THE EAGLE MONTHLY. Detachment 475! In This Issue

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1 THE EAGLE MONTHLY Detachment 475 Newsletter November 2014 Detachment 475! Family, friends and cadets of Detachment 475, another month has come and gone, here at the University of New Hampshire, and we ve been as busy as always! Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free. - Ronald Reagan In This Issue Leadership Labs Plane of the Month Project GO and more!

2 Project GO! Привет [hello]! Assalomu Alaykum [hello]! Want to travel the world but don t have any money? Well there is some great news, you can! There is an outstanding program called Project Global Officer that pays for cadets to learn what the military classifies as critical languages. I have been sponsored three times through project GO and have had some amazing experiences. I have learned both Uzbek and Russian and have been able to go to Uzbekistan for a month, Russia for a month, and Georgia for two months in order to help me learn the language, customs and traditions of the areas I was studying. How does it work you ask? As a beginner, my first and exciting adventure began at Arizona University. I spent 8 weeks in Tempe, Arizona learning the language of my choice. It was an extremely intensive program and a lot of hard work but completely worth it. After those 8 weeks, I went to an area where they speak the language you are studying and live with a host family. I was very fortunate to be welcomed into their lives including their customs and traditions. I cannot express how important it is for future officers to experience other customs and traditions. These experiences opened my eyes up to how other people around the world think and act. Project GO is not only free, but for participating, you get paid per credit of the class that you took. ASU pays for your housing, food, books, tuition, and everything you need! Applications are usually due late December, so don t wait. If you would like to send me your application for review or have any questions, please feel free to contact me! This is a great opportunity that you shouldn t pass up. For more information please go to this website: Хезер, C/Col Oliver 2

3 Plane of the Month Me109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109 entered service with the German Luftwaffe in February, It was first introduced in 1935, by the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (Bavarian Aircraft Works). This is where the name Bf 109 comes from. When the designer of the 109, Willy Messerschmitt, acquired the company the name was changed to Me109. The Me109 first saw combat during the Spanish Civil War in support of fascist troops commanded by General Francisco Franco. By the start of the Second World War, in 1939, German pilots had a great deal of experience. In July of 1941, a 109 pilot by the name of Werner Mölders became the first fighter pilot in history to claim 100 kills. This was done over the Eastern Front in support of Operation Barbarossa. One of the most successful German Me109 squadrons during the war was Jagdgeswader 52, JG52 (Hunter Squadron 52). This fighter unit claimed over 10,000 kills over the course of World War II. It also has the distinction of the top 3 aces in military history. The title of ace is claimed when a pilot reaches 5 kills. Günter Rall of JG52 shot down 275 allied aircraft. Gerhard Barkhorn claimed 301 kills with the same unit. The title of highest scoring ace in history goes to Erich Hartmann with a total of 352 kills. All of these pilots got their kills in the Messerschmitt 109. Another notable achievement of theirs is that they all survived the war. One of the most common variants was the Me109 G-6. The aircrafts inverted Daimler-Benz V12 engine pushed the fighter to a top speed of roughly 400 mph. This specific model of the 109 was armed with two 13mm (.51 in) machine guns mounted on the engine cowling in front of the pilot, one 20mm or 30mm cannon in the nose, and one 20mm cannon under each wing. By the end of the Second World War, 33,984 Messerschmitt 109s had been produced. They would continue to see service until being retired by the Spanish Air Force in December, C/4C Hoffman 3

4 Paintball Lab The Leadership Laboratory that took place Saturday, 1 November 2014, was the exciting Paintball Tactics Lab. In this lab, cadets learned tactical maneuvers and actions that aided in safely and quickly completing a mission. The first mission, involving Teams 1 and 2, with Cadets Ballentine and Saunders as leaders, was a hostage situation in which the POC were acting as enemy insurgents. Eventually, the mission came to a successful end, after the teams safely rescued the hostage from the enemy compound. Next, Teams 3 and 4 ventured into the woods to retrieve a vital package, from a HUMV. After several minutes of skirmishing and finally getting eyes on the package, Cadet Rick orders Cadets Roche and Sou to retrieve it. Cadet Sou obtains the package while receiving cover fire from Cadet Roche. Then, Teams 3 and 4 sprint to the top of the battlefield to safety, successfully completing their mission. So far, all four team leaders, Cadets Ballentine, Saunders, Aliberti, and Rick, have done an outstanding job. As time runs short and the rain comes down, the final skirmish between POC and GMC begins. Teams 1 and 2 take the center and left flank, while Teams 3 and 4 pursue the right-most edge, taking cover behind boulders. Both teams advance, but become pinned down numerous times. With time down to the last 10 minutes, Cadets Roche, Couture, and Conlin hold their position as the POC approach the edge, carrying a fence as a shield. Cadet Roche flanks the enemy, going around their back. Taking out Major Dustin in the process, Cadet Roche takes out two more POC, entering the POC compound and eliminating another two, just as Cadets Conlin and Couture push the last two POC towards the back. The POC are taken by surprise by the presence of a GMC in their compound. The game then comes to a halt and both POC and GMC gather around Major Dustin who debriefs the performance of everyone in the lab. Overall, it was a very intense and fun lab, in which all cadets learned the importance of working as a team, especially in a combat environment. - C/4C Roche 4

5 Russia Beginning to Stir In case you have not been watching the news, Russia is beginning to stir once again. Gone are the days when the Berlin Wall fell and Russia spiraled into a state of turmoil, as the former Soviet Union disbanded. Since their invasion of Georgia (the country), in 2008, Russia has been focusing more of its efforts towards military resurgence. Granted, though its current military is only one-fifth the size of its Cold War capacity, they are becoming increasingly more aggressive. Over the last few months, we have seen an invasion into Crimea, which has recently escalated due to the appearance of Russian troops and armored tanks. We have seen a Swedish man-hunt for Russian submarines in their waters. We have also seen Russian planes intercepted near Alaska by U.S. fighters. Finally, on 12 November, the Russian defense minister announced that Russia will be flying long range bombers over the Gulf of Mexico. They claim this move is in response to the world s growing discomfort with their actions in Crimea. Whether or not Russia goes through with this plan, which remains yet to be seen, they are starting to flex their muscles once again. According to international law, they have every right to fly over international waters but it is still something to keep a close eye on. Hopefully, this move does not lead to a need for further actions later on. -C/Maj Gustin The POW/MIA Corner Captain Kelly Cook, an F-4C pilot during the Korean War, defended his country with his life. Contributing to the Air Force s legacy of valor, Captain Cook was shot down during a night mission while over enemy air space and taken capture. An educated man, Captain Cook attended Notre Dame, and left to join the Army Air Corps one semester shy of graduating. He flew B-24s as a Lieutenant during WWII, wrote a book, and also became the father of 7 children upon returning home. After joining the guard, Captain Cook continued his education and finished at Notre Dame, and then chased his Masters and Doctoral degrees and North Carolina Chapel Hill and The University of Denver, respectively. He was ordered back to federal- service in 1955, and was pronounced MIA in After 7 long years, he was declared KIA, and his family was informed what had happened. In that fatal night mission, Captain Cook and another pilot had been shot out of the sky. Upon ejecting, the other 3 airmen died. While Captain Cook survived the initial ejection, he died days later from his injuries, and was buried at a farm. Captain Cook s name Captain Cook is engraved at the United States Air Force Academy, and his memory is carried on by his children. His story is one to remember, and his reputation to be sought after. - C/3C Gustin 5

6 Leadership Laboratories DATE Mark Your Calendars! ACTIVITY 09/02 Commander s Call 09/09 GLP Lab 09/20 New Boston Navigation Lab 09/23 Drill and Ceremonies Lab 09/30 FTP Realization Night 10/07 Career Night 10/14 Transitory Challenge 10/25 Parents Weekend 11/01 Paintball Lab 11/07 Veterans Day Ceremony 11/11 Warrior Challenge /SERE 11/18 FTP Run Lead Lab 12/02 Buddy Care Challenge 12/06 Dining In 12/09 Commander s Call 6

7 A Little AF Humor... Contact Us If you are interested in writing an article, sharing pictures or having the next issue of The Eagle Monthly sent to family or friends, please contact one of the cadets listed below! Cadet Adams or Cadet Sou Visit us on the web at theeaglesnest475