Face of Defense: Airman Accepts Marine Corps Challenge

By Mark Wyatt 66th Air Base Group

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass., Sept. 13, 2017 — Deploying overseas for the first time as a member of the Air Force’s security forces can be a daunting experience for a young airman with less than two years of service.

However, Airman 1st Class Colby Morin, a member of the 66th Security Forces Squadron here, said he relished the opportunity to take on a new challenge. He volunteered to attend the Marine Corps’ Lance Corporal Seminar shortly after arriving to his deployed location in Southeast Asia.

“The five-day seminar was an opportunity for me to grow professionally and learn more about the Marine Corps, whom we were working side-by-side with providing security at the installation,” said Morin, who grew up in Barre, Massachusetts.

Ahead of Peers

The goal of the seminar is to enhance small unit leadership and ensure a better understanding of Marine Corps ethos, leadership fundamentals and the total Marine concept for Marine Corps lance corporals. The seminar is run at the unit level by an organization’s command sergeant major or senior enlisted advisor.

“The course was extremely beneficial because instead of having to wait two-and-a-half years to go to Airman Leadership School, I was able to complete a course very similar to ALS before many of my peers,” Morin said.

Morin was the only security forces member to volunteer for the course.

“If we aren't effective leaders who possess good leadership qualities and traits, we can't lead the airmen behind us,” he said. “This class improved my leadership abilities and better prepared me to become the airman the Air Force wants and needs.”

Before attending the seminar, students complete an online course called “Leading Marines.” The course and seminar are prerequisites for promotion to corporal within the Marine Corps.

Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Carl Oestmann, who was Morin’s deployed security forces squadron manager, lauded Morin for accepting the challenge in an email to Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Scott Pepper, the 66th Security Forces Squadron superintendent.

“The Marines for the first time invited [Air Force] E-3s to participate in their Lance Corporal Seminar,” the chief wrote. “Not only was he [Morin] removed from shift for these days to learn and broaden his perspective, he went beyond other airmen by completing five Marine Corps online tests before the course began.”

Tackling Challenges

Morin encouraged others to take on similar joint professional military education opportunities.

“It was a great opportunity to learn more about our mission partners and how they perform the mission at home and while deployed,” he said. “There was a lot of information sharing between us that was beneficial to everyone involved.”

Morin’s supervisor here said he was not surprised to learn he accepted the challenge to broaden himself while deployed.

“He is a go-getter and if there is a mountain to climb, he'll be the first one to attack it,” said Staff Sgt. Cody S. Hoffman, the element leader for Bravo Flight, 66 Security Forces Squadron.

By attending the course and providing feedback to leaders in his deployed unit , Morin was able to influence decision-makers on whether other airmen will attend the seminar at that location in the future.

“His feedback was valuable in us assessing having future [Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron] airmen attend,” Oestmann said.

The course included Marine Corps-led physical training and a long run with the local sergeant major on graduation day.

A two-time security forces squadron airman of the quarter and the 66th Air Base Group Airman of the Quarter for October 2016, Morin spoke about how the seminar broke down barriers between the young service members.

“In addition to attending the seminar and having an opportunity to change any misconceptions they might have had about the Air Force, we served right alongside them, securing the base,” he said. “I think through it all they had newfound respect for the Air Force and what we bring to the fight.”

Army Continues to Support Irma Response

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13, 2017 — More than 17,000 soldiers and Army civilians have been mobilized as part of the Total Army response to Hurricane Irma, Army spokesman Col. Patrick Seiber said yesterday.

The Total Army, which includes active duty, Reserve, and Army National Guard personnel, remains involved in or prepared to support state, territory and other federal agencies as part of Hurricane Irma relief operations, he said. “Governors are best postured to determine the needs of their residents and establish response priorities,” Sieber noted, adding that state governors are using Army National Guardsmen to help meet those needs.

“The Army has pre-positioned or is in the process of positioning equipment and personnel in the affected areas to ensure adequate resources are readily available if needed,” Sieber said.

As of 5pm Eastern Daylight Time yesterday, the Total Army response includes the following:

-- The Total Army response for Hurricane Irma is now more than 17,600 soldiers and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civilians in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and the continental United States.

-- The Army has 38 aircraft, more than 740 trucks and more than 80 generators committed to relief efforts with more than 100 aircraft, almost 600 generators, 150 boats and nearly 3,200 trucks on standby to support response efforts if called upon.

-- Fort Jackson, South Carolina, is providing shelter to 128 personnel displaced by the hurricane and are still accepting persons seeking shelter.

-- The Army Corps of Engineers has activated three divisions and six districts to support federal response operations, with more than 400 personnel deployed at key response nodes and 158 personnel manning key communication nodes.

-- The Corps is working in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to assist with power restoration efforts and have teams on standby to assist in Florida if needed. The Corps continues to monitor conditions at the Herbert Hoover Dike around the waters of Lake Okeechobee, Florida, and will continue to provide expert status updates.

-- Army National Guardsmen from Florida, South Carolina, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are on State Active Duty status and are either responding, or prepared to respond to each Governor’s priorities. Additionally, Army National Guard units in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas are conducting routine inactive-duty training that they will utilize to prepare for a Hurricane Irma response if required.

-- The Army also has active-duty officers assigned with FEMA Regions II, IV, and V Headquarters to provide expert military advice on storm response efforts.

Secretary Mattis Travels to Minot, ND, Omaha, NE, and Mexico City, Mexico

Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis will embark on a three stop tour starting Wednesday, Sep. 13.  His visit to two nuclear-focused locations comes at an opportune time given the ongoing Nuclear Posture and Ballistic Missile Defense Reviews.  This will be the secretary's first trip to these locations during his tenure.

Secretary Mattis will begin his tour in Minot, ND.  Minot Air Force Base is the only U.S. base to host two legs of the nuclear triad - strategic bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles.  He will tour a Missile Alert Facility (MAF) used to control ICBMs; and the Weapons Storage Area (WSA) where Airmen maintain U.S. ICBM warheads.

On Thursday, Sept. 14, the secretary will travel to Omaha, NE, to meet with U.S. Strategic Command leadership and discuss strategic deterrence in the 21st century.  USSTRATCOM employs tailored nuclear, space, cyberspace, global strike, missile defense and other capabilities for deterrence and assurance.  This culminates the secretary's tour of the nuclear enterprise, having visited all three legs of the nuclear triad.

The secretary concludes his trip on Friday, Sep. 15 as the first Secretary of Defense to participate in the Mexican Independence Day activities.  This will be the fifth ever visit by a U.S. Secretary of Defense to Mexico.  Secretary Mattis' visit to Mexico reaffirms our commitment to the bilateral defense relationship and to the North America Community.