Space Force

Department of Defense MAFFS (Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System) equipped C-130 aircraft from the Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing, California Air National Guard, 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard, the 153rd Airlift Wing, Wyoming Air National Guard, and the Air Force Reserve’s 302nd Airlift Wing, Colorado, perform aerial fire fighting operations at the Channel Islands Air National Guard Station, Port Hueneme, California, July 26, 2024. The Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service activated four Department of Defense C-130 aircraft equipped with MAFFS to assist with increased wildfire activity across the West. One aircraft has been mobilized from each of the participating units:  The Air Force Reserve Command’s 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, the California Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing, the Nevada Air National Guard’s 152nd Airlift Wing, and the Wyoming Air National Guard’s 153rd Airlift Wing. These MAFFS aircraft are joining the Forest Service and other state and federal agencies fighting wildfires across the West. These military C-130s can be converted into airtankers, providing a critical “surge” capability that can be used to bolster wildfire suppression efforts when commercial airtankers are fully committed or not readily available. The C-130 aircraft are equipped with the U.S. Forest Service’s MAFFS, which can drop up to 3,000 gallons of fire retardant in less than 10 seconds across a quarter-mile line. The system slides into the back of the military aircraft, and retardant is released through a nozzle on the rear left side. The national MAFFS program is comprised of a total of eight C-130 aircraft. (U.S. Air National Guard video by Master Sgt. Nieko Carzis)

Among the hundreds of Soldiers who participated in the second iteration of Eagle Partner, a bilateral exercise aimed at increasing readiness and interoperability between the U.S. and Armenia, were nine U.S. military members of Armenian descent who volunteered to serve as interpreters.

Exercises like Eagle Partner require extensive preparation, logistics, and resources, which is only possible through significant cross-nation communication. Interpreters bridge the language barrier and make exercises like this possible.

These nine service members came from different places, units, and backgrounds: the Army, Space Force, Marine Corps, and Air Force. There was a combat engineer, a combat medic, an attorney, a cavalry scout, and an electronic warfare officer, to name a few. They all stepped down from their primary jobs to come to Armenia and translate between the U.S. and Armenian troops.

“Originally, I got a call from someone from the Army, and they asked me if I wanted to go on an exercise in Armenia as a translator,” said U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Hovsep Chaparian. “At first, I thought they were joking, but it was true. So, I followed up, and they said we would be translating in the field. My day-to-day job at USMC is an office one, so any opportunity to go out and see what the military is doing in the field, I’m all about it.”

U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Andrew Rene Karazi, assigned to the 250th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Battalion, California Army National Guard, said, “I learned about this exercise through Armenian friends online. Before coming here, I was interviewed to verify that I could speak Armenian fluently and later brought onto the mission.”

For some translators, this is their second time at Eagle Partner, and for others, this exercise was their first time visiting Armenia; however, their experiences are surprisingly alike.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Alex Gharakanian, a B-52H electronic warfare officer, said, “Being from America, I never visited Armenia. It’s amazing just to come out here and share the culture. And it’s the same culture that I grew up with in the States.”

“Having never seen native Armenians and then interacting with each other and realizing how similar we are was very interesting to me,” he continued.

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Tamara Daugherty said, “I grew up in Glendale, California. Glendale has the biggest population of Armenians outside Armenia itself. I visited Armenia for the first time this year. When I got off the plane, and everyone was speaking Armenian, it wasn’t unnatural to me; it was something that I’m used to growing up in Glendale.”

Eagle Partner is a military exercise, but while troops conduct training, they also learn about each other’s cultures.

“Eagle Partner is important because it helps with interoperability with both nations when it comes to peacekeeping, but it also allows us to build partnership through American and Armenian units coming together, getting to know each other, and learning their cultures,” said Chaparian. “There has been a lot of cultural growth on both sides, and it is going to aid in interoperability down the line.”

Every interpreter has a story to share, from playing soccer and teaching Armenians how to play American football to hiking the mountains, trading patches, or enjoying food together.

U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Ara Melkonian said, “I met another soldier with the same last name, and we joked that we were brothers. Later, another Armenian asked me if I had any friends here, and I said I did not. Then, that person asked, ‘What about me? I thought we were brothers!’”

“It’s just good human nature; we can still laugh when a serious situation is going on, so it’s nice to break down some barriers every now and then,” continued Melkonian.

This iteration of the Eagle Partner had a much bigger scale and scope than the last one, and many participants expressed that they hope the exercise continues to grow.

U.S. Space Force 2nd Lt. Benjamin Armen Malian, 319th Combat Operations, said, “This time, I was excited to see the faces that we met last year and see how they have changed, meet new people that have come in and see how far we can go continuing this relationship between America and Armenia.”

Exercise Eagle Partner 24 occurred between July 15 to 24, 2024, and focused on improving interoperability between the U.S. and Armenia through training in peacekeeping and stability operations. The exercise was made possible through the nine U.S. interpreters’ dedicated efforts.

Department of Defense MAFFS (Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System) equipped C-130 aircraft from the Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing, California Air National Guard, 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard, the 153rd Airlift Wing, Wyoming Air National Guard, and the Air Force Reserve’s 302nd Airlift Wing, Colorado, perform aerial fire fighting operations at the Channel Islands Air National Guard Station, Port Hueneme, California, July 26, 2024. The Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service activated four Department of Defense C-130 aircraft equipped with MAFFS to assist with increased wildfire activity across the West. One aircraft has been mobilized from each of the participating units:  The Air Force Reserve Command’s 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, the California Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing, the Nevada Air National Guard’s 152nd Airlift Wing, and the Wyoming Air National Guard’s 153rd Airlift Wing. These MAFFS aircraft are joining the Forest Service and other state and federal agencies fighting wildfires across the West. These military C-130s can be converted into airtankers, providing a critical “surge” capability that can be used to bolster wildfire suppression efforts when commercial airtankers are fully committed or not readily available. The C-130 aircraft are equipped with the U.S. Forest Service’s MAFFS, which can drop up to 3,000 gallons of fire retardant in less than 10 seconds across a quarter-mile line. The system slides into the back of the military aircraft, and retardant is released through a nozzle on the rear left side. The national MAFFS program is comprised of a total of eight C-130 aircraft. (U.S. Air National Guard video by Master Sgt. Nieko Carzis)

For some, a career in civil engineering is pursued gradually and developed over time. For others, it is a passion they have chased from a young age.

Sandy Cooper is among the rare few who have heard the calling to firefighting from a young age. Inspired to follow a couple members of her family, Cooper started her firefighting career in 1981 at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. After basic training, she went through fire school and was later stationed at Pease Air Force Base, New Hampshire, on her first assignment. She continued on to have both military and civilian careers in CE, completing a total of over 35 years served.“Getting to save lives and do what I do is something I’m deeply devoted to, even today,” Cooper said. “Being a firefighter is a huge passion for me, in every way.”

Cooper’s career was one that had many firsts. Most notably, she is the Air Force’s first female fire chief. While Cooper often found herself to be the only woman in many spaces throughout the earlier parts of her career, she used it to fuel her ambitions and didn’t allow it to deter her from achieving her career goals.

Reflecting on how times have changed since she first began her firefighting career, Cooper still sees room for improvement in creating more opportunities for women to get involved in civil engineering. One of the biggest takeaways from her experience that she would like to pass along to other women wanting to join civil engineering is the importance of supporting one another. “Something I learned throughout my time in the military is the importance of reaching down to pull the next person up,” Cooper said. “Don’t fight other women for opportunities or make it a competition because they are not your competition. We are all a team.”

Cooper has continued her passion for firefighting and serving her community, even after leaving the military in 2007 as a chief master sergeant. Today, she is part of a community emergency response team, or CERT, which is an all-volunteer organization that assists her local fire department in Mesquite, Nevada. The organization focuses on safety education and disaster preparedness, and coordinates with FEMA to better serve the community in the event of fires and other natural disasters.

“There’s a reason why I still volunteer with CERT. It’s because I love it!” Cooper said. “I miss my time with the Air Force, and all the camaraderie and teamwork that came with it. This way, I still get to stay connected to doing what I love.”

Cooper has a plethora of skillsets she still utilizes today, and she attributes it all to her time with the Air Force. “I give so much credit to the military for all my organization and public speaking skills,” Cooper reflected. “Because of my experience, I’m able to mobilize, send out team members, and handle multiple tasks at a time. All of it, every aspect, came from the military.”

The civil engineer community is still very important to Cooper, and she prioritizes staying as connected as possible to it in her retirement. She attends firefighter reunions held at Hill AFB, Utah, and McChord Air Force Base, Washington, where she previously served as an assistant fire chief as a civil service member. She is also a member of a civil engineer retiree group and attends their reunions as well. Cooper misses her time as a civil engineer and being part of the military, so this is her way to stay involved.

Throughout her firefighting career and into her retirement, Cooper has maintained an unwavering commitment to serving the community. It is a passion she has had for many years, ever since she was a child, and she is certainly continuing to pursue that passion in extraordinary ways.

POWIDZ, Poland – The newest, most modern Army prepositioned stocks worksite in the world received some of its first guest visitors July 23, and they were all school children between the ages of 10 and 16 years old.

The team from Army Field Support Battalion-Poland welcomed the students to the Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 worksite in Powidz after receiving a request from the Polish air force’s 33rd Air Base.

“We had a meeting on Monday, and our Polish counterparts said the school children were scheduled to visit their air base and asked if they could stop by the APS-2 site,” said Capt. James Bath, the AFSBn-Poland operations officer.

The AFSBn-Poland commander, Lt. Col. Omar McKen, said if they want to come by and view what’s going on here and have a conversation with the team then, by all means, bring them by, said Bath.

“A lot of the Polish air force personnel at the nearby air base live in Powidz and the surrounding communities, so a lot of the children who visited, their parents work on the air base. And some of the Polish officers and airmen who work here at our worksite are parents to a couple of the students who visited,” Bath said.

According to Bath, the Powidz APS-2 worksite is supported by their Polish counterparts from the 33rd Air Base, which is located about 500 meters from the site. The Polish air force maintains all the facilities at the worksite, and eventually – once they are trained and fully certified – will also be responsible for providing maintenance on the APS-2 equipment there, as well.

More visitors, as well as distinguished guests and host nation military and civic leaders, are expected at the new APS-2 worksite in the future. In fact, in the weeks ahead AFSBn-Poland is planning to hold an official unit colors uncasing ceremony and in attendance will be local civic leaders and dignitaries, senior Polish and U.S. military officials, and other distinguished guests. Representatives from the news media will also be invited to attend.

“We’re here now and our presence is going to impact the local communities. We want to foster and reinforce positive relations with our Polish neighbors and build friendships. Holding events like this and opening our gates to them is a good way of doing so,” Bath said.

The state-of-the-art APS-2 worksite at Powidz encompasses 650,000 square feet of humidity-controlled warehouse space, a vehicle maintenance facility, and various supporting structures, plus 58,000 square feet of munitions storage. Built to support an entire modernized armored brigade combat team’s worth of APS-2 combat vehicles and equipment sets, the Powidz APS-2 worksite is under the mission command of AFSBn-Poland, 405th Army Field Support Brigade.

The Powidz APS-2 worksite demonstrates the U.S. and NATO’s commitment to maintaining rapid deployment capabilities, playing a crucial role in deterrence through enduring agreements and strategic investments. In addition, it alleviates many of the deployment requirements typically associated with deploying major combat units to Europe from the U.S. It is estimated that APS-2 worksites in Europe, like Powidz, can help reduce deployment timelines for an armored brigade combat team from 60 days to as little as a week or two.

The Powidz APS-2 worksite represents a significant leap forward in enhancing NATO’s operational readiness and strategic capabilities on its Eastern Flank. Ultimately, the Powidz APS-2 worksite helps to solidify an important partnership between the U.S., NATO, and Poland, highlighting a commitment to the collective defense and security of Europe.

The 405th AFSB’s APS-2 program enhances U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s readiness and capability to support the warfighter while simultaneously promoting stability and security in the region. By providing turn-key power projection APS-2 packages ready to employ at a moment’s notice, the APS-2 program is a key component of U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s power projection and warfighter readiness missions.

The 405th AFSB is assigned to U.S. Army Sustainment Command and headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany. The brigade provides materiel enterprise support to U.S. forces throughout Europe and Africa – providing theater sustainment logistics; synchronizing acquisition, logistics and technology; and leveraging U.S. Army Materiel Command’s materiel enterprise to support joint forces. For more information on the 405th AFSB, visit the official website at www.afsbeurope.army.mil and the official Facebook site at www.facebook.com/405thAFSB.

KOROR, Palau — In a demonstration of sound seamanship and dedication, the crew of the USCGC Oliver Henry (WPC 1140) completed the rescue operation of the motor yacht Black Pearl 1 and the 11 crew aboard, ensuring its safe arrival and mooring in the Republic of Palau on July 22, 2024.

“Wrapping up this tow and seeing the Black Pearl safely handed off in Palau was incredible, especially considering the size of that yacht. I’m proud of how the crew handled everything. They’re creative problem solvers, come up with quick solutions on the fly, and they manage risks like pros. It’s rewarding to see everyone work together seamlessly, ensuring we live up to our role as America’s maritime first responder and a trusted partner in Oceania. It’s moments like this that highlight the strength and dedication of the Oliver Henry crew,” said Lt. Ray Cerrato, the USCGC Oliver Henry commanding officer.

At 11:22 a.m. ChST, the Oliver Henry crew transferred the Black Pearl’s tow to the 75-foot Palau-flagged tug SSC Techall, just offshore Palau. This handover marked a pivotal moment in the operation, showcasing the coordination between multiple teams and assets to ensure the safety and well-being of all involved. By 12:30 p.m., the Black Pearl was securely moored in Palau, with the Oliver Henry following suit and mooring by 3:00 p.m.

Petty Officer 1st Class Juan Taijeron, a boatswain’s mate who recently reported to Oliver Henry serving in several roles, including coxswain and quartermaster of the watch, reflected on the operation, “Setting up the tow on the Black Pearl was pivotal. My charter boat captain experience came in handy, but the unified efforts and mutual understanding between us and the Black Pearl’s crew made it successful. As soon as we connected the tow, I reassured them, saying, ‘Don’t worry, guys, we’re safe now; the Coast Guard has us in tow.’ It was more than just completing a task; it was about building trust and lifting spirits amidst the adversity.”

The rescue and assistance efforts undertaken by the crew of the USCGC Oliver Henry involved meticulous coordination and technical skill. Upon boarding the Black Pearl 1, the team initiated dewatering operations to manage flooding in the yacht’s steering room. This process was crucial for preventing further damage and maintaining the vessel’s stability. Additionally, the crew worked to stabilize the rudder and ensure the yacht was secure for towing. These efforts were critical in safeguarding the boat and crew during the long tow back to Palau.

“After safely boarding the Black Pearl, we quickly assessed and addressed the flooding in the steering room by setting up dewatering operations through a small opening in a crawl space. It was a textbook example of our training in action—managing to stabilize the situation despite the challenging conditions,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Rodgers, a machinery technician aboard Oliver Henry, recounting the critical moments of the rescue operation.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Ryder Nollan, a boatswain’s mate who joined the crew five months ago and works in the deck department, part of the rescue and assistance team, also shared his experience: “Getting on the Black Pearl was a bit nerve-wracking but thrilling, especially as we maneuvered through swells that threatened to sweep us into the ocean. The boat was not in the best position as the swells were hitting it from the starboard side, so every swell water would come up and over the stern platform and be about two feet deep. The successful connection of the tow felt like a huge relief. It was a testament to the dedication and teamwork of everyone involved. Finally resting after seeing the tow securely in place was the best part, knowing we had successfully mitigated a dangerous situation through collective effort and precise execution.”

The USCGC Oliver Henry’s tow of the Black Pearl 1 lasted more than 28 hours. It covered more than 200 nautical miles from the Western Pacific to Koror, Palau, navigating challenging conditions, including 6-foot swells and strong winds.

“Once back aboard the Oliver Henry, my role shifted to overseeing the fantail during the towing evolution. Picking up the tow, especially in close proximity, always gets your adrenaline going. But the crew’s training kicked in perfectly. We managed to pass the heaving line over and secure the boat in tow. In moments like these, you see the training pay off, making sure everything we do is spot on. Leading these evolutions, seeing everything come together safely—it’s a great feeling,” said Chief Petty Officer Carleton Kleinschrodt, a machinery technician and the engineering petty officer, detailing critical moments securing the tow aboard the Oliver Henry.

The operation highlights the skill and readiness of the U.S. Coast Guard and the effectiveness of international cooperation through systems like the Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue (AMVER) program. The U.S.-flagged cargo vessel SLNC York arrived before Oliver Henry and remained on the scene until the U.S. Coast Guard arrived.

This operation was conducted in conjunction with the crew’s regular patrol under Operation Rematau, which aims to bolster the security, safety, sovereignty, and economic prosperity of Oceania, aligning with U.S. national security objectives and promoting regional maritime good governance.

For further details on the rescue operation or the ongoing efforts of U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia, please contact Chief Warrant Officer Sara Muir, public affairs officer, at [email protected] or [email protected].

-USCG-

About USCGC Oliver Henry:

The USCGC Oliver Henry is part of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter fleet. Named after Oliver T. Henry, Jr., a pioneering African American Coast Guard member, it is equipped to perform various missions, including search and rescue, national defense, and maritime law enforcement.

About Operation Rematau:

Operation Rematau is how U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia supports Operation Blue Pacific. These efforts include the patrols of the Fast Response Cutters. This initiative supports U.S. national security objectives by fostering maritime good governance and security within the Pacific region. “Rematau” translates to “people of the deep sea,” echoing the deep ties and shared goals within the Pacific community.