HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — The Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) officers at Huntsville High School are among the first in the country to convert their affiliation from the Air Force to the Space Force. On January 12, 2022 a transition ceremony commemorated the historic event.
Huntsville High is one of 10 units across the United States chosen to convert. Selections were based on proximity to Space Force or related government agencies, including Space Force bases, facilities, and centers of influence, such as U.S. Space Command Headquarters, NASA, and missile defense agencies.
“The Space Force is incredibly important today to the way we live our day to day lives not just from the perspective of the military but as a society,” says Col. Niki Lindhorst.
The JROTC Space Force program develops young talent and opens the door for college and career opportunities in science technology engineering and math as well as the military.
“Investing time in our high schools, STEM education is incredibly important to us in Space Force and all we do is very technical and so we require a lot of minds and future leaders coming out of high schools and junior highs that are excited about STEM education,” says Col. Lindhorst.
Huntsville High school’s JROTC program is one of the select few to blaze the trail for the programs future.
“Across the nation there are hundreds of JROTC programs with the department of the air force so to be selected as one of the first ten, if you do the math its pretty special,” says Col. Lindhorst.
Cadet Collin White says its a privilege that Huntsville High was chosen.
“Our Space Force JROTC is so young and its honestly a really historic moment for the United States. As we pass these historic monuments you realize times are changing and that we change with the times and…we proceed here showing not only what you can do for Space Force but what all the good it can bring to the nation and how its a worthwhile program,” says White.
About 1,200 JROTC cadets, or 1 percent of the entire AFJROTC program population, will be affected by this change. For now the program will continue to fall under the Air Force.
Space Force JROTC plans to convert up to 100 units over the next couple of years, according to Anthony “Todd” Taylor, Chief of the Program Development Division at headquarters Air Force ROTC.
WIESBADEN, Germany – Selecting from quarterly award winners, Installation Management Command-Europe named its Professionals of the Year for fiscal year 2021, at both the region headquarters-staff and the Europe-wide levels.
The region-wide Level 1 Professional of the Year Award went to Susette Mathis, who works in the USAG Stuttgart military personnel division, while the Level 2 award went to Chris Beermann, who is with the IMCOM-Europe Directorate of Resource Management.
As the IMCOM-Europe staff Professionals of the Year, Idalia Leza, a program analyst for the official mail program, was named the Level 1 awardee, while Stefanie Poulsen, leader of the IMCOM-Europe utility procurement team earned the Level 2 award.
At the outset of COVID-19, Mathis identified issues and developed solutions to help the garrison through the pandemic, leading to the digitization of the out-processing system and created systems that saved more than 800 man-hours and became the blueprint for similar out-processing systems across Europe.
“Susette truly embodies the whole IMCOM service culture campaign. She’s positive, she treats everyone with respect, and seems to never have a bad day. She’s definitely the voice of the organization,” said Medreka Davis, her former supervisor.
Susette Mathis from USAG Stuttgart was named an IMCOM-Europe Professional of the Year for 2021. (Photo Credit: Marcus Fichtl)
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Mathis, a native of Cape Verde who immigrated to the U.S. when she was 8 years old, joined the Army in 1999 and served for five years as an air traffic controller.
“I love working at USAG Stuttgart because as a veteran and an Army spouse I get to help and support our own military and civilian workforce,” Mathis said.
“She is an impressive, reliable, consistent, and exemplary employee who supports her colleagues, takes initiative, and is an absolute pleasure to work with,” Davis said.
Serving as the IMCOM-Europe chief of financial operations and resource integration for the past two years, Beermann joined the team after roughly 17 years supporting research, development and technology.
“We knew when we hired Chris that he was going to be a difference maker for our team,” said Sam Barnes, IMCOM-Europe’s Assistant Chief of Staff for Resource management. “His experience and broad range of knowledge on core business processes was exactly what we needed, when we needed it.”
Beermann led the Contract Management Review process from the IMCOM Europe headquarters and in support of the garrisons, taking an approach that was later developed was later adopted by IMCOM as the standard for other IMCOM Directorates.
Leading a team and helping his coworkers succeed gives him great satisfaction.
Chris Beermann from IMCOM-Europe was named the Level 2 Professional of the Year for 2021 for the region. (Photo Credit: Mark Heeter)
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“If you build up the people around you, that’s where the success is. As you build a process, and you see the people around you just pick it up and run, that is the point at which like I get gratification out of it,” Beermann said.
“That’s success. You can build things that outlast you,” he said.
In 2021, Leza oversaw the solicitation, purchase and rollout of new official mail metering systems for 18 locations across all seven garrisons, which simplified the mail metering process, allow for real-time command official mail funding accountability and allowed for remote expenditure visibility and tracking.
Idalia Leza earned recognition as the IMCOM-Europe Staff Level 1 Professional of the Year for 2021 (Photo Credit: Mark Heeter)
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“She has essentially transformed the way that IMCOM-Europe garrisons process Official Mail to meet current industry standards,” said Mike Kinstle, chief of the postal operations branch for IMCOM-Europe. “Through modernization of equipment, improved technology and training, IMCOM-Europe has been able to save and repurpose more than $100,000 over the last seven years.”
Leza began working for the Army in 1999 and has been in her current position for six years, following an assignment at Fort Carson and an earlier tour in Baumholder, where she became a mail room supervisor.
“I love taking care of my customers. My customers are the people out there in the field doing postal. They’re the post offices, not just the official mail, but the mail rooms,” Leza said.
“I believe in taking care of them and doing everything I can to help them because if I help them, they can help others,” she said.
For IMCOM-Europe, Poulsen leads a team that provides direct oversight of over 170 utility contracts with a total annual contract value of over $160 million dollars. In that role, in 2021, she worked closely with U.S. Army in Europe and Africa to obtain a formal opinion from the German government that will result in a cost avoidance of over $1.2 million, with gradual increases in the cost avoidance each year.
“Stefanie is extremely diligent. She is very thorough in conducting research to make sure she has the correct answer or resolution to a problem,” said her supervisor, Simon Muench, who noted that she takes a special interest in challenges where cost-savings area involved.
Stefanie Poulsen, the leader of the IMCOM-Europe utility procurement team, was named the IMCOM-Europe Staff Level 2 Professional of the Year for 2021. (Photo Credit: Mark Heeter)
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“She constantly strives to identify problems with utilities or utility contracts at garrisons and coordinates with the garrison staff and subject matter experts to better identify the problem and work as a team to develop a solution,” Muench said.
Poulsen joined IMCOM-Europe in January 2018, after working for the Defense Logistics Agency in Germersheim since 2006. An architect by training, she worked on projects in the warehouses there, before turning to her current job.
“The more I dig into these contracts, the more excited I am about that field. Utilities never gets the attention it really deserves,” Poulsen said. “It’s really challenging, developing new contracting methods.”
She welcomes the challenge created by currently rising utility rates.
“That is something that motivates me, to see where we can save money. Where can we probably find a better procurement method or negotiate to save money, even if it’s a small amount,” she said.
* Marcus Fichtl, USAG Stuttgart, contributed to this story.
The Senate took a significant step in recent days to help former military service members suffering from toxic burn pit exposure by passing a bill to expand access to health care for post-9/11 combat veterans.
It’s not yet clear though when burn pit legislation might get to the President’s desk to be signed into law, and advocates say more still needs to be done for veterans to address the issue of toxic exposure.
Burn pits were used to incinerate and burn waste, hazardous material, and chemical compounds at military sites throughout Iraq and Afghanistan. A 2020 member survey by the advocacy organization Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America found that 86 percent of respondents were exposed to burn pits or other toxins.
The bill passed by the Senate on Wednesday would expand the window of eligibility for health care for post-9/11 combat veterans from five to 10 years after discharge from military service, and provide a one-year open enrollment period for any post-9/11 combat veterans who are outside that ten-year window.
Among other provisions, the bill would also require the Department of Veterans Affairs to implement clinical screenings for veterans to look for potential exposure to toxic substances and symptoms commonly associated with exposure.
The Senate bill had bipartisan backing and was introduced by Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat, and the top Republican on the panel, Jerry Moran of Kansas.
The bill is the first part of a three-step, bipartisan approach the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee is undertaking in an effort to address the issue of toxic exposure for veterans. The committee is currently working on the second phase of the effort with a goal of having it ready for Senate floor action in the coming months.
On the other side of the Capitol, Rep. Mark Takano, a California Democrat who chairs the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, has introduced a bill with bipartisan support called the Honoring our PACT Act that aims to improve health care and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances.
Among a range of provisions, the House bill would put in place “a presumption of service connection for 23 respiratory illnesses and cancers related to burn pits and airborne hazards exposure,” according to a fact sheet from the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
Since the House bill is not identical to the legislation passed by Senate, it is not yet clear what lawmakers will do to get a measure to the President’s desk and the bills may need to be reconciled at some point in the future.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi highlighted the House bill as an “important initiative” in a letter to House Democrats in January detailing the upcoming legislative agenda for the chamber.
After the Senate passed its bill this week, some advocates were quick to say more needs to be done.
Jeremy Butler, CEO of the group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, told CNN’s Brianna Keilar this week, “The bill that just passed through the Senate basically does about a third of what we were asking for and unfortunately, that’s because health care is expensive, benefits are expensive. But when you are sick and dying from rare cancers, that’s what you need.”
“This is a small first step,” he said. “It moves the ball legislatively down the line, but it doesn’t get to where we need as veteran’s groups.”
Tester and Moran celebrated the Senate bill’s passage this week as one step closer to ensuring veterans get the benefits they need and deserve.
“This is a big bill, an important bill and it does right by our veterans in this country,” said Tester ahead of the bill’s passage on the Senate floor.
Moran added that he’s heard from numerous veterans in his state and across the country who are sick or dying from the effects of toxic exposure caused by burn pits.
“Addressing the needs of veterans exposed to burn pits cannot wait. This legislation can be life-saving for those exposed or suffering,” he said in a speech on the Senate floor.
“When our men and women in uniform go into harm’s way on our behalf, we owe it to them to take care of them when they come home for whatever injuries are incurred during their service,” he said.
Comedian and political commentator Jon Stewart, who has been a longtime advocate for 9/11 first responders and victims, has been a high-profile figure in the effort to get help for veterans who have been exposed to burn pits.
“The bottom line is our country exposed our own veterans to poison for years, and we knew about it, and we did not act with urgency and appropriateness,” said Stewart last month at a virtual roundtable with the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “And therefore, we’ve lost men and women who served this country. They’ve died out of our inaction.”
There is no doubt the Super Tomcat 21 would have been the better plane but it still would have likely been a bit more expensive and still require some more maintenance than the Super Hornet.
Advancements during the Cold War in Soviet long range patrol and bomber aircraft dictated a requirement for a fleet defense fighter that could engage high-altitude bombers from well beyond visual range. The iconic F-14 Tomcat was Grumman’s answer. Equipped with long range AIM-54 Phoenix air-to-air missiles, F-14s could engage multiple hostiles over 90 miles away. Needing an interceptor’s high speed while carrying this heavy ordnance, Grumman produced the highly effective variable sweep wing of the F-14, enabling it to operate at a wide range of airspeeds.
The F-14 saw its first combat in August 1981, downing two Libyan Su-22 fighters over the Gulf of Sidra. It saw considerable duty in the Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan. The last F-14D Super Tomcat retired from active service with in 2006, when it was replaced by the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, an evolutionary upgrade to the F/A-18C/D.
Would the Super Tomcat outperform the Super Hornet assuming equivalent weapons technology?
Super Tomcat 21
‘The F-14D yes, it would in every area except reliability and turn performance (with equivalent combat loads the Tomcat was actually better than the F/A-18) but to truly understand what could have been you need to look at the Super Tomcat 21,’ explains Kevin Mason, former US Naval Test Pilot School and TOPGUN Graduate, on Quora.
‘This is a fairer comparison because the Tomcat’s contemporary was the F/A-18C while the F/A-18E/F is virtually a whole new aircraft in an F-18 skin. So, assuming the Tomcat would have had the same money thrown at it as the Hornet the actual aircraft to compare is the Super Tomcat 21.
‘The Super Tomcat 21, just like the Super Hornet, would have been a virtually complete redesign of the original with modern technology replacing the old and troublesome 1960’s tech. Included in that would have been fly-by-wire and reduced static stability (i.e., it would have turned even better than it already did) plus it would have had the F110–429 engines with even more thrust than the F-14D. Based on tests by Grumman, the Super Tomcat 21 would have been capable of super cruise with a full air-to-air load out.’
This print is available in multiple sizes from AircraftProfilePrints.com – CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS. F/A-18F Super Hornet VFA-11 Red Rippers, AB101 / 166634 / 2015
Mason continues;
‘So, the Super Tomcat 21 would have been faster, accelerated faster, carried more, have longer range and longer loiter, more bring back of unexpended ordnance, and be more maneuverable (especially with a combat load.) As for avionics and weapons, it would have had everything the Super Hornet has and can carry but because of the F-14’s larger size it would have had a more powerful radar.
‘As for the AIM-54 it’s hard to say if it would have been continued and for how long. Undoubtedly the Super Tomcat 21 would have retained the AIM-54C capability and there had been some several proposed and early developments of a follow-on advanced Phoenix so it’s possible it would have continued but because of the end of the Cold War and the F-14 getting AMRAAM it’s unlikely.
Super Tomcat 21
‘Although the Super Tomcat 21 would have been considerably more reliable and easier to maintain than the F-14A/B/D it probably would have still required more maintenance man hours than the Super Hornet because it would still have the variable sweep wings (a system that the Super Hornet doesn’t have) but since the wing system would have been upgraded as well it’s hard to say what the man hour cost would have actually been. Undoubtedly it would have been much better than its predecessors. Everything else would have been at least on par with the Hornet.’
Mason concludes;
‘There are other things that were planned (some classified) and there is no doubt the Super Tomcat 21 would have been the better plane but it still would have likely been a bit more expensive and still require some more maintenance than the Super Hornet.’
Photo credit: Northrop Grumman, National Museum of Naval Aviation and Boeing
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Enlarge / (l-r) Ben Schwartz as Tony Scarapiducci; Tawny Newsome as Angela Ali; Steve Carell as General Mark Naird; Jimmy O. Yang as Dr. Chan Kaifang; Don Lake as Brigadier General Bradley Gregory; Diana Silvers as Erin Naird; and John Malkovich as Dr. Adrian Mallory.
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The Netflix absurdist comedy Space Force was an Ars favorite in 2020, easily winning a spot on our annual list of best TV shows. We loved the show’s wickedly sly humor, absurdist set-ups, and unexpected heart. It’s finally back with a second season, and while much of the old magic remains intact, it’s starting to lose its luster just a bit—perhaps because we only got seven episodes instead of ten (thanks, never-ending pandemic).
(Spoilers for S1 below.)
As we’ve reported previously, the series was created by Steve Carell and Greg Daniels (who also created Parks and Recreation and Upload). Space Force was inspired in part by the Trump administration’s announcement that it would establish a national Space Force. Carell plays four-star general Mark Naird, a decorated pilot with dreams of running the Air Force.
But in the pilot episode, his dreams for promotion were dashed when he was tapped instead to lead the newly formed sixth branch of the US Armed Forces: Space Force. His new appointment earned the mockery of Naird’s four-star general rival Kick Grabaston (Noah Emmerich). Ever the good soldier, Mark uprooted his family and moved to a remote base in Wild Horse, Colorado where he and a colorful team of scientists and aspiring “Spacemen” struggled to meet the White House insistence on getting American boots on the Moon (again) by 2024, thereby achieving “total space dominance.”
Naird naturally butts heads with his chief scientist, Dr. Adrian Mallory (John Malkovich), a pacifist who has misgivings about working for the Department of Defense. Mark’s wife, Maggie (Lisa Kudrow) is in prison, and his daughter Erin (Diana Silvers) resents having to live in Colorado. The impressive main cast also includes Ben Schwartz as social media director Tony Scarapiducci; Jimmy O. Yang as Dr. Chan Kaifang, Mallory’s lead assistant; Tawny Newsome as Captain Angela Ali, a helicopter pilot who becomes one of the mission’s astronauts; and Don Lake as Brigadier General Bradley Gregory, Naird’s adjutant.
Enlarge / Mallory shows the NASA Apollo astronaut gallery to a visiting Chinese scientist who is a moon landing denier.
Netflix
Somehow, Space Force succeeds in getting those boots on the moon—but so does China. In the S1 finale, the Joints Chief of Staff were outraged by the Chinese astronauts’ desecration of the Apollo 11 Lunar Flag Assembly (they rolled over it in a rover). Naird’s strategy for a mild attack on the Chinese habitat was over-ruled by the Secretary of Defense, who ordered the destruction of the Chinese lunar base, which would likely trigger all-out war.
Mallory threatened to resign, and Naird decided to defy his orders. That, in turn, led to Grabaston executing a military coup and taking over Space Force, arresting Mallory and Naird. The US astronauts were told to attack the Chinese habitat with wrenches. They returned from this dubious mission to find that the Chinese astronauts had crippled the US base, putting their very survival at risk. And, scene.
Enlarge / Chan recruits the science team to analyze the status of his fledgling relationship with Angela.
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That first season was inexplicably panned by critics (viewers were far more positive). Maybe those critics weren’t watching the same series, because we here at Ars loved the show, even though Senior Space Editor Eric Berger had some issues with the depiction of the space-tech. It’s not The Office, nor is it Veep, and that’s a good thing. My take:
Space Force‘s approach to comedy is that of a precision scalpel carefully sheathed to avoid inflicting too much damage with its cuts. There’s an underlying warmth and affection for all these fallible characters trying to do something extraordinary, making us root for them even as we laugh at their pratfalls…. Malkovich shines like a supernova as Dr. Adrian Mallory, a committed pacifist, passionate about his science, working for a military operation (“Space should be a zone of wonder, not of conflict and death”). His languid acerbic wit and genteel sophistication are the perfect foil to Carell’s tightly wound, rough-around-the-edges, everything-by-the-book general, who feels deeply but keeps those feelings bottled up, as a good soldier should. Their unlikely friendship, forged in the fires of a nigh-impossible task, is the heart and soul of the series.
Netflix clearly felt the series performed well enough to warrant a second season. The season picks up a few months after the finale. Angela and her fellow astronauts (including the Chinese) managed to make it back to Earth, and Space Force is now subject to a disciplinary hearing before the new administration’s Secretary of Defense (Tim Meadows). Naird emerges still in charge of Space Force, but the fledgling agency has four months to prove itself—and its budget has been slashed in half.
Enlarge / Patton Oswalt guest-stars as Captain Lancaster, deployed on a one-man mission to Mars.
Netflix
Meanwhile, Angela is struggling with her new national hero status and distancing herself from her fledgling relationship with Chan. He handles it pretty much like the lovable nerd he is: by constructing an elaborate flowchart complete with equations to assess the situation. (Dude, take a hint from that returned-text ratio.) Mallory’s beloved manned Mars mission gets the axe, leaving its lone astronaut, Captain Lancaster (Patton Oswalt) in a precarious predicament. Naird’s wife, Maggie, files for divorce, and Erin is ambivalent about going to college, angling to take a gap year instead.
The writers do an excellent job of giving each member of the gifted ensemble cast their moment in the spotlight. Nor so they skimp on small throwaway comic moments that can ornament a scene, like the fact that US satellites in the series are all named after 70s rock bands (Genesis, Rush, Blue Oyster Cult). In the strongest episode, Naird and Mallory host a diplomatic dinner with a visiting delegation from China. Mallory spars with the delegation’s chief scientist, a defiant moon landing denier who needles Mallory by dismissing Neil Armstrong as a “terrific actor.” Meanwhile, Naird, a notorious lightweight, must hold his own, shot-for-shot, against the Chinese general to successfully negotiate a 50/50 split of the moon’s resources.
However, because of the shortened season, S2 just doesn’t have the breathing room to develop the grace notes that so enriched the storytelling of that first season, especially with regard to the interpersonal relationships. The characters don’t really develop much at all, making that whole aspect feel rather thin. I especially missed the subtle moments between Naird and Mallory, although Carell and Malkovich deliver their usual impeccable performances. This is still a delightful, eminently bingeable series and I’m rooting for a full third season without the constraints of shooting during a full-blown pandemic.
The second season of Space Force is now streaming on Netflix.
Steve Carrell and John Malkovich star in the second season of the Netflix comedy Space Force.
TheAir Force Reserve Command’s 920th Rescue Wing conducted a multi-person medical airlift in support of a critically-injured person aboard a cruise ship 600 nautical miles off the coast of Florida, Feb. 15.
The 920th RQW launched two of its HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, two HC-130J Combat King II aircraft, and a team of pararescuemen within three hours of notification to rendezvous with the ship and transport a patient and ship’s nurse to a Florida hospital.
“The combined capabilities of our special mission personnel and aircraft permitted us to provide immediate support,” said Col. Brian Diehl, 920th Operations Group commander. “Our constant planning and preparation allowed both operations and maintenance teams to shift rapidly from a normal training day to successful completion of this mission with very little notice.”
In contact with the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at Tyndall Air Force Base, the team executed the airlift under Defense Support of Civil Authorities. DSCA is the process by which United States military assets and personnel can be used to assist civil authorities during emergencies and other specific events.
Reaching the ship’s remote location required three aerial refuelings en route, provided by one HC-130J, while the second Combat King II performed double duty as a spare tanker and went directly to the vessel to initiate coordination from the air.
Once at the location, and under the command of the 920th RQW’s 301st Rescue Squadron, the HH-60s took control, examined the ship and conditions to position successfully from the air, insert two pararescuemen who were hoisted down, and immediately began preparing the patient and ship’s nurse for the emergency transport. Once prepared, the PJs, pilots, and special mission aviators worked in concert to hoist them into the helicopter, where the patient was stabilized while en route to a Florida hospital.
The entire extraction took less than four minutes.
“High seas, strong winds, and a ship going 10 knots added a lot of dynamics to this rescue as we worked on getting these people up into the aircraft, but this is what we train for” said a 301st RQS pilot. “When they say that there is a real-world rescue to execute, our focus is on saving lives.”
The 920th Maintenance Group generated six aircraft and ensured they were crew-ready in less than one hour. This feat required inspecting, fueling, and configuring the aircraft for the mission while executing other aircraft maintenance requirements.
“Much like our wing exercises that simulate Indo-Pacific region travel over long distances of water in a short period of time, our training and preparation allow us to ensure aircraft are ready for real-world events at a moment’s notice and shows the importance of getting aircraft back to flight line 100% ready for any contingency at any time,” said Lt. Col. George Cole, 920th Maintenance Group commander.
The rescue mission covered just under 1,100 miles round trip over open ocean and completed in eight hours.
Based at Patrick Space Force Base, the 920th RQW is AFRC’s only combat search and rescue wing. Its primary mission is to plan, lead, and conduct military rescue operations and missions to deny competitors and adversaries’ exploitation of isolated personnel.
ARLINGTON, Virginia — In 2021 Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 joined the British aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth on a historic deployment years in the making ― one that showcased the F-35B.
During the ship’s nearly eight months at sea, Marines and British pilots with the Joint Squadron 617 flew sorties over Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq, and trained with more than 40 nations in around the Mediterranean Sea, Middle East and Pacific.
But while training in the Mediterranean Sea with the vertical lift F-35B, the well-publicized deployment drew some unwanted Russian visitors, a British defense official told reporters.
“We were not surprised,” the British official said.
“Our friends wanted to come and exercise with us, we shouldn’t be surprised that others want to come and have a look as well,” the official said.
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Fighter jets from NATO nations running to intercept Russian aircraft encroaching on allied airspace or operations is nothing new.
In 2021 NATO announced that it conducted 290 such missions over Europe.
But for Marine Brig. Gen. Simon Doran, the U.S. senior national representative to Carrier Strike Group 21, the number of intercept operations was on a scale he had not seen in his six prior deployments on aircraft carriers.
Doran said the pilots on the Queen Elizabeth had to run more intercept and escort missions against Russian jets operating near the carrier strike group than he had seen in his entire career.
“It was really interesting to see if we could demonstrate the unmatched capability of the F-35 against some of the Russian aircraft,” Doran told reporters Tuesday at the Pentagon. “And we’re quite fortunate in that we got the interception escort, I think more Russian aircraft and many other deployments.”
The Russian observers gave the entire carrier strike group the opportunity to operate around a force that was using submarines, surface ships and aircraft — adding a dimension of realism to the exercise, the British defense official added.
The deployment was meant as a proof of concept, showing that Marines with F-35Bs were able to operate off of any U.S. or allied ship that had enough space on its deck to hold them.
“The U.S. forces started this journey with planning teams over a decade ago,” Doran said.
British Rear Adm. Steve Moorehouse, the former commander of Carrier Strike Group 21, which the Marines deployed with, said, “As a commander I was blind to the tailfin of that aircraft it really didn’t matter if it was a Marine Corps or U.K. jet, it was just an F-35 as far as I was concerned.”
The increased flexibility and unpredictably will be an asset in future near-peer fights.
But with the greater opportunities came greater risk of a small tactical misunderstanding leading to an international incident.
“For us it was all about a willingness not to respond, but we would not be bullied or pushed out of there,” the British defense official said.
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held last week to open a new exhibit in the Connecticut State Capitol hosted by State Rep. Anthony Nolan to honor the Coast Guard through February 24, 2022.
The three-week long exhibit consists of 24 panels and historical artifacts on display in the concourse between the Legislative Office Building and the Capitol Building and will honor and highlight the rich history of the Coast Guard with an emphasis on Connecticut based Coast Guard units.
The opening event included remarks by Rep. Joe Courtney; Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz; State Rep. Anthony Nolan; and Rear Adm. Bill Kelly, Coast Guard Academy Superintendent and was attended by various government officials and Coast Guard personnel from numerous units across Connecticut.
The Coast Guard in Connecticut is comprised of various ashore and afloat units, while the Coast Guard Academy, Coast Guard Band, Coast Guard Cutter Barque Eagle, Coast Guard Cutter Coho, and Coast Guard Station New London all call New London home.
The exhibit is an opportunity to inform visitors and elected officials at the Capitol about Coast Guard units located in Connecticut and provides an opportunity to educate the public about the Coast Guard’s global reach. Three of the panels in the exhibit feature the National Coast Guard Museum, which will share the Coast Guard’s story of the past, present and future, and display many historic artifacts of the nation’s history when built in New London.
“The Coast Guard has been proud to call Connecticut its home throughout our 232 year history and we are proud be a part of the state’s rich legacy,” said Rear Adm. Bill Kelly, Coast Guard Academy Superintendent. “Not only are we building the future leaders of the Coast Guard right here in Connecticut, but Coast Guard women and men across the state work tirelessly to ensure the safety and security of Connecticut’s nearly 11 billion dollar maritime economy.”
“The Coast Guard is an integral part of Connecticut’s history, especially to the City of New London. Thank you to the United States Coast Guard Academy for bringing this exhibit to our State Capitol to honor and recognize the historical significance of this branch of our military,” said Rep. Anthony Nolan.” As a U.S. Navy veteran, this exhibit to honor our military is especially important to me.”
“Our United States Coast Guard works diligently day in and day out to protect the health and safety of our U.S. waters,” said Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz. “The Coast Guard has a special place in my heart as my aunt, Mrs. Mary Stewart, joined the Coast Guard during World War II and served in Palm Beach, Florida. This exhibit is a terrific opportunity to learn more about our history, and honor the service of our U.S. Coast Guard members.”
The exhibit is located in the concourse of the Legislative Office Building, 300 Capitol Ave., Hartford, CT, 06106. The exhibit is free, open to the public, and can be viewed Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For the five years since its inception, Glen Lakes Veterans and Friends (GLVF) has donated more than $250,000 to American Legions, Veterans of Foreign Wars Posts, Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and other organizations in Hernando and Citrus counties that serve the needs of service personnel. Each year, after their annual golf outing, they hold a reception at Glen Lakes Country Club to recognize businesses and individuals who have made the event a success. They also present checks to the beneficiaries of that year’s fundraiser.
Among the individuals that GLVH recognized at the 2021 reception in December was State Representative Blaise Ingoglia who donated $2,500. The following made contributions of $1,000 or more so far this year: the Dufrane family, the Ford family, the Taylor family, and the Yooper family.
This year Glen Lakes Veterans and Friends awarded five grants. In order to be considered for a grant, the organization must submit a grant application and be vetted by the GLVF Board of Directors. VFW Post 10209 received a grant for $7,000. This will go toward Honor Guard expenses, 100 chairs for their meeting hall, a computer, and renovations to their memorial area.
American Legion Post 186 was awarded a $7,000 grant. These funds will be used for new Honor Guard uniforms and weapons, as well as a laptop, and printer for their veterans service officer. The Polish American Legion Post 196 received $4,000. This money will be used to upgrade their Honor Guard uniforms.
The DAV was awarded $6,000 for utilities, air conditioning maintenance and two service officer computers. Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home in Land o’ Lakes received a grant of $4,400 for tables and chairs. This 120-bed facility provides skilled nursing care for sixty residents and can even accommodate patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s.
It’s not widely-known that the VFW, American Legion and other veterans’ organizations do not receive any federal funds. They rely solely on dues from their members to keep their posts running. With membership in some of these dwindling and funds drying up, they would not be able to keep their doors open without contributions from non-profit organizations Like Glen Lakes Veterans and Friends.
Besides their annual golf tournament, GLVF is having a raffle at Glory Days Restaurant for a new YETI cooler donated by the Lowman Law Firm. The cooler is filled with more than $1500 worth of goodies, including a four-person pass to play golf at Glen Lakes Country Club, scratch-off lottery tickets, Weeki Wachee Car Wash gift certificates, and a “humongous assortment of booze.” Tickets for the drawing, which will take place on March 20th can be purchased from any GLVF member or in the lobby of Glory Days.
GLVF is also promoting Operation $100. This is a fund-raising drive to encourage businesses and individuals to donate a minimum of $100. Those who do so will have their names posted on the GLVF website.
Glen Lakes Veterans and Friends believes in giving back to those who give. Any business that contributes a substantial amount of money will get their name and company logo on their website. They will also receive a sticker to put in their store or office window stating that they are a “veteran-friendly” business. GLVF urges all their members and donors to support these businesses.
As Ron Ford, treasurer of GLVF, states, “It is an honor to give back to the fraternity called U.S. Veterans. The need is so great, but helping even one veteran is better than standing on the side lines and doing nothing.”
For more information on Glen Lakes Veterans and Friends and to contribute go to www.glenlakesvets.org. You can also find out more by contacting Ron Ford at 906-291-0587 or any of the other board members listed on their website.
Alaska Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bradley Jorgensen, Sgt. 1st Class Damion Minchaca, Capt. Cody McKinney, and Staff Sgt. Sonny Cooper, all members of Golf Company, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, in front of an HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter at Bryant Army Airfield on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Feb. 17, 2022. The crew received the DUSTOFF Association 2021 Rescue of the Year award for their efforts in a rescue completed Sept. 15, 2021. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Grace Nechanicky) (Photo Credit: Spc. Grace Nechanicky)
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Four members of the Alaska Army National Guard’s Golf Company, Detachment 1, 2-211th General Aviation Support Battalion, received the 2021 Rescue of the Year award for rescuing a sheep hunter stranded for two days at 5,750 feet on a 3-by-3-foot ledge on a 50-degree slope near Cottonwood Creek in the Knik River Valley Sept. 15, 2021. (Courtesy photo) (Photo Credit: Spc. Grace Nechanicky)
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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – Four members of the Alaska Army National Guard’s Golf Company, Detachment 1, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, 207th Aviation Regiment, received the 2021 Rescue of the Year award.
At approximately 1:30 p.m. Sept. 15, 2021, a sheep hunter activated his InReach satellite communication device to send an SOS signal to the Alaska State Troopers. He suffered minor cold-weather injuries and malnourishment near Cottonwood Creek, 40 miles northeast of Anchorage, down the Knik River Valley.
The hunter was stranded at an elevation of 5,750 feet for two days on a 3-by-3-foot ledge on a 50-degree slope when it started snowing and made it impossible to descend.
Once the AST received the distress signal, they requested assistance from the Guard through the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center. The AKRCC sent the request to the 207th AVN, where Capt. Cody McKinney accepted the mission as the pilot in command and prepared to launch a hoist-capable HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter with a medevac crew.
“When we got this call, the [cloud] ceilings were forecasted below the hunter, and we knew that it was a technical rescue if we could even get to him,” said McKinney, who is also deputy state Army aviation officer and commander of G-Company, 2-211th GSAB. “We thought, ‘What type of medevac unit are we if we don’t try?’ So we decided to launch knowing that we might not be able to get up to him, and we just talked through the mitigating factors.”
McKinney, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Bradley Jorgensen, the mission co-pilot; Staff Sgt. Sonny Cooper, the helicopter crew chief and hoist operator; and Sgt. 1st Class Damion Minchaca, the flight paramedic and hoist rider, departed Bryant Army Airfield about one hour after the hunter sent his SOS.
The team was determined to rescue the hunter, according to McKinney. Weather forecasts predicted the early-winter snowstorm would only get worse, which would leave him stranded for at least another couple of days if the crew didn’t act quickly.
“We saw a small hole [in the clouds] tucked up against the mountains, so we took our opportunity to go up through there,” said McKinney. “Once you get in between two layers like that, there’s a risk that the hole closes up if there’s cloud movement, and there was. At that point, we were fully committed to this guy and to finishing the rescue.”
Once they made it through the base cloud layer, they used a dynamic hoist technique to retrieve the stranded hunter. Unlike a static hoist where the helicopter hovers over the target, the dynamic hoist technique allows for quicker, precise extraction without bringing the aircraft to a prolonged hover.
“We will fly towards the target, open the door, and bring the hoist rider out, all while we’re flying about 60 or 70 knots,” explained McKinney. “Then we approach the target while that hoist rider is also descending.”
The medevac team did this in white-out conditions, with minimal visibility.
“It’s basically as if we were inside of a ping pong ball where everything around you is white and you don’t have a good visual reference,” he explained. “And when you’re trying to do a hoist at almost 6,000 feet to a one-foot section, it’s fairly technical because a lot could go wrong.”
Once Minchaca landed on the ledge, he pushed the hunter back against the mountain wall so he couldn’t fall while he secured him in an aviation rescue vest. In just over one minute, the hunter was safe and being hoisted up into the helicopter to be transported to Palmer airport.
“[The mission] was just very technical, which set it apart from some of our other ones,” said McKinney. “Normally, when we go on a mission, we know that certain variables are taken care of, and in this case, we just didn’t know. We had a low probability of actually being able to get to him, and we went anyways, because that’s what we do.”
The rescue award will be officially presented to the four crew members in San Antonio, Texas, May 21 during the DUSTOFF Association annual awards banquet.
The association, established in 1980, is a nonprofit veterans’ organization for enlisted, officers, families, and others who have ever engaged in or supported Army aeromedical evacuation programs.
“It takes a tremendous amount of people involved in a rescue like this,” said McKinney. “The expectation is that we go out and do that, and it’s not possible unless we have trust of leadership, the RCC that’s willing to give us the mission, the Air Guard that cross-trains with us. Even though we’re getting highlighted, it was very much an Alaska National Guard joint operation.”
