Space Force

The 325th Maintenance Squadron low observable maintenance unit plays a crucial role in maintaining F-35A Lightning II aircraft at Tyndall, ensuring its stealth features stay ready via four major means: visual, infrared, audio and radar.

“Low observability” is a term that represents the element of surprise in combat operations. This capability is vital to Tyndall’s mission as it enhances pilots’ strategic advantage by reducing the likelihood of detection, which increases the safety of personnel and equipment and enables successful operations. Without low observable maintainers the fifth-generation aircraft cannot sustain stealth capabilities, making the F-35 susceptible to detection and jeopardizing mission operations.

“The overall goal is to ensure that when a pilot starts taxiing their aircraft, they have the confidence to go in and breach enemy space with the assurance of a good, working [low observable] system, so they can do what they need to do undetected,” said Tech. Sgt. Ryan McGarrigle, 325th Maintenance Squadron low observable maintenance craftsman. “[Our goal is] to make the aircraft as small as possible on radar, sound and sight.”

Low observability maintenance is a complex system that goes beyond normal camouflage efforts, such as anti-visibility aircraft paint. One of the aircraft’s targeting sensors features an electro-optical targeting system, which is just one of the many components within the low observable system that is highly valuable yet extremely delicate. Maintenance on this unique system is considered a specialized and intricate art, which is another necessity for F-35s to remain undetectable in contested areas.

“It’s important because we are the only Air Force in the world to have consistently operated low observable aircraft for an extended period of time, and it keeps us several steps ahead of our adversaries,” stated Airman 1st Class Philip James, 325th MXS low observable maintenance apprentice.

Low observable maintenance is a unique field that demands craftsmanship and a finesse that sets it apart, according to McGarrigle. While other maintenance career fields have a wider range of maintenance processes, LO demands strict precision from the team in every aspect of their work from the tools they use to the meticulous tasks they perform on the F-35.

“I have enjoyed working as a low observable maintainer; it’s very rewarding,” said James. “There are times that it can be frustrating because we must go set a panel up and then we have to take it right back off again. [However,] in that same breath, it can be very rewarding after you have been working on an aircraft for a couple of hours and then restore it from subpar to something optimal— that is something to be really proud of.”

Team Tyndall also depends on low observable maintainers to remove any materials located in or around aircraft panels. Once other maintainers have completed their work, LO is responsible for restoring the aircraft to its original condition, ensuring it is ready for field operations. Other maintainers cannot remove the panels without LO, as they lack the necessary tools and expertise to handle the specialized radar-absorbent materials of the F-35.

“If other maintainers, apart from LO, tried to remove the panels from the aircraft themselves, they could potentially scratch the deposits and damage it,” mentioned James. “Damage would require a whole other repair process focused strictly on the composites of the aircraft.”

LO’s days often involve receiving information from the previous shift, an aircraft prioritization brief, forming teams and gathering materials while performing maintenance until shift turnover starts the process over.

James explained that their continuous operations provide warfighters with unwavering power, stealth, survivability and lethality in maintaining F-35s, ensuring the overall team is proficient in their skills and capable of utilizing them under various conditions and circumstances.

“Without LO, the jet is going to glow on radar, and it’s our job to make it as invisible as possible,” said McGarrigle. “With current technology, the jets aren’t fully invisible on radar, [but] we do our best to get as close as possible to make sure that [the aircraft] is as unrecognizable as possible.”

FORT KNOX, KY – Leaders from the 244th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade gathered around the table, plotted their air corridors, and collaborated in the preparation for their aerial assault planning for this year’s command post exercise, hosted by the 87th Training Division located at Fort Knox, KY.

The 87th set the conditions coming into this exercise that would both evaluate and validate the 244th’s ability to facilitate the Military Decision-Making Process, synchronize staff functions, coordinate with combined and intra-agency support for air asset management, as well as execute both aerial reconnaissance, patrol and assault operations.

The Commander of the 87th, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Mission Control Training Detachment, Col. Thomas Westrick, understood that each training unit has a different mission set, however the fundamentals of MDMP remain the same.

“Part of our mission is to build staff readiness in preparation for large scale combat operations,” said Westrick. “Challenging the staff through situations or injects that require rapid decision making in response, all while managing the air space and coordinating with fires and air defense, create the conditions for a better, more prepared staff.”

Col. Casey Martinez, the 244th Commander, regularly emphasizes the importance of staff training opportunities that refresh and enhance staff capabilities, given the dynamic mission set of today’s Army Reserve and their citizen Soldiers.

“Training is essential due to the lower frequency of training opportunities that provide a sufficient environment and space,” said Martinez. “Talking theoretically about the MDMP process can be beneficial however in practice., we can discover the cracks in our efficiency which these training events help us identify.”

The commander’s role is to provide guidance to the staff along with overall mission objectives to accomplish while evaluating processes to improve efficacy.

“Our goals are to refine systems and processes while seizing opportunities to test our skills and gain experience,” said Martinez. “It helps us to better understand the integration of war fighting functions from a multi-component perspective.”

Some of these multi-component assets embedded within the 2MCTD are air defense and air threat management specialists, that analyze the battle space, provide technical expertise in adversarial threat capability within the operational environment, and air defense system coordination for friendly asset protection.

Chief Warrant Officer 5 James Morgan, the 2MCTD Air Mission Survivability Officer, analyzes key terrain characteristics and offers guidance based on potential enemy threat capabilities.

“I advise the commander on the most effective, efficient and safest course of action to execute any given mission,” said Morgan. “This ensures highest survivability rate for our crews and success rates for neutralization of enemy air defense assets.”

Morgan integrates and collaborates his analyses with intelligence and air defense officers for multifaceted perspectives that offer the staff a more wholistic understanding of any given operational environment.

Intelligence is vital in any battle space, and for the 244th ECAB, understanding enemy intent and communicating information to the commander is essential, as the unit S2 Capt. Emily Wiebe states,” My role is to provide enemy information be it plans, patterns, or trends, that may impact friendly forces during the mission.”

The air defense officer acts as the liaison between the 244th and the air defense asset during an operation. Their role is to ensure proper air space management through air corridor control and identification management.

Regardless of any particular mission set, the 87th provides a comprehensive curriculum of simulations that both challenge a unit’s staff to react and refine their MDMP processes and enable them to efficiently adapt to any given environment.

They utilize a variety of tools to include real time computer simulations, effects, injects, and observer coach trainers, all built within a well-developed scenario providing realism invaluable for staff development.

This CPX has prepared the 244th for their role in the WARFIGHTER exercise at Fort Drum, NY next year in support of the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade.

“Ready to Serve”

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Red Flag-Alaska 24-3, a Pacific Air Forces-sponsored exercise, began Aug. 15, with primary flight operations over the Joint Pacific-Alaska Range Complex and is scheduled to run through Aug. 30. Red Flag-Alaska is designed to provide realistic training in a simulated combat environment.

Approximately 1,800 service members are expected to fly, maintain and support more than 50 aircraft from 15 units during this iteration of the exercise. In addition to the U.S., service members from the Royal Australian Air Force are participating, enabling them to exchange tactics, techniques and procedures while improving interoperability with fellow Airmen. Most aircraft will be based at, and fly from, Eielson Air Force Base and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

“Red Flag is the result of the Vietnam era of fighting,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Richard Crumrine, an exchange officer and E-7A Wedgetail air battle manager assigned to 2 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force. “We noticed a lot of casualties were occurring, so Red Flag was originally spun up to allow fighter pilots to get their first glimpse of combat without going into combat. It has since evolved, providing the entire participating joint and coalition force their first 10 combat sorties.”

As Red Flag has evolved over the years since Vietnam, it not only provides fighter pilots their first 10 combat sorties, but also includes training for Airmen manning a variety of aircraft such as the KC-135 Stratotanker, KC-46 Pegasus, C-17 Globemasters, C-130 Hercules, and command and control platforms like the E-3 Sentry and E-7A Wedgetail.

“From the detachment’s perspective, Red Flag is important, in that it provides an unmatched swath of air space for participants to wargame and test their own units’ TTPs, and from those lessons learned develop new TTPs and take them back to their units,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Tyler Sellers, assistant director of operations assigned to the 354th Operations Group Detachment 1, JBER. “It’s also an opportunity for them to certify their combat readiness through a (Combat Certification 1) exercise, essentially using Red Flag as a validation measure for their readiness for combat scenarios.”

Red Flag-Alaska training spans from individual skills to complex, large-scale joint engagements. The exercises can be adapted to integrate various forces into a realistic threat environment using the more than 77,000 square miles of airspace in the Joint Pacific-Alaska Range Complex, which is the largest combat training range in the world.

“This (Red Flag) is called a STO (Special Technical Operations) Flag, it is an exercise held at the highest possible level of classification that we have, as the U.S. between our partner nations,” said Sellers. “We are bringing together the best of our inventories to integrate, operate, and test ourselves for strengths and weaknesses. So, the expectations are there to test our capabilities and weigh them against those of our adversaries.”

As Red Flag continues over the next two weeks, the U.S. Air Force and RAAF will work side-by-side to solve complex scenarios learning from each other to provide combat ready forces for any potential future conflicts.

The Department of the Air Force announced the Company Grade Officers’ Council 2023 annual award winners on March 21, 2024.

The Yokota Air Base CGOC earned 2023 Council of the Year after competing against approximately 100 other CGOCs across the Department of the Air Force.

Yokota’s CGOC is a bilateral committee comprised of junior officers from the U.S. Air Force and Japanese Air Self-Defense Force. Capt. Nathaniel Freeman, the council’s JASDF liaison also won the 2023 Leader of the Year award.

“This past year I’ve focused on integrating members of JASDF into our CGOC,” said Freeman, 374th Airlift Wing judge advocate chief of operations and international law. “Together we brainstormed various activities that would help bring USAF and JASDF officers together and build a more cohesive partnership. This entire project wouldn’t have been possible without their efforts and collaboration, and I feel very fortunate that our paths came together.”

To continue innovation and sustain excellence, Freeman plans to continue fostering the partnership with the JASDF.

“I’m hoping to find new ways to have meaningful engagements with off-base organizations, including volunteer opportunities. I’m in the early stages of planning some other combined events as well,” he said. “My greatest hope is that the foundation of friendship we’ve built with JASDF members will continue to grow for many years ahead.”

Freeman was nominated by his CGOC peer and former president, 1st Lieutenant Kauryn Karmazinas, 374th Mission Support Group executive officer. The winners from each of the geographic regions were determined by a panel comprised of DAF CGOC leaders.

“Nate delivered the utmost enthusiasm and consistency. Over the course of 2023, Nate affirmed the JASDF liaison role as a future norm for the Yokota CGOC, and played an integral role in our entire community, by establishing intentional collaboration with our local national peers,” Karmazinas said. “His willingness to bring innovative ideas to the table and find ways to yes has positively influenced the cultural and professional worldview of 300 Yokota Air Base CGOs, thus making our corps, base community, and USAF stronger.”

The Yokota CGOC2023 accomplishments stood out for their exceptional achievements in professional development, community service, fundraising, base support, recruiting and retention, and social activities.

The council hosted 119 activities, totaling over 80 combined hours, which raised 3,000 dollars.

Funds raised were used for networking and professional development events and were poured back into the base community through donations for events like “Trunk-or-Treat” and the 374th Airlift Wing’s Annual Awards ceremony.

The council also volunteered members to support US-Japan outreach events, including the annual Kanto Plain Special Olympics, and recruitment efforts at the Department of Defense Education Activity Yokota High School College Fair.

The Department of the Air Force Company Grade Officers’ Council (DAFCGOC) is an organization that represents more than 47,000 junior military officers of the United States Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard and Space Force.

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON – Airplanes need hangars. Pilots and crew members use a sheltered space to perform maintenance tasks, enhance an aircraft’s capabilities, and to keep it clean, safe and secure. For the Air Force at Eielson Air Force Base, “it” is two squadrons of F-35A Lightning II fighter jets now stationed in the far north.

Understanding the need for supporting infrastructure for one of the nation’s most advanced weapon systems, the Department of Defense invested about $600 million on a beddown program at the installation located near North Pole, Alaska. Also known as the “joint strike fighter,” the two squadrons consist of 54 aircraft that now have the proper facilities to support their missions thanks to the design and construction work of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District.

The final turnover

In April 2024, the Alaska District participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Air Force in celebration of completing an alternate mission equipment, or AME, storage facility at the installation. It was the last project of an eight-year-long program executed between 2016 to 2024 for the incoming planes, pilots and crews – about 1,500 airmen total – and their families. In all, about 25 new projects were built such as hangars, a missile maintenance facility, weather shelters, ground equipment facilities and more.

“The significant portfolio of worldclass facilities constructed by USACE in support of the F-35 program in Alaska is a testament to our commitment as the primary design and construction agent for our military partners,” said Col. Jeffrey Palazzini, district commander. “This infrastructure is built to last and will help our partners strengthen the stability and security in the Indo-Pacific Region and Arctic for many years to come.”

The AME facility provides valuable storage capabilities for the 354th Fighter Wing’s combat readiness and, like many of the other projects, protects personnel from the arctic climate. It houses equipment and components that enhance the F-35’s weapons portfolio and will facilitate functions for the management, maintenance and inspection activities of “alternate mission equipment” for the squadrons’ fleet.

“This facility symbolizes the Air Force’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding our nation and projecting air power in the Pacific theater,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Higgins, commander of the 354th Civil Engineering Squadron during the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Experts in Arctic engineering

Since 1946, the Alaska District has served as the nation’s leader in arctic engineering and construction. During the beddown, engineers and construction personnel applied extensive cold regions expertise to the F-35 projects.

“It was one of the most difficult programs I have led because critical utilities were not in place, and required winter construction in a sub-arctic environment,” said Monica Velasco, who commenced the effort as the program manager and later became the district’s Chief of the Construction Branch in 2018.

Velasco was referring to a three-mile underground concrete utility corridor, known as a utilidor, where one mile was upgraded, and two miles were constructed. The system now provides steam, condensate and water to facilities at the new F-35 complex. Emerging environmental regulations, the interconnectivity and proximity of the 25 projects as well as manpower issues added to the challenge, she said.

Regardless, the teamwork between USACE, the Air Force and contractors was one of the most rewarding parts for her.

“We came together and committed to successfully delivering this program,” she explained. “We thought innovatively on methods for thawing permafrost and worked with each other to share lessons learned in order to improve.”

During an interview with Airman Magazine in 2019, Velasco explained that several of the construction projects were built on top of warm permafrost, which presents unique challenges for design and construction. Typically, there are three options when dealing with permafrost: keep it frozen, thaw it or excavate entirely. Maintaining the thermal state of the soils is critical to prevent foundations from moving.

At some of the construction sites, the soil was thawed prior to constructing the foundations. For construction of the missile maintenance facility, contractors inserted pipes in a grid pattern at the site to carry hot water down underground to thaw permafrost. The water was pumped back to the surface for reheating and the cycle continued until the ground was melted evenly across the site. After construction was complete, the building’s heat now ensures the soil does not freeze again.

Where thawing or excavating material may have been too expensive or impractical due to the depth or thickness of the permafrost, thermosyphons were used to keep the soils below frozen. Reminiscent of a design for in-floor heating in a family dwelling, insulated piping was installed about 25 feet below the surface that used liquid carbon dioxide to absorb the surrounding soil’s heat. As the fluid heated, it would transform into a gas naturally and travel up syphons where it would cool and become liquid again. Gravity would draw the liquid down and the cycle repeats on its own.

“The Alaska District team is no stranger to construction in the Interior Alaska region and the challenges it presents,” Palazzini said.

Staying ready in the Arctic

In 2019, the DOD’s Arctic Strategy outlined a desired end-state where “the Arctic is a secure and stable region in which U.S. national security interests are safeguarded, the U.S. homeland is defended and nations work cooperatively to address shared challenges,” according to a DOD news release. It was imperative that the beddown program did not interfere with the Air Force’s operations in Alaska – the state that makes the United States an Arctic nation.

“The cold weather considerations made the construction at Eielson unique,” said Col. Curtis Dougherty, 354th Operations Group commander. “Also, there was a lot of complexity during construction to retain and sustain the capacity to receive forces from around the world in support of both high-end training exercises, like Red Flag-Alaska and Northern Edge, and force projection into the Indo-Pacific Theater while adding the facilities and runway environment for two fifth generation flying squadrons.”

Critical for the Air Force to maintain its readiness, the F-35 flight simulator project was an important milestone to complete early on. This facility allowed aircrews to train on the next generation of fighter jet before the planes made their official arrival to Alaska beginning in April 2020. At the onset of the program, Eielson did not have a simulator that met the requirements of the jet. Without it, servicemembers would have needed to travel elsewhere to be certified, potentially putting the ability to deploy the aircraft at risk, let alone train, before they were received.

“The flight simulator stands out to me because it was the first project of the F-35 beddown program and it brought the Air Force, contractors and USACE truly together,” Velasco said. “It was the beginning of a great story.”

Supporting the personnel

While the bulk of the beddown’s projects directly support the fighter jets and missions such as the facilities for squadron operations, weapons, and a fuel truck shelter as examples, the Air Force needed a new satellite dining facility and school age center for the large influx of servicemembers and families heading to Alaska.

The dining facility serves about 900 meals per mealtime in support of the 1,500 operation and maintenance specialists associated with the F-35 mission. Located near the central hub of the F-35 complex, the convenience of the eatery cuts down on a 40-minute roundtrip to the existing dining facility located on the other end of the installation.

Meanwhile, the school age center is designed to support the enrollment of about 240 children that accompanied the families of the Airmen alongside the aircraft. At the time, the existing facility was at maximum capacity of about 100 with a waiting list.

“These projects were crucial in providing a good quality-of-life standard for personnel at Eielson,” Velasco said. “Otherwise, the strain on the existing school and dining facilities would have affected the Air Force’s morale, welfare and mission readiness.”

Now that the major infrastructure effort is complete, ensuring the Air Force’s full capability to deliver that combat power to the combatant commander around the clock and on short notice is the most rewarding part, Dougherty said.

While these projects are built to last, USACE’s history constructing the Eielson F-35 beddown program will serve as a demonstration of its own readiness for when the sixth generation of fighter requires its own engineering solutions.

Military Sealift Command (MSC) chartered Motor Vessel (MV) Cape Hudson (T-AKR 5066) arrived at the port of Banyuwangi, Indonesia, to offload equipment in support of exercise Super Garuda Shield 2024, August 12-13, 2024.

The vessel embarked on its voyage from its home base in San Francisco and made stops to load cargo and personnel in Tacoma, Wash.; Honolulu; and Japan before arriving at Banyuwangi.

Super Garuda Shield, one of the largest multinational exercises in the Indo-Pacific region, continues to solidify the U.S.-Indonesia Major Defense Partnership Defense Cooperation Agreement and advances cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

“This is not a typical commercial route,” said contracted mariner Benjamin Day, ship’s master, MV Cape Hudson. “We originated from the West Coast of the United States, then Hawaii and Japan, to bring equipment and a mission set all the way to Banyuwangi, Indonesia, to support (exercise Super Garuda Shield).”

Oversight of the offload in Indonesia was conducted by a detachment of the U.S. Army’s 835th Transportation Battalion, 599th Transportation Brigade, Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC), out of Okinawa, Japan.

Within two days, the ship unloaded approximately 313 pieces of equipment and containers. Once the items were discharged off the ship, they were staged at the marshalling area for onward movement to the respective training area.

Between the expertise of MSC, SDDC and Banyuwangi port officials, all gear was off loaded as scheduled.

Cape Hudson is a 750-foot-long roll-on, roll-off container vessel with four decks of cargo space. The ship can accommodate 186,000 sq. ft. of cargo, which equates to about 4.3 acres of space that can equal roughly 38,000 tons of cargo. It is part of the Cape H-class of ships that include MVs Cape Horn and Cape Henry.

Despite its massive presence, the ship’s characteristically low draft allows for this tonnage while still getting into smaller ports. This ship has a significant cargo capacity and is multimodal, making Cape Hudson ideal for the charter.

According to Day, his experience on commercial container ships differs from these types of ships and missions.

“These ships are a lot different then what I’m used to,” said Day, who has more than six years of experience with the Cape H-class ships. “Doing this type of mission is fun because the cargo is different, you’re lashing it differently; it takes a broader skill set.”

Cape Hudson is part of the Ready Reserve Force fleet of vessels. The RRF is a subset of vessels within the Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) National Defense Reserve Fleet ready to support the rapid worldwide deployment of U.S. military forces.

As part of the crew of Cape Hudson, MSC also assigned a tactical advisor (TACAD), whose job is to deploy on commercial chartered vessels and act as a liaison between military higher headquarters and the ship’s crew.

The Navy Reserve is MSC’s manpower solution for surge mission sets, and TACADs are typically Strategic Sealift Officers (SSOs), who are warfare qualified Navy Reserve Officers with civilian Merchant Mariner credentials and military training to support the activation, operation, and sustainment of the Sealift fleet.

“I make sure the vessel gets from point A to point B safely and that we are in contact with higher headquarters,” said Lt. j. g. Alexa Lumpkin, TACAD on Cape Hudson. “This involves establishing secure communications between the ship and military operations center. I also provide contested-maritime-environment training with the crew.”

Lumpkin is serving on her fourth TACAD mission. She stated she enjoys serving as the TACAD. In her civilian job, she is a merchant marine and sailing on her third mate’s license as a merchant mariner can be stressful.

“As a mate, I don’t feel like I have a lot of time when we get to port,” said Lumpkin. “But as a TACAD, it’s a whole different experience. I get to work with lot of people; I get to be involved in missions such as this. I just like being a part of it.”

Additionally, to support the discharge of equipment, MSC deployed a three-member Reserve-component team from various Reserve Expeditionary Port Units (EPU) in the U.S. to assist with port operations.

“We’re here to help MSC and SDDC with the offload of Cape Hudson. Our role is to act as a liaison between SDDC, the ship, and port authorities, and to make sure that the port is suitable for the ship in Banyuwangi,” said Quartermaster Chief Joshua Vest, senior enlisted leader, EPU 112, from Little Rock, Ark. “We’re also making sure everyone involved is adhering to safety procedures. I think we’ve been maintaining a good schedule, and everybody has learned something valuable toward the expeditionary side of port operations.”

According to Vest, it makes a lot of sense to bring out EPUs to support these specialized missions.

“EPUs play a crucial role that is sometimes overlooked,” said Vest. “Their contributions are not tethered to certain tasks or responsibilities but on providing expertise in varying situations.”

According to the MARAD website, RFF provides nearly 50 percent of government-owned surge sealift capability.

MSC Far East supports the U.S. 7th Fleet and ensures approximately 50 ships in the Indo-Pacific Region are manned, trained, and equipped to deliver essential supplies, fuel, cargo, and equipment to warfighters, both at sea and on shore. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2024, MSC exists to support the joint warfighter across the full spectrum of military operations, with a workforce that includes approximately 6,000 Civil Service Mariners and 1,100 contract mariners, supported by 1,500 shore staff and 1,400 active duty and Reserve military personnel.

By Nicole Mayo, PhD, DHA-Public Health

August is National Breastfeeding Month, and it offers an opportunity to talk about the benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and their babies.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found 60% of mothers in the U.S. stop breastfeeding sooner than planned, and only one out of four infants are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, the medically recommended duration.

“Breastfeeding provides unmatched health benefits for babies and mothers,” said Dr. Ruth Petersen, the director of CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. “It is the clinical gold standard for infant feeding and nutrition, with breast milk uniquely tailored to meet the health needs of a growing baby. We must do more to create supportive and safe environments for mothers who choose to breastfeed.”

Defense Health Agency-Public Health experts emphasize the importance of raising service members’ awareness about workplace policies and conditions for breastfeeding.

“There are many factors that impact the decision to stop breastfeeding early or choose not to breastfeed at all,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Christine Bacsa, a DHA-PH Public Health nurse in Aberdeen, Maryland. “Not being aware of the benefits and not having supporting policies and conditions in the workplace are two common problems we can influence.”

The Benefits

The CDC, the Department of Health and Human Service’s Office of Women’s Health, and medical research have found that breastfeeding has significant benefits for both mother and child. This includes many health conditions that may be prevented by breastfeeding, including:

• Breastfeeding can lower a woman’s risk for high blood pressure, Type II diabetes, as well as ovarian and breast cancer.

• Breastfed babies often have lower risk of several health issues such as asthma, obesity, ear and respiratory tract infections, gastrointestinal infections, as well as severe or life-threatening illness such as childhood leukemia or sudden infant death syndrome.

“The nutrients supplied by breastmilk change as the baby grows, adapting to their changing nutritional needs,” said Joanna Reagan, a DHA-PH nutritionist in the health education and application division. “This leads to a healthier infant, which is carried into childhood and adolescence. Children and teens who were breastfed are less likely to become overweight or obese and perform better on intelligence tests.”

Claims by some formula manufacturers about the difference in quality between breast milk and commercial milk formula may lead some women to believe that they are not producing adequate milk or providing the right nutrients by breastfeeding. This could lead them to move from breastfeeding to formula feeding. These claims may exploit new mothers’ worries by claiming normal infant behaviors, such as crying and short sleep, can indicate insufficient or inadequate breastmilk production, thus leading women to discontinue breastfeeding in favor of formula feeding.

“These industry claims are very misleading,” said Reagan. “Breastmilk is the perfect food for your baby. Breastfeeding saves lives, money, and time.”

U.S. Military Policies

The many benefits of breastfeeding are reflected in Department of Defense and military service policies.

“Military policies have been created and updated to ensure our military mothers have the time, resources, and leadership support to breastfeed for six months after birth,” said Bacsa. “The lactation space must be a private space, other than a restroom, with locking capabilities for breastfeeding or to express milk. This space must include a place to sit, a flat surface (other than the floor) to place the pump on, an electrical outlet, a refrigerator to store expressed milk and access to a safe water source within reasonable distance from the lactation space.”

Similar policies can be found across the U.S. government and the DOD, including:

• Guide for Establishing a Federal Nursing Mother’s Program from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/worklife/reference-materials/nursing-mother-guide.pdf

• Support of Women in Lactation and Breastfeeding from the U.S. Navy: https://www.med.navy.mil/Portals/62/Documents/BUMED/Directives/Instructions/6000.14B.pdf?ver=V46ET_J_hbqHy5SZWpP3cQ%3D%3D

• Lactation Rooms and Breast Milk Storage for Nursing Mothers from the U.S. Air Force: https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a1/publication/dafi36-3013/dafi36-3013.pdf

• Marine Corps Policy Concerning Parenthood and Pregnancy from the U.S. Marine Corps: https://www.med.navy.mil/Portals/62/Documents/NMFA/NMCPHC/root/Health Promotion and Wellness/Women’s Health/Documents/Policies_and_Instructions/Policies_and_Instructions_Parenthood_and_Pregnancy_MCO_5000.12F.pdf

• Parenthood, Pregnancy and Postpartum from the U.S. Army: https://armypubs.army.mil/ProductMaps/PubForm/Details.aspx?PUB_ID=1024798

Resources

With more women serving in the military than ever before, there are numerous resources available to help pregnant and postpartum service members navigate these life events, including:

• DHA Public Health Women’s Portal, which offers information on breastfeeding resources and policies: https://ph.health.mil/topics/healthyliving/wh/Pages/default.aspx

• TRICARE Breast Pumps and Supplies, which provides free breast pumps and supplies, as well as breastfeeding counseling: https://www.tricare.mil/CoveredServices/IsItCovered/BreastPumpsSupplies

“As the DOD celebrates National Breastfeeding Month, this is a time to acknowledge support, and empower mothers to achieve the lasting lifelong positive impacts on themselves and their children through breastfeeding,” said Bacsa.

Defense Centers for Public Health – Aberdeen. Approved for public release; distribution unlimited.

The Defense Health Agency supports our Nation by improving health and building readiness – making extraordinary experiences ordinary and exceptional outcomes routine.

NOTE: The mention of any non-federal entity and/or its products is for informational purposes only, and not to be construed or interpreted, in any manner, as federal endorsement of that non-federal entity or its products.

MANAMA, Bahrain – The Office of the Chief of Naval Operations recently awarded U.S. Naval Forces Central Command’s Directorate of Logistics and Infrastructure the 2023 Admiral Stan Arthur Award for Logistics and Sustainment Team of the Year.

“This award is only possible because of the amazing Sailors who continue to advance operational logistics and supply chain support for all our naval forces and assets in the 5th Fleet,” said Capt. Marcus Jones, Assistant Chief of Staff for Logistics at NAVCENT.

The Admiral Stan Arthur Award for Logistics Excellence recognizes both military and civilian logisticians who epitomize excellence in the realm of logistics and sustainment planning, representing the top individuals for global naval logistics. The awardees exemplify the importance of logistics to achieving the Navy’s mission and advancing a competitive edge over adversaries.

“This award is distinctly a humbling acknowledgement of the value that the U.S. Navy places on logistics and the profound impact of the work the NAVCENT N4 team has done in support of combat operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility,” said Cmdr. Colin Engels, NAVCENT Logistics Readiness Center Chief. “I have a tremendous amount of pride in our team.”

The NAVCENT team demonstrated exceptional leadership, unparalleled flexibility and tremendous logistics proficiency synchronizing logistics requirements for 15 task forces, 10 subordinate units, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, and USS Bataan Amphibious Readiness Group by rapidly developing a full transportation plan and establishing crucial supply nodes across the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

“The work we put in over the last year had immediate real-world impacts in a combat environment and the team repeatedly demonstrated their ability to quickly think outside the box to solve a myriad of complex logistics challenges,” said Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Murphy, NAVCENT Force Fuels Officer. “Receiving the Stan Arthur award reinforces the camaraderie of our group and affirms that we are logisticians of the highest caliber.”

The U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses approximately 2.5 million square miles of water space and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal and Strait of Bab al-Mandeb.