On a nOble missiOn Handling tHe `Herc` stressing Out

Transcription

Airmail
•
Top 10
•
profile
•
Frontline Duty
•
Notebook
March / April 2008
On a noble mission
Airmen still stand watch
over nation’s cities and borders
Handling the ‘Herc’
At Little Rock, combat airlift
is the name of the game
Stressing out
Airmen don’t have
Giving
Iraq
new wings
to face
stress
alone
American Airmen help rebuild
country’s shattered air force
Stored but not forgotten
Cocooned fleet still has plenty to give
Michelle’s Yellow Rose
Deadly virus doesn’t end
Airman Paige Villers’
quest for honor
Airmen for the Americas
Lackland academy continues
60-year training legacy
A bigger wolf pack
U.S. and South Korean Airmen
in the same den
Rebalancing act
McGuire and Dover part of
cargo hub shuffle
Frontline
Home Front Warriors
Civilian workers keep war machines battle ready
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Contents
March /April 2008
4 Giving Iraq new wings
A team of Airmen is training Iraqis and helping rebuild Iraq’s air force from the ground
up.
10 Michelle’s Yellow Rose
Deadly virus doesn’t end Airman Paige
Villers’ quest for honor.
20 Airmen for the Americas
Hands-on approach helps Inter-American
Air Forces Academy build lasting partnerships, one airman at a time.
32 Stored but not forgotten
The Air Force doesn’t send its old flying war
horses out to pasture. It “cocoons” them and
stores them in the desert.
4
10
38 A bigger wolf pack
At Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, a combined
training, flying and maintenance effort gives
the “wolf pack” a lot more bite.
44 Rebalancing act
In war, where timely cargo is vital to success, two East Coast cargo hubs throw
their hats in the ring.
2 Airmail
18 Top 10
19 Profile
26 Frontline Duty
43 Profile
48 Notebook
20
38
On the Cover
C-17 Globemaster III loadmaster
Staff Sgt. Chris Koch waits to
drop 40 bundles of humanitarian
supplies using the joint precision
airdrop delivery system onto
a drop zone in Afghanistan in
January. The sergeant, deployed
to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift
Squadron in Southwest Asia, is
from the 17th Airlift Squadron,
Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.
photo by
Master Sgt. Andy Dunaway
AIRMAIL
COMMENTS
In the Next Airman
Got something to say about Airman? Write us
at editor@afnews.af.mil, or visit www.af.mil/news/
airman, to share views with fellow readers.
Cartoon offends
Want to know what your Air Force will look like 20 years from now? Look for the May-June
2008 issue of Airman magazine for a spotlight on the secretary of the Air Force’s and the
chief of staff of the Air Force’s views on our strategy for the future.
Orville rocks
The secretary gives us a 50,000-foot view of challenges facing America and the capabilities the Air Force must possess to continue delivering sovereign options for securing global
stability and prosperity.
AF Blues
Official magazine of the U.S. Air Force
March/April 2008, Volume LII, Number 3
Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne
U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley
Director of Public Affairs Brig. Gen. Darren W. McDew
Commander, Air Force News Agency Col. Clifton Douglas Jr.
Airman Staff
Editor Louis A. Arana-Barradas
Assistant Editor Orville F. Desjarlais Jr.
Copy Editor Steve Richards
Copy Editor Janie Santos
Design Editor G. Patrick Harris
The chief charts Air Force strategy for the next two decades and defines the Air Force’s
indispensable role in promoting and defending the national interest in his White Paper on
the 21st Century Air Force.
Senior Photojournalist Tech. Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo
Designer Luke Borland
Designer Mike Carabajal
Designer Virginia Reyes
Production Manager Andrew Yacenda
About Airman
I was just scanning your January-February
2008 issue and was disappointed in the cartoon on Page 3 of the print version. Having
an informal conversation is one thing, but
this one seems to step over the line regardless of whether you take the point of view of
the lieutenant or the master sergeant. Both
are in uniform, the discussion is about the
mission and you have the sergeant answering
the lieutenant with “Hmm” and calling the
lieutenant “son.” The next editorial that seeks
to question the professionalism of our officers
and noncommissioned officers may well have
this as evidence for the prosecution.
Retired
Lt. Gen. John D. Hopper Jr.
chief executive officer
Air Force Aid Society
Airman is published bi-monthly by the Air Force News
Agency for the Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public
Affairs. As the official magazine of the U.S. Air Force,
it is a medium of information for Air Force personnel.
Readers may submit articles, photographs and artwork.
Suggestions and criticisms are welcomed. All pictures
are U.S. Air Force photos unless otherwise identified.
Opinions of contributors are not necessarily
those of the Air Force.
Editorial Office
Thanks Air Force
October issue
Look us up
www.af.mil/news/airman
Air Force Link, the Air Force’s official
World Wide Web home page.
Planner is lacking
I wanted to send a quick note expressing my
disappointment at the content of your 2008
planner. There is not one picture of an intercontinental ballistic missile, satellite, space
lift vehicle or any other Air Force Space Command asset. I understand you can’t represent everyone, but surely the dedicated space
command professionals rate at least one out
of 15 photos. Thanks for your attention.
Lt. Col. Allen M. Steenhoek
Commander,
625th Strategic Operations Squadron
F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.
Airman, AFNEWS/PAM, 203 Norton St., San Antonio,
TX 78226-1848.
Telephone 210-925-7757; DSN 945-7757,
fax 210-925-7219; DSN 945-7219.
E-mail: editor@afnews.af.mil.
For a Unit Subscription
I just read (Orville Desjarlais’) story on
Korean War veterans (January-February
2008). Wow, what a great story. Once I
started, I really couldn’t quit reading it. I’m
glad he’s still writing — that sure is his talent. I felt like I was there. And the ending
three paragraphs are moving and beauti-
ful. And I especially liked the photos of the
veterans at the call and the one of Harold
Fischer at the window. Please pass my kudos to Staff Sgt. Bennie Davis for the fine
photographs. Keep up the good work.
Margo Wright
Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.
The world is facing a phenomenon that its
people detest: Terrorism. It is a problem the
U.S. Air Force will face for the next 10 to
15 years, at least. Terrorists kill innocent
people. We need a world without terrorism.
That must be a preoccupation of all nations, which must come together to fight it.
I believe America’s air forces are our main
support in this battle. So the Air Force of the
next 15 to 20 years must be very precise in
its strikes against the enemy. We support
all (Air Force) actions in this fight. May God
bless them all.
Agoh Alexis Agodan
Ivory Coast, Africa
Excellent article on the FOL (forward operating
base) mission in Manta, Ecuador (Fall 2007).
When I retired in 2002, I had the opportunity
to work at the FOL with DynCorp International (which does the base support function).
I loved my one year there and would go back
in a second. My 23 years in the Air Force included tours to Australia, Truk Island, Ponape
(now Pohnpei) Island, England and temporary
duty assignments to Germany, Honduras,
Estonia and Alaska, to name a few. It would be
difficult to pick one place I’d like to go back to
— but after reading the story, I think Ecuador
would be my first choice. Keep up the great
work “y muchas gracias” (many thanks).
Retired
Senior Master Sgt. Terry Porch
via e-mail
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Send check or VISA/MasterCard number (including
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Telephone credit card orders 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Eastern time
to toll free 1-866-512-1800; fax 202-512-2250.
[24 hours] Call for costs.
Airman J March - April 2008
Iraq
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Giving
Iraq
New Wings
American Airmen help rebuild
country’s shattered air force
by Staff Sgt. Trevor Tiernan
Photos by Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson
An Iraqi air force C-130
Hercules takes off on an
airlift mission from Baghdad
International Airport. The
plane and crew, of Iraq’s 23rd
Transport Squadron, are from
New Al Muthana Air Base.
American Airmen are helping
rebuild Iraq’s air force.
E
ighteen years ago the Air Force did all it could to destroy Saddam Hussein’s military.
Iraq was the region’s military superpower. But by the end
of the Gulf War, U.S. airpower had devastated Iraq’s military and
destroyed most of its highly touted air force of more than 500 combat
aircraft.
By the end of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the country’s air force lay
in ruins. But coalition military leaders knew Iraq needed a strong
military to survive and to give the shattered country new hope. It
was a decision welcomed by Iraqis like Brig. Gen. Abdul Kareem.
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Tech. Sgt. Lamar Anderson gives a class on core values to a group of Iraqi air force
warrant officer trainees. Sergeant Anderson is a military training instructor from
Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. He is with the 370th Expeditionary Training Squadron, Taji Air Base, Iraq.
“The air force is a great symbol for any nation,” said General
Kareem, commandant of the Iraqi Air Force Training School at Taji
Air Base.
Today, a group of more than 300 Airmen is helping rebuild
Iraq’s air force into a modern, self-sufficient, defense force. The
Airmen, from a host of different specialties and backgrounds,
make up the Coalition Air Force Transition Team, which Brig. Gen.
Robert Allardice commands. He said the team’s job is to help Iraq
stand up its air force and return to the air.
“By 2003, the Iraqi air force was decimated,” General Allardice
said. “They didn’t have any infrastructure, any people and there
were no airplanes flying. It was completely taken apart.”
The plan to rebuild Iraq’s shattered air force began that same
year, with a small group of former Iraqi airmen. By 2005, the Air
Force took the challenge of turning a former adversary into a
strong ally. But progress was slow. By January 2007, Iraq’s air force
still did not have an air force academy, a flight training school, a
technical school or a basic military training school.
“One of the biggest things we can do
is show them that — without Saddam
Hussein — they can stand on their
own two feet and defend their own
airspace and borders,”
— Staff Sgt. Benny Fields
An Iraqi air force warrant officer
dons his oxygen mask during a
practical exam before graduating
from firefighter school at Taji Air
Base, Iraq. The airman was one
of the first to graduate from the
firefighter apprentice course. Air
Force firefighters with Taji’s 370th
Expeditionary Training Squadron
provided the training.
Because of the team’s work, all these schools are in place and
actively graduating students less than a year later, General Allardice said. Iraq’s air force also started to take off, increasing its sortie
rate from about 30 missions per week to more than 350.
The general said the hope is that the relationship Airmen are
building with their Iraqi counterparts will not only increase the
fledging force’s power and capacity, but that will make the new air
force “understanding and friendly to our needs and interests.”
The transition team is working toward that end. Operating from
several locations in Iraq, the team’s training mission closely follow that used in the training pipeline U.S. Airmen pass through on
their way to the operational Air Force. Initial training is at Taji and
Rustimayah air bases. Flying training takes place at Kirkuk Air
Base. And operational squadrons are flying sorties from Taji, Basra
and New Al Muthana air bases.
Familiar training
Staff Sgt. Benny Fields is one of the team members. As a military
training instructor, he has trained many new Airmen. But today, his
flight is made of Iraqi warrant officer candidates.
“One of the biggest things we can do is show them that — without
Saddam Hussein — they can stand on their own two feet and defend
their own airspace and borders,” he said.
One of six military training instructors deployed to Taji’s 370th
Expeditionary Training Squadron, Sergeant Fields trains candidates
just like he does at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. He uses equal
helpings of guidance, empathy and the occasional “thunderous
motivation.”
The curriculum, instantly recognizable to any American basic
military training graduate, varies only slightly from the Air Force
standard. Iraqis get additional professional military education training. The almost 200-hour course covers familiar subjects: Uniform
standards, military courtesy, physical fitness, dormitory maintenance
and marksmanship. There are also added lessons on leadership, conflict management, counseling, team development and more.
Just as the course material is similar to that of Air Force basic
training so, too, are the students that go through the training, Tech.
Sgt. James Hamrick said.
“Aside from cultural differences, there’s really no difference,” the
instructor said. “They come up with excuses just the same as (Airmen) back home. But when we show them they’ve done a good job,
they get just as excited and just as re-motivated.”
One thing instructors are striving to impart on their students is an
appreciation for the core values every American Airman holds true,
he said.
“We have our core values of integrity, service and excellence; here
we’re teaching them the same thing,” Sergeant Hamrick said. “While
it’s going to take a while for them to take that onboard, they’re really
taking a liking to it.”
In addition to basic military training, Taji is also home to the Iraqi
Air Force Academy and the basic technical training school. The
academy takes college graduates and produces newly minted mulazims, or second lieutenants.
Maj. Stuart Lloyd, deployed from the U.S. Air Force Academy,
Colo., serves as the Iraqi Air Force Academy chief. The six-month
academy teaches students basic military indoctrination and training,
“followership,” leadership, doctrine and the history of airmanship.
Cadets also learn about small-unit tactics and go through weapons
qualification and familiarization, tactical communication and basic
aviation ground school.
“While the police and the army are working hard to [make Iraq
safe] on the ground, we’re trying to get this air force into the air so
Iraq can maintain it own air superiority and keep the country secure
enough to get on with the political solution,” the major said.
By merely volunteering to be a part of their country’s military,
Iraqi airmen face violence to themselves and their families. It’s a risk
Major Lloyd said his instructors always keep in mind when dealing
with the cadets.
“I think about my cadets back home who have family issues, and
how sometimes it’s hard for them to focus,” Major Lloyd said. “I sit
and wonder how much harder it is for [Iraqis] to sit in class with
thoughts running through their heads, like ‘I hope my wife and children are still there when I get home.’ We deal with them as best we
can and try to support them.
“We know what they’re potentially putting on the line just by raising their hand (to join the air force),” the major said.
The last academy class to graduate under Saddam Hussein’s regime was class 66. The new academy continued where the old one
left off and graduated class 67 in September 2007 and class 68 in
December 2007. Class 70, which began in January 2008, marked the
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Iraqi air force warrant officer trainees make their beds
before going to class. Trainees go to great lengths to
keep their dorms inspection-ready and their uniforms
sharp.
Tech. Sgt. Lamar Anderson (left), Staff Sgt. Kimberli Speller (center) and Staff Sgt. Benny Fields observe
Iraqi air force warrant officer trainees warm up before going on a 30-minute self-paced run. The sergeants
are military training instructors from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, deployed to Taji’s 370th Expeditionary
Training Squadron.
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a model for the direction the transition team hopes to take. Airmen advise more than train and are settling into a hands-off role as Iraqis take
on more responsibility.
“They fly [missions] independently,” Colonel Brunworth said. The
U.S. Airmen are advisers.
Iraqi airmen fly intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance,
and airlift missions each day. As Iraq’s air force continues to grow
and operate itself, the American advisors know the Iraqis must learn
some things by themselves and carry out functions in ways that work
best for them.
“We’re not trying to make them into the U.S. Air Force, we’re trying to make them into a self-sustainable, Iraqi air force,” the colonel
said.
General Kareem is proud to be a part of the new air force. Having
Iraqi
air
force:
from rubble
to restoration
served under Saddam’s regime, he’s grateful for the friendships and
partnerships the two nations have formed.
“I want the Iraqi air force to regain its posterity with new aircraft,
pilots and maintainers,” the general said. “I thank the U.S. Air Force
for helping us, and hope the [relations] continues.”
General Allardice is optimistic the transition team will do its job
well. Each day, more Iraqis leave training and, little by little, assume
control of their own air force — and destiny.
“We’re the best in the world at taking apart an air force and dismantling the military of a country,” General Allardice said. “But how
many nations will turn around and put people like me, and the airmen with me, back into the country to restore their military?
“I think that’s a great tribute to our nation,” he said. “And a pretty
good tribute to our Air Force.”
photo by Airman 1st Class Robbie Arp
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by Orville F. Desjarlais Jr.
move to a nine-month long course with more emphasis placed on
English-language training.
Like their U.S. counterparts, before Iraqi airmen head to their first
duty stations, they attend technical training. More than 30 instructors, all current or prior technical training school instructors, offer 16
different courses at Taji.
“Right now we’re [working] in an instructor capacity,” said Senior
Master Sgt. Ernie Allen, basic technical training superintendent.
“We’re hoping to transition to an advisory capacity when we get the
Iraqi instructors trained and then advise them how to instruct the
courses.”
Deployed from Langley Air Force Base, Va., Sergeant Allen has
served as a technical training instructor and a field training detachment chief and drew on this experience when it came to standing up
a technical school. He and his team began by building the curriculum for the different courses. Having a stable foundation of instruction in place will help make the transition smoother when the Iraqi
instructors take over teaching, he said.
Currently the tech school offers courses on flightline security, intelligence, hydraulics, propulsion, life support, firefighter preparedness
and flight medicine. Air traffic control, ground radar and ground radio training will soon join the curriculum.
“We’ll have everything needed to start the ground side of an air
force,” Sergeant Allen said.
Working at almost “bare-base” locations, instructors manage without the luxury of the state-of-the-art facilities and equipment they
use back home. With only classrooms and slideshow presentations
available, they improvise.
“We’ve gone out to the junkyard and pulled equipment off old helicopters and old MiGs and we use those for visual aids,” Sergeant
Allen said.
The classroom lectures and hands-on time with visual aids give
students a better understanding and helps minimize information lost
in translation. Instructors also work with the operational squadron
to let the students see equipment in Mi-17 and Huey helicopters.
Physically returning Iraqi airmen to the air is the task of the 52nd
Flying Training Squadron’s flying school at Kirkuk. Airmen train,
educate and advise Iraqis as they build a rotary- and fixed-wing flying training center. Eventually, the school will graduate 120 pilots
each year.
“What we’re doing here is ground breaking,” squadron commander Lt. Col. Mark Bennett said. “We activated the first expeditionary
flying training squadron and the first flying training squadron in a
combat zone. We’re definitely making history here.”
Operating a flying training mission in a combat zone has its own
unique set of challenges.
“There are individuals who would like to see us fail and will do
anything they can to get us to fail,” Colonel Bennett said. “We’re
aware of the threat and we do all the standard preparations for a
combat mission but also roll in the flying training aspect.”
Though they try to retain some anonymity, the threat galvanizes
the desire of Iraqi airmen to better their country.
“We know it will be difficult being the first pilots in the new air
force, but we will do our mission and are not afraid of the terrorists,”
one student pilot said. “We and the Americans will stick together
and change everything.”
Team members’ goal is to train Iraqis so they can handle their own
operations.
“Our success will be the success of the Iraqi air force,” Colonel
Bennett said.
When Iraqis can operate, train, provide logistics support and
maintain a credible training school, “then we can stand back and
truly be in an advisory role. When everything is fully functional,
we’ll be out of a job and can go home.”
That ultimate goal will take time to reach. But the teams’ efforts
are showing results at Taji, Basra and New Al Muthana, where Lt.
Col. Mark Brunworth commands the 370th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron. His Airmen mentor Iraq’s 23rd Transport Squadron.
“We’re assisting in flying and maintaining the C-130 Hercules,”
Colonel Brunworth said. “We have three C-130s and hope to get
three more in about a year.”
New Al Muthana is one of the first Iraqi-run bases. Team members
train and advise aircrews and command and control, maintenance and
support airmen how to run and maintain the base. Base operations are
American Airmen are accomplishing what former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein feared to do
even before Desert Storm, and what insurgents
today decry with extreme prejudice — they’re
helping build a competent Iraqi air force.
In the 1970s, the Iraqi dictator removed or
executed those within his ranks he feared were
potential threats to his total power, according to
an article in the Winter 1992 Airpower Journal.
Ranking air force officers fell victim to Saddam’s
insecurities. He executed 60 officers and imprisoned or exiled hundreds more after he became
president in 1979.
Saddam knew the power of a competent air
force, but was afraid his pilots would use aircraft
to lead a coup. So, after the executions, he purposefully created dissension within his ranks until
coalition troops overthrew him in 2003.
Today, with American Airmen helping Iraq rebuild its air force, insurgents are continuing what
Saddam started. They’re trying to foil America’s
attempt to restore Iraq’s air force by killing Iraqis
who’ve joined their country’s military.
“The insurgents identify these guys and kill
them and their families in the most horrendous
fashion,” said Col. Philip Senna. He leads the Air
Advisor Training Program for Airmen tasked to
support the Coalition Air Force Transition Team
rebuilding Iraq’s air force.
“Those murders had a big impact on the U.S.
folks doing the mission,” said the colonel, who
is stationed at Air Education and Training Command headquarters at Randolph Air Force Base,
Texas. “It brings home the sacrifices the Iraqis
make to build a nation. It makes you want to
succeed even more to help these people rid their
nation of these barbarous individuals.”
Airmen deploying to Iraq carry an “injured” Airman during combat convoy training at Camp Bullis, Texas. The
two-week course is the first step in their future mission to advise the Iraqi air force about creating new military
technical schools in Iraq.
It’s this type of steely resolve that caused U.S.
Central Command Air Forces to send a team
of pilots and maintainers to Iraq in 2005 to train
the Iraqi air force to fly simple airlift missions and
reconnaissance sorties. From this temporary
deployment emerged today’s team of Air Force
advisers on the transition team.
The team’s focus encompasses all aspects of
military training, not just flying. As a result of their
efforts over the past two years, Iraq now has
an air force academy, a flight training school, a
technical school and a basic military school. Airmen also advise Iraqis in firefighting and police
skill tactics.
Since the start of this emerging advisory role,
training command officials have naturally played
a major part in the planning. After all, they’re the
Air Force’s experts in training. After the first team
returned, Colonel Senna helped develop the Air
Adviser Training Program. Basically, AETC trains
the advisers before they deploy.
“We’re not training them to be combatants,”
he said. “We’re teaching them skills that will help
them stay alive in a war zone and act as effective
air advisers to the Iraqi air force.”
Before they leave, Airmen-advisers learn
about Iraqi culture, religion and background.
They also learn a bit of the local language, like
numbers and simple phrases.
A year ago, Iraq’s air fleet consisted of about
25 aircraft. Today, it has more than 50 fixed-wing
and rotary-winged aircraft. The country plans
to nearly triple its fleet in the coming 18 months,
Multinational Security Transition Command–Iraq
officials said.
To say American Airmen are rebuilding the
Iraqi air force is to assume there was something there before the devastation of war. But
that’s not the case. Saddam kept his air force in
disarray on purpose so he could have absolute
power.
Today, American Airmen are building a credible Iraqi air force with competent officers and
noncommissioned officers, who, despite the risk
of death, are some of the first to take the initiative
to help their country become independent.
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Michelle’s
Yellow R se
photo courtesy of Christina Henry
Deadly virus doesn’t end
Airman Paige Villers’ quest for honor
by louis a. arana-barradas
T
here isn’t a day that goes by that Michelle Villers doesn’t
think of — or talk about — her daughter, Airman Paige
Villers.
She can’t help it. Because when she talks about her Paige, whom
she lovingly calls her Yellow Rose, a smile lights up Michelle’s face.
Then she gets that far-away look in her eyes.
That’s when the words start pouring out, like the tears that will
certainly follow.
Michelle is quick, almost anxious, to talk about Paige. Like she
doesn’t want anyone to forget her or what she accomplished during
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her young life.
She recounts how Paige was born in Dallas and was “the perfect
little girl” growing up. She said Paige was quiet, yet fiercely independent. Silly but mature. She had many jobs, but never missed a
day of work. And that though cleaning her room wasn’t a priority,
standing up for what she thought was right was. Michelle knew her
daughter loved helping others, but didn’t know what color her hair
would be the next week.
“My daughter made mistakes,” Michelle said. “But she tried to
make things right.”
Though connected
for months to a host
of machines to keep
her alive, Airman
Paige Villers never
gave up hope that
one day she’d return
to duty in the Air
Force, her mother
Michelle said.
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Every year on
Paige’s birthday,
brother Corey
Villers gave her
a kiss on the
cheek.
Duty calls
But it’s when Michelle talks about Paige’s battle with the virus that
cut short her Air Force career that emotion overwhelms her.
“Paige was so patriotic,” Michelle said. “She loved everything about
being in the Air Force.”
That’s because behind Paige’s typical teenager’s façade, a restless
young woman yearned for more than what rural Norton, Ohio, could
offer. She dreamed of leave her secure, small-town existence and starting her own life. The Air Force would let her do that, her mother said.
“She was so headstrong, yet so determined in everything she did,”
Michelle said. “When she set her mind to doing something — that was
it — she was doing that no matter what happened.”
A day after graduating from Norton High School, Paige told her
mother and father, Don, she was joining the Air Force. She’d hinted
at that before. Still, the Villers were surprise, and a bit apprehensive,
about her joining the military during wartime. They asked her to think
it over.
But Paige had made up her mind the Air Force she knew so little
about was the right path to the new life she sought. There was no dissuading her, Michelle said.
So she went with her father to see Master Sgt. Sam Hensley, an Air
Force recruiter. His office is in a strip mall at the end of Paige Street in
Barberton, Ohio. Paige tried to learn all she could about the Air Force
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before visiting him in September 2006. She asked many questions and
the interview went well, he said.
“She was determined to be in the Air Force from the moment she
stepped into my office,” said the sergeant, an 18-year air transportation veteran. “She made it very clear she wanted to serve her country,
something you don’t typically see in an 18- or 19-year-old today.”
Paige joined, and after a few months of waiting, packed her bag and
headed for basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in March
2007.
She started to live her dream.
“Paige was so excited. She joined the Air Force for honor, family and
to finish her education,” Michelle said, clutching a photograph of Paige
tightly to her chest.
The photo shows a bright-eyed Paige in her light blue Air Force uniform shirt, a dark blue jacket and flight cap. She looks no older than 17
— beaming with a smile of confidence.
Michelle tears up each time she looks at the photo.
“Paige looks so beautiful in her uniform,” Michelle said. “I remember the day she had the picture taken. She called and said, ‘Mom, I
got to put on my blues today. I feel so proud, so proud to be in the Air
Force — so proud of this country.’”
Michelle recalls Paige’s previous calls home. On her first call, she
sounded rushed and scared. But by about her third call home, Michelle could notice a change in her daughter.
“She sounded so sure of herself, so confident and mature — so
happy,” Michelle said.
Paige talked about basic training, her new life, friends and the sense
of family she was experiencing. About being able to do the push-ups
she couldn’t do before she left home. And about how she couldn’t wait
to finish her training and start her Air Force career.
Christina Henry, Paige’s aunt, had never known her niece to be so
joyful and excited.
“Paige wanted a life of honor, to do something that made a difference,” Mrs. Henry said.
But Paige only got to realize part of her dream. She never got the
chance to leave Lackland to start what she hoped would be a 20-year
Air Force career of helping others.
The virus
She started feeling sick during her fifth week of basic training,
known as “Warrior Week.” The weeklong exercise readies Airmen for
deployment and living in field conditions.
“Paige loved Warrior Week. She said it rained a lot and it was muddy,” Michelle said. “But she said it was awesome sleeping in a tent and
experiencing the camaraderie.”
But Paige didn’t get better. She went to the clinic, where the diagnosis was she had allergies. Still, she didn’t improve. She worried
because it was close to her April 27, 2007 graduation, and she had to
pass her physical fitness test to graduate.
However, by this time, she was having trouble breathing. She didn’t
pass the run portion of the test, missing the cutoff by a few seconds,
Michelle said.
“Paige was so disappointed,” she said.
Then, during the first week in May, a high fever landed Paige in
Lackland’s Wilford Hall Medical Center, the Air Force’s premier hospital. The diagnosis was mononucleosis. So she spent three days recuperating at the hospital before returning to the medical hold facility.
Paige hated being in medical hold, and couldn’t stand lying
photo courtesy of
around doing nothing, Don Villers said. She was determined
to get out of medical hold, pass her run test and
graduate with her flight. Weak as she was, she
joined other trainees to practice her run.
“Her TI (technical instructor Staff Sgt.
Carlos Coronado) constantly told her
she couldn’t do any physical training,” Don said. “So Paige went out
and encouraged all the other kids running out there.”
But Paige didn’t improve. The following week she got pneumonia
and ended up at Wilford Hall’s medical intensive care unit. Adult critical care and pulmonary medicine specialists told the Villers that Paige
was critically ill. So Michelle and her sister flew to San Antonio the
next day. When they arrived at her bedside, Paige was in a drug-induced coma and breathing through a ventilator. Paige’s grandfather,
Samuel Smith, also flew down, and stayed six weeks.
“She was hooked up to all these tubes,” Michelle said. “I was so
scared.”
The virus making Paige sick was rare. It is a highly virulent strain of
the adenovirus that causes the common cold — commonly called the
“boot camp flu” at military training areas. But this highly contagious
strain, adenovirus type 14, is relatively new to the United States. The
strain is more common in Russia and Eastern Europe.
This virus attacked Paige and hundreds of other recruits, hospital
officials said. The virus killed 10 people in the United States, Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention officials said.
The virus infiltrated Wilford Hall.
“This viral infection caused a mini outbreak. It affected Paige, many
fellow trainees and, unfortunately, some of the initial medical staff caring for Paige before we diagnosed it as the adenovirus type 14 infection,” Lt. Col. (Dr.) Mike Meyer said. The colonel is chief of pediatric
critical care medicine for the 59th Medical Operations Group. Wilford
Hall has the Air Force’s only pediatric intensive care unit.
“In an outbreak of this virus there is a huge range in the severity
of illness, from a fever with chills to what happened to Paige,” the
colonel said.
When pneumonia ravaged three-fourths of her lungs, doctors put
Paige on a ventilator for several days. Medical teams used all their
available technology to support Paige as the infection worsened. They
even put her on a highly specialized ventilator called the high-frequency oscillatory ventilator. This machine, developed at Wilford Hall, can
generate from 240 to 600 breaths a minute to care for sickest lungs,
the colonel said.
The noisy machine kept Paige alive for the moment. Unfortunately,
it wasn’t enough to save her life. Then the ICU team asked Colonel
Meyer — an expert in pediatric critical care medicine — to evaluate
Paige and consider other options to save her life.
Since she was a young adult, “Paige was a good candidate for
ECMO treatment,” he said.
ECMO, or extra corporeal membrane oxygenation, treatments are
normally used for infants and children with sever lung or heart disease when conventional medical treatments don’t work and who are
likely to die because of the disease. The ECMO machine is like to the
heart-lung bypass machine used in operating rooms. The machine
pumps blood out of the body, clears the carbon dioxide, oxygenates it and pumps it back into the body. And because it bypasses the
heart and lungs it causes less stress and lets them rest and heal.
Wilford Hall is one of the nation’s first medical centers to develop
and use ECMO technology. A joint team of pediatric intensive care
unit and neonatal ICU experts are on the ECMO team. The colonel
said the team has cared for teenagers in the past and the machine
works on adult patients. He said Paige was a good candidate for
ECMO.
Colonel Meyer told the Villers the treatment was risky, but
that, if successful, it could raise Paige’s chances
of survival from 10 to 40 percent. The Villers agreed to the treatment.
“We would have tried anything to keep Paige alive,” Michelle said.
That’s when Colonel Meyer
photo by Alan Boedeker
photo courtesy of Christina Henry
As an honor guard stands by, Brig. Gen. Darrell D. Jones, 37th Training Wing commander, presents Airman Paige Villers her Airman’s Coin during a special graduation
ceremony. Paige’s father, Don, said he was proud to wheel his daughter to her basic
training graduation.
and his team of pediatric professionals took over Paige’s care. But he
needed a bigger team to care for Paige. So he informed the hospital commander, then Brig. Gen. (Dr.) David Young, and the hospital
board of directors it would require a commitment from the entire hospital system to provide Paige the care she needed. Everyone agreed.
The hospital also received total buy in from Brig. Gen. Darrell D.
Jones, commander of the 37th Training Wing, the colonel said. The
wing, the largest of its kind in the Air Force, has four primary training
missions and graduates more than 70,000 students annually.
Because Paige was so sick, the staff knew they had a fight ahead of
them.
Ramping up
The hospital mobilized and then Paige became the first adult put on
an ECMO circuit at Wilford Hall. Her family couldn’t believe the effort
put forth by the staff.
“Everybody was at heightened alert,” Mrs. Henry said. “We had different nurses and technicians that we gravitated to. They became like
family, and they treated us like family.”
Because the virus is so contagious, the staff donned gowns, gloves
and masks to protect themselves. And because of the risk of infection,
13
In memory of Airman Paige Villers, her mother, Michelle; aunt, Christina; and best friend, Rachel Payne, tattooed
yellow roses on their feet. Michelle said the tattoos will serve to remind them of Paige forever.
the staff turned off the ICU’s air conditioning and circulation system.
But the machinery in the room generated heat and humidity and made
it unbearably hot.
“It was 95 degrees in the room,” Colonel Meyer said. “We had to
recycle people in and out. So the team was much larger than we normally use. I think there were well over 125 people.”
Paige was on the machine for two weeks, but the treatment worked.
Then, after 36 days, she came out of the coma, something few doctors
expected, given the gravity of her lung disease. She had lung damage
and scarring and no one knew if she had suffered possible brain damage. And her kidneys had failed, too.
“But she was alive, and we were so grateful,” Michelle said. “We
were beyond ecstatic.”
Paige was “all skin and bones,” but otherwise “she was all Paige,
and normal,” she said.
Word quickly spread throughout Wilford Hall about Paige’s struggle
and recovery. People visited the ICU just to look at her. Even the
cleaning staff asked about her.
“She amazed people,” Michelle said. “Everybody knew about her
and worried about her care.”
Paige couldn’t talk because doctors had performed a tracheotomy,
opening a breathing passage in her throat, and insert tubes so she
could breathe easier. Her muscles had atrophied and she didn’t have
the strength to hold a pen. For a few days, as the drugs wore off, she
was in a daze and didn’t want to know what had happened to her.
But Paige could mouth words.
One of her first things she asked was if she was still in the Air Force
and if she would graduate from basic training. Michelle talked to General Jones, telling him Paige passed all her graduation requirements.
She’d even passed the run portion of her fitness test before she got sick.
General Jones agreed.
“He said Paige would graduate before she left the base because she
earned it,” Michelle said.
When Michelle told Paige the news, her eyes got big.
“Then she asked me, ‘Will I get my Airman’s Coin?’”
That was very important to Paige, she said.
“I told her, ‘Yes you are baby,’” Michelle said.
Paige dreamed of marching in her graduation parade and getting
14
her Airman’s Coin, the ultimate symbol that she passed basic training
and made it into the Air Force she wanted so much to be a part of. But
she was so weak that Don was going to stand in for her.
But Paige wanted to be there. That’s when the staff rallied around
her again. They took it upon themselves to ready Paige to attend her
graduation. First, they brought in a wheelchair and told her she had to
sit in it for an hour a day so her muscles would get stronger.
“She would look at the clock to see how many minutes were left,
and then she would push a little more because she was determined to
be at her graduation,” Michelle said.
The day before graduation, some nurses gave Paige a “pajama
party.” They gave her a sponge bath and washed her hair. But because
of all the tubes attached to her, Paige couldn’t wear her uniform. So,
nurse Capt. Mike McCarthy bought her a physical fitness uniform. On
graduation day, nurses fixed Paige’s hair, applied makeup, painted her
nails and encouraged her.
Wilford Hall used one of its critical care air transportation teams to
escort Paige to her graduation. The mission of this highly specialized
team is to transport the critically ill or wounded from the battlefield.
The team had just returned from a tour in Iraq was excited to be part
of the ceremony, the colonel said.
For sure, some of the people taking care of Paige went to the ceremony, too.
“It was impressive to see her lung disease, while severe, didn’t
stop her from what she wanted to do,” Colonel Meyer said. The commitment by everyone to ensure Paige “got to meet her goals and
dreams of what she wanted from the Air Force” transcended all his
expectations.
“I was impressed with how we rallied around her and took care of
one of our own,” he said.
Paige didn’t graduate with her class, which had left in April. But
after the June 22, 2007, graduation ceremony for hundreds of
other new Airmen, there was a special ceremony for Paige.
Don, who always wanted to, but didn’t get the
chance to serve in the military, wheeled his
daughter onto the parade ground. She was
a bit nervous, but excited at the same
time, he said.
Relapse
But 32 days after she awoke from her coma, the virus
attacked Paige again. Whether it was the adenovirus, or
one of the other viruses going through her system, she developed an acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, Colonel
Meyer said. A delayed reaction by Paige’s immune system
caused the relapse, he said. The immune system clears
foreign things from the body.
“What we think happens is that the immune system
has a delayed response to a part of the virus,” the colonel
said. The virus triggered a reaction in Paige’s immune system that caused antibodies to start attacking the lining of
her brain cells, he said.
As she stood in the ICU and watched, Michelle said,
“Everybody was running around doing everything they
could to save her.
“It was madness,” she said.
But the virus had done its worse. And even the staff’s
superhuman effort to save Paige “couldn’t stop her immune system’s response,” Colonel Meyer said.
When they learned Paige had a less than 10 percent
chance of survival neither Michelle nor Don could force
bring themselves to give the OK to take Paige off life
support.
“If God was going to take her, then he would take her,”
Michelle said.
A doctor had to make the decision for them. Paige died
at 12:39 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2007 — a full 45 minutes after she went of the ventilator.
“She fought to live to the very end,” Colonel Meyer said.
The colonel said Paige’s death decimated the entire
Wilford Hall system, and that it was the hardest he’s seen
his team take a death.
“Paige’s family thought they were out of the woods,”
the colonel said. “So when Paige died, it was like the entire weight of Wilford Hall came crashing down on them.
I know a lot of our people felt like they were part of this
family. And it all came crashing down on them, too.”
News of Paige’s death devastated Sergeant Hensley,
who said it was the hardest day of his life as a recruiter.
He went to the airport to pick up the Villers when they returned home. He felt it was his duty to be with the family he’d come to know so well.
“That’s the way the Air Force does
business — we take care of
our own. And Paige
was definitely one
of us,” the sergeant
said.
The Villers
photo by Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
photo by Staff Sgt. Benny Davis III
Then, in front of an honor guard of technical instructors, General Jones presented Paige with her coin and an
Air Force Achievement Medal. She’s the youngest Airman
to receive the medal, base officials said.
“It was a tremendous honor to stand beside her at
the ceremony,” Don said. “But I wish I could have been
watching her. You could see how happy she was when she
got her coin.”
For Paige, it was one of the greatest moments in her life,
Michelle said. Her family, and the people who helped her
recover, thought the worse was over. Even if she didn’t get
to stay in the Air Force, Paige would have the chance to
return home and lead a somewhat normal life.
Michelle Villers hugs a photograph
of her daughter, Paige, who is in her
Air Force uniform. Paige called the
day the photo was taken and told her
mother how proud she was to wear
her “blues” for the first time.
15
A family
reflects
Corey, Michelle and Don Villers hold the American
flag they received from an Air Force honor guard at
the funeral for Airman Paige Villers, who succumbed
to complications associated with the adenovirus 14.
Mrs. Villers wanted to bury her daughter at the Ohio
Western Reserve National Cemetery because it was
close to their Norton, Ohio, home.
As Airman Paige Villers’ fought for her life, her new Air Force
family rallied around the Villers family.
Paige’s mother, Michelle, said the Airmen at Wilford Hall
Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, went beyond
any of her expectations as they tried to save her daughter’s life.
“They treated us like family,” Michelle, said. “They took care
of everything for us.”
She said that care extended beyond the intensive care unit
where the hospital staff worked around the clock for Paige.
One sergeant lent the Villers a car for the entire time the family
was at Lackland. And the Villers received countless offers to
dinner. The nurses bought Paige perfume and high-top sneakers to strengthen her ankles. They constantly fussed over her.
Nurse Capt. Mike McCarthy took Michelle and her family
to visit the Alamo in San Antonio. And on Michelle’s birthday
nurses got her a birthday cake, a catered meal and presents.
“They celebrated my birthday right there in the ICU,” Michelle
said.
Michelle’s sister, Christina Henry, had never seen that extent
of kindness.
“I mean, how many hospitals can you go to where the staff
takes you into their home?” Mrs. Henry said. “They were patient and answered all our questions. They would sit with us,
worry with us — even give us a hug when we needed it.”
— Louis A. Arana-Barradas
photo by Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
buried Paige at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery, a 20-minute drive from their home. Don took Michelle there before and she remembered how beautiful it was.
“I knew that was exactly where I wanted her because she deserved
it,” Michelle said. “It’s peaceful and close to our home.”
About 500 people attended Paige’s burial, including family, friends
and members of her high school band and church. An honor guard
from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, gave Paige a full military
burial with all the pomp and circumstance and seven Airmen fired
a three-volley salute. And standing at attention during the ceremony
was a full squad of Air Force recruiters.
Touched by Paige’s tenacity and will to live, Sergeant Coronado volunteered to escort her remains back home, Michelle said. And the sergeant presented Michelle with an American flag at the funeral.
16
“I was so grateful the Air Force honored Paige the way it did,” Michelle said.
Today, Paige rests side-by-side with hundreds of servicemembers
who served, or died, in the nation’s wars. A bouquet of silk yellow
roses — put on Paige’s grave by her best friend since seventh grade,
Rachel Payne — reminds visitors of how happy, bright and full of life
Paige was.
Paige’s family hasn’t fully coped with her death yet. For Michelle, who spent 86 days by her daughter’s bedside, it has
been especially tough. But she doesn’t blame the
Air Force or the hospital staff for Paige’s
death. She’s thankful so many Airmen
tried to save her life.
“They really cared about Paige,”
she said. “Nobody wanted her to make it more than me. But you
could tell they wanted it as much as we did.”
Many memories of Paige will always remain in the Villers’ home
and in the minds of her family and friends. One is of the yellow rose
tattoo Paige got on her back before going to basic training. Michelle
said it was beautiful.
“So when she died, I decided I wanted a yellow rose tattoo, because it’s permanent — and as a tribute
to Paige,” Michelle said. Mrs. Henry got
one, too, as did many of Paige’s
friends.
In the basement of the Villers home, Paige’s 15-year-old
brother, Corey, surfs the In-
ternet. He misses his sister and thinks of her every day. But he doesn’t
reveal his emotions well, until he starts talking about what Paige
meant to him. He said they were close and good friends.
“She was somebody I could always go talk to,” he said. “Sometimes,
we talked about my girlfriends, or about problems with a friend at
school.”
When Paige decided to join the Air Force, Corey joked with her that
she stole his idea. Corey had hoped to one day fly airplanes for the Air
Force. But after Paige joined, he realized there were many things he
could do in the Air Force besides flying jets.
“All I know, is I want to be a part of the Air Force,” he said. “After I
saw what happened to my sister — all the honor and how everybody
takes care of each other — I really want to be a part of that Air Force
family.”
17
TOP 10
Tips help 10 PROVEN
reduce
SECURITY GUIDELINES
terrorist
threat
Follow some simple rules
and don’t become a target
Many Americans knew little — and worried less — about
terrorism before Sept. 11, 2001. But the attacks on their
homeland that day changed the American psyche.
Now, more than six years after the attacks, the horrific
images of the Twin Towers crumbling before the eyes of the
world are fading. Terrorists are now mostly distant figures on
the news.
And while the Department of Defense knows that
domestic attacks are a real concern, the threat of attacks
against American servicemembers on duty around the globe
is even greater.
Defense officials also know that no amount of protective
measures will stop terrorism. But by following the 10 proven
security guidelines (at right) Airmen and their families can
help reduce the risk of becoming targets in a foreign land.
photo illustration by Staff Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
Editor’s note: Source: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Guide 5260, Antiterrorism Personal Protection Guide: A SelfHelp Guide to Antiterrorism, Oct. 14, 2005.
18
10
Learn the lingo
Learn and practice key phrases in the local language, like “I
need a police officer or doctor.”
9
Loose lips ...
Avoid giving out information on family travel plans or security
measures and procedures.
8
911
Memorize all the key phone numbers possible — office, home,
police, security, etc.
7
Beware of strangers
Don’t open doors to strangers, report unsolicited contacts to
authorities and refuse to meet strangers outside the workplace.
6
ETA
When leaving home or the office, Airmen should advise associates or family members of their destination and anticipated time
of arrival.
5
Report strangers
Report all suspicious persons loitering near offices or in unauthorized areas. Try to give police or security officials a complete
description of the person and/or vehicle — and consider taking
a photograph of the person, but only discreetly.
4
Tight lips
Without a verified identity, don’t give unnecessary personal
details to anyone.
3
Be suspicious
Be alert for anything suspicious or out of place: Don’t give
personal information over the telephone. Go to a pre-selected
secure area, like a military base or police station, if you think
someone’s following you [report the incident to the military
police, security forces, local law enforcement agencies or the
military attaché at the U.S. embassy].
2
Don’t be predictable
Be unpredictable. Vary daily routines, such as your route to and
from work and the time you leave and return home. Vary the way
you dress. Do not exercise at the same time and place each day,
alone or on deserted streets or country roads. Let people close
to you know where you are going, what you will be doing, and
when you should be back.
1
Lay low
Keep a low profile. Don’t let your dress, conduct and mannerisms attract attention. Blend into the local environment. Avoid
publicity and don’t go out in large groups. And stay away from
civil disturbances and demonstrations.
PROFILE
by Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson
Security
forces
officer
1st Lt. Cassandra Bates
Home unit/base:
92nd Security Forces Squadron,
Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash.
Current unit/base:
Detachment 3, 732nd Expeditionary
Security Forces Squadron,
Sather Air Base, Iraq
Hometown:
Westlake, Ohio
Entered Air Force:
June 2004
Deployments:
Southwest Asia, 2005
Marital status:
Married
I love everything about my job. Security
forces gives young company grade officers
the opportunity to lead, and not just in
a stable or corporate environment, but on
the battlefield. My job requires me to be
the best I can be, physically, emotionally
and mentally. It puts the fit-to-fight concept into play every day. I love that my
job is challenging and pushes me to think
on my feet. But most of all, I love working with ground troops. I’ve worked with,
and been mentored by, some of the absolute
best Airmen, noncommissioned and senior NCOs
out there. The discipline and professionalism of security forces makes me so proud
to be a part of it. There is nothing more
exciting than being one of the defenders of
the force. That’s what the military is all
about!
19
Airmen
for the
Americas
Lackland academy continues
60-year training legacy
story by Staff Sgt. Matthew Rosine
photos by Tech. Sgt. cecilio Ricardo
A graduating student holds the
coveted “IAAFA wings” he earned
for completing training at the
Inter-American Air Forces Academy
at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
20
21
W
alking silently through thick brush and gnarled squat trees,
the Colombian air force sergeant spotted his objective.
Reacting quickly, his camouflaged face tightened
around his stark white eyes as he looked at different members of his
combat patrol, some from his country and others from El Salvador,
Honduras and Chile.
The sergeant “spoke” softly to his team with a quick series of hand
and arm signals. The patrol split. The right half headed through the
brush, flanking the enemy that had been attacking their camp every
hour.
As the Latin American warriors closed in on their mission objective, Tech. Sgt. Edward Benavidez closely observed their movement.
Then the Inter-American Air Forces Academy instructor smiled as the
students in this final ground-defense exercise opened fire, catching the
“enemy” in a deadly crossfire.
“The academy provides serious training, some of the world’s best,”
Sergeant Benavidez said.
Located at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, the academy has been
training students from Central and South American countries for more
than 60 years. Today, about 600 students from up to 21 countries graduate from the academy each year.
The academy’s mission is to promote “inter-Americanism” and to
“show students how the Air Force operates in austere environments,”
said Sergeant Benavidez, an international force protection instructor.
“They learn how every other country’s military works — down to
combat operations,” the sergeant said. “And they take the lessons
learned and apply them back home.”
Airmen from other countries attend academy courses to learn combat skills, tactics and teamwork they might not learn at home. In fact,
the academy is the only unit in the Air Force that teaches special weapons and tactics training.
In some cases, students get a chance to put to use the things they
learn as soon as they get back to their home units. Colombia is one
example.
“Colombia has actually been at war for the past 44 years,” said Sergeant Benavidez, a security forces NCO who has deployed overseas
three times. “So everything we teach them they apply very well to defeat armed groups and guerillas down there.”
That applies to the airmen from the other countries, too. Some countries, like Honduras and Guatemala, are waging war on gangs and narcotraffickers that have penetrated the countries. At the school, students
learn how to more effectively combat such threats to their countries.
But at the academy, more commonly known as IAAFA, students
learn more than security and combat skills.
Fountain of knowledge
The academy is unique in the Air Force. Its primary mission is to train
and educate Latin America’s future aerospace leaders, in Spanish. It
also fosters inter-American interaction through visits, engagement, education and training.
“IAAFA is an important Air Force instrument for the Department
of Defense to provide international security assistance training. The
schoolhouse offers a unique learning environment that allows students
to focus on technical, operational and professional education,” academy
Air Force instructor Maj. Alexander Gonzalez (rear) helps an Ecuadorian major (left)
and an Uruguayan captain (left), a guest academy instructor, during a training flight
in an academy flight simulator.
A Colombian national police student (fifth from bottom) raises his left fist
in victory after he and members of his combat patrol found and eliminated
a simulated enemy during a security training exercise at Camp Bullis.
Academy instructor Tech. Sgt. Alexis Adorno (right) explains some of the intricate
mechanics needed to maintain jet engines with maintenance students from the
Chilean and Colombian air forces.
A Colombian national police student leads a multinational fire team through the
woods in search of simulated enemy during a security training exercise on Camp
Bullis, an Army camp just outside San Antonio.
22
23
Benavidez right behind them.
“They did it. Their hard work and dedication paid off. And together,
they achieved victory,” Sergeant Benavidez said.
One of the squad’s Colombian commandos held up a scarred, triumphant fist — missing the thumb he lost to a flash-bang grenade in his
homeland’s continuing war.
The soldier’s sense of accomplishment was evident as he shouted in
Spanish, “We did it! We finally gave it to the enemy!”
As the squad marched away after the firefight, the commando kept
his fist high in victory. Like the rest of his squad mates, he was proud of
his accomplishments.
Back at the schoolhouse, a Colombian airman said he’s grateful for
the chance to attend the academy. As he prepared to go home, the
maintenance student said it was a fitting end to his three-years of basic
training.
“I want to thank the Air Force for giving me — giving all of us — the
Graduation day (left) is a major event for everyone
at the Inter-American Air Forces Academy. After
finishing an intensive one- to 12-week training
course, students receive a certificate that’s highly
sought after and respected throughout Latin
America’s militaries. Students also receive their
coveted IAAFA wings, which
most consider
a badge of
honor.
No regular
tech school
The Inter-American Air Forces Academy
trains officers and enlisted members from
the militaries of up to 21 Central and South
American countries.
Each year, up to 600 students graduate
from the academy. Training is in more than
60 supervisory, specialization and technical-academic courses in:
Ï
Ï
A guest helicopter mechanic instructor from Bolivia (in flight suit) provides hands-on,
on-the-job practical training to Inter-American Air Forces Academy students.
24
Students from a host of Latin American countries discuss the responsibilities of
noncommissioned officers during a professional military education class.
opportunity to come here and learn,” the airman said. “It has been an
awesome experience. I learned about other air forces and developed a
brotherhood with my classmates.
“And I have also been able to experience America. I’m thankful for
what I learned and the way I have been treated in the United States,
especially at IAAFA.”
At the graduation ceremony for the class, there was the traditional
military pomp and circumstance. Then the students marched across a
stage and received their IAAFA wings. The foreign airmen don’t see the
coveted wings as just another professional badge. To them it’s a badge
of honor.
“This training is so important,” said Bolivian Chief Master Sgt.
equivalent Genaro Maydana, a guest maintenance instructor and
IAAFA graduate. “This training will affect (the students) for the rest of
their careers — the rest of their lives.”
That’s exactly what the IAAFA cadre hopes for.
photo by Tech. Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo
superintendent Chief Master Sgt. Andres Alvarez said.
hold their first NCO academy outside the United States.
He said more than 100 Spanish-speaking military and civilian inAcademy instructors say they offer more than other Air Force technistructors and support staff show students how the Air Force accomcal schools. The school supports U.S. national security objectives by
plishes its mission.
maintaining a safe, professional, multi-lingual environment that nur“We’re creating future partnerships with these countries,” the chief
tures students’ academic and physical development. And it provides
said. “We help develop future leaders, technicians and instructors and
students financial management, logistical, language translation and
foster pride and professionalism in these airmen. This is what they
computer network maintenance support.
want and desire — and we’re here to answer that call.”
“We like to say we have two very significant parts to our mission,”
IAAFA has been answering this call since opening in March 1943,
academy commandant Col. Maria Cordero said. “We provide outafter Peruvian Gen. Fernando Melgar asked the United States to train
standing technical training in a quality, hands-on environment.
Latin American airmen. Eleven Peruvian students were the first gradu“We also have our inter-American mission,” she said. “That’s an unates from what was then the Central and South American Air School at
surpassed mission where Airmen work together every day, get to know
Albrook Field, Panama.
each other and help forge long-lasting inThat was the first U.S. aeronautics trainternational bonds of professionalism.”
“Some people might say
ing in Latin America. The academy evolved
This international vision of friendship
in the 1940s, as the potential grew for conwe’re one of the Air Force’s and professionalism sometimes extends
flict in the Western Hemisphere. The numbest kept secrets” — Col. Marion Codero beyond the Western Hemisphere. As a
ber of students increased to 400 per year.
bilingual academy, IAAFA has also taught
In 1952 the academy created the format
students from Kenya and Yemen. In 2007,
that remains its foundation today. That plan stressed hands-on trainthe academy taught its first class of Kuwaiti students.
ing, added officer courses and created a student section to provide military and athletic instruction and American cultural awareness — akin
The family
to a crash course in Americanism.
To accomplish its big mission, academy Airmen stick together as a
“We provide high-quality training,” helicopter maintenance instrucclose-knit group they call “la familia” — the family.
tor Tech. Sgt. William Cuevas said. “We face more challenges than
“It might sound silly, but we really are a family,” said Master Sgt.
helicopter maintenance. We must be experts in politics and history and Jesus Valdez, 837th Training Support Squadron superintendent. “We
be in good shape.”
have such a diverse and important mission I don’t think we would be
Sergeant Cuevas said instructors want to expand students’ minds
as successful if we didn’t support each other like family does.”
through hands-on training and by passing on their real-world and comBut it’s a small family and many Airmen know nothing of the acadbat experiences.
emy and its unique international mission.
But it’s not always easy finding bilingual Airmen to fill IAAFA jobs.
“Some people might say we’re one of the Air Force’s best kept seSo instructors often teach multiple classes, even as they travel with mo- crets,” said Colonel Cordero, who was born in Cuba. “Because, though
bile training teams.
what IAAFA does is very important, you’ll seldom find anyone here
“We set the example as Airmen by interacting and encouraging
saying, ‘I do this’ or ‘I do that.’ Our people choose to do great things
students to excel,” he said. “It’s tough at times. But this is the most reeveryday without fanfare.
warding job I’ve ever had.”
“So our biggest challenge — our most time consuming operation —
While some U.S. Airmen roll their eyes when professional military
is letting people know who we are and what we do,” the colonel said.
education comes up, Latin American airmen don’t do that, Chief AlvaWhat’s important is that Latin American countries know, she said.
rez said. They volunteer to attend because this training is often minimal in Latin American countries. Sometimes it doesn’t exist at all.
Wings of honor
Some countries have requested the academy’s help in establishing
The combat patrol marched through the Texas scrub brush at Camp
professional military education academies and developing their enlistBullis, outside San Antonio. With their enemy defeated, the haggard
ed corps. In March 2008, academy instructors traveled to Colombia to
students made a beeline for the security training center with Sergeant
Aircraft systems and maintenance for OV-10A
Bronco, A-37B Dragonfly, F-5F Tiger II and
C-130B Hercules aircraft and the UH-1H Huey
helicopter.
Electronics, communications, intelligence,
supply, logistics, air base ground defense,
security, pilot instrument procedures, computer resources and information systems
management.
The academy also provides professional
military education for officers and noncommissioned officers with a mirror copy of the
Air Force’s Squadron Officer School and NCO
Academy, all in Spanish.
Courses last from one to 12 weeks. From
30 to 35 percent of class time is for academic
theory. The remaining time is for extensive
hands-on training.
The school has eight guest instructors from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile,
Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Paraguay and Uruguay.
— Airman staff
25
Duty
Frontline
Big boom.
photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Bendet
An Air Force explosive ordnance disposal team
sets off a controlled detonation of two 120mm
artillery shells buried under the asphalt of a road in
Kirkuk Province, Iraq, from their new mine-resistant ambush-protected armored vehicle. The Airmen work with
Soldiers of the 1st Brigade, 87th Infantry Regiment of the
10th Mountain Division. Iraqi citizens informed American
forces about the roadside bomb.
Frontline
Blurred
battle lines
diversify
Airmen’s
mission
F
rontline duty for Airmen fighting
the war on terrorism can mean doing many things around the globe.
Things like:
Ï
Ï
Ï
Ï
Ï
Ï
Ï
Blowing up explosives found under a road in
Iraq;
Lining up C-17 Globemaster IIIs all in a row before a huge air drop exercise;
Helping South Koreans clean a beach after a
massive holiday oil spill;
Upgrading aging F-16 Fighting Falcon in South
Korea;
Role playing in an exercise to prepare for deployment to Southwest Asia;
Wowing the crowd with a flyover during the
Armed Forces Bowl at Fort Worth, Texas; and
Refueling Marine Corps helicopters over the
Gulf of Eden.
It’s easy to see how some of these scattered events fit in as frontline duty. But
since Sept. 11, 2001, the Air Force’s role in
the war on terrorism, a global battle, has
expanded.
The front lines, once confined to where
the bullets were flying, are now blurred.
In essence, frontline duty encompasses
everything Airmen are doing, and will continue to do each day, around the world.
26
27
Duty
Frontline
That’s a big haul.
photo by Senior Airman Mickey M. bazaldua
28
Crew chiefs stand ready to launch C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft from the 437th Airlift Wing at Charleston Air Force
Base, S.C. Seventeen of the huge cargo aircraft participated in a massive low-level
airdrop exercise.
Beach cleanup.
Fancy Falcons.
photo by Senior Airman Steven R. Doty
photo by Tech .Sgt. Quinton T. Burris
Airmen and soldiers from Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, and Korean
citizens clean oil off rocks at Mallipo Beach. A barge spilled more than
2.7 million gallons of crude oil and some washed up on shore. More than 200,000 volunteers, 13
helicopters, 17 aircraft and 327 vessels took part in the cleanup effort.
A gray Kunsan Air Base F-16 Fighting Falcon (top) flies a training mission
over South Korea with two F-16s from the 354th Fighter Wing, Eielson Air
Force Base, Alaska. Kunsan’s “Wolf Pack” will begin flying the newer F-16s as part of the common configuration implementation program that ups the Falcon’s mission capabilities and combat readiness.
29
Duty
Frontline
High fly by.
photo by Mike Kaplan
Roll playing.
photo by Airman 1st Class April Meyer
30
Hiding her face as Muslim tradition dictates, Staff Sgt. Sara Nocher plays a villager during an Eagle Flag exercise at Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst, N.J.,
in January. The Expeditionary Operations School and 421st Combat Training Squadron at Fort
Dix, N.J., host the exercise to prepare Airmen for deployment to bases in Southwest Asia.
A B-1 Lancer, flanked by two F-22 Raptors, flies over the Armed Forces Bowl pre-game
ceremonies at Fort Worth, Texas, in January. The U.S. Air Force Academy Falcons lost to
the California Golden Bears, 42-36. It was the Falcon’s first bowl appearance since 2002. The
game drew a record 40,905 fans.
Fill’er Up.
photo by Tech. Sgt. Jeremy T. Lock
HC-130 Hercules loadmasters (left to right) Senior Airmen Daniel Sullivan and Renea Zachary
watch a CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter approach their tanker to refuel over the Gulf of Aden off
the coast of Djibouti. The Airmen, deployed to Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, are with the 71st Expeditionary
Search and Rescue Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Ga.
31
photo by Airman 1st Class Noah R. Johnson
St or ed
t
o
n
but
n
e
t
t
o
forg
Cocooned fleet still has
plenty to give
by Staff Sgt. Jeremy Larlee
photos by Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Wolfe
Row after row of F-4 Phantom II jets line the storage
area at Davis-Monthan. The jet, first flown in 1958,
still serves the Air Force as training drones.
32
T
he last time the F-4 Phantom II with tail number 72-1489 screamed across the sky, Iraq
invaded Kuwait to set off the Gulf War.
But the last 17 years have been lonely for the Phantom. Put out to pasture, so to speak,
the old warhorse looked a bit mottled — its camouflage paint scheme accented with thick patches
of a bright white latex covering that acts like a cocoon to keep out the elements and nesting birds.
33
The jet’s home for all those years has been a huge 2,600-acres
desert expanse at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. — home to
thousands of aircraft since the end of World War II. Jack rabbits,
coyotes, rattle snakes and Gila monsters make their home there, too,
along with a fleet of 4,400 aircraft, 29 aerospace vehicles and other
equipment worth a cool $34 billion.
Most people know the storage area as the “bone yard.”
Overseeing this storage operation is the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group. Don Hookstra, the group’s F-4 flight
chief, said the term bone yard doesn’t do the storage area justice and
only focuses on a small part of the group’s mission.
“When you use the term bone yard, everybody considers that to
be a junk yard,” he said. “These aircraft are not junk.”
The Department of Defense doesn’t think the aircraft are junk either. It sends aircraft to Davis-Monthan for storage because of the
great environment there. When stored, the aircraft and equipment
remain valuable DOD assets and still play an integral part in the
performance of the Air Force mission, he said.
Such was the case with the old Phantom jet. After its long hiatus,
group workers stripped off its white sheath, overhauled it and certified it flight worthy for its new job as a training drone.
Its new mission is to help the newest generation of Air Force
pilots get the best and most realistic training possible, and to test
weapons and equipment. But when it finishes its job, it won’t return to storage. After a specified number of flying training hours,
someone or something will shoot down the old bird.
Preserved F-16 Fighting Falcons sit in neat rows under the blue
Arizona sky. Visitors to the storage area can walk the grounds and
view more than 4,400 aircraft, and might hear some of the aircraft
creak and groan in the wind.
Davis-Monthan aircraft maintainers work on, under and around an F-4 Phantom II aircraft, beginning the nearly $1 million process to refurbish, upgrade and ready the
Phantom for its future role as a training drone.
This flight of C-5 Galaxy transports, retired to Davis-Monthan’s
storage area, will never fly again. But maintainers will harvest their
parts to keep the Air Force’s aging transport fleet flying.
Some components, like this bin full of circuitry removed from different fighter jets, can’t simply be tossed in the trash. Maintainers
must ensure they’re safe for disposal.
34
Matthew Hamblin installs a bell crank in the confined space of an A-10 Thunderbolt II’s tail
section. Maintainers refurbish the ground-attack fighters, doubling their service life and
keeping them on the front lines of the war on terrorism.
Lt. Col. Jon Wendell is the group’s director of flight testing. When
the Phantom got the green light to fly again, he and his backseater,
Rick Nelson, took it up and put it through its paces to make sure it
was fit for duty. They didn’t take it easy on the plane, taking it past
the speed of sound and to a height of more than 48,000 feet — at
least 10,000 feet higher than commercial airliners fly.
“This bird hasn’t flown for a long time,” the colonel said. “Now
we’re going to take it up and let the big dog fly.”
Regeneration is the process of bringing old war systems back online, and is a group specialty.
In fact, the years were kind to the F-4 due, in part, to the storage
techniques the group uses. The star treatment started as soon as the
jet arrived in the desert. It received a thorough washing to ensure the
Spraylat covering that would protect it would adhere to its skin.
Spraylat is a latex covering that protects aircraft from the elements.
Two layers of black Spraylat go on first. Then it gets a reflective white
coating to keep the heat down inside the aircraft. This ensures the
temperature in the aircraft does not vary more than 10 degrees from
the outside temperature, and keeps dirt and animals out of important
components.
Before their hibernation, workers run aircraft engines while feeding
them light oil. The oil coats moving parts, which helps them better
weather their long storage.
And the storage area has optimal weather conditions for long-term
aircraft storage. The low humidity keeps corrosion and other decay
of aircraft and their components to a minimum. Another advantage
is the layer of caliche soil under the storage area. About 18 inches
thick, the soil has the consistency of concrete. This allows towing the
heaviest aircraft across the ground without the need to build concrete parking ramps.
The weather conditions and storage procedures enable the aircraft to age
gracefully, said Chris Excell, who works in the group’s overhaul section.
“We have a great success rate with the aircraft we have here,” he
said. “Our desert environment enables us to (work on) pretty clean
airplanes — though some of them have been out in storage for more
than 15 years.”
Colonel Wendell said some people may scoff at spending the time
and money on an aircraft that will eventually go down in flames during a training mission. But what people may not know is that the refurbished aircraft will provide a pilot or aircrew invaluable training.
“Computer simulations are great and they get better all the time,”
the colonel said. “But nothing beats realistic, airplane-on-airplane
training,” he said.
A different role
The Air Force doesn’t just regenerate aircraft for training. Some end
up back in the Air Force inventory or that of allied air forces.
“Customers are happy,” group commander Col. Tony Panek said.
“Some countries have even remarked the aircraft they received
from the group are in better condition than some of the ones they
have in their own inventory,” the colonel said.
But not all aircraft at the yard will fly again. After arriving and inprocessing, aircraft receive one of four storage codes — 1,000, 2,000,
3,000 or 4,000 — that determine its fate. A 1,000 aircraft is not
eligible to donate parts and could fly again. Aircraft given a 2,000
designation are parts donors. The 3,000-code aircraft are there for
temporary storage and kept flight ready. The 4,000-code aircraft are
bound for disposal, but give up their parts first.
However, just because they won’t fly, it doesn’t diminish their importance to the Air Force mission, Colonel Panek said.
“Many aircraft in the Air Force inventory are so old that some of
their parts are no longer manufactured. This leaves the group as the
sole source for the parts,” the colonel said.
The 56-year-old B-52 Stratofortress and 52-year-old KC-135 Stratotanker, still Air Force workhorses in the war on terrorism, are also
parts donors.
35
That’s why the sealing process is so important. With no storage
warehouses, the parts are stored on the aircraft.
The group — part of the 309th Maintenance Wing at the Ogden
Air Logistics Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah — receives requests
for parts from across the DOD and a host of foreign nations. Teams
of maintainers, many trained to work on many of the 70 different
types of aircraft parked in the desert, then check the stock of planes
to see if they can find the part. The process seems difficult, but the
group maintains meticulous records for all the aircraft and parts.
The colonel said one highlight of his tenure at the group was helping a friend stationed overseas fighting the war on terrorism. A C-130
Hercules in the friend’s squadron survived a hard landing, but received serious landing gear damage. To fix the transport, maintainers needed some hard-to-locate parts. Mechanics could not find the
parts in stock anywhere.
The colonel’s friend called to see if the yard had the parts available. Sure enough, a stored C-130 had the parts. Group maintainers
removed the parts and shipped them within 24 hours.
“That’s why the group is so important to the Air Force mission,”
Colonel Panek said. “Our main mission — and the reason we’re here
— is to support the warfighter any way that we can.”
A different journey
Some aircraft may go to the group, not for storage, but to have work
done so they can stay in the fight and perform their mission.
One of those aircraft is the A-10 Thunderbolt II, which made its
Air Force debut at Davis-Monthan in the mid 1970s. Still on the job
30 years later, the aircraft’s close-air support mission in Iraq and Afghanistan has placed an added burden on the jet, piling up its flight
hours at an alarming rate, Colonel Panek said.
But the group has a fix for the Thunderbolt: The service life extension program. It literally doubles the life of the aircraft. The process
involves removing the wings and doing preventative repairs throughout the canopy and in known trouble areas inside and outside the
wings. It takes 160 days to give the jet its new life.
Once refurbished, the jet’s flight hour ceiling increases from 10,000
to 20,000 hours. So the program has essentially doubled the A-10
inventory, said Earl Wade, the miscellaneous aircraft flight chief. He
said his workers couldn’t be more passionate about their support of
warfighters.
“They see what is going on in the war on the evening news,” he
said. “And they see the link between what they do and what’s going
on in Iraq and Afghanistan. It helps to motivate us.”
So it’s no wonder group workers get defensive when someone refers to where they work as the bone yard — a place where old aircraft
go to die. But that does happen — when stored aircraft finally give
up all of their parts. Then the aircraft are ready for disposal.
Gregory Barnes, chief of the disposal flight, said visitors who see
this portion of the cycle, at the end of the migration process, sometimes get a bit emotional.
“For a crew chief — or anybody who visits here — it can be very
sad,” Mr. Barnes said. These people “spent their whole career taking
care of aircraft and keeping them in tip-top shape.”
Seeing aircraft destroyed affects some people. But once visitors
learn about the need for the migration process and the benefits “they
make peace with the destruction,” he said.
Over the years, the storage facility’s mission has grown. It’s no
longer a place to just store and preserve aircraft. Its aircraft restoring
processes has turned into big business. So has the depot-level maintenance, parts reclamation and aircraft disposition the group does.
“It’s a lucrative business that
saves DOD, Air Force and the air
forces of a host of allied nations
tons of money,” Mr. Hookstra said.
“Instead of buying an aircraft
for $20 to 30 million,” he said, “we
can get one for $1.5 million — savings that can go right back into the
war effort.”
Hampton Garcia touches up an F-16 fighting Falcon with Spraylat protective sealer, preparing it for a long stay in the storage area.
36
Aircraft electrician
Staff Sgt. Stephen
McMullen works
under the wing of
an F-4 Phantom II,
helping ready the jet
for its return to duty
as a training drone.
37
photo by Master Sgt. Jack Braden
A BIGGER WOLF PACK
U.S. and South Korean Airmen
in the same den
by Staff Sgt. Alice Moore
I
t doesn’t take visitors very long to realize Airmen at Kunsan Air
Base, South Korea, have a one-track, wolf-pack mentality.
But that’s a good thing for Airmen whose sole job is staying
ready to take off in their F-16 Fighting Falcons to deter, protect and
defend South Korea from attack.
In that case, the bigger the pack, the bigger the bite.
So when in late 2006 the South Korean air force’s 38th Fighter
Group switched from flying F-5 Tigers to the Falcon, their American counterparts at the 8th Fighter Wing saw an opportunity to increase the units’ combined deterrence value.
Capt. Joshua King wings
his F-16 Fighting Falcon
back to Kunsan Air Base,
South Korea, after a
close-air support training
mission. American and
South Korean airmen are
doing more joint training
at Kunsan, increasing
their combined deterrence value. The captain
is with the 80th Fighter
Squadron.
38
39
The units started to work and train more as one larger pack.
“In the past we trained with them (South Koreans) a lot less than
we do now,” said Col. C. Q. Brown, known by his call sign, “the
Wolf.”
Colonel Brown should know. He did a tour at “the Kun” as a first
lieutenant 20 years ago.
“The U.S.-South Korea alliance has grown stronger. And since
now we’re both flying the same aircraft, it makes it easier for us to
train together,” Colonel Brown said. “We see them on a day-to-day
basis and work with them on all aspects of our mission.”
The days are long at Kunsan, a windswept base on the shores
of the Yellow Sea. The operations tempo is high and Airmen are
photo by Senior Airman Steven R. Doty
photo by Master Sgt Jack Braden
photo by Staff Sgt Araceli Alarcon
Airmen from Kunsan’s 8th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron move a bomb as a South
Korean air force maintenance official judges their work during a joint weapons load
competition. Airmen from both air forces have worked together more since the
South Korean air force’s 38th Fighter Group at the base began flying F-16 Fighting
Falcons in 2006. Korean airmen had to learn different loading techniques for their
first weapons load competition, which they won.
Weather technicians Staff Sgt. Miranda Williamson (left) and South Korean
Senior Airman Lee Jung-hoon discuss an inbound cold front that could affect
flight operations at Kunsan. The sergeant is with the 8th Operations Squadron
and the airman with South Korea’s 8th Weather Detachment.
40
Tech. Sgt. Jason Smith (left) and Airman 1st Class Tyler Brown review an F-4 Phantom training guide with South Korean air force Tech. Sgt. Su Min. Working together
helps develop U.S.-South Korean teamwork and warfighting capabilities. The three
were training at Chongju Air Base. The Americans are with the 8th Maintenance
Group and Sergeant Su is with the 17th Fighter Wing.
41
Maj. Craig Simmons (standing) briefs (left to right) 1st Lt. Robbie Sandwith and South Korean air force Maj. Park Dae-deo and Capt. Park Ki-ho about a joint training mission. American and South Korean pilots fly joint F-16 Fighting Falcon missions from the base. The joint training gives Airmen from both countries the chance to work and
fly together to practice and perfect their warfighting skills. Major Simmons and Captain Sandwith are with Kunsan’s 80th Fighter Squadron, and the Koreans with the 11th
Fighter Squadron.
constantly training for a mission they hope to never do. American
and South Korean airmen fly, train and maintain their jets together.
Falcon pilot Capt. Paul Jelinek flies combined missions with the
Korean airmen. He’s impressed with the way South Korea’s pilots
execute tactically. And he knows flying together is something both
sides can benefit from.
“It’s a great opportunity to mission plan, fly and debrief with the
ROKAF (Republic of Korea Air Force). I think every ROKAF and Air
Force pilot should have this opportunity,” said Captain Jelinek, of
the 35th Fighter Squadron.
“We learn from each other on every combined mission. At the
end of the day we’re all more capable pilots when we walk out the
door,” the captain said.
Senior Airman Elizabeth Urquia, a weapons load crew member
with the 8th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, took part in a weap-
Joint training is bolstering American (left) and South Korean relations at Kunsan.
42
ons load competition against her Korean counterparts. She remembers the Koreans had to learn the Americans’ loading techniques
before they competed.
“It was interesting to see how they loaded and how they turned
everything around to be able to participate,” she said. “It was a
unique experience — it’s not every day you get to compete with airmen from another country.”
At the event’s end, the South Koreans celebrated a victory.
Working and flying together makes the enlarged pack more capable of maintaining peace and stability throughout the peninsula. Plus, the interaction gives airmen from both countries a better
appreciation for each others’ capabilities and cultural differences,
Colonel Brown said.
“Language and culture are two barriers that could potentially
prevent us from being able to execute well in combat,” Colonel
Brown said. “By interacting socially in a more relaxed environment,
it enables both groups to work even better together.”
So there are many advantages to having a bigger pack. But the
American Airmen are no longer lone wolves. Working together
helps both units strengthen the U.S.-South Korea alliance. And the
hands-on experience of the day-to-day interaction allows a more
cohesive response to any threat.
“So we can be prepared to execute in combat if the need arises,”
Colonel Brown said.
Col. Chang Young-ik commands the South Korean group. He said
Kunsan was a prime place for such training and interaction.
“Kunsan is indeed precious property — the best place for this
purpose (interaction),” he said. “As the main force for the defense of
the South Korean peninsula, the ROKAF and U.S. Air Force should
be able to perform various combined operations in harmony.”
And when the enemy is just a short 15-minute Falcon flight from
Kunsan, working together gives the combined wolf pack more
power — and a lot more bite.
PROFILE
Munitions systems technician
Tech. Sgt. Erik Ryland
Home unit/base:
31st Maintenance Squadron
Aviano Air Base, Italy
Current unit/base:
451st Air Expeditionary Group
Kandahar, Afghanistan
Hometown:
Pottsville, Pa.
Entered Air Force:
Aug. 6, 1997
other Deployments:
Southwest Asia, 1998, 2003 and 2005
Marital status:
Married
by Tech. Sgt. Larry Simmons
Working in ammo provides me a unique
opportunity because there are a variety of jobs in my career field. Knowing I have the chance to take on new
challenges gives me something to look
forward to as my career progresses.
When deployed, it’s great to see our
hard work pay off. Building bombs that
provide cover for our ground forces and
terminate the enemy is very rewarding.
I’ve also had the opportunity to meet
and work with great people I otherwise
would have never met — like my lovely wife, [who I met] while on temporary
duty at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.
43
photo by Tia Schroeder
Rebalancing ACT
MCGUIRE and DOVER GET
NEW CARGO HUB STATUS
BY STAFF SGT. MATtHEW BATES
Airmen from the 386th and 379th air expeditionary wings unload a mine-resistant ambushprotected vehicle from a C-17 Globemaster III at a base in Southwest Asia. The plane is from
the 437th Airlift Wing, Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., which flew the bulk of Southwest Asia
cargo deliveries until McGuire AFB, N.J., and Dover AFB, Del., took over most of the duties.
44
45
“This rebalancing is a ‘win’
for the warfighter and
the American taxpayer.”
— Brig. Gen.Ronald Ladnier
terminals are all located in the northeastern part of the country,
with the largest of these being the depot at Susquehanna, Pa. This
meant huge trucks laden with cargo had to go all the way from
Pennsylvania to Charleston — bypassing several key airlift bases
along the way.
Air Force and DOD officials looked at the process and saw a
better alternative. Why not move cargo to bases closer to the
suppliers?
“If most of the cargo is coming out of the northeast, then it would
obviously be cheaper to truck that to New Jersey or Delaware,”
said Maj. Gen. Ronald Ladnier, commander of AMC’s Tanker Airlift
Control Center at Scott AFB, Ill.
That’s what the airlift command did. As part of the new aerial
port rebalancing initiative, McGuire AFB, N.J, and Dover AFB, Del.,
are now the major hubs for cargo headed to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Charleston, meanwhile, will remain an essential cargo hub, and the
gateway for the shipment of hundreds of the new mine-resistant,
Air transportation Airman 1st Class Trevor Watson helps load duffle bags, bound for
Southwest Asia, onto a contract aircraft at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.
ambush-protected vehicles.
“From a logistical standpoint, it’s a move that really makes
sense,” said Maj. Edward Peterson, commander of McGuire’s 305th
Aerial Port Squadron.
Reasonableness aside, the move also saves time and money.
“This rebalancing is a ‘win’ for the warfighters and the American
taxpayer,” General Ladnier said. “This initiative will put needed
equipment in the hands of warfighters more quickly, while saving
taxpayer dollars each year.”
Flown from McGuire and Dover, cargo reaches the Middle East
an average of 24 hours earlier than from Charleston. This will save
about $40.3 million in transportation costs annually.
But at the two bases, it’s not the savings that have Airmen excited. It’s the new mission.
“A lot more cargo will pass through our port, which means a
lot more work,” McGuire air freight supervisor Staff Sgt. Nicholas
Marsh said. “But we couldn’t be more thrilled. This cargo will help
the war effort. With our new mission, we’re directly contributing to
that war effort.”
Still, this new mission is not without its challenges, the sergeant said. And many of the challenges will affect units outside the
aerial port squadron, like McGuire’s Checkpoint 9. The unit scans,
searches and validates each and every cargo-laden vehicle that enters the base.
“Now we inspect 50 to 70 more trucks per day,” said Master Sgt.
Joseph DiLorenzo, NCO in charge of Checkpoint 9. “That’s on top
of the 7,500 we typically inspect each month.”
The fact each checkpoint Airman is a volunteer with no prior vehicle inspection experience makes the number of trucks the checkpoint handles even more impressive. These augmentees are from
units throughout the base and perform checkpoint duties for 30 to
90 days at a time.
“This high turnover rate means there’s very little time for training,” Sergeant DiLorenzo said. The Airmen have to learn their duties quickly.
But with help from transportation Airmen, the sergeant is confident his volunteers will get the job done. And like the base’s aerial
porters, he’s excited about the new mission.
“This is our chance to make a difference,” Sergeant DiLorenzo
said.
Challenges like those at Checkpoint 9 will occur elsewhere at
each of the two bases, said Col. Balan Ayyar, commander of McGuire’s 305th Air Mobility Wing.
“But are we ready for them? Definitely,” the colonel said. “We’ve
been preparing for this mission all over the base.”
To handle the extra work, each base will need more refueling
trucks and maintenance crews to service the surge of aircraft on
the flightline. Each will need new facilities to house special types of
cargo not normally handled, like ammunition and other hazardous
items. And there will be a need for more Airmen in the aerial port
to help handle the increase of cargo and people.
Preparations include using Air Force Smart Operations 21 tools
and multi-functional teams to examine ways to improve and
streamline aerial port processes. At McGuire, that means making
more efficient use of an existing 55,000-square-foot facility. In addition, a $2 million infrastructure upgrade created a new in-transit
munitions facility and an expanded cargo marshalling area.
“We’re going to need every inch of it, too,” Major Peterson said.
Colonel Ayyar expects McGuire’s cargo flow to grow exponentially. Before the rebalancing initiative, the base received about 150
tons of cargo each month. The new mission should increase that to
nearly 5,000 tons a month.
Daunting as these numbers may seem, the wing is unimpressed.
Its leaders simply point to the base’s legacy.
“Cargo hauling is in our blood,” Colonel Ayyar said. “This base
was a major hub during World War II, so, in essence, it’s like we’re
returning to our heritage.”
Plus, taking this new mission will enable cargo delivery to the Middle
East to be simpler, shorter and less expensive. That makes sense, logistically and monetarily, General Ladnier said.
“How can you argue with faster and cheaper?” he said.
photo by Tech. Sgt. Larry Simmons
photo by Tech. Sgt. Larry Simmons
In Tikrit, Iraq, Soldiers check their weapons, climb into their
up-armored Humvees and roll out to provide security for a supply
convoy.
At Balad Air Base, the hospital staff uses bandages, salves, needles and other medical supplies to provide initial care, save lives
and help get the wounded back in the fight.
In Kabul, Afghanistan, large sacks of mail bring a touch of home
and a lot of joy to Airmen deployed a world away from their “stateside lives.”
And at bases throughout the Middle East and the Horn of Africa,
Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines depend on military airlift to
get the parts to fix broken aircraft, ammunition to put rounds on
targets and food to stay in the war on terrorism.
But none of these supplies would be available without the steady
flow of Air Force transport aircraft that deliver needed cargo to this
part of the world. Without the precious cargo, missions may fail,
aircraft would stay broken and lives could be lost.
Because of this, the Department of Defense and the Air Force
constantly seek ways to more quickly transport needed equipment
and supplies from the United States to the warfighter. Rebalancing
Air Mobility Command’s East Coast aerial port is one way they’re
doing that.
For more than four years, Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., has
been the airlift hub for cargo needed to support Operations Iraqi
and Enduring Freedom. But defense supply locations and shipping
An air transportation Airman with McGuire’s 305th Aerial Port Squadron ensures
cargo is properly loaded before the aircraft takes off for Southwest Asia.
46
47
NOTEBOOK
Old aircraft
never die
I
Larlee
Story by Staff Sgt. Jeremy
that is spent storcareer $7 for ever y tax dollar
spent the first three years of my
osing of aircraft.
disp
or
ting
nera
ing, rege
f
busting my knuckles as a crew chie
y
Maintenance crews extract ever
on the C-130 Hercules. My hands
the
from
y
bilit
ounce of military capa
have a map of scars to prove it.
Some
aircraft parked in the desert lot.
n
dow
e
So when an assignment cam
in
ned
ntai
mai
and
ed
seal
are
planes
309th
the pipeline to do a stor y on the
case they need to
in
ition
cond
tine
pris
nteAerospace Regeneration and Mai
are there for canForce fly again. Other aircraft
Air
an
onth
is-M
Dav
at
up
Gro
nance
artment of
Dep
ing
keep
—
nibalization
Base, Ariz., I jumped at it.
other naof
e
thos
and
raft,
airc
heard Defense
I was excited to visit a place I had
war on
the
tions, flying at home and in
days.
about a lot in my pre-desk-jockey
terrorism.
the
It was an eerie feeling exploring
dfaIt’s amazing that aircraft my gran
re
whe
ul
group’s 2,60 0-acre storage lot
usef
still
are
ght
bou
ars
doll
tax
ther’s
rent
more than 4,40 0 aircraft of 70 diffe
today.
varieties are out to pasture.
ws
Talk about thrifty. The group thro
I
Out there alone, the only sound
y.
nothing awa
sound of
heard was the spooky creaking
area
Many people refer to the storage
a
be
to
seem
’t
didn
It
’t
wind-swept aircraft.
don
ers
as the bone yard. Group work
It would
place I’d like to be at after dark.
conthat
e
nam
a
or movie. like that. Because it’s
be a swell location to film a horr
some
jures up images of a junk yard. Yes,
was
raft
While seeing all the old airc
they
re
befo
But
die.
to
e
ther
go
do
planes
most
the
great, what stuck in my mind the
sky,
the
in
pass on to that big hangar
ation.
part
was the group’s cost-efficient oper
lable
avai
le
sing
Air Force uses ever y
(some
By nature, I am extremely thrifty
that is still functional.
es
mak
p
grou
would even say cheap). The
The group does this various
photos by Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Wolfe
There’s nothing left but the skeleton of
the C-5 Gala xy
(above) after workers harvest all the huge
transport’s
parts. The 309th Aerospace Regenera
tion and Maintenance Group stores more than 4,40 0
aircraft and other
equipment at its desert yard (right).
48
raft to
ways, like taking parts off old airc
ting
nera
rege
ers,
sustain today’s war fight
of
e
som
ng
selli
and
n
agai
aircraft to fly
s.
allie
our
to
s
part
and
raft
the airc
of the
The group also doubles the life
ice
serv
the
ugh
thro
A-10 Thunderbolt II
that
k
thin
’d
You
.
ram
prog
life extension
ther
since the Air Force is adding ano
life that
10,0 00 flight hours to the A-10’s
make
the group would spare no cost to
.
case
the
isn’t
that
But
.
that happen
ess
proc
g
ndin
exte
lifeA-10
the
of
Part
the
all
g
acin
includes removing and repl
prebullet-proof foam in its wings. The
more
cost
foam
of
es
piec
ent
cut replacem
The
ket.
mar
open
the
on
00
$3,5
than
. So,
group couldn’t live with that cost
foam
the
buy
to
they devised a method
es,
selv
them
es
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cut
in bulk and
$30 0.
ut
abo
to
cost
the
red
lowe
h
whic
nt
I only wish I could find a 90-perce
et
outl
and
s
rack
e
savings at the clearanc
ol.
stores I patr
nyIt’s great seeing this type of pen
es
mak
also
It
pinching way of thinking.
own
my
up
step
to
me feel that I need
s’
effor ts as a steward of the taxpayer
money — beyond cutting out the
lights at the end of the day and
recycling my soda cans.
12 Annual
th
Air Force
Marathon
Featuring the F-22 Raptor
Friday, Sept. 19, 2008
• 5-K race at Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
Saturday, Sept. 20, 2008
• Marathon, wheelchair marathon, half-marathon and 10-K individual
and relay race at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
• All finishers receive a medal from a senior Air Force leader
• Sports and fitness expo at Wright State University’s Nutter Center
• Gourmet pasta dinner at the National Museum of the United States Air Force
For more details, call 1-800-467-1823 or DSN 787-4350 or visit http://www.usafmarathon.com

On a nOble missiOn Handling tHe `Herc` stressing Out

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