot while the aircraft is still dismantled.

"From our unit's standpoint, this process is massively beneficial," said Master Sgt. Don Armstrong, quality assurance, 121st ARW Maintenance Group. "Not only does it provide a second set of eyes on the aircraft which improves safety, but it also decreases downtime at home because it streamlines the acceptance inspection process."

The Team Spirit program also provides both the depot facility and the 121 ARW Maintenance Airmen with an opportunity to share information, ideas and best practices, said Master Sgt. Mark Rawlins, crew chief, 121st ARW Maintenance Group. Additionally, it gives the Airmen a better understanding of how the aircraft goes together and what is involved in the depot maintenance process, said Rawlins.

"If we just take this jet home, we have no idea what's been done to it or how it goes together," said Rawlins. "When we come here, we're able to see it torn down and we gain a lot of knowledge from that."

This two-way exchange of information and ideas also benefits the 564th AMXS facility personnel as well, said Curtis Kisling, Systems Unit Chief, Tanker Production Flight, 564th AMXS. It also improves the working relations between their unit and the home station unit.

"When our people are able to put faces to the people that actually fly and maintain these jets, it gives these guys an enormous sense of pride and it shows in the work they do," said Kisling.

After the aircraft returns home, an acceptance inspection is performed there as well, but it is significantly reduced by the Team Spirit process, said Taylor.

"This aircraft is going on 60 years old, and it projected out for another 20 - 30 years," said Taylor. "This process is essential to keeping the aircraft flying. It keeps it reliable and sustainable as long as the Air Force needs it."

Breedlove Receives Atlantic Council’s Leadership Accolade

By Jim Garamone

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, May 1, 2015 – The Atlantic Council presented Air Force Gen. Philip M. Breedlove its Distinguished Military Leadership Award last night during a black-tie event here.

Breedlove’s friend and fraternity brother, Navy Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr., the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, presented the award to his fellow Georgia Tech alum who is now the Supreme Allied Commander Europe and commander of U.S. European Command.

“Of all the good fortune that has followed me around the world, I consider none better that to have had Phil Breedlove as a colleague and a friend,” Winnefeld said in remarks during the ceremony.

Friends From the Start

Winnefeld said he and Breedlove have known each other since the start of their military careers.

Breedlove’s “friendly southern drawl, his sharp intellect, his easy sense of humor and his out-going personality” were immediately evident at their first meeting, the admiral said.

As their careers progressed, the two officers sometimes disagreed, the admiral said.

“We have sometimes found ourselves in very senior forums on opposite sides of a tough issue -- with gusto,” Winnefeld said. “But no matter the resolution, two steps outside the room and Phil and I are back to the old days.”

Pillars of the Trans-Atlantic Partnership

The Atlantic Council recognizes people who are pillars of the trans-Atlantic partnership, the admiral said, and Breedlove exemplifies this.

“At every point along his career, Phil has built trust and fostered relationships in important positions of responsibility in Europe and Asia, but none more strategically important than those he has skillfully developed among his NATO partners and particularly in the last year that has been so difficult with all of the new challenges, the re-emerging challenges that are facing the alliance today,” Winnefeld said.

General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower first held the position Breedlove now occupies. Winnefeld quoted Eisenhower: “Our real problem is not our strength today, but it’s rather the vital necessity of action today to ensure our strength tomorrow.”

Preparedness Today, Building Force of Tomorrow

Breedlove advocates for preparedness today and building the force for tomorrow, Winnefeld said.

“He is an extraordinary leader with high moral character and unflinching dedication to the people and the relationships that propel his mission,” Winnefeld said of Breedlove. “And most importantly -- he has a deep passion for the men and women, regardless of nationality, who serve the cause of freedom everywhere.”

COMMENTARY: Two quick paths to end your career or a life or both

by Master Sgt. Brian Boisvert
100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

5/1/2015 - RAF MILDENHALL, England  -- This Friday starts an extended weekend for Airmen assigned to RAF Mildenhall and it is important to recharge without taking unnecessary risks.

The temptation to quickly get to a holiday location and relax or have the first cookout of the season may see excessive speeding or alcohol creeping into planned events.

U.K. law states, "You must not drive faster than the speed limit for the type of road and your type of vehicle. The speed limit is the absolute maximum and it doesn't mean it's safe to drive at this speed in all conditions."

According to U.K. driving statistics, in 2013, 3,064 people were killed or seriously injured in crashes where speed was a factor. Additionally, Driving Under the Influence attributed to 260 deaths in 2013 in the U.K or 13 percent of all road fatalities.

Team Mildenhall Airmen get DUI's not just because they are getting drunk and then driving home that night, but there is also a secondary issue. Drivers who are too drunk to drive and choose to safely sleep it off are going to bed drunk, waking up some time later refreshed, and then incorrectly assuming that because they no longer feel intoxicated, they are good to drive when in fact, they may still be inebriated.

"One-in-three U.K. drivers admit to driving after drinking any amount of alcohol in the last year," stated Brake, The Road Safety Charity. "Almost one-in-five admit driving the morning after having a lot to drink, when they are likely to still be over the limit."

In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the alcohol limit for drivers is .08 Blood Alcohol Content.  In most European countries, to include Scotland, the limit is .05 BAC, or less.

The amount of alcohol that must be consumed to be considered over the driving limit varies from person to person. This difference is dependent on an individual's weight, gender, metabolism rate, current stress levels, how much food a person has eaten, and the age of the individual with younger individuals processing alcohol slower than older people.  Even small amounts of alcohol can affect your ability to drive so the only safe advice is to avoid any alcohol if you are driving.

"Arrests for drink driving between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. rose by 13 incidents in 2011 to 363 in 2012," stated Brake.

There is no fool-proof way of drinking and staying under the legal limit or any way to fool your blood into thinking there is less alcohol in it than there actually is. Only time allows your body to metabolize alcohol and guarantee a BAC that is within limits.

"Imagine you're drinking until three or four in the morning and you wake up at 8 a.m.," Dr. Paul Wallace, chief medical adviser to the U.K. based charity Drinkaware said. "If you've had six or seven units, you could still have several units of alcohol in your body when you start your day. This is because your body can only process around one unit an hour. Sleep, coffee, and cold showers don't help to sober you up, only time will help."

The 100th ARW Safety office reminds everyone to be safe this weekend and return safely.

If the potential loss of your career, your life, or the potential loss of someone else's life isn't enough to deter you from speeding or drinking and driving, anyone caught over the legal alcohol limit when driving will be banned from driving on base for a minimum of 12 months and can receive fines up to £5,000.  This is the U.K. driving penalties only and does not include additional actions under the Uniformed Code of Military Justice.

U.S. and U.K. mobility Airmen put the "Air" in Airborne during multinational exercise

by Marvin Krause
43rd Airlift Group public affairs

5/1/2015 - POPE ARMY AIRFIELD, N.C. -- U.S. Air Force and British Royal Air Force Mobility Airmen and 25 aircraft conducted the largest multinational Combined Joint Operational Access Exercise over the last 20 years alongside U.S. Army and British soldiers here Apr. 10 through Apr. 17.

The purpose of this exercise was to prepare United States Transportation Command units, Air Mobility Command, Royal Air Force forces and elements of the 82nd Airborne Division and British Army's 16 Air Assault Brigade to respond as part of the Global Response Force and to conduct Joint Forcible Entry operations.

The GRF is a force dedicated to maintaining the capability of deploying on short notice anywhere in the world by land, air, or sea to conduct a variety of mission sets. This force must be flexible and able to integrate Joint Operations Systems in any operating environment.

Mobility crews and aircraft air dropped approximately 4,000 paratroopers and offloaded more than 480 short tons of division readiness cargo at drop zones at Fort Bragg and the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, Louisiana, during the exercise.

"The Army was very happy with our support during the exercise," said Col. Jeff Brown, air mission commander from the 317th Airlift Group, Dyess AFB, Texas. "What's key in this mission is that we dropped their real stuff--their division ready equipment for the actual GRF mission. One of our goals was to close the force in minimum time across the drop zone and the 82nd was happy with our performance," he said.

As the air mission commander, Brown led the large formation flight of U.S. Air Force and British Royal Air Force C-130J Super Hercules and U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft during several airdrops over Fort Bragg's drop zones and from here to Alexandria, Louisiana, for a JRTC airdrop.

Brown also highlighted the integration of the British C-130s into the U.S. aircraft formations.

"Working with the Brits, the goal in general was to improve allied interoperability," Brown said. "We identified equipment limitations that limit our ability to fly in formation with them in the clouds. It gets somewhat technical to explain, but let's just say our two systems are close, but they're not compatible enough to allow us to do that. Fortunately, the incompatibility is a software fix that already exists. I think the RAF will take that lesson home and soon have their C-130J aircraft updated to allow full compatibility with U.S. Air Force C-130Js," he said.

According to Air Force exercise planners, the multinational joint team successfully met nearly all of their training objectives and this exercise illustrated the critical partnership between Mobility Air Forces and the U.S. Army by exercising Joint Forcible Entry: the capability of rapidly introducing forces into hostile environments to conduct operations - whether for combat operations or humanitarian support.

"We have to think outside the box especially when you have different aircraft within the same overall formation," said Capt. J.D. Shaw, Air Force lead C-17 planner from the 8th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. "Sometimes our systems don't talk to each other which is not that abnormal so we just have to be able to solve those problems safely. The goal is to have minimum closure over the drop zone and we do these exercises to simulate real world scenarios. If we did this anywhere in the world, we always try to have minimum closure to get those troops on the ground, the equipment on the ground, so they can set up and defend or take whatever objective area they are trying to achieve," he said.

Planning the airdrop is one challenge, executing it as planned is another challenge.

"I thought it went excellent--phenomenal," said Lt. Col. Mitch Spillers, C-130 mission commander from the 39th Airlift Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas. "The weather was questionable as we started to launch and we were flying in instrument metrological conditions, using the aircraft's instruments to fly the route. As we were approaching the coast, we received a weather update allowing visual procedures for the drop. That was important because it allowed us to compress for mass on the DZ. We were able to get all of the aircraft across the DZ within approximately 9 minutes--a primary training objective.

Aircraft loadmasters and Army personnel also conducted static load training during the exercise. By interacting and working closely with their joint partners, Airmen participating in this exercise were able to develop refinements to processes and procedures that can potentially enhance their effectiveness for contingency operations.

"The static load training included loading outsized cargo and other unique equipment, 32 separate pieces in all, loaded by 75 Air Force and British loadmasters along with 200 Army personnel onto C-17 and C-130 aircraft," said Tech. Sgt. Adam Scripture, a C-17 loadmaster assigned to the 43rd Operations Support Squadron, who organized the static training. This training is extremely important, as it allows the Army the opportunity to see the entire load processing sequence and be a part of it. It also allows aircrew to have familiarization training loading abnormal and outsized cargo and builds our joint relationships," he said.

"This exercise was epic because we achieved almost exactly what we set out to do across the drop zones in terms of compression of very complicated aircraft formations," Brown said. "We actually achieved it and we had to make the decision to do that while we were airborne--which we had planned for. We've made a deliberate effort over the last two years now to reenergize this capability and to build relationships with the 82nd that pays dividends," he said.

Exercise participants included U.S. Air Force and British Royal Air Force airlift aircraft units including C-17 Globemaster III and C-130J Super Hercules aircraft. Units belonging to the 571st Contingency Response Group, Travis AFB, California, 317th Airlift Group, Dyess AFB, Texas, 62nd Airlift Wing, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, 437th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, 15th Air Wing, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, 97th Airlift Wing, Altus AFB, Oklahoma, 19th and 314th Airlift Wings, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, 143rd Airlift Wing, Quonset Air National Guard Base, Rhode Island and the 43rd Airlift Group, Pope Army Airfield, North Carolina, participated in the exercise as well.