News from the Air Force

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Fighter Group Stands Up at Shaw:

Officials at Shaw AFB, S.C., last week activated the 495th Fighter Group to oversee the 9th Air Force-affiliated detachments of Active Duty airmen that support Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command fighter units across the United States. "The significance of today's event is that it marks, for the first time, the transfer of administrative control for these active-associate detachments to one commander," said 9th AF Commander Maj. Gen Lawrence Wells, who presided over the March 8 activation ceremony. There are currently five of these detachments: one in Florida, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas, and Vermont, according to Shaw's March 8 release. Ninth Air Force intends to establish five more of them: one in Alabama, Colorado, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. "My job is to make sure the Active Duty airmen and their families assigned to these locations are taken care of" said Lt. Col. Juris Jansons, 495th FG commander, during the ceremony. The group's heritage dates to the 495th Fighter Training Group that operated P-47 Thunderbolts during World War II, states the release.

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Kadena Fighter Squadron Wins Top Honor:

The 44th Fighter Squadron, an F-15 unit under the 18th Wing at Kadena AB, Japan, won the Raytheon Trophy for 2012, recognized as the Air Force's top air superiority squadron during last year. "I would just like to thank all the airmen for their professionalism, hard work, and sacrifices that ultimately made this award possible," said Lt. Col. David Eaglin, 44th FS commander, in a March 11 Kadena release. "The 44th FS was deployed for over 290 days, and that kind of operations tempo can take a toll on our airmen and their families. To their credit, no one ever complained. They just packed a bag, suited up, and did what they were asked to do," added Eaglin. The 44th FS closed out 2012 with more than 3,000 sorties, logging more than 5,000 hours of flying and providing air superiority over 11 countries across three continents, states the release. This marks the second consecutive year that a Kadena F-15 unit has earned the Raytheon Trophy: the 67th FS took home the 2011 award.

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Jones Discusses Tuition Assistance Suspension:

The Air Force's decision this week to suspend military tuition assistance for the remainder of Fiscal 2013 will impact some 115,000 airmen taking 277,000 courses at 1,200 colleges and universities around the United States, Lt. Gen. Darrell Jones, deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel, and services, told lawmakers on Wednesday. Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee's military personnel panel, Jones emphasized that service officials stopped the program just for this fiscal year. "We're going to reevaluate it for Fiscal 2014 to decide how much we can offer," he said. However, he admitted, "Realistically, we're going to have to adjust the parameters of the program to lessen the budgetary impact on our Air Force." The Air Force leadership announced the suspension on Tuesday, saying it was a necessary step due to the budget sequester. The change, which took effect on March 11, does not affect airmen currently enrolled in courses or those who were already approved for future courses, said service officials.

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Air Mobility Command Cancels 2013 Rodeo:

Air Mobility Command this week cancelled this year's mobility air forces readiness competition—Rodeo 2013—that was slated to take place in July at JB Lewis-McChord, Wash., due to budget shortfalls. "Given the fiscal uncertainty and current budget cuts, this was the right thing to do," said Gen. Paul Selva, AMC commander, in a March 13 release. "This is an important and uniquely useful event for mobility air forces and our international partners. We'll get back to holding Rodeo as soon as we can," he added. This marks the first time since 2003 that AMC has cancelled the rodeo, states the release. AMC sponsors the rodeo to train and improve the skills of US and partner air forces' mobility airmen and build relationships. More than 20 US teams and a dozen allied nations were set to participate in this year's competition in events testing the abilities of airlift and aerial refueling aircrews, maintainers, aerial porters, and aeromedical evacuation personnel, states the release.

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Under Fire:

The Air Force has come under fire from lawmakers over its latest controversy related to sexual misconduct. The backlash stems from a late-February decision by 3rd Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Craig Franklin to overturn the conviction of Lt. Col. James Wilkerson, former 31st Fighter Wing inspector general at Aviano AB, Italy. A military jury last November found Wilkerson guilty of Uniform Code of Military Justice violations, including abusive sexual contact and aggravated sexual assault against a female civilian base employee. However, Franklin overturned the conviction after ruling there was not enough evidence. Article 60 of the UCMJ gives Franklin the right as convening authority for the court-martial to overrule the court. But his decision has infuriated both Republicans and Democrats in Congress who contend that it sets bad precedence and will discourage victims of sexual assault from coming forward.

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US Beefing Up Missile Defenses:

The United States intends to spend nearly $1 billion to deploy an additional 14 anti-missile interceptors in Alaska in the next four years in order to bolster the defense of the US homeland against a limited long-range ballistic missile attack from North Korea or Iran, announced Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. This action comes amidst the North Korean regime's recent bellicose statements, its success last December in orbiting a small satellite from a long-range rocket, and its recent nuclear test, Hagel told Pentagon reporters at a March 15 briefing. Under the plan, the Defense Department will install these ground-based interceptors at Fort Greeley, Alaska, by the end of Fiscal 2017, bringing the total number of deployed GBIs to 44, when including those already in Alaska and California, he said. The United States will also station a second AN/TPY-2 X-band tracking radar in Japan, said Hagel. The Pentagon will also, per Congress' mandate, conduct environmental impact studies of a potential additional GBI site in the United States, he said. Finally, the United States is abandoning the plan to deploy Standard Missile-3 IIB missiles in Europe as part of the European Phased Adaptive Approach ballistic missile defense architecture, in part to help pay for the additional GBIs, said Hagel. Protection of Europe will not suffer under this change, he asserted.

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Stepped Up Training with a Message:

B-52 bombers operating from Andersen AFB, Guam, earlier this month flew a mission over South Korea as part of a training exercise, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told reporters on Monday. The bombers' presence was also meant to demonstrate to the North Korean regime that the United States is steadfast in its resolve to deter aggression on the peninsula, said Little. "It's not any secret that we are in the midst of sending a very strong signal that we have a firm commitment to the alliance with our South Korean allies," said Little. He called the B-52 flights on March 8 part of "a stepped-up training effort" with the South Koreans. Little's comments on March 18 came on the same day that Deputy Defense Secretary Ash Carter arrived in Seoul for meetings with senior South Korean government and military officials as joint US-South Korean military exercises continued. Carter said another B-52 sortie would take place on Tuesday as part of the joint activities. The United States maintains a continuous presence of nuclear-capable bombers at Andersen.

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Barksdale Reserve B-52 Unit Now Nuclear Certified:

Air Force Reserve Command's 307th Bomb Wing, a B-52 unit at Barksdale AFB, La., is now certified for the bomber's nuclear mission following completion of an initial nuclear surety inspection earlier this month, announced wing officials. "This certification is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of our people," said Col. Jon Ellis, 307th BW commander, in Barksdale's March 21 release. The Reserve wing runs the Air Force's sole B-52 schoolhouse and its airmen also support the members of Barksdale's Active Duty 2nd BW in operating and maintaining the latter's combat-ready B-52s. The five-day inspection, conducted by an Air Force Global Strike Command-led team, concluded on March 18, states the release. The inspectors scrutinized the wing's 343rd Bomb Squadron and 707th Maintenance Squadron in five areas: management and administration; technical operations; safety; personnel reliability program; and nuclear control order procedures

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Propeller Issue Led to Predator Crash:

A propeller malfunction on an MQ-1 Predator remotely piloted aircraft, coupled with operator error, led to the platform's crash last October in Afghanistan, announced Air Combat Command officials. The Predator was about 10 hours into a surveillance mission out of Jalalabad Air Base on Oct. 26, 2012, when it developed a problem with its variable pitch propeller, according to ACC's March 19 release that cites the newly released findings of the command's abbreviated accident investigation board report. The remote pilot controlling the MQ-1 from Creech AFB, Nev., attempted to resolve the problem by adjusting the propeller's pitch, but this led to the loss of aircraft thrust, preventing its return to base, so the pilot had to bring it down in a non-residential area, states the release. "The cause of the mishap was a combination of mechanical failure of the propeller motor and unnecessary movements of the propeller pitch control lever by the mishap pilot," states the release. The loss of the Predator and the one Hellfire air-to-ground missile it was carrying is valued at some $4.6 million, states the release.

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First Sergeant Academy Updates Curriculum:

The Air Force First Sergeant Academy at Maxwell AFB, Ala., has transformed its course curriculum from a traditional education experience to one combining facilitated distance learning—akin to online instruction—and in-residence classroom time, according to a base release. The academy's course, which was formerly three weeks of in-residence instruction at Maxwell, now comprises four weeks of distance learning followed by two weeks at the academy, states Maxwell's March 20 release. The online instruction includes subject areas such as administration, human resource management, maintenance of discipline, and readiness. "Facilitated distance learning brings us up to the state-of-the-art in post-secondary education and delivery methods," said Col. Stewart Price, commander of the Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education, which includes the academy. Among the advantages, distance learning saves temporary duty days "for things that absolutely need to happen in a resident environment," added Price. The first sergeant course graduates some 500 airmen annually, states the release.

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Airmen deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, recently learned how to deal with an insider attack on base, according to a base release. Coalition troops have been killed and wounded in attacks by rogue members of Afghan security forces who suddenly turned their guns on their coalition partners. These attacks are called "green on blue" incidents. Because of this lingering threat, security forces airmen at Bagram trained other airmen assigned to the base on how to defend against such attacks, states the March 21 release. "The goal is to get them familiar with firing from different positions in a high-stress scenario," said TSgt. Steven Ely, a combat arms instructor with Bagram's 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Group. During the training, airmen are instructed to fire starting from a seated position and also while moving toward the attacker. "The airmen need to be either shooting or reloading and not waiting to be targets," said SSgt. Zachary Regan, another instructor.

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After the conclusion of a multiyear investigation, the Air Force has reopened access to the recreational venues at New Boston AFS, N.H., announced officials at the station, which is home to the 23rd Space Operations Squadron. In 2009, officials halted camping and recreational activities there to determine if there were any residual effects from the station's heritage as a World War II- and Korean war-era conflict training facility, states New Boston's March 21 release. The investigation found no lasting effects prohibiting camping and recreational activities at the 2,600-acre site, according to the release. The New Boston campground is one of only two FamCamps—services-run camping facilities—in New England, and has approximately 50 campsites. The station, located 25 miles north of the Massachusetts state line, comprises mostly undeveloped forest areas.

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Airmen with the Michigan Air National Guard's 127th Wing at Selfridge, northeast of Detroit, have concluded ground testing a prototype version of Northrop Grumman's Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures system called Guardian on a KC-135 tanker, according to a unit release. Next up is fight testing Guardian on this KC-135, which is assigned to the wing's 171st Air Refueling Squadron; this phase of testing is expected to conclude by early summer, states the release. In January, members of Selfridge's 191st Maintenance Squadron led an Air Force-industry team that began integrating Guardian on the KC-135's rear portion. "Our airmen are really focused on this project, [as] it has the potential to directly save the lives of not only our own airmen, but any soldier, sailor, or marine who is onboard" one of the airplanes, said CMSgt. Henry Ryan, 191st MXS superintendent, in the March 21 release. Guardian is designed to protect aircraft from shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles by jamming the incoming missile's guidance system using a laser beam. The Air Force has not finalized plans for how many of its more than 400 KC-135s it will equip with the upgrade.

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CMSgt. Calvin Williams is the new command chief of 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. Williams became the numbered air force's top enlisted advisor last month after a one-year stint as command chief of the 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force in Kabul, Afghanistan, according to 12th AF's March 26 release. In his new position, Williams is responsible for ensuring the readiness of 10 Active Duty wings and one direct reporting unit for contingency operations. He also oversees 18 gained Air Reserve Component units. "To me, being a chief master sergeant and a command chief is one in the same," said Williams. "It's all about service to your country." Williams succeeded CMSgt. Gerardo Tapia who left 12th AF in January for his new assignment as Air Education and Training Command's command chief. "We all have a part in focusing on the mission, taking care of our family members, and taking care of each other," said Williams. "With that said, my goal is always to leave an organization better than what I found it."

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Two high school students from Valparaiso, Fla., have conducted research that provides insights that could help local residents dampen the noise that enters their homes from F-35 strike fighters operating from nearby Eglin Air Force Base, reported the Northwest Florida Daily News. Eglin is home to F-35 training. As part of a school science project, junior Stefan Makarov and senior Jessica Sandlin of Rocky Bayou Christian School obtained a sound clip of an F-35, played it through speakers set up outside of a number of homes, and used a "sound isolation box" to record the decibels penetrating inside the homes, according to the newspaper's March 25 report. "Our hypothesis was the sound was most likely to come through the windows," said Makarov. "But we found out it came through the walls." In fact, they discovered that a hurricane-proof glass door absorbed sound better than vinyl siding, and that having several layers between living space and brick walls blocked out sound best

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President Obama on Thursday announced his intent to nominate Gen. Philip Breedlove as the next Supreme Allied Commander Europe and head of US European Command. "For over three decades, General Breedlove has served with distinction in assignments at all levels of the US Air Force and around the globe, from Washington to Germany, Italy, Spain, and South Korea," said Obama in a statement. Breedlove has been serving since July 2012 as commander of US Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa at Ramstein AB, Germany. Prior to that, he was the Air Force's vice chief of staff. In his current roles, "General Breedlove has established trust and deep relations with our NATO allies and partners," said Obama. If the Senate confirms the nomination, Breedlove would succeed Adm. Jim Stavridis, who has been SACEUR and EUCOM boss since summer 2009, in the late spring, according to the March 28 statement. Briefing reporters in the Pentagon on Thursday, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey called Breedlove "an extraordinary leader with the moral character to match," and someone "worthy of the confidence that he has already earned among our allies in Europe." Breedlove's name surfaced last month as the potential nominee after Obama's initial pick, Marine Corps Gen. John Allen, announced that he would retire from the military and step away from his nomination.

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The Defense Department has dispatched F-22s to South Korea for joint exercises, reported the Wall Street Journal on March 31. The jets arrived on Sunday at Osan Air Base, according to the newspaper. The deployment comes at a time when the United States has been demonstrating advanced military capabilities in exercises with the South Koreans to dissuade North Korean aggression. Last week two B-2s flying roundtrip from Missouri struck targets on a South Korean training range with inert bombs as part of these exercises. Prior to that, B-52s flying from Guam, flew mock bombing sorties over South Korea. North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and his minions have been engaged in bellicose rhetoric, calling the Korean War armistice null and void and threatening to attack South Korea, US bases in the Asia-Pacific, and the US homeland. North Korea also recently conducted a nuclear test and late last year launched a long-range ballistic missile. The Air Force periodically stations F-22s at Kadena AB, Japan, or on Guam as part of normal rotations of combat forces to the Asia-Pacific region. Back in January, F-22s from JB Langley-Eustis, Va., deployed to Kadena on what service officials said would be a four-month rotation.

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WGS-5 Launch Set for May

The Air Force has scheduled the launch of WGS-5, the fifth Wideband Global Satellite Communications spacecraft, for May 8. The 45th Space Wing, which oversees launch operations at Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., has placed the mission on the range schedule for that day, according to a March 29 release from service space officials at Los Angeles AFB, Calif. A United Launch Alliance Delta IV booster will carry WGS-5 into space, where it will join four other WGS assets already operating on orbit. The satellite's prime contractor Boeing last month announced that WGS-5 had arrived in Titusville, Fla., for final processing prior to the launch. The investigation into the off-nominal performance of a Delta IV last October is still progressing—with completion eyed this month—but the Air Force has "approved processing this mission toward the May 8 launch date," states the release.

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Office of Special Investigations Commander Honored

Members of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations' enlisted corps nominated their commander, Brig. Gen. Kevin Jacobsen, for induction into the Order of the Sword, according to an office release. "In his 32 years of service, from his time as a second lieutenant in the missile career field through today, he has always valued the importance of the enlisted force," said CMSgt. John Fine, AFOSI command chief, during the March 29 enlisted call at AFOSI headquarters in Quantico, Va., where Jacobson received his invitation for this summer's induction ceremony. "This means so much to me because of who it's coming from," said Jacobsen, who has led AFOSI since April 2010. "I'm beyond humbled that OSI's enlisted force would consider me for such a distinguished recognition," he added. The Order of the Sword is the highest honor that enlisted airmen can bestow upon senior military officers and civilians to recognize their contributions to the welfare and prestige of the enlisted corps.

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THAAD Going to Guam

The Defense Department on Wednesday announced that it would deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system to Guam in the coming weeks "as a precautionary move" to strengthen the US regional defense posture against North Korean ballistic missile threats. The Army-owned, land-based missile defense system will strengthen defenses of the US territory, said DOD's April 3 release. Guam hosts a broad array of American military forces, including a large air presence at Andersen Air Force Base. THAAD comprises a truck-mounted missile launcher, complement of anti-missile missiles, tracking radar, and integrated fire control system. The North Koreans have unleashed a torrent of bellicose statements in recent weeks, including threats to launch missiles against US bases on Guam and Hawaii. DOD's announcement came one day after Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told reporters that the United States already had "a range of assets" in the Asia-Pacific region, including two Navy ships, "poised to respond to any missile threats to our allies or our territory" emanating from North Korea.