Carter: U.S., Vietnam Committed to Defense Relationship

By Cheryl Pellerin

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, June 2, 2015 – The United States and Vietnam are committed to deepening their defense relationship, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said yesterday in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi during a news conference with Defense Minister Gen. Phung Quang Thanh.

Carter also met with Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang and General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong as part of his 10-day trip to meet with Asia-Pacific partner nations and affirm the U.S. commitment to the region.

The two nations have come a long way over the past 20 years, Carter said.

The Next 20 Years

“As the general and I reaffirmed in our meeting today, we're both committed to deepening our defense relationship and laying the groundwork for the next 20 years of our partnership,” he said, adding that a joint vision statement signed yesterday will help the nations do just that.

“Following last year's decision by the United States to partially lift the ban of arms sales to Vietnam, our countries are now committed for the first time to operate together, step up our defense trade and work toward co-production,” Carter said.

This action, and Carter’s stop in Haiphong this week, where he was the first U.S. defense secretary to visit a Vietnamese military base and tour a Vietnamese coast guard vessel, underscores the “continued positive trajectory of the U.S.-Vietnam defense relationship,” he said, “especially in maritime security.”

Earlier this year in Da Nang, the U.S. and Vietnamese navies practiced using the code for unplanned encounters at sea, Carter said.

Peacekeeping Training

The United States will provide $18 million to the Vietnamese coast guard to purchase American Metal Shark patrol vessels, the secretary added, and the U.S. is helping to stand up a new peacekeeping training center for the Vietnamese military so they can participate in peacekeeping operations around the world.

“I'm pleased to announce today that the Department of Defense will assign a peacekeeping expert to our embassy here in Hanoi to work with the Vietnamese Defense Ministry to help prepare for their inaugural deployment to U.N. peacekeeping operations,” Carter said.

The secretary also returned two war artifacts to the Vietnamese people: a diary and a belt that belonged to a Vietnamese soldier. He said the U.S. military hopes to see the artifacts returned to their rightful owner or his family.

“With this exchange, we continue to help heal the wounds of our past,” the secretary said.

Commitment to Vietnam

In a statement summarizing Carter’s other activities yesterday, Pentagon officials said he reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Vietnam and the Asia-Pacific region, reiterating U.S. support for a regional architecture that allows all Asia-Pacific countries to rise and prosper.

In his meetings, Carter discussed progress on legacy-of-war issues, support for Vietnamese peacekeeping training and operations, and cooperation on search-and-rescue, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

The secretary and his counterparts expressed a desire to leverage the joint vision statement to open the door to greater military-to-military cooperation that would allow the United States and Vietnam to more effectively work together to promote regional and global security, the statement said.

Maritime Security

Carter also discussed maritime security issues and the South China Sea. He pledged continued U.S. support to build Vietnamese maritime security capacity and underscored U.S. commitment to a peaceful resolution to disputed claims there made in accordance with international law.

“With this visit,” Carter said during the news conference, “we continue to lay the foundation for a bright future. With our work together, we continue to strengthen the region's security architecture so all our countries and others all around the region can continue to rise and prosper.”

621 CRW restructuring to enhance mission

5/29/2015 - JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Air Mobility Command officials announced plans on April 23 to restructure functions of the 621st Contingency Response Wing as part of an ongoing process enhancing the organizations' effectiveness and efficiency in global air mobility operations.

The CRW will maintain the same mission to support air mobility operations worldwide. The wing is tasked with rapidly deploying its approximately 1,500 Airmen to quickly open and operate airfields, establish, expand, sustain and coordinate air mobility operations and liaise with partner nations to foster the development of their air mobility systems through education and outreach.

"This realignment of one of our core capabilities -- our contingency response organization -- will allow these units to operate even more effectively," said Gen. Darren McDew, AMC commander. "Ultimately our goal is to provide an unrivaled team of contingency response experts to the fight, whenever and wherever called."

The bi-coastal wing currently has a total of six groups located at both JB MDL and Travis Air Force Base, Calif., -- four contingency response groups, and two contingency operations support groups. Restructuring will include inactivating these six groups and activating three new groups. The CRGs will be combined to create a single group at each base - the 821 CRG at Travis AFB and the 621 CRG at JB MDL. This restructure will enhance communication flow and better align equipment responsibility. With the inactivation of the COSGs, a newly formed 621st Air Mobility Advisory Group located at JB MDL will be responsible for developing global mobility advisors and providing planners to worldwide air operations centers. The 621 AMAG will also stand up the first-ever squadron to oversee air mobility liaison officers.

The reorganization process was initiated on May 28 when the 817th Global Mobility Squadron and Global Mobility Readiness Squadron inactivated and the 621st Contingency Response Squadron activated. This date marks the beginning of the inactivation of 17 units and formation of 12 newly activated units. All realignment actions are expected to be complete by the end of June. "The current restructuring builds upon the success of the previous efforts in 2012 which unified operations under the 621 CRW at JB MDL," said Maj. Gen. Rick Martin, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center commander. "These internal changes provide more leadership at the NCO level, better define the roles and responsibilities in the Wing, and assign a single point of ownership of the equipment that the CRW needs to provide rapid global mobility."

Col. James Copher, 621 CRW commander, emphasized that although the names of the units will change, the CRW's mission will not. "The CRW -- AMC's mission ready mobile force -- remains one wing, one team that provides one response to world crises. By opening, operating, and closing bare airfields at a moment's notice, while continuing to advise and build partnerships, we remain ready to answer the call of those in need whenever and wherever across the globe as it arises," Copher said.  "Our improved unity of command will allow us to deliver the same rapid response and dedication when called upon as we have in the past."

Antietam Advances 33 Sailors Underway

By Mass Communication Specialist Ricardo R. Guzman, USS Antietam Public Affairs

WATERS NEAR GUAM (NNS) -- The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54) frocked 31 Sailors and pinned two senior chiefs to their new pay grade during a frocking and pinning ceremony at-sea on the ship's flight deck, May 29.

One first class, 12 second class and 18 third class petty officers stood in ranks as Capt. Michael McCartney, Antietam's commanding officer, congratulated each frockee one by one. The two senior chiefs were then called up to the front and received their new senior chief collar devices and combination covers.

"The frocking ceremony was a proud moment for our Sailors," said McCartney.

The frocking ceremony is a historical tradition that dates back to the 1800s and authorizes Sailors the right to wear the rank, insignia and assume the responsibilities of their next pay grade. Frocked Sailors do not receive the pay of their new grade until actually promoted.

"It was a surreal feeling standing up there. I thought I was in a dream," said Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Kyle Woolf, from Antietam's supply department. "Getting it my first attempt was a great feeling. Most of the second classes I know got in on their fourth try."

With higher rank comes more responsibilities. For newly pinned Senior Chief Gas Turbine Systems Technician Travis Miller, from Antietam's engineering department, the level of that responsibility only becomes greater.

"I won't be in charge of just one engineering division in the department anymore," said Miller. "I'll be in charge of the whole department. It's going to be a little more challenging, but you need to get to know your people, stand by them and they'll do the same for you, no matter what rank they are."

One of the biggest challenges faced by recently advanced petty officers is overseeing peers of their former rank.

"I just need to be more professional with them now," said Woolf. "I've been in leadership roles for a while, but I need them to look up to me too. I feel that if they see me slack off or do something wrong, they'll think it's ok. I want to set them up for success."

In addition to on-the-job training, Sailors put many hours in studying bibliographies, in-rate manuals and instructions in order to advance. Sailors made time throughout the busy day to study.

"I never thought I would make it past fireman," said Miller. "Learning the rate, staying motivated, asking questions, never forgetting we all start from the bottom and having the drive to succeed are the key to advancing."

Both junior Sailors and seasoned chiefs waited months in anticipation before learning the good news.

"Looking and talking with our Sailors wearing their new rank insignia, made it exciting to be part of their success," said McCartney. "They joined our Navy to serve our country and to do something better with their lives. Today marks another step along their path of success."

Antietam is on patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operation supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

Team Carl Vinson Assists Distressed Mariner

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Travis S. Alston, USS Carl Vinson Public Affairs

USS CARL VINSON, At Sea (NNS) -- USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) crew and embarked Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 15 "Red Lions" rendered assistance to a mariner, who had been alone at sea for more than 30 days aboard his 35-foot sailboat, in the Pacific Ocean more than 400 nautical miles off the coast of Honolulu, May 31.

The 70-year-old man is a U.S. citizen making a trans-Pacific transit in his privately-owned vessel.

He is currently receiving treatment from the ship's medical department and is in stable condition. He will be transported from Carl Vinson to San Diego in the next few days pending a medical assessment.

He texted his wife from a satellite phone, and through a series of phone calls involving the U.S. Coast Guard, Pacific Fleet Command and U.S. 3rd Fleet, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Carl Vinson was directed to his aid.

Within minutes, Team Carl Vinson deployed a group of air crewmen and search and rescue swimmers to assist the mariner.

The "Red Lion" crew consisted of a pilot, co-pilot, two search and rescue swimmers, a hospital corpsman search and rescue swimmer and a nurse anesthetist.

"When I first heard we were going to assist someone in need, I knew I had to be on my A-game," said Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class Jarad Angel. "It went extremely smooth. I expected it to be more chaotic, but our training prepared us for this."

Carl Vinson and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 are supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations en route to the Carl Vinson homeport of San Diego after a nearly ten-month deployment in support of Operation Inherent Resolve in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.