~ Military News ~
Air Show Highlights Jointness
By Marine Corps Sgt. Judith Willis, 316th Air Wing
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md.,
Maintenance crews work with the pilot of an F-22 Raptor during
pre-flight checks at the 2010 Joint Service Open House on Joint Base Andrews,
Md.,
Lt. Gen. Philip Breedlove, deputy chief of
staff for Air Force operations, plans and requirements, was the guest speaker
for the opening ceremony this morning. "Hopefully, I am here today
welcoming future soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen who
will be inspired by what they see out here," he said.
The open house theme of "United in
Strength" was fitting, Breedlove said. "Look around you this
morning," he said. "We're hosted by an Air Force wing with Navy F-18s
in the background and we watched the 82nd Airborne jump out of a Marine KC-130.
No one service can do what we require of our military alone, and each must
contribute to today's fight."
Col. Steven Shepro,
commander of the 316th Wing which hosted the event, noted that it is the
Defense Department's largest Joint Service Open House, and was distinguished
this year by the 100th anniversary of military aviation.
The annual open house provides the public an
opportunity to meet and interact with the men and women of the armed forces.
Active duty, reserve, veterans and civilian employees come together to make the
three-day air show a success.
"It's definitely something I'm proud to
do," said Marine Corps Maj. David Persons, who came from Marine Corps Base
Quantico, Va., with a CH-53E Sea Stallion. "It's a rare opportunity to
broaden your perspective on our aviation ability across the services and it
lets the public know what we do. Just to see the smile on the children's faces
makes it worth coming here."
Highlights of the air show included
performances from the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Army Golden Knights.
Static displays from every service, including the Navy's MH-53 Sea Dragon, the
Marine Corps AH-IW Super Cobra and the Air Force F-15, as well as vintage war
planes, covered the flightline for tours and photo
opportunities.
Army Recalls 44,000 Combat
Helmets
The Department
of the Army announced today that it has initiated a recall message for
approximately 44,000 Advanced Combat Helmets produced by ArmorSource
LLC (formerly Rabintex USA LLC). These helmets do not
meet Army specifications.
The 44,000 helmets represent about 4 percent
of Advanced Combat Helmets issued to soldiers. Sufficient helmets
produced by other manufacturers that meet Army requirements are currently
available in the Army's inventory. The Army will immediately issue these
helmets to soldiers worldwide serving in those units
identified to have recalled helmets. Army Central Issue Facilities have been
directed to remove all affected helmets from the inventory and to directly
exchange noncompliant helmets turned in for helmets meeting Army specifications.
The recalled helmets will be sent to the Defense Logistics Agency Defense
Reutilization and Marketing Services for demilitarization.
The exact risk to soldiers wearing the
recalled helmets is still being determined; however, sample testing from a
quarantined inventory revealed that the helmets did not meet Army
specifications.
The matter is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General.
by Army Pfc.
Tarell J. Bilbo, 241st Mobile Public Affairs
Detachment
VENICE,
La., May 13, 2010 - Soldiers of the Louisiana National Guard's 1023rd Vertical
Engineer Company, 528th Engineer Battalion, continued transporting water
diversion system materials from here yesterday in support of the shoreline
protection mission near the southwest pass of the Mississippi River delta.
Soldiers of the Louisiana National Guard's 1023rd Vertical Engineer
Company, 528th Engineer Battalion, unwrap cargo nets to load dam-building
equipment near
The water diversion system replaces
sandbags, and it's composed of a series of interlocking flexible tubes that are
inflated with water to form a temporary dam or levee.
After transporting the material, the
soldiers will pre-position and construct 7.1 miles of the shoreline protection
system along the southwest pass.
The 1023rd, with headquarters in
"Dealing with helicopter missions like
this can be very dangerous," said Army 1st Lt. James G. Jones, executive
officer for the 1023rd. "Safety is always paramount at a time like
this."
This is a unique mission for the 1023rd, and
morale is high among the soldiers.
"I'm very pleased with the great job
we've been doing," said Army Sgt. Terrence L. Pleasant, heavy equipment
operator. "We've been putting forth a great effort with all the missions
that we've been tasked with."
Gates Thanks Spouses for
Soldier Support
By Shandi Dix,1st Infantry Division Post
"Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates addresses the audience during
the military spouse appreciation day town hall at Ft. Riley, Kansas, May 8, 2010.
DoD photo by Cherie Cullen "
Army Brig. Gen. David Petersen, 1st Infantry
Division deputy commanding general-rear, welcomed the spouses before Rachel
Holbrook, Army spouse and host of How-to-TV introduced the secretary.
"This is the first time Secretary Gates
has joined the U.S. Army spouses in a town hall such as this and I speak for
all U.S. Army spouses in thanking him for his attendance," Holbrook said.
Gates thanked the spouses for their support
before responding to their questions.
"Thank you for all you do for your
loved ones in uniform, your families and your communities," he said.
"Many of you are running single parent households while your spouse is
deployed or have done so in the past. Some of you have done it more than
once."
Regarding the issue of overpopulation in the
"I was briefed on this problem in the
schools here on post in preparation for this visit and I've looked into it and
what I'm about to say requires the approval of Congress," he said. "I
have the money to fund an additional elementary school, upgrade two elementary
schools and the middle school here on post. I need to transfer it to the
education department so that they can extend it and that requires congressional
approval."
The issue will go forward to Congress May 10
and Gates said he is hoping for quick action.
"That is fantastic news," said
Kathleen Whittle. "The school my children go to, it was built in 1955 and
I'm pretty sure it hasn't even had a coat of paint since then and so this is a
much needed and fantastic decision."
Whittle's two
children both attend
One spouse asked Gates how the
administration's new healthcare program was going to affect both active duty
and retirees.
"I'm pretty confident that there will be
no change in terms of active duty and I think there's been little change for
retirees but I'm not a hundred percent sure on that," Gates said. "I
think the one change that we will make ... is the extension of the parent's
benefit to the child until they're 26 (years old). That's part of the
healthcare bill and I think we're adding to that but other than that I don't
think there is significant change."
Another spouse asked about having licensed
professional counselors practice on installations along with licensed clinical
social worker's and licensed psychologists.
"To be honest I don't know," Gates
said. "I do know that the Army is working very hard to hire additional
mental healthcare professionals and get them available as quickly as possible.
I can tell you that I don't think that Gen. (George) Casey and Gen. (Peter) Chiarelli spend more time on any issue than they do on this
issue of mental healthcare, post traumatic stress, (traumatic brain injury) and
care of wounded warriors."
Following the session, spouses were able to
shake hands with Gates and receive a coin for both themselves and their
soldier. Garrison Commander Col. Kevin Brown also presented each spouse with a
red rose.
"I was very impressed with the fact
that he was able to make the time," Whittle said of the secretary's visit.
"I know his schedule is packed solid, I'm sure. It gave the people that
were responsible for this trip a lot of extra work to make sure that he was
able to get out here and talk to us today. No matter what question these
spouses threw at him and there was a wide variety, he was able to speak
intelligently about all of them. He was well informed on all of the
information."
By Army Sgt. Michael L. Owens,
(Left) Army Maj. James S. Slaven of the
Louisiana National Guard's 205th Engineer Battalion inspects a 300-foot
improved ribbon bridge built by the 2225th Multi-Role Bridge Company out of Marrero,
La., at the Frank Campo Marina in Shell Beach, La., May 6, 2010.
(Right) "The Louisiana National Guard's 2225th Multi-Role Bridge
Company, out of Marrero, La., constructs a 300-foot improved ribbon bridge at
the Frank Campo Marina in Shell Beach, La., May 6, 2010.
About 50 members of the 2225th Multi-Role
Bridge Company, based in
"Our main job is to construct the
bridge so that the process of distribution becomes easier for all
involved," said Army Maj. James S. Slaven,
executive officer of the 205th.
After transporting their boats and equipment
to the Campo Marina in two separate convoys, the Guardsmen staged and accounted
for all pieces. They loaded the boats into the bay, and one by one, each bridge
section was dropped into the water and transported into the open bay for
construction.
"Because we need adequate space to put
it together, we have to move each section about 500 feet into the open bay,"
Slaven explained.
"It seems like a tedious process, but
once we get started, it rolls easily and quickly," said Army 1st Sgt. Kevin
P. Giroir, senior enlisted advisor for the 2225th.
Once the sections were transported to the
working area, a crew connected each component until the whole bridge was
completed.
"They worked diligently to get this
complete," Slaven said. "We were originally
expecting to be here until
As a last order of business, Slaven inspected the bridge and gave it a final
"thumbs-up" after the work met and surpassed standards. A team of
about 10 Guardsmen will be onsite daily to maintain the bridge.
"I am really proud of each of these
soldiers," Slaven said. "They worked really
hard today to help
F-16 Training Bolsters
U.S.-Pakistan Relations
By Air Force Maj. Gabe
Johnson,
(Left) Air Force Lt. Col. Alex Wilson, right, and Squadron Leader Shirjil Kahn of the Pakistani air force prepare for an
F-16D training flight at
(Right) "Squadron Leader Azman Khalil of the Pakistani air force, left, goes over flight
information with Air Force Capt. Andy Wittke, an
instructor pilot at the Arizona Air National Guard's 162nd Fighter Wing, before
a training mission April 27,2010.
Eight Pakistani air force pilots, each
experienced in the F-16's A and B models, recently learned to fly the newer C-
and D-model aircraft at the 162nd Fighter Wing, the international F-16 training
unit at
The pilots are the first from their country
to train in the
"This graduation is historic for
U.S.-Pakistan relations," said Wing Commander Ghazanfar
Latif, a 12-year F-16A pilot with the Pakistani air
force. "For
The new planes purchased by the Pakistani
government, Block 52 versions of the multirole
fighter, are far more advanced than the older A-model versions and will allow
pilots to conduct operations at night and greatly enhance their use of
precision munitions.
The first four of the 18 planes purchased
are scheduled for delivery June 26 to Shahbaz air
base in south-central
In preparation for the June delivery, the
eight pilots and their families will have spent 10 months in the
"Even though they're flying Block 25s
here, they will still be able to operate their block 52s back home. When they
leave, here they will get training from Lockheed Martin in
The bulk of the flight training in
"We're training these eight pilots so
they can return home and be instructors themselves and teach others to fly the
new F-16s," said Parkinson, a 22-year fighter pilot.
"I think the training here is very well
organized and tailored to our needs. Also, the standards here are very high,"
Latif said. "This is going to make a big
difference because we do not have the capability to make precision engagements
at night with A models. Everybody understands that
collateral damage is a big factor, and the sensors on the C-model will help us
carry out precision engagement and close-air support."
With so much to learn, the students flew a
rigorous schedule of five flights per week. The average student tempo is closer
to three per week.
"The radar, data link and other
avionics help create the big picture of what is going on around you. There's
lots of information to process in the C model, so you have to prioritize all of
the input you are getting," said Squadron Leader Yasir
Malik. "But these instructors know what they are
doing, and they are good teachers."
Air Force Maj. Windy Hendrick,
a flight commander and 13-year F-16 pilot, has instructed students from all
over the world. She said she and her fellow instructors learned a great deal
about their Pakistani counterparts.
"They are all experienced pilots with
500 to 1,800 fighter hours in the F-16, and the majority of that time is combat
hours in the fight against extremists," she said. "They are very
humble and don't talk about their experience, but the more we learn about them
and all they've done, it makes us proud to be their
instructors."
"They are very dedicated [and]
hard-working, and they have great attitudes. Their presence in the squadron has
been a real pleasure."
When flying over the military ranges of
southern
"We could not ask for more help from
the IMSO office," Malik said. "They came to
"We would have been more confused with
trying to find a place to live and get adjusted if it weren't for IMSO,"
he added.
It's unclear if more student pilots from
"Training capable fighter pilots for
our partner-nation air forces and fostering relationships in the worldwide F-16
community is what we do," he said. "We will continue to help train
By Air Force Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith, National Guard
Bureau
Residents of
Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen
called out the Guard as the resulting flash floods and rising river waters
stranded residents in their homes, flooded roadways, cut power and damaged
property and infrastructure. It also caused a reported 10 deaths in
Randy Harris, a spokesman for the Tennessee
Guard, said the rapidly rising flood waters cut off assistance for some
residents.
"The 1176th Transportation Company
assisted in about 230 rescues," he said.
Today, the Tennessee Army Guard delivered
water to their armory in
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency
reported that Guard soldiers worked side by side with the Ashland City Fire
Department to airlift food and water to stranded citizens in
"The 1-230 Air Cavalry Squadron
aircrew, along with volunteers and Ashland City Assistant Fire Chief Brian
Biggs, loaded two truckloads of water onto the aircraft and then flew it to
people in need," TEMA officials reported.
TEMA also reported that the Army Guard
aviators landed in fields, front yards, and even the driveway leading to the
Christian Care Center of Cheatham County.
"It's my first mission since being back
from
Flood warnings from the National Weather
Service remained in effect today in the central and western parts of the state.
Only a slight chance of rain and thunderstorms was forecast for the next nine
days.
Harris said that the Guard might see
continued cleanup missions as the water levels drop.
"Flooding is sort of new to us, but
they have done an excellent job," he said.
by Army Sgt. Michael L. Owens,
(Left) Louisiana
National Guard soldiers help Oil Mop employees load oil booms onto boats at the
Breton Sound Marina in Hopedale, La., May 3, 2010.
(Right)
"Louisiana National Guard soldiers load oil booms and wooden stakes onto
boats at the Breton Sound Marina in Hopedale, La., May 3, 2010.
Guardsmen from the 527th Engineer
Battalion's 1022nd Engineer Company kept track of the number of oil booms that
will be used to collect oil from the water as it reaches the coastline.
The soldiers were given a class on safety
and immediately began loading bags of booms and stakes onto boats that are
going to put the booms in place.
"As each bag is carefully loaded, it is
our job to make sure that everything is counted," said Army Cpl. Caitlyn
M. Jones. "That can be a hard task, because this is a big operation, but
we are going to do it efficiently."
The soldiers also kept a record of the
number of booms being loaded and the boats carrying them.
"We have been looking for a way to keep
accountability on what is going out," said Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Namon R. Dimitroff.
"The Guardsmen are helping us out tremendously, and we appreciate their
help."
Face of Defense: Soldier
Siblings Serve Together
by Air Force Airman 1st Class Laura Goodgame, Regional Command East
Army Pfc. Jessica Kimball and Army Pvt.
Logan Yost pose for a photo
"My brother was my best friend growing
up; he was all I had," said Army Pfc. Jessica Kimball, 20, a mechanic
assigned to Company B, 82nd Division Special Troops Battalion out of Fort
Bragg, N.C. "I didn't have the picture-perfect childhood."
Kimball was 11 when her grandmother died,
and she was placed into her brother's family for foster care. She said her
brother, Army Pvt. Logan Yost, 21, an infantryman assigned to the same unit,
always took her under his wing.
Kimball said she planned to go to college, but
couldn't afford it. After hearing about GI Bill education benefits, she decided
to see a recruiter.
"The recruiter mentioned the
opportunity to go Airborne, [and] being of competitive nature, it intrigued
me," she said. "I talked it over with my brother. He did not want me
to go alone, so we both joined the Army together."
After basic training and
"Sometimes we would be outside the wire
for several days in a row," Yost said. "At night, we would all take
turns staying awake to pull security. When it was Jessica's turn, I would go
sit with her to keep her company so she wouldn't be alone." His sister
returned the favor when it was his turn for security detail, he added.
"I feel for anyone who has siblings in
the military," Yost said. "We are lucky to have gotten stationed
together, because most of the time siblings get split up and sent halfway
around the world from each other."
The siblings already were close when they
joined the military, they said, but their time in
"The deployment has brought us closer
together," Kimball said. "It is like a hardcore friendship, and it is
comforting to know someone has your back in a foreign country away from
anything we've ever known."
Navy to Start Training Female
Submariners in July
by Lisa
Daniel, American Forces Press Service
The decision became public after Defense
Secretary Robert M. Gates notified Congress in February of the Navy's desire to
add women to submarines. With a congressional review period complete, Navy officials say they will begin taking applications with
a goal of training 19 women, starting in July.
"There are extremely capable women in
the Navy who have the talent and desire to succeed in the submarine
force," Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said in a press
release. "Enabling them to serve in the submarine community is best for
the submarine force and our Navy. We literally could not run the Navy without
women today."
Adm. Gary Roughead,
chief of Naval Operations, seconded his enthusiasm for the change. "As a
former commanding officer of a ship that had a mixed-gender crew, to me it
would be foolish to not take the great talent, the great confidence and
intellect of the young women who serve in our Navy today and bring that into
the submarine force."
Vice Adm. John J. Donnelly, commander of
Naval Submarine Forces, noted that about half of all
science and engineering bachelor's degrees today are awarded to women.
"Maintaining the best submarine force in the world requires us to recruit
from the largest possible talent pool."
The Navy's plan for integration calls for
recruiting female Naval Academy graduates and providing them the same training
as given to male submariners, Rear Adm. Barry L. Bruner, commander of Submarine
Group 10 and the leader of the Women on Submarines Task Force, said during a
phone interview with reporters.
"We're looking for the same
qualifications that we have for men," Bruner said. "There is no
difference." Those qualifications include a technically-based education
that includes calculus and physics, he said. Female candidates for submarine
duty also will undergo the Navy's intense interview and screening process for
prospective underwater sailors.
Because the policy is new, officials can't
yet gauge women's interest in serving on submarines, Bruner said, but added
that a number of female academy students and graduates have shown interest.
The plan calls for phasing in three female
officers in eight different crews of guided-missile attack and ballistic
missile submarines, Bruner said. The class they will serve in is comprised of
14 ballistic missile submarines and four cruise missile submarines, he said.
The submarines were chosen because the berthing and restrooms are designed so
they need very few changes, he said. It is too soon to say specifically which
submarines they will serve on, but there will be one each in King's Bay, Ga.,
and Bangor, Maine, he said.
Bruner became convinced of the need to
integrate women onto submarines years ago, he said, after spending some time
aboard allied nations' submarines that included women crew members.
"I went in really with my eyes wide
open," he said. "I came away under the impression that there is no
difference in the camaraderie or abilities [of crews] on ships with women on
board."
Bruner later became the commander of a
strike group with women on all of its ships. "I asked, 'Why aren't we
doing this on submarines? It's such a viable talent pool.'"
The Navy has learned from its 1994 change
that integrated women onto surface ships, Bruner said. The service will have
enough women on ships and submarines, he said, so that they aren't isolated.
And, men and women submariners will have additional training before the
integration and there will be female sailors available as mentors, he said.
After talking to current submariners and
their families, Bruner said, he doesn't think the integration will cause much
of a cultural change.
"The change to the culture on
submarines is going to be pretty minimal, to be honest," Bruner said. The
only concern among current submariners, he said, is that all crew members live
up to the demands of the undersea service.
"When you wear the dolphins of a
submariner, you have to prove that if there is a casualty on the ship that
could result in the loss of the ship and all the lives on the ship, you have to
be able to react correctly to save the ship," Bruner said. "That's
the most import thing to submariners."
Bruner said he has no doubt that the women
will prove themselves.
"I think we have the right processes in
place and we'll train on them again," he said. "We'll hit all the
potential areas that could cause problems."
At a town hall meeting held last night at
King's Bay Naval Base, Bruner said, only two wives within an audience of about
75 expressed discontent over the new policy. Their concerns, he said, were
whether women would get preferential promotions.
Bruner reiterated that the women will be
held to the same workplace rules as men. "Sometimes change can be hard,
and the way you get through it is through education and explaining why you're
doing it and how you'll go through it," he said.
Air Guard Units Prepare
for Wildfire Season
by Army Spc. Darron Salzer, National Guard Bureau
The battle against the flames is waged from
both the ground and air.
Three Air National Guard units, the 145th
Air Wing from North Carolina, the 146th Air Wing from California, and the 153rd
Air Wing from Wyoming are readying for the wildfire season.
Last week the crews partnered with
their civilian counterparts for a week-long airborne training exercise to
prepare for the dry season.
"We have one opportunity a year to come
together with our partners the National Forest Service, Department of
Agriculture, Department of Interior and the state forests," said Air Force
Lt. Col. Bryan Allen, deputy commander of the 146th Air Expeditionary Group,
which is a combination of the units.
"We ... come together to hone our
skills so that we can use our airdrop, low-level military flying training in
the firefighting low-level environment and apply aerial retardant to put out
fires," he said.
The yearly training exercise isn't the only
time these units practice their skills as pilots. They maintain a rigorous
training schedule throughout the year to ensure that they are prepared for
whatever may come their way, he said.
"The airlift wings that are a part of
this program maintain a war-level stance," Allen said. "So our normal
training is C-130 airdrop training, formation flying and air-land tactical flying,
so we do quite a bit of flying."
"Our stance is that we want to protect
Only the top one percent of C-130 aircrew members
are recruited for the mission. The program began in
the early 1970's after a major fire in
"Over the last 29 years that we've been
working together, I have never seen a program like this that joins two very
different organizations to execute a mission that is so important...and to do
it so well," Allen said.
"All of the lives that we've been able
to save and the property that we've been able to protect is a testament to the
quality of what we've been able to accomplish," he said.
Idaho
Delegation Reacts to Idaho Guard Deployment
(provided by Congressman Mike Simpson)
“First and foremost, our thoughts are with
the families whose loved ones will be deployed in support of Operation Iraqi
Freedom. We are pleased that the Idaho National Guard will be providing family
support training sessions to help prepare them for the deployment. We have
always supported efforts to ensure our military men and women have the
resources they need to carry out and complete their missions successfully. The
116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team is home to some of the nation’s
finest, and we know they are trained and prepared for their upcoming mission.
We wish them success and look forward to welcoming each of them home.”
Approximately 1,500
Military Teens Cope With
Wartime Challenges
by Elaine Wilson, American Forces Press Service
From left,
Bumping fists and cracking jokes, Cornelius
seems impervious to stress or worry. It's only when discussing his deployed
mother in an interview does he reveal a small chink in his otherwise
impenetrable bravado.
"As long I know she's alive, then, I'm
good. But if I ever get that call ...." His words drift off and he looks
away, unwilling to share his potential pain.
His mother, Army Staff Sgt. Asia Lowe, and
stepfather, Army Sgt. 1st Class Shawn Lowe, deployed to
At 16, Cornelius has assumed the role of man
of the house in a home that isn't even his own.
"It's not easy, but I was brought up to
keep going, no matter what," he said. "I have to do it for my Mom.
I'm really proud of her."
Cornelius is one of the nearly 2 million
American military children and youth growing up in a decade marked by war. He's
also one of the some 900,000 military children whose parents have deployed
multiple times. These children endure long separations from a parent who may be
in harm's way, frequent moves, and multiple new schools. They mark major
milestones, including graduations, prom nights and sports events, either alone
or without one or both of their parents.
The challenges and stressors they endure
would knock most well-functioning adults to their knees, said Nancy Beale,
school psychologist for the
"Yet these kids get up and come to
school and maintain their grades and do the best they can," she said.
"It blows me out of the water. And it gives me faith in that concept we
call resiliency."
The ongoing
While some of his peers take the deployments
harder, Cornelius takes the separations and moves ? this is his fifth so far -- in stride, shrugging them off as
an inevitable part of military life. "Other people have it worse," he
said.
Cornelius' laid-back attitude may seem
surprising to some, but actually is the new norm for adolescents growing up in
the military, Beale noted.
"Adolescence is such a time of
independence and breaking away from their parents and being on their own,"
she said. "Taking on that adult role is what they're supposed to be doing.
They take pride in doing that, in holding it together."
That unflappable attitude among most
adolescents, Beale noted, is a marked difference from the reactions of younger
children. Younger children may exhibit deployment-induced stress with sleep
disturbances and regression, she said. But for the majority of adolescents, she
added, separations can be empowering.
Still, becoming the "man of the house"
can have its drawbacks. Families with high-level needs, such as a special-needs
child or money issues, can grow too dependent on a teen's assistance.
"Then it goes from being, 'I'm going to take a role and help my family' to
overburdening," Beale noted.
Separated from peers and unable to enjoy
free time, resentment can grow, she explained.
High school junior Chelsea Jarvis pitches in
heavily at home. Her father, Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Adam Jarvis, is
deployed with a Special Forces unit, and she often is called on to help with
her special-needs brother, Jacob. At 13, Jacob already has undergone seven
brain surgeries and is unable to talk.
Since her Dad's departure, the 17-year-old
has taken on tasks from bathing to changing diapers to babysitting her brother.
"My mother can't do it all by
herself," she said, quickly adding that she doesn't mind pitching in.
"We pick up the pieces when he's gone. It's just something we do."
"My Dad's missed a lot of milestones,
but I'm not going to blame him," she said. "It's something you just
have to get used to, or you'll probably be a blubbering mess."
While she admits to some concerns about her
father's safety, particularly in his line of work, it's unproductive to focus
on the death count and the statistics, she said.
"If you focus on that all the time,
it's harder to keep going," she said. "I focus on what I'm doing
here. I try to stay busy."
Beale said the school invests a significant
amount of time and energy to ensure students like
Teens find strength in the activities as
well as in the camaraderie they foster, Beale noted. "We spend a lot more
of our efforts trying to build relationships with our students through those
avenues," she said.
The one type of group parents won't find at the
high school is a deployment support group. Beale said she's found they're more
effective for elementary-age children. Younger children enjoy the support a
formal group may provide, while older children benefit more from an active
lifestyle, she noted.
A recent Army study validated the school's
efforts. The study found that the No. 1 factor in mitigating deployment stress
for Army adolescents was their participation in activities, such as sports,
followed by a strong family foundation.
Peer groups, such as those formed through
sports and clubs, are vital for adolescents, Beale noted. "It's often a
peer group that alerts me to problems," she said. "A friend brings
them to me much more often than a student comes to me for help."
In any case, parents and teachers should be
on the lookout for significant changes in behavior, such as a drastic drop in
grades or withdrawal from family and friends, and then engage the teen or seek
help, Beale advised.
Darien Crank leans heavily on his football
team, looking to his buddies for support while his father, Army Sgt. Arthur
Carter, is deployed to
"They know what it's like to be new and
move around, and so they're really welcoming and warm,"
Unlike many children who grew up in the
military,
"At first it was weird with him being
home every night and then just leaving and being gone for two or three months
at a time," the 18-year-old senior said. "That's the first time he'd
left for that long."
On his first deployment to
"Now he's always gone,"
He relies on friends, he said, and has
matured in his father's absence.
"My dad understands he's gone a
lot,"
But the frequent separations take their toll
on their relationship,
"He's been gone for so long, I can't
even imagine our relationship being really close," he said.
"The logistics of it get easier, and
the idea," she said. "What I don't think is easier is the resentment
of their parent missing so many years.
"They know they can handle it, they
know what they need to do, and they know they'll be fine," she continued.
"But then it becomes, 'But, I'm tired. I'm tired of Dad missing another
soccer season. I'm tired of Mom not being here for all the major
holidays.'"
The lasting impact of the separations on
military families concerns Beale.
"I am worried more about the families
themselves," she said. "I see a lot more splintering apart of
husbands and wives, which of course is absolutely the worst curveball you can
throw our students amongst all this other stuff they're going through. That's
what concerns me the most."
However, Beale said she's also reassured by
the adaptability of military children and their ability to form deep
friendships quickly due to a fast-paced military life.
"There's an acceptance of a reality:
'This is the Army way,' or 'It's Dad's job or Mom's job'" in the military,
she said. "Their ability to accept war and the role that their parent
plays for our country is very mature."
It remains to be seen what the long-term
effects of a decade of war will have on military children, Beale said. But
whatever the future holds, they should be proud of what they've already
achieved.
"Some of that initiation by fire, that
'I can do anything,' I don't think they realize what they've done," she
said.
Air Mobility Command Adapts
to Volcanic Ash Plume
by
Christen
"As soon as we saw the potential impact
from the volcanic ash cloud forming, we initiated some discussion about
possible consequences and courses of action," Air Force Brig. Gen. Randy Kee, vice commander of the 618th Tanker Airlift Control
Center at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., said during a "DoD
Live" bloggers roundtable.
"This planning turned into reality in a
matter of a couple of hours," he added.
Kee added that
since rerouting of air traffic became necessary, the command has flown enough
people to fill
"It's very impressive to see how folks
were able to reposition," Kee said. "All
the people that made this happen are heroes to me. This shows some agility that
is exceptional. It's an honor to serve in this great cause."
The control center provides centralized
global command and control of both Air Force and commercial contract aircraft
that fulfill the nation's military airlift requirements. This involves planning,
scheduling and tracking airlift, air refueling and aeromedical
evacuation missions, and then tasking those missions to units and providing
command and control.
Missions the center oversees, Kee said, range from delivering mine-resistant, ambush-protected
vehicles, transporting warfighters and providing
humanitarian aid in the wake of disaster.
Since the eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano April 16, nearly 400 airlift
missions controlled by the center have been rerouted due to the ash cloud that
closed much of the airspace over Europe.
"In the wake of disaster, the team has
the ability to reroute or cancel flights to ensure the safety of passengers and
cargo the planes are carrying," Kee said.
Because
volcanic ash is easily ingested by engines and can cause them to fail, he
explained, pilots don't fly through ash clouds.
In the early moments of the eruption, the
The volcanic ash plume also forced a change
in standard aeromedical evacuation operations,
including the flight routing that Air Mobility Command uses to move wounded
warriors from the U.S. Central Command area to further care.
"Under normal circumstances, the
majority of military patients evacuated from
When flight routes will go back to normal,
he added, depends on the volcano. Officials at the control center are assessing
day by day, he said, and don't plan to return to normal routes until they can
do so permanently.
"We are watching this carefully," Kee said.
Rota Receives Diverted Military Flights
By Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Paul Cage, Naval
Station
ROTA, Spain, April 20, 2010 - Naval Station
Rota and Moron Air Base in Spain has absorbed many U.S. military flights
diverted from northern European routes by ash being spewed from an Iceland
volcanic eruption.
Air Force C-17 and C-5
transports sit on the flightline at Naval Station
Rota typically averages eight to 13 flights
a day, but saw double that amount over the weekend. Moron Air Base usually
averages one or two flights a day, but had about 10 times that number.
Navy
Cmdr. Tom Eberhard, executive officer for Naval
Station Rota, expressed confidence in the station's ability to handle the challenge.
"Because of the incredible teamwork
between our Navy and Air Force personnel, ... we are
able to meet this increased demand," he said. "We have some of the
best sailors and airmen in the world. They are always focused on accomplishing
the mission."
Volcanic ash creates a cloud that is
hazardous to engines. When absorbed into the engine, it can cause the engine to
flame out. Air Mobility Command flights that usually traverse the northern
European air route were diverted to the southern, Mediterranean route via Rota
and Moron to avoid the hazard.
Air Force Lt. Col. Mike Cannon, deputy
commander of the 521st Air Mobility Operations Group, said AMC has a fixed
route infrastructure to handle its aircraft, and although it is a fixed route,
it is very flexible.
"We are meeting U.S. Transportation
Command requirements by flexing our capability to our fixed locations to handle
the air flow," he said. "The men and women here at the 725th Air
Mobility Squadron have adapted to meet the workload by increasing the work
shifts and duty hours to handle the increase in traffic."
A team of mechanics from bases not affected
by the ash cloud was sent to Moron in conjunction with the 496th Air Base Squadron
to work on planes as they transit from Europe and the United States.
"We love it when there are a lot of
[aircraft] tails on the ramp," Cannon said. "Air mobility
professionals take a lot of pride in the fact they are pushing a lot of cargo
and men through the system to the fight and back to the states. The work load
has doubled; we rolled up our sleeves and did the work."
Cannon said the Navy is a wonderful partner
in Rota. Naval Facilities Engineering Command provided a bus and driver to transport
maintainers from Rota to Moron. "The support from the Navy at Rota, as
usual, is phenomenal," he said.
Family Finds Connection to Deployed Mom
Online
by Ian
Graham, Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity
JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va.,
So
when Air Force Lt. Col. Nancy Klein received orders to deploy to U.S. Central
Command headquarters in Tampa, Fla., the rest of the family wasn't quite sure
what to expect -- especially Jim Klein, who will be the sole parent until his
wife returns in May.
Jim Klein, left, and his 9-year-old son, Joshua, type a message on
Hallmark Channel's "Meet My Mom" virtual wall Facebook
page. Hallmark Channel is celebrating Mother's Day on Facebook
by creating an interactive page where viewers and deployed servicemembers
can keep in touch with families by submitting photos, testimonials and videos
as a tribute to their own mothers. DoD photo by Navy
Petty Officer 1st Class Molly A. Burgess"
"Each family has its own set of
challenges, and I don't think ours are any worse or better than anyone
else's," Jim said. "But it's been very challenging for me."
Jim made every arrangement he could to ease
his family's strain during his wife's deployment. He spoke to people at his
sons' schools and the staff at the child development center here so they knew
to expect signs of stress, and he hired additional help to keep the house
running smoothly.
Jim said his older son, 9-year-old Joshua,
stepped forward and took a lot of responsibility on himself, perhaps more than
he should at his age.
"My wife thought it was the worst-case
scenario [for her to deploy]," he said, explaining that although he was
close to his children, she was the one who offered solace and comfort with each
hug and kiss. "We're continuing to adjust."
"I miss her being around me and talking
to me," Joshua said. "I miss her kissing and hugging me. I miss her
in every way."
One big adjustment is coming up ? this Mother's Day on May 9
will be
"She takes on being a mom to our boys
as a big part of her identity," Jim said. "So this Mother's Day,
she'll remember that she's not with her boys ? it underscores the separation."
But with every policy change that's been
made regarding deployments, external changes have come to ease the strain. The Kleins have made extensive use of Skype,
an online video chat application, to stay in touch. Joshua and Zachary can see
and speak with their mother, show her their school work, and talk as if she's
there in the room.
"E-mail and phones have been OK, but
having the visual, 'face-to-face' contact is really the best for us," Jim
said.
"I talk to her as much as I want because
I love her so much," Zachary said. "I miss her so much."
Another venue they've discovered is the
Hallmark Channel's "Meet My Mom" virtual wall on Facebook.
On the page, deployed troops and their families at home can upload photos of
themselves and their moms, 60-second videos, or text messages. The page went
public yesterday, allowing the shared messages to be seen by anyone who visits.
The page is tied in with the upcoming movie
"Meet My Mom," the story of a divorced mom who falls for her son's
pen pal, a deployed soldier. The show will premiere May 8 on the Hallmark
Channel.
"OK, guys, what do you want to tell mom
for Mother's Day?" Jim asked, his kids piled in
his lap at a computer, ready to post a message on the virtual wall.
"Should we say 'I love you,' or 'We miss you'?"
The boys whispered between themselves, and
then quietly dictated a message to their dad.
"OK," Jim said. "That sounds
good."
Face of Defense:
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Christopher DeHart,
12th Combat Aviation Brigade
Contingency Operating Base Adder,
Above left - "Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 William
R. Halevy, then a 19-year-old helicopter pilot with D
Troop, 3/5 Cavalry, poses for a photo in Quang Tri,
Vietnam, in 1971. Courtesy photo"
Above right - Army Chief
Warrant Officer 5 William R. Halevy recreates a pose
from a 1971 photograph of himself taken in
However, while Army Chief Warrant Officer 5
William R. Halevy stays busy with his job, he never
fails to have time for a smile and a friendly greeting to anyone who crosses
his path, seemingly the nicest guy you could meet.
Halevy, who calls
"My primary role is the management of
the ongoing construction projects and facilities management for the continued
morale and welfare of the troops," he said.
For such an accomplished career brimming
with accolades and achievements, it is remarkable that the headwaters of Halevy's military career are rooted in chance.
"I had a full scholarship to play baseball,"
Halevy said. "I was in the post office one day
and saw the [recruiting] poster for Army Aviation. ... It said you just need a
high school education and a desire to fly. I went from basic training to flight
school as a warrant officer candidate."
He since has established himself as a beacon
of knowledge and respect within the Army. Throughout his 36 years of military
service, he has been a member of Army Reserve and National Guard units in New
Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida, holding positions ranging from a civilian
emergency medical services pilot and aviation safety officer to his current
position as a U.S. Army Forces Command aviation resource management survey
inspector.
Halevy came to
"I was in the process of redeploying
with the 28th CAB, as their [transition of authority] to the 12th came a few
months early - and my conversations with the safety and standards staff of the
12th made me feel I could stay and lend assistance to a [smaller] staffed
organization," he explained.
"I had only joined the 28th five months
prior to assist with several safety issues," he added, "having been
requested by the mostly Guard unit, and I was expecting to stay much longer."
Halevy continues
his custom of offering quality workmanship and an unending cheerful attitude in
his current position, planning and supervising various construction projects
intended to improve quality of life and facilitate greater capability for all
aspects of the task force's mission.
These projects include simple things such as
modifying or improving the tactical operations center's office space,
initiating repairs on the aircraft maintenance shells, building a new chapel,
and more.
He is about to finish his time in Iraq but,
true to his work ethic, he has a few things he would like to be able to stick
around for if he can.
"I would like to see the chapel through
completion and throw the first pitch on the ball field," he said. "A
day off would be nice, but I don't think I will be able to work it in."
Previously, as the Army airfield safety
manager for the 28th CAB, Halevy brought a wealth of
experience to his role as an advisor to the brigade commander.
A veteran of the Vietnam War, Halevy also is a distinguished helicopter pilot, both militarily
and commercially, flying more than 6,270 accident-free hours. Still, despite
his vast experience and notable success as an aviator, Halevy's
focus has centered on safety.
"I did it. I don't miss it," Halevy said of his days as a pilot. "I've moved on,
and I [have focused] on safety. I came here to help."
Despite differences between the two aviation
brigades, Halevy said, he admires what each brought
to the mission.
"I knew many of the 28th CAB personnel,
having worked at [the National Guard Bureau] for four and a half years, and
then with the [aviation resource management] team doing their evaluations for
six years," Halevy said.
"I thought the 28th did a commendable
job of bringing together units from eleven states and then building their
infrastructure, of which I'm still overseeing the developing," he said.
"However, the 12th CAB's command and HHC present a greater synergy, having
been working together much longer prior to their deployment.
"With my career spanning many
years," he continued, "I have been part of many units, and I have
learned an organization is only as good as its performers and the leaders they
support. The 12th has the best I've seen, and now I am one of you."
Halevy recalled
where his career started and how things could have been back when he was flying
over and through jungle canopies in
"I dedicate my continued service to
Sgt. Gary Lee Westphal, who died
Halevy has focused
all of that potential into his drive to do the best work he can at any task,
and he does it all with one of the best attitudes a person can have who has
done so much, soldiers here say.
Halevy, who will
turn 61 this year, has no plans on slowing down after retirement. While he is
looking forward to spending additional time with his wife, children, and
grandchildren in the rolling hills of
"I just don't want to get sedentary
after I retire," he said with a chuckle.
Face of Defense: Guardsman
Paints to Document Deployment
by Army Sgt. Michael L. Owens,
For 31-year-old Army 1st Lt. Heather S. Englehart of the Louisiana National Guard, her hobby comes
in the form of mixing colors on a canvas and making beautiful artwork.
On the military side, Englehart
serves as the executive officer for the 1021st Vertical Engineer Company and as
a full-time project manager for the Louisiana Guard's construction and
facilities management office.
As an artist and painter, Englehart has made a national name for herself.
While the lieutenant was serving in
"My executive officer at the time was
Lt. Col. [Patrick] Bossetta, who was very supportive
and allotted me the time to work with Jim on projects," Englehart said. "Of course, I still had to make sure
this did not interfere with my assigned duties."
After seeing her artwork, Bossetta decided that Englehart
should become the unit historian and document the unit's deployment through her
paintings.
"I knew we had something special here
and wanted to utilize her skills and talents as much as we could," he said.
Englehart and
Pollock have two things in common: both have lived in
"Heather is keeping that tradition
alive," Pollock said. "
In November, Englehart
was interviewed on the CBS "Sunday Morning" news program about her
work.
"I was really shocked and excited to be
interviewed about my artwork," she said. "Here is little old me being
put in the same category as big-name artists."
Englehart said she
has been involved with sketching and drawing for as long as she can remember.
"I can remember drawing in church as a
kid," she said. "When most parents would be upset at this, my mom was
just happy that I was doing something that would keep me quiet."
During her preteen years, Englehart's father encouraged her to take painting
seriously, because it possibly could affect her future.
"From that point, I knew that drawing,
sketching and painting would be a part of my career field," she said.
She took these abilities to
"This was a perfect fit for me,"
she said. "I was able to apply everything I learned and apply it to my
work in college."
In 1997, she decided to join the military
after being dared by a few friends.
"A few of my male friends had just
graduated from basic training and said I couldn't accomplish the same
thing," she said. "Since I am stubborn and hard-headed, I enlisted to
show them they were wrong."
She spent the beginning of her military
career and overseas deployment as a cook, and in 2005, she applied for and
received a direct commission as an engineer officer.
Word about her work and talents quickly
spread around the Louisiana National Guard, and after her commissioning, she
was offered at full-time position with the construction and facilities
management office.
"I was surprised by the offer and happy
to receive it," she said. "Working here has given me the opportunity
to continue doing something that I have always had a passion for."
Face of Defense: Soldier,
79, Continues to Serve
by Tiffany Nabors, The
Bayonet
Fort Benning, Ga. - With four military retirements behind him, Army Col. (Dr.) William Bernhard says President John F. Kennedy's plea to the nation nearly 50 years ago inspires him to keep going.
Army Col. (Dr.)
William Bernhard is serving a voluntary rotation in
"JFK once said, 'Ask not what your
country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country,'" Bernhard
said. "And I've always tried to do that."
The 79-year-old physician reported here March
20 before leaving for
Although most people his age are slowing
their pace, the experienced mountain climber said he keeps coming back for the
troops.
"This is a voluntary retiree recall, and
I do it for all the men and women out there [who are serving]," he said.
As a flight surgeon, Bernhard is responsible
for caring for soldiers on flight status. He will conduct annual physicals and
care for pilots and others when they are sick or injured.
Retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. Samuel Rhodes,
a former 192nd Infantry Brigade sergeant major who met Bernhard in 2005 during
a deployment to
"He's ... still serving, and most of us
[retirees] are under 50 and out of the Army,"
Bernhard said he always wanted to join the
military like his father.
"He joined the Army Air Corps during the
Second World War and actually fought against members of his own family, because
we are a German family," Bernhard said. "I always wanted to follow in
his footsteps."
Bernhard entered the Marines in 1950 under
the Platoon Leaders Course during his freshman year in college, but was
discharged because of an injury.
"I was disappointed," he said,
"but my father said it was an opportunity to follow him into medicine and
be the third doctor in the family."
During medical school, he entered the Navy
Reserve under the Berry Plan, which deferred his military training while he was
in school. During his fellowship year at
He also completed air assault training,
mountain warfare training and earned the expert field medical badge while in
the reserves.
He retired in 1998 from his civilian position
at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center,
where he directed anesthesia for 10 years. He has retired from the military
four times: once from the National Guard in 1998 and then again after a 2005
deployment to Iraq, a 2006 deployment to Afghanistan and a 2007 rotation in
Germany, which he extended four times.
Bernhard continues to work part-time as a
civilian flight surgeon for the Maryland Army National Guard, and he wasn't
surprised when he received orders to report here last month. His orders are for
171 days.
"I knew they needed someone," he
said. And although he will miss his wife, dog and hobbies while away, Bernhard
said, "I'm excited about going because it's a job that needs to be
done."
Bernhard, who left for
"Some people are just trying ... to not
get in any environment where they could get hurt,"
Marine Sets Example for
Other Women
by Marine
Corps Gunnery Sgt. Katesha Washington, 2nd Marine
Logistics Group
Marine Corps Cpl. Amy Gentry stands in her company's vehicle compound at Camp Lejeune, N.C., March 11, 2010. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. Katesha Washington"
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C., March 22, 2010 - When
women were first allowed to enlist in the Marine Corps in the 1940s, they did
not qualify with weapons and they were not required to learn hand-to-hand
combat, but they received instruction on etiquette and how to wear makeup.
Marine Corps Cpl. Amy Gentry is a prime
example of how much life for women serving in the Marine Corps has changed. A
fire team leader with 2nd Platoon, Military Police Company, Combat Logistics
Regiment 27, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, Gentry has deployed twice to Iraq's Anbar province.
She served solely as a heavy machine gunner
from August 2007 to March 2008, and as a mine-resistant, ambush-protected
vehicle driver and heavy machine gunner from February to September in 2009.
Though the 23-year-old Marine is a combat
veteran who loves to fire weapons and lead Marines, her quiet demeanor can fool
people into thinking she is just a soft-spoken young lady.
Marine Corps Sgt. Brenden
Colley, Gentry's platoon sergeant, said that although she is not like the
mostly rambunctious Marines in his platoon, he sees a lot of potential for her
to develop into a strong leader.
"She has a very quiet confidence about
her," he noted. "Because she is [so] competitive on paper, in
competitions, and during deployments and field operations, we utilize her to
guide new Marines when they check in."
Gentry volunteered to be a part of the
regiment's team during the Camp Lejeune 2010
Intramural Small-Arms Competition early this month. She earned second place in
the individual pistol competition and contributed to the team's overall
second-place finish in the rifle competition and fourth-place pistol title. It
was her first time participating in the competition.
Her passion for firing weapons was clear
from the time she decided to forego college life and enlist in the Marine
Corps.
"I've always loved the Marines, so when
I did my research, I went to my recruiter and asked, 'What's going to let me
shoot the most guns and deploy the most?'" she explained.
Gentry said she'll pass on her deep
affection for the Corps to her young Marines by continuing to lead by example.
"I want to make sure I take care of my
Marines at all times and to teach them to stick to the basics," she said.
"Things like customs and courtesies, staying focused on completing the job
and learning everything you can to be a better leader are things that I know
will make them better leaders and, in turn, better Marines."
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in
Joint
Strike Fighter (JSF) is a development and acquisition program that will replace
a wide range of aging fighter, strike, and ground attack aircraft for the United
States and its allies. After a competition between the Boeing X-32 and the
Lockheed Martin X-35, a final design was chosen based on the X-35. This is the
F-35 Lightning II, which will replace various tactical aircraft, including the
F-16, A-10, F/A-18, AV-8B and British Harrier GR7 & GR9s.
The JSF
program was the result of the merger of the Common Affordable Lightweight
Fighter (CALF) and Joint Advanced Strike Technology (JAST) projects. The merged
project continued under the JAST name until the Engineering Manufacturing and
Development (EMD) phase, during which the project became the Joint Strike
Fighter.
On
October 29, 2009 Air Force officials announced the list of candidate locations
for basing the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.
The
eleven bases selected include for training: Boise Air Terminal Air Guard
Station, Idaho; Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.; Holloman AFB N.M.; Luke AFB, Ariz.;
and Tucson International Airport Air Guard Station, Ariz. The six bases
selected as candidate bases for operations are: Burlington International
Airport Guard Station, Vt.; Hill AFB, Utah; Jacksonville International Airport
Air Guard Station, Fla.; Mountain Home AFB, Idaho; Shaw AFB, S.C.; and McEntire Air Guard Base, S.C.
“The
selection of this candidate list is the result of a deliberate, repeatable,
standardized and transparent process,” said Kathleen Ferguson, Air Force deputy
assistant secretary for installations. “We are excited about the future of the
joint strike fighter and look forward to working with each of these communities
surrounding these bases to ensure all of their concerns are addressed.”
Idaho
Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and Congressmen
Mike Simpson and Walt Minnick notified commanders at Mountain Home Air Force
Base and the Idaho Air National Guard they have both qualified as top five
locations, in their respective categories, under consideration for the F-35
Joint Strike Fighter. Mountain Home Air Force Base is under consideration for
the operation of up to three squadrons of the F-35, while the Boise Air
Terminal is being considered for training and support missions through the
Idaho Air National Guard.
“It is
great news that the Air Force has chosen both the Boise Air National Guard and
Mountain Home Air Base as candidate sites for the Joint Strike Fighter,” said
Simpson. “Idaho has excellent training facilities, top notch military
personnel, and outstanding community support. I look forward to working with
the Air Force as they continue with their assessments.”
Air Combat
Command (ACC) has been preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to
analyze the potential environmental effect of basing the new F-35 Joint Strike
Fighter aircraft at Mountain Home Air Force Base and Boise Air Terminal Air
Guard Station.
Public
involvement and input has been, and continues to be, an essential component to
the Air Force’s EIS process.
The Air
Force hosted a series of public scoping meetings to receive public input on
their proposal and alternatives, as well as, to gain a better understanding of
the potential community issues and concerns related to this proposal.
During
the meetings, Air Force representatives described the proposed action and
alternatives, explained the National Environmental Policy Act, and, to the
extent possible, answered questions about the proposal.
Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning
II is a fifth-generation, single-seat, single-engine stealth multirole fighter,
that can perform close air support, tactical bombing, and air defense missions.
The F-35 has three different models; one is a conventional takeoff and landing
variant, the second is a short take off and vertical-landing variant, and the
third is a carrier-based variant.
The F-35 is descended from the
X-35, the product of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. Its development is
being principally funded by the United States, with the United Kingdom and
other partner governments providing additional funding. It is being designed
and built by an aerospace industry team led by Lockheed Martin with Northrop
Grumman and BAE Systems as major partners.
The JSF program was designed to
replace the U.S. military's F-16, A-10, F/A-18 (excluding newer E/F "Super
Hornet" variants) and AV-8B tactical fighter aircraft. To keep
development, production, and operating costs down, a common design was planned
in three variants that share 80% of their parts:
- F-35A,
conventional take off and landing (CTOL) variant.
- F-35B,
short-take off and vertical-landing (STOVL) variant.
- F-35C,
carrier-based CATOBAR (CV) variant.
The F-35 is intended to be the
world's premier strike aircraft through 2040, with close- and long-range
air-to-air capability second only to that of the F-22 Raptor. The F-35 is required
to be four times more effective than existing fighters in air-to-air combat,
eight times more effective in air-to-ground combat, and three times more
effective in reconnaissance and suppression of air defenses – all while having
better range and requiring less logistics support.
With takeoff weights up to 60,000
lb (27,000 kg), the F-35 is considerably heavier than the lightweight fighters
it replaces. In empty and maximum gross weights, it more closely resembles the
single-seat, single-engine F-105 Thunderchief which was the largest
single-engine fighter of the Vietnam era.
Lockheed to Speed Development
of Joint Strike Fighter
by Jim Garamone, American
Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, - Defense Department leaders and
Lockheed Martin executives explained to international partners changes that
have been made in the Joint Strike Fighter program.
Ashton B. Carter, the department's
undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, and Robert Stevens,
chief operating officer for Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for the
program, explained what measures Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has taken to
right the program.
A department study of the program completed
in October found the development phase of the revolutionary aircraft had
slipped by 30 months. Gates has made changes that will reduce the slippage to
13 months, Carter said during a phone interview from Dallas today.
Carter was able to report to the partners
that the Joint Strike Fighter program now has a realistic plan and "not a
blindly optimistic one" or a "fatalistic one."
The undersecretary also said the study
identified management measures to improve performance over the coming years.
"I want to emphasize that this process of independent review and
aggressive management to specific milestones will continue," he said.
Carter emphasized that the review turned up
no fundamental technological or manufacturing problems with the JSF program and
no failure to make military capabilities. He reiterated that the Joint Strike
Fighter will be the backbone of collective air superiority for the next
generation.
The report showed the JSF program was taking
longer and costing more than either the government development office or the
contractor had predicted, Carter said. "This schedule and cost trend was
unacceptable for the taxpayers of the U.S. and for the other eight
nations," he said. "The schedule slip was estimated at 30 months in
the development program. The cost of the airplanes had grown since 2002 and
that for a variety of reasons the JSF program would breach the Nunn-McCurdy
threshold."
The Nunn-McCurdy law requires that Congress
be notified of a cost growth of more than 15 percent in a program. It also
calls for cancellation of programs for which total cost grew by more than 25
percent over the original estimate.
"We didn't wait for the Nunn-McCurdy
paperwork to play out," the undersecretary said. "We began to review
and restructure the JSF program as though it was already in Nunn-McCurdy breach
and the results of that review and restructuring were subsequently described by
Gates."
Gates announced the restructuring of the JSF
program, the most expensive acquisition in U.S. military history, in early
February. The objective is to restore the schedule in the development program.
"We assessed that this was feasible and
was possible to reduce the slip in the development program from 30 months to 13
months and that we could realistically plan on that basis provided we took some
immediate management steps," Carter said.
That means procuring one more carrier
variant aircraft and additional regular aircraft to conduct flight testing
"with the idea of hastening the completion of the program," he said.
The changes also call for development of
aircraft software capability.
"All of these steps were directed in
the restructuring and that's the first steps in the effort to buy back some of
the slips in the development program," Carter said.
The defense secretary did not believe it was
reasonable for the customers to bear all the costs of those actions, and decided
DoD would withhold $614 million of the award fee from
the contract, Carter said. "We will be adjusting contract structures in
the future to align contractor performance to what we need," he said.
The restructuring allows for contractors to
adopt a more realistic schedule and production ramp, and gives Lockheed Martin
and subcontractors every opportunity "to accelerate production and make
affordable aircraft, faster," he said.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxvxiX76IOw
http://idahof35.com/mountain-home/
http://www.idahoreporter.com/2010/otters-editorial-stumps-for-f-35/
http://idahof35.com/economic-benefit/
http://www.idahoreporter.com/2010/house-voices-support-for-f-35-jets/
http://idahof35.com/gowen-field/
http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/legislation/2010/HJM010.pdf
http://www.cityofboise.org/Departments/Mayor/NewsReleases/2010/page52188.aspx
http://twitter.com/IDAHOgov/status/8516226165
http://simpson.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=152081