News from the Air Force

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Cold War Cipher Machine Goes on Display:

The Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Agency at Joint Base San Antonio added a Cold War Soviet cipher machine to its display of cryptologic devices. The M-125 Fialka, meaning "violent" in English, is a 10-rotor cipher device used in the former Soviet Union from the late 1950s until that country's collapse in 1991. It joined Nazi Germany's Enigma and the United States' Sigaba machines on view in the agency's Heritage Center, making that display the only known public place where these three devices are co-located. "I didn't find any museum, not the Imperial War Museum [in London], not the Smithsonian, that had these three machines on display," said Gabe Marshall of the AFISRA history office. The agency unveiled its new addition on Sept. 22. It's on loan from the National Cryptologic Center Museum at Fort Meade, Md., just like Enigma and Sigaba.

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Nellis Airman Awarded DFC:

Maj. Ryan Hayde, an A-10 pilot and commander's action group chief for the 57th Wing at Nellis AFB, Nev., received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroic actions in Afghanistan. On Oct. 29, 2010, Hayde led a nighttime A-10 flight supporting ground forces sent to engage Taliban forces near the Pakistan border. Despite inclement weather and nearly zero visibility, Hayde destroyed several improvised explosive devices buried near five possible helicopter landing zones. During a 35-minute battle, he provided cover fire and coordinated attacks with friendly AH-64 Apaches. His actions allowed a 150-man assault force to land safely, leading to "a successful mission and the capture of more than 25,000 pounds of homemade explosives and 40 kilograms of opium," said wing officials. "Sometimes getting the opportunity, during what may be the worst day of a soldier's life, to provide air support and allow that individual to make it home to their family safely, is the most amazing honor you can receive," said Hayde. "I believe the total air power, not just my flight, enabled all the special operations forces to make it home that night." His award ceremony was Sept. 30.

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10/4/2011 - THULE AIR BASE, Greenland (AFNS) -- Officials here were able to turn a 15,000 ton mound of scrap metal into more than $1 million and help clean the environment while they were at it.

About 15 years ago, a problem literally began growing here with the demolition of buildings around the base. The scrap metal was gathered at an empty space near the bay where fuel pipes, fuel tanks and other spare metal were continually added to the growing mound. Funding was requested to contract out the removal of the scrap metal, but higher priority funding requirements took precedence. When funding became available and a contractor was selected, the contractor backed out when he realized he only had a few months to remove the metal, and it could only be removed by ship.

"In 2010, the scrap metal market and the steel recycling market prices began to rise," said Phil Chase, from the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron. "The price of a ton of steel had risen to $435 a ton. A plan was formulated that could use the Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., Qualified Recycling Program to sell the scrap metal in a lot sale. Officials prepared an invitation for bid, advertised it and waited for any contractors were interested in buying the scrap metal. The stipulations included removing all the scrap metal by ship within 100 days at no cost to the Air Force or U.S. government and return to the QRP a percentage of the contractor proceeds for the scrap metal."

"Five bids were received, and the removal of the scrap metal was awarded to Aarsleff of Denmark," he said. "They were able to ensure payment for the metal prior to departing here, and they could remove it in one summer. Their equipment was already here and, with a few additional items, could begin preparing the metal for shipping as soon as the weather warmed up."

Work began late April to prepare the metal for shipping, Chase said. The first ship arrived here July 7 and departed July 9 loaded with scrap metal. Prior to departure, Aarsleff officials paid $1,026,906 towards the QRP.

"It's been a pleasure to see a contractor like Aarsleff put so much effort into the cleanup with such a short timeframe to accomplish the work," said Master Sgt. Michael Jacobs, assigned to the 21st CES. "They began organizing, cutting and preparing the scrap metal during the harsh parts of the winter to make sure their timeline for each ship was met."

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Barksdale Hosts Bomber Competition:

Airmen with the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, La., participated in a munitions maintenance competition as part of this year's Global Strike Challenge. Members of the 2nd Munitions Squadron and the 2nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron last week showed off their skills in three areas: pre-flight, missile loading, and munitions building. "The competition is extremely important," said Capt. Brian Sporysz, 2nd MUNS operations officer. "It builds camaraderie among the individuals who are loading and building, and it helps prepare them for Barksdale's warfighting efforts." Speed and accuracy are the judges' main concerns in this competition. The final scores will be posted at Barksdale's Air Force Global Strike Symposium in November. Global Strike Challenge is the Air Force's premier bomber, ICBM, and security forces competition. Units participate from across Air Force Global Strike Command, Air Combat Command, the Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve Command.

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New Headquarters for Barksdale Security Forces:

Members of the 2nd Security Forces Squadron at Barksdale AFB, La., moved into their new headquarters complex. The 40,000-square-foot building is much larger than the 1930s-era hangar that the squadron formerly called home, but was not large enough to accommodate all of its members. "The new facility consolidates security forces investigations, mobility, confinement, operations, and administrative functions under one roof for the first time at Barksdale," said Christopher Bowman, 2nd SFS chief of plans and programs. Construction of the new building, which opened on Sept. 22, began in February 2010. The facility is energy efficient and has features like a new alarm system, electronic key access, and a radio system with an 80-foot tower.

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Mission Nearly Complete in Iraq:

The United States has met all its obligations in Iraq and is "completely on track" for a full military withdrawal by year's end, said the spokesman for US Forces-Iraq Wednesday. Army Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan said the command has redeployed 1.6 million pieces of equipment from Iraq and has 800,000 left to go. The number of US troops there is down to about 41,000 from roughly 100,000 in January 2009, while the number of military bases has dropped dramatically from 505 in 2008 to just 23 today, he said. The United States continues to discuss the possibility of keeping some troops in theater longer with Iraqi forces, said Buchanan. The question is, what role would they would play and what legal protections they would have, he said. Although "Iraq is still a dangerous place," the biggest difference today "is that people here seem universally determined not to go back to sectarian violence," said Buchanan. "They're determined to take on these enemies as terrorists. Unlike in the past, they are universally hated and isolated."

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No More Blood from This Turnip:

The Air National Guard already is an efficient organization and further cuts in the name of efficiency would take their toll on its readiness, Air Guard Director Lt. Gen. Bud Wyatt told lawmakers Wednesday. "The Air National Guard has been lean and mean before lean and mean was cool. We were efficient before efficiency was cool," he said in testimony before the House Armed Service Committee's tactical air and land forces panel. He continued, "I agree, we need to continue trying to find efficiencies, but in the Air National Guard, I think we have squeezed just about all of the blood out of this turnip that we can squeeze. We are at the point now that any further reductions, cuts, drawbacks will adversely affect our readiness." Wyatt said he's "committed not to sending airmen into harm's way unless they are fully trained, fully equipped, very capably led, and we won't back off that standard at all."

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Air Force leaders send birthday messages to Navy




Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy salute the Navy on its 236th birthday Oct. 13.

Secretary Donley wrote a letter to the secretary of the Navy stating:

"Congratulations as you celebrate the 236th birthday of the United States Navy. The men and women of the United States Navy embody a tradition of honor and selfless service dating back to the establishment of the Continental Navy in 1775. Today, they continue to uphold these most hallowed Navy traditions by serving proudly around the globe.

"The 690,000 members of the United States Air Force - Active Duty, Reserve, Guard, and Civilians - are proud to serve alongside you and your Sailors as part of the Joint Team that provides America with unequaled military capability. America's Airmen salute you and wish you the best on the Navy's 236th birthday."

General Schwartz wrote a letter to the chief of naval operations stating:

"Congratulations to you and the men and women of the United States Navy as you celebrate 236 years of dedicated service to a grateful Nation. Since before the Declaration of Independence was signed, our Navy has served with honor, courage, and commitment.

"The Airmen of the United States Air Force proudly serve alongside you and your fellow Sailors, today and every day. We wish you continued success in the coming year, during which America will begin commemorating the bicentennial of the War of 1812 - one of the many periods in our proud history during which the United States Navy proved its warfighting mettle against a determined adversary."

Chief Roy wrote a letter to the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy stating:

"Happy Birthday to you and all of our Sailors as you celebrate the Navy's 236 years of unwavering service to our grateful nation.

"Since 1775, our Sailors have represented the fighting spirit of the Navy around the world and are proud to serve with honor, courage and commitment. In a world of violent extremism, scarce resources and rapidly advancing technologies, America's Sailors remain highly motivated, dedicated and ready to answer our nation's call at a moment's notice.

"On behalf of Airmen everywhere, I wish you all the best as you celebrate and we look forward to serving alongside you for many years to follow."

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First Guard Vipers Deploy to Afghanistan:

The District of Colombia Air National Guard's 113th Wing launched the Air Guard's first F-16 deployment to Afghanistan, departing from JB Andrews, Md., Tuesday. "This is the first F-16 package the Air National Guard will send to Afghanistan, so it presents some new challenges for us," said Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Johnson, 113th Wing commander. The deployment to Bagram Airfield follows a tour in Iraq that concluded some 18 months ago. "We have the lead NORAD mission to provide air defenses for the National Capital Region" rendering planning all the more complex, noted Johnson. "Even though we are deploying our forces forward to Afghanistan, we still maintain a constant response presence here at home." A total of 175 aircrew, maintainers, and support personnel deployed with the Guard's first F-16 package.

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15 acres of land made ecologically safer at Little Rock AFB






10/17/2011 - LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. (AFNS) -- Nearly 15 acres here that was previously used as a skeet range in the 1960s, is an ecologically safer place today because of a restoration project that called for excavating 36 million pounds of contaminated soil and replacing it with more than 3,000 trees and recycled soil and mulch.

There was cause for concern when a site-wide investigation of the base revealed that the soil in the former base skeet range had high levels of lead contamination.

People are susceptible to lead contamination through air, water, soil and retail products, environmental restoration office officials said. Prolonged exposure to lead can lead to toxicity in the heart, nerves, kidneys and reproductive systems, which can lead to physical ailments such as headaches, nausea and seizures or even death.

The restoration began in September 2010, and is scheduled to be completed later in October, said Kelly Stater, the restoration project manager. The contaminated soil posed not only a health risk to humans, but could adversely affect the ecological balance of the base. The lead contamination was detrimental to animals, as well.

"The damage to the wildlife would affect people too," Stater said. "For example, the lead damages the soil and plants, the deer eat the plants and people eat deer. Removing the soil was a plus for all of us."

In place of the removed 18,000 tons of soil was a bare patch of earth ensconced by a vertical tower of trees from all ends, accessible by a small gravel-paved road divergent from the base's main concrete pathways. Stater said the area encompasses approximately 15 acres of land. Land that was empty after the soil removal.

"Fortunate for us, this base is very proactive when it comes to ecological restoration," said Terry Broach, the base interim restoration manager.

She said the base has mandated cleaning and consent orders, which makes it pretty easy to complete restoration projects.

After excavating the enormous amounts of contaminated soil, the workers put down recycled mulch in anticipation of planting trees in the vacant, newly cleansed soil, Stater said. The project was worked by an average of six contracted employees a day for more than a year, focusing on cleansing and replenishing the 15 acres of land.

The project site stands now not as a vacant spot of land with harmful contaminants in its soil, but a pasture with tree sprouts speckled throughout. Stater said the grown trees will be beneficial to the base.

"The base can sell some of the trees when they get bigger," he said. "That will produce some revenue."

Yet future revenue is only a boon to what the project has already accomplished, Stater said.

"The guys at the shooting range said that the quail over there have come back," the project manager said. "They said that the quail hadn't been there for a while."

Broach said green projects like this are beneficial to everyone in the area.

"You talk about a green project, it (doesn't) get (any) greener than this," Stater said. "We removed something potentially harmful and replaced it with something positive, and that benefits everyone. This is what restoration is all about."

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Security forces team trains Afghan air force counterparts



10/17/2011 - KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- Members of the 451st Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Combat Arms Training and Maintenance team have partnered with members of the 443rd Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron here to train the Afghan air force on small arms proficiency at Kandahar Air Wing.

The CATM Airmen held a training session about disassembling and troubleshooting the M-16A2 for three Afghan small-arms specialists Oct. 12 as part of an ongoing effort to build the Afghan military's self-sufficiency.

"Sergeant Saldana and I have been coming out for about three weeks now teaching them the ins and outs of the M-9, M-240 and M-16," said Tech. Sgt. Garry Clarke, the 451st ESFS CATM NCO in charge.

The Afghans have had little experience with the weapons that CATM has been training them on, said Clarke. "Many of them know the basics of weapons, but they're not as proficient with these firearms."

The CATM team trained the AAF members on the upper and lower assemblies of the M-16.

"We're taking it almost completely apart to explain the functions of the components," said Clarke.

The small-arms specialists are expected to begin training their troops on their issued weapons with the assistance of the 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group security forces advisers in the upcoming weeks.

"The Afghan air force small-arms specialists will be training their troops the same way our CATM guys train us back in the states," Krueger said.

"Training Afghan air force small-arms specialists is not a primary mission for the 451st ESFS CATM team, but the technical training we are providing our Afghan air force counterparts will help ensure mission success for the Afghan military and the air adviser program," said Staff Sgt. Mark Saldana.

Currently, the four security forces advisers at the 443rd AEAS are not trained CATM specialists.

"We like to bring out Airmen with specialized skills to help train the (Afghan air force) for a specific task like this one," Krueger said. "It helps them get training on mission-critical areas."

The CATM team will continue training the Afghan air force on other small arms over the next several weeks. Knowing and understanding these weapons is crucial for the Afghan air force, the security forces adviser explained.

"They cannot protect their personnel, resources or weapons if they don't understand the basic fundamentals of security," Krueger said. "The training we're giving them will set them up for success in the future

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Andersen AFB preps for Operation Christmas Drop 2011








10/19/2011 - ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam (AFNS) -- Airmen here are shifting into high gear in preparation for the 60th iteration of the Air Force's longest-running, humanitarian-airlift mission -- Operation Christmas Drop.

Since 1951, Operation Christmas Drop has been spreading the holiday spirit in the form of needed supplies to residents in some of the most remote parts of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands chain.

Operation Christmas Drop is a non-profit organization powered by volunteers from here and the local community and has to date, dropped more than 800,000 pounds of goods throughout the surrounding islands, officials said. Fundraising for this event is scheduled to kick-off with a 5K run/walk Nov. 19 followed by a bake sale at the base exchange Nov. 26. In addition to fundraisers, individual and group donations may also be made to the cause.

Manny Hechanova, a representative from the University of Guam, is responsible for communicating with the islands to determine what residents need most.

"We communicate by whatever means necessary to get islanders the supplies they need," Hechanova said. "Primarily, we use radios, but for islands that are more remote, we must sometimes relay messages by fishing boat. Whatever we have to do to get goods where they need to be, we do.

"Some of the things we are looking for specifically are school supplies, potting soil, vegetable seeds, dental products, canned foods, clothing, toys and machetes," he said.

After fundraising has concluded and all donations are collected, there will be a box-build where volunteers package the donated items into boxes capped with parachutes, officials said. During a push ceremony, representatives from the local community and here load the boxes onto the airlift aircraft.

"My goal this year is community outreach," Captain Kwarteng said. "We are doing a good job so far, and I feel we will be relying on community support more than ever as budget cuts continue."

Operation Christmas Drop delivers supplies to various islands throughout the CNMI, Palau, Yap and Chuuk.

"I really appreciate the support we have been getting from the community and personnel here on Andersen," the captain continued. "Operation Christmas Drop could not be a success without the amazing support."

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Air Force Photos this week

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ASVAB

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is a multiple choice test, administered by the United States Military Entrance Processing Command, used to determine qualification for enlistment in the United States armed forces.

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Duluth Wing Dedicates F-16 Display:

Members of the Minnesota Air National Guard's 148th Fighter Wing gathered with local business and civic leaders to dedicate the wing's new F-16 static display at the entrance of the wing's headquarters at Duluth airport. "None of this could exist without the enthusiastic stalwart support of our community, the chamber, and our business and civic leaders that stand with us here today," said Col. Frank Stokes, 148th FW commander, during the Oct. 19 dedication ceremony. The display features a retired F-16 Block 10 aircraft suspended in flight. More than $100,000 in donated funds from more than 35 local companies and community organizations made the display possible. "Our members are truly blessed every morning with its beauty," said Stokes of the new display. The wing now operates F-16 Block 50 aircraft.

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Last B-53 Nuclear Bomb Dismantlement:

National Nuclear Security Administration officials on Tuesday will gather at the Pantex plant in Amarillo, Tex., to celebrate the dismantlement of the final B53 nuclear bomb in the US inventory. NNSA officials said the elimination of the B53 is a significant step in President Obama's nuclear security agenda that aims to reduce the size of the US stockpile. NNSA last October announced plans to dismantle the B53s, the last of which were retired in 1997. The B53, about the size of a mini-van and weighing approximately 10,000 pounds, entered the stockpile in 1962. B-47, B-52, and B-58 bombers were able to carry it. Each B53 had a reported nine-megaton yield. Last week, NNSA announced that it completed dismantlement of all W70 tactical nuclear weapons. Army Lance missiles carried the W70 during the Cold War

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AEHF-1 Reaches Operational Perch:

The Air Force's first Advanced Extremely High Frequency military communications satellite, AEHF-1, arrived at its intended operational position in geosynchronous orbit, completing a 14-month journey, announced USAF space officials Tuesday. The satellite reached its orbital perch on Monday, they said. "I am extremely proud of the entire AEHF team for its ability to apply engineering excellence, superior teamwork, and remarkable creativity to accomplish this very important milestone," said Dave Madden, director of the Military Satellite Communications office at Los Angeles AFB, Calif. AEHF-1's trek was made more difficult when the thrusters meant to propel the satellite to its destined spot malfunctioned shortly after the satellite reached space in August 2010. That forced the Air Force and its industry partners to devise an alternate orbit-raising plan using different thrusters on the spacecraft. They were able to execute this plan, while retaining the satellite's 14 years of required mission life, according to the USAF officials. Next up for AEHF-1 are some four months of on-orbit checkout and testing before Air Force satellite operators assume command authority for the spacecraft sometime in early 2012.

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Raptors Return to Flight:

The Air Force's F-22s are flying again, officials at JB Langley-Eustis, Va., and JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, told the Daily Report Wednesday. Both bases temporarily grounded their Raptor fleets last week after two Virginia-based pilots experienced hypoxia-like symptoms during a training sortie on Oct. 20. Alaska's aircraft were up and flying again Monday. Officials there temporarily paused operations over the weekend as a precaution following the incident in Virginia, a base spokesman told the Daily Report. The restriction on Langley-Eustis' aircraft was lifted by 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday US East Coast time and the F-22s are once again flying the "same number of sorties as before the brief pause," said Monica Miller Rodgers, a spokeswoman with the joint installation's 633rd Air Base Wing. Raptor pilots are not operating under any new restrictions. However, "the commander continues to closely monitor operations," said Miller Rodgers. The Air Force declined to release any additional information on the Oct. 20 incident, saying officials continue to analyze it.

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Langley-Eustis Talons Begin Operations:

The 27th Fighter Squadron at JB Langley-Eustis, Va., has commenced initial operations with its T-38 adversary aircraft. "Our whole mission requires us to train against the Raptor," Col. Derek Wyler, 27th FS director of T-38 operations, told the Daily Report in a recent interview at the joint base. Squadron officials could not complete mission qualification of the pilots who will fly the T-38s in training drills against the 1st Fighter Wing's F-22s until after the Air Force leadership lifted the fleet-wide F-22 grounding in late September, said Wyler. That's because "there was no one for them to train against," he explained. Air Combat Command established the T-38 Adversary Air Program to provide the wing's Raptors with cost-effective air-to-air training. "You essentially get more training at a much lower cost," since "you don't have to have . . . F-22s replicating bad guys," explained Col. Kevin Robbins, 1st FW commander, in an interview. There are seven T-38s assigned to the wing, with a possibility of expanding to 14 airframes in Fiscal 2013, said Robbins. The 325th FW at Tyndall AFB, Fla., is also receiving T-38s for enhanced combat training.

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Stuck on the Sunny Side:

Montana Air National Guard F-15s will continue protecting Hawaiian skies, extending their mission at JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, through next September, reports the Great Falls Tribune. Six F-15s of the 120th Fighter Wing in Great Falls deployed to Hickam last August, to cover the Hawaii ANG's quick-reaction alert mission as Hickam's 199th Fighter Squadron transitioned to the F-22 Raptor. Upon returning to Montana, the 120th FW's Eagles are slated for transfer to the California ANG's 144th FW at Fresno. Due to environmental assessment delays, the National Guard Bureau is postponing the F-15's transfer by an additional eight months, reported the Tribune. Instead of returning only briefly to their home base at Great Falls International Airport, the 120th FW's two permanently deployed and 10 rotating pilots, as well as some 35 maintainers will remain in Hawaii until the Montana unit shifts to new roles operating the C-27J and interpreting geospatial intelligence.