Combat Excellence-Always on Mission

Transcription

1 JULY 2017 Combat Excellence-Always on Mission

2 2 Combat Excellence From The WING COMMANDER COL. TIM DONNELLAN 124th Fighter Wing Warriors, I hope this edition of the Beacon finds you either on a vacation, recently returning from vacation or in the process of planning one. I also hope the rescheduling of July UTA has enabled you to get some time back to use as you see fit - either time with your family or the opportunity to just unwind for a little bit. Mission readiness is a multi-faceted state of being. We can easily define our level of mission readiness from a military perspective - in the condition of our equipment, the level of training of our Airmen and our effective manning levels. The piece that gets tough to define is the individual level of readiness outside of those military metrics. The relationships we have with our family, friends and fellow Airmen have a significant impact on our readiness, yet sadly enough that s sometimes the last thing we focus on when we are busy, especially when it seems non-stop as the last 2 years have been. Yet, if we don t take the time to keep those relationships intact then all the hard work on equipment, training and proficiency is a wasted effort. The balance has got to be kept up, but is virtually impossible to do both at the same time. So, we have to get the balance back when we can and July is the month to do just that. Please take this time to re-connect with those relationships, to include taking care of yourself. We will always be busy - the nature of our profession demands it, our great state and nation deserve it. The balance of personal and professional readiness will always be a struggle, but I promise with concentrated effort that balance can occur. We, as an organization, will give every opportunity we can to achieve it. Despite our best efforts the world is not a safe place, and we will always stand in harm s way, combat ready, to make it safer. You have proven that time and time again, and I m proud to serve by your side. Be safe in all you do, get that balance and I ll see you during our August UTA! Attack! Donut

3 Always on Mission 3 CONTENTS»» p.13»» p.7 THE BEACON GOWEN FIELD Customs & Courtesies DURING REVEILLE (7 A.M.) WING COMMANDER Col. Tim Donnellan PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER 2nd Lt. Cassie Morlock PUBLIC AFFAIRS NCOIC Master Sgt. Becky Vanshur PUBLIC AFFAIRS STAFF Master Sgt. Joshua Allmaras Tech. Sgt. John Winn Senior Airman Skyla Child This month s cover photo was taken June 17, 2017 during the 124th Security Forces field training exercise by Master Sgt. Joshua Allmaras. 4 RUNWAY TO RUNWAY WEAPONS AIRMAN IS MISS NORTH DAKOTA 6 ONE MINUTE 28 SECONDS THE NATIONAL ANTHEM 7 CUSTOMS AND COURTESIES A REVIEW OF BASE PROTOCOL 8 ALARM BLACK MOPP 4 WING READINESS EXERCISE 12 PREVENT HUMAN TRAFFICKING IMPORTANT CONTACTS TO REPORT TRAFFICKING 13 TACP CHALLENGE RECRUITING HOSTS A FITNESS CHALLENGE 14 SFS FTX 2017 DEFENDERS TRAIN AT SAYLOR CREEK usaf.id.124-fw.mbx.pa-public-affairs@mail.mil idaho.ang.af.mil facebook.com/124fwofficial FlicKR.COM/124FW twitter.com/124fighterwing instagram.com/124fighterwing idahoangbeacon.ning.com THE BEACON is the official newsletter/magazine of the 124th Fighter Wing, Idaho Air National Guard. It is published monthly by the wing public affairs office. Views expressed may not be those of the U.S. Air Force, Air National Guard, Department of Defense or U.S. Government.

4 4 Combat Excellence Runway to Runway by Master Sgt. Joshua Allmaras 124th Fighter Wing Public Affairs I am Miss North Dakota United States 2017, said Senior Airman Hailie Wilds, an armament weapons technician with the 124th Maintenance Group, with grease caked under her nails and smeared on her t-shirt. Being involved in pageants isn t something you normally hear from someone in the military. I got involved in pageants back when I lived in Boise, said Wilds. I participated in Miss Idaho right out of high school and I was Miss Downtown Boise in Her participation in pageants wasn t something she pursued right away when she left Idaho to attend Valley City State University in Valley City, North Dakota. When I went to college I put pageants on the backburner because I was a full time athlete, working, and going to school, said Wilds. One of the ladies that works at my school, her daughter is the pageant director. She had seen my Facebook page and talked me into doing pageants again and ended up going a lot further than I expected I would. Most pageant participants have platforms they advocate for, Wilds is no exception. My platform is mental health in athletes as well as youth, said Wilds. I think it s a big struggle we have today especially with social media. I know athletes who are diagnosed with anxiety and depression and struggle with it day in and day out. When we go and play our big opponent they aren t just fighting the opponent like the rest of us, they are fighting a disease. This platform has helped her be prepared for helping her fellow Airmen too. I ve learned a lot of tools that I can use with other Airmen when it comes to mental health, said Wilds. Wilds has been serving since

5 Always on Mission It is in her family to serve, her brother and father both are Airmen in the guard. She chose the weapons shop for one of many reasons. I toured every shop with people I know out here, said Wilds. When I came to weapons no one was afraid to immediately joke with me. I was just walking through the shop and I was treated like family. Her end goal after college is to continue her service. I plan on going to officer school, said Wilds. I want to be a pilot and I plan on going active duty. Wilds also wants to break some stigmas associated with being involved in pageantry. There s this stigma that I have to look good in a bikini and that s about it, but that s not the depth of it, said Wilds. I can prove that stigma wrong, I m not just a pretty face that walks around in a crown all day. She will hopefully be able to do this during the 2017 Miss United States pageant, where she represents more than just North Dakota. I am representing North Dakota, but the Idaho National Guard is a home for me, said Wilds. I thank everyone out here for being so supportive It doesn t matter what state I represent, for me it s about the cause that I represent and being part of the Idaho National Guard has built that cause for me.

6 6 Combat Excellence One minute 28 seconds by Maj. Mike Stolt 97th Flying Training Squadron It was July 14, 2005, on a hot Tuesday afternoon. I was leaving Bldg. 402 after updating my base vehicle sticker. As I walked toward the double-glass doors leading to the parking lot, I encountered a small group of people standing just inside the door - two Airmen, a civilian employee and one captain. As I reached for the door, the captain said, You don t want to go out there right now. I looked out and saw traffic stopped and several people frozen in the hot July sun, gazing westward, some saluting, some standing at attention, some with their hands laid on their chests. No, I don t really want to go out there right now. I looked at my watch - 4:30 p.m. I stood with the group that now numbered five. No one spoke. One Airman made a call on her cell phone, the other shifted his gaze back and forth between his shoes and the wall. The captain sifted through a folder of papers. The civilian and I watched through the glass doors as a technical sergeant stood at attention, saluting... a sweat ring growing on his back. It seemed to go on forever. The base loudspeakers squeaked out the last recorded notes of the National Anthem. The cars rolled forward, the technical sergeant lowered his salute. The civilian pushed our door open and walked out. The rest of us followed. When the heat hit me, I felt fortunate that my timing had kept me inside during the long ceremony. I thought about that day for weeks. Images of the episode flashed through my mind as if I d witnessed a crime - the plate-sized sweat ring, the glow of the cell phone on the Airman s cheek, the civilian s hand resting on the door handle, the glare of the sun, the heat. I recently read an article about the War on Terror and learned that we average 2.35 American dead and 10 wounded every day in the AOR. That day leapt back into my thoughts. A few hours of research helped me identify the date - July 14, On July 14, 2005, 23 year-old corporal Chris Winchester and 22-year-old corporal Cliff Mounce were killed when their vehicle was targeted by an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. On that day, 21 year-old private first class Tim Hines, Jr. died when an IED hit his Humvee. On that day, 34 year-old staff sergeant Tricia Jameson was killed by a secondary IED while she was treating a victim of the primary IED. She, Chris Winchester, and Originally published on Cliff Mounce all died in Trebil. We can assume she was treating Chris, Cliff, or another in their group. She volunteered to go to Iraq and had been in country three weeks. On that day, four American soldiers died in Iraq and numerous others were wounded. On that day, four families were plunged into mourning. On that day, I flew one sortie, sifted through , updated my base vehicle sticker, and hid from the heat behind a glass door. Why does it matter that I avoided, on a technicality, participating in retreat? Some may think it s silly symbolism, that it s not real. An aircraft is real. A computer, a vehicle sticker - they re real. I believe that anything that you allow to move you, or that inspires those around you to search their hearts, is as real as the bomb that tore Chris Winchester s body apart. Anything that forces an entire base to stop and listen to their thoughts for a while is real. Anything that causes you to pause and acknowledge that American soldiers may be under fire, as you listen to the National Anthem, is real. As we five stood inside that doorway, the soldiers killed and wounded that day may have been bleeding, screaming and dying in the sand. If my timing is ever again as perfect as it was that day, I ll be prepared. I ll be ready with, Yes, I do want to go out there right now. You may not come with me, but I ll bet you think about it for weeks. If I d stepped outside to pay respect to the flag and to the four soldiers who died that day, how long would it have taken? One minute and 28 seconds.

7 GOWEN FIELD Customs & Courtesies DURING REVEILLE (7 A.M.) -No courtesies are required because it is only being played to signal the beginning of the duty day and the flag is not being hoisted. DURING RETREAT (5 P.M.) -During "Sound Retreat" stand at parade rest facing the flag or music. -If driving stop your vehicle and/or pull to the side of the road. -At the first note of the National Anthem render a salute if in uniform. If not in uniform remove head gear and place your right hand over your heart. -After the last note carry on. DURING TAPS (10 P.M.) -No courtesies are required because it is only being played to signal the end of the day. QUESTIONS If you have any questions or concerns please reference AFI or talk with your first sergeant.

8 8 Combat Excellence alarm black mopp 4 by Master Sgt. Becky Vanshur 124th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Alarms sound, EXERCISE, EXERCISE, EXERCISE as hundreds of Airmen from the Idaho Air National Guard listened for instructions during the two day mission readiness exercise Weasel Thunder, during the June unit training assembly. A true test for the 124th Fighter Wing Airmen s ability to survive and operate (ATSO). The last mission readiness exercise the 124th FW participated in was nearly seven years ago. Although the analysis is the same, this recent training was a local inspection with a wing inspection team of approximately 50 members internally grading, following the Air Force Inspection System s tasking evaluations. This exercise is based on design, operation, and capability tasking event training. This is how we are going to train to fight, said Chief Master Sgt. Mark Page, wing quality assurance superintendent. We are looking at this as how do we get better this time, before the next time we need to evaluate ourselves, and make sure that our Airmen of the 124th Fighter Wing are doing exactly what is needed in case we get called to duty. It s not a pass or fail test, but a question to whether our training, to get us to this point, is effective. The giant voice echoed throughout the base, ALARM BLACK, MOPP4 as Airmen scrambled to quickly don their chemical protective gear, covering themselves from head to toe. Mission-Oriented Protective Posture or MOPP levels were announced as threats were received according to a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive attack. Scenarios were built to coincide with increased MOPP levels, designed to ensure Airmen could perform their primary duties in protective gear. Airmen arranged contamination stations for equipment and personnel, while practicing the dynamics of using them in a polluted environment. Firefighters extracted a pilot and there were simulated ground attacks testing the 124th Security Forces Squadron; all while in full MOPP gear. During a training event like this, the safety and health of the Airmen were of the top priorities. Safety representatives were present for every squadron to ensure minimal mishaps and that Airmen avoided harmful mistakes. Many lessons were learned through the elevated MOPP levels on the flight line. Safety hazards were recognized with the personal protection equipment while launching the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. When they [Airmen] put on their MOPP gear after hearing the alarm, they start rushing and that is where there is potential to be unsafe, said Lt. Col. Ron Hedges, 124th FW chief of safety. This is the first time I

9 Always on Mission 9 have ever seen our base launch aircraft in MOPP4, so we are learning a lot. In addition to standing up the CAT, or Crisis Action Team, Wing and Group Commanders had the opportunity to walk around and see their Airmen in action. It was amazing to see our Airmen taking charge of this exercise and put themselves through the paces of ATSO, said Col. Tim Donnellan, commander of the 124th Fighter Wing. I think spirits were high because everyone knows the importance of not just being familiar with their chem gear, but able to actually perform their primary duties while wearing it. Airmen were able to practice tasks they felt needed improved upon in order to be combat mission ready in any environment. Months before this exercise, we worked closely with commanders and chiefs to identify specific objectives to accomplish over the two days, and each of those objectives were met. Before this exercise, about half of our Airmen had not been in chem gear since basic training. Today, I m proud to say that all of the members of the 124th Fighter Wing have honed their ability to operate in a chemical environment. We ll build on this capability in future exercises, further preparing ourselves for combat in any condition.

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14 14 Combat Excellence Security forces ftx 2017 The 124th Security Forces Squadron particpated in a four day field training exercise June 16-20, 2017 at the Saylor Creek Bombing Range. Their training included convoy operations, setting up a bare base, securing and defending a forward operating base, dismounted patrols, training with military working dogs, and much more. The training provided in field experience for the defenders, preparing them to not only operate in austere environments but also preparing them to practice skills necessary to protect those who protect our state and nation.

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