Outstanding Airmen of the Year

Oct. 9, 2020

The program annually recognizes 12 enlisted members for superior leadership, job performance, community involvement, and personal achievements.

The Outstanding Airman Program annually recognizes 12 enlisted members for superior leadership, job performance, community involvement, and personal achievements.

The Air Force Association drove the creation of the Outstanding Airmen of the Year program, which debuted at AFA’s 10th annual convention in 1956. Airmen selected receive the Outstanding Airman of the Year ribbon with bronze service star device; they also wear the Outstanding Airman badge for a full year. This year’s honorees were chosen by a selection board from among nominees advanced by commands in the Air Force and Space Force.

Senior Master Sgt. Verna L. Cannon-
Golemboski

Senior Master Sergeant Verna Cannon-Golemboski, center, led a team of 48 personnel advising senior leaders on the command’s 19,000 authorizations worth $1.9 billion. **USAF**

Superintendent and Functional Manager
Manpower and Organization Division, Hurlburt Field, Fla. (AFSOC)
Home of Record: Toledo, Ohio

Senior Master Sergeant Verna Cannon-Golemboski led a team of 48 personnel advising senior leaders on the command’s 19,000 authorizations worth $1.9 billion. Her leadership and expertise were vital in delivering the command’s first-ever 207 member Munitions Squadron, maximizing combat capabilities. She led the command’s Chief Grade Review, resulting in the adjudication of 136 positions and nine upgrades. Additionally, as a subject-matter expert, she assisted in the design of a 17-lesson courseware for her career field, which provided in-depth training for all manpower analysts. Finally, she was hand-selected as one of 15 Senior Noncommissioned Officers by the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force for a think tank to develop enlisted progression, courses of action to shape the Air Force development plan for 264,000 Airmen.

Senior Master Sgt. Christopher A. Haney

Assistant Squadron Superintendent
1st Maintenance Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
(USAFE-AFAFRICA)
Home of Record: Colorado Springs, Colo.

Senior Master Sergeant Christopher A. Haney led multiple maintenance teams to correct the control and stability concerns across 28 F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft ejection systems. He gathered personnel and equipment to perform around-the-clock inspections, ensuring airworthiness across the fleet at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, in under 72 hours. He helped return the United States Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa’s sole suppression of enemy air defense’s mission set to combat-ready status. Additionally, his direct engagement synchronized maintenance efforts of 459 Airmen and civilians from 14 Air Force Specialty Codes, propelling the 52nd Fighter Wing to the best F-16 installation in the Air Force. Finally, he harmonized eight flights’ optimized compliance processes, which drove the squadron’s “Outstanding” 95 percent quality-assurance pass rate, advancing the squadron’s lethality and readiness.

Senior Master Sgt. Wilfred A. Morgan

Senior Master Sergeant Wilfred Morgan, center, led 58 engineers in the maintenance of a 525-mile utility grid. **USAF**

Facility Systems Superintendent
5th Civil Engineer Squadron, Minot Air Force Base, N.D. (AFGSC)
Home of Record: Washington, D.C.

Senior Master Sergeant Wilfred Morgan led 58 engineers in the maintenance of a 525-mile utility grid, overcoming a 34 percent manning deficit to complete 4,000 repairs and 7,000 hours of preventive maintenance, ultimately driving an astounding 97 percent completion rate. He strategized the maintenance of a $53 million airfield lighting system, creating an innovative anti-icing solution for 558 taxiway lights that saved the Air Force $11 million in replacement costs and protected 1,200 annual B-52 Stratofortress Bomber sorties. Additionally, he oversaw the command’s largest lightning-protection system program, certifying 165 protection level-one assets and developed a nuclear-gate grounding program that was benchmarked across the command. Finally, he superbly led his team in a near flawless Nuclear Surety Inspection, clinching “Superior Team” honors.

Senior Master Sgt. Christopher M. Ricks

Security Forces Operations Superintendent
Logistics, Engineering & Force Protection, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii (PACAF)
Home of Record: Portsmouth, Va.

Senior Master Sergeant Christopher M. Ricks directed theater airlift security by deploying 302 security forces members to defend 24 airfields, which directly supported the execution of 88 combatant commander strategic objectives. He validated the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff task to transfer the Andersen AFB, Guam, security function from the U.S. Navy to the Air Force. His efforts eliminated a 10-year resource gap by sourcing an additional 138 security forces members, allocating $3 million in equipment and an additional $250,000 budget increase, which fueled the theater bomber mission. Additionally, he quarterbacked Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska’s, F-35 bed down for two fighter squadrons. Finally, he brokered requirements for 41 security forces alarm systems worth $400,000 and created a secure nest for 58 5th-generation fighter aircraft worth $3 billion.

Master Sgt. Douglas K. Brock

Joint Terminal Attack Controller
124th Air Support Operations Squadron, Boise, Idaho (ANG)
Home of Record: Fremont, Calif.

Master Sergeant Douglas Brock was the first Airman from the Idaho Air National Guard to attend and graduate the U.S. Army Ranger School as No. 1 out of 348 graduates in April 2019. He was the lead planner and coordinator for two joint major readiness exercises, where his team was critical in the execution of precision-strike capability across the battlefield. His devotion to training more than 100 Airmen and supporting thousands of Soldiers with air power led to him earning two Army Achievement Medals. Additionally, he led multinational trainings for the Dutch and Brazilian commandos and ensured 36 U.S. Air Force joint terminal attack controllers were combat-ready. Finally, during a 10-day period, his teams’ efforts deconflicted 74 close air support missions from 370 artillery fires, resulting in zero fratricide incidents.

Tech. Sgt. Jeremiah C. Camper

Technical Sergeant Jeremiah C. Camper, right, shipped 109 applicants to Basic Military Training (BMT), which was the most new enlistment contracts and entered Active duty in squadron history. **USAF**

Pacific Operations Recruiting Manager
369th Recruiting Squadron, Encino, Calif. (AETC)
Home of Record: Roanoke, Va.

Technical Sergeant Jeremiah C. Camper shipped 109 applicants to Basic Military Training (BMT), which was the most new enlistment contracts and entered Active duty in squadron history earning himself the Air Force Recruiting Service Gold Olympiad Award. He is No. 1 of 1,200 Enlisted Ascension Recruiters and won the coveted Gold Badge for the 369th Recruiting Squadron, recognizing him as the best in the squadron for his dedication to targeting the needs of the force. Additionally, he managed a $260,000 travel budget, analyzed 195 requests, and resolved 11 errors ensuring a 100 percent on-time BMT ship rate. Finally, he eclipsed the mission requirement by 84 contracts achieving 297 percent production, which was conducive to the squadron earning the Air Force Recruiting Service Standards of Excellence Award.

Tech. Sgt. Yvonne N. Febles-Rosario

Technical Sergeant Yvonne N. Febles-Rosario directed 6,900 patient visits worth $959,000 in rehabilitation services. **USAF**

Physical Therapy Flight Chief
628th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, Joint Base Charleston, S.C. (AMC)
Home of Record: Fort Polk, La.

Technical Sergeant Yvonne N. Febles-Rosario directed 6,900 patient visits worth $959,000 in rehabilitation services. She prevented the loss of $27,000 in physical therapy services by organizing the support of five U.S. Navy physical therapy technicians during a manning shortage. Additionally, she provided critical warfighter support to mission critical personnel with a 100 percent return to duty rate, enabling the success of six deployments and 270 missions. She championed injury-prevention by organizing 49 strength-training and ergonomic classes for more than 800 Joint Base Charleston personnel. Finally, she performed above her peers as an additional duty first sergeant and squadron superintendent by advising four commanders, managing hurricane evacuations plans for 95 families, and expediting $400,000 in health care.

Tech. Sgt. Matthew M. O’Neill

Airfield Weather Services Noncommissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC)
612th Air Base Squadron, Soto Cano Air Base, Republic of Honduras (ACC)
Home of Record: Valley Stream, N.Y.

Technical Sergeant Matthew M. O’Neill led as the NCOIC of Airfield Weather Services, filling the field grade officer role of Joint Meteorological and Oceanographic Officer for Joint Task Force Bravo. He orchestrated downed-aircraft support, providing critical environmental intelligence and 43 warnings to the Joint Force Land and Maritime Component Command, ensuring the recovery of nine personnel. His expertise in air assault and amphibious reconnaissance support was critical in the success of 14 international exercises and 11 operations. Additionally, he collaborated with 14 units to craft the local Warrior Skills Course that fortified 47 Army South tasks, resulting in the certification of 33 personnel. Finally, O’Neill chaired an international conference in which he gained access to 15 sensors and two radars, eliminating a 413,000-square-mile weather-data void.

Tech. Sgt. Nicole A. Gansert

In-Flight Refueling Craftsman
78th Air Refueling Squadron, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. (AFRC)
Home of Record: Cherry Hill, N.J.

Technical Sergeant Nicole A. Gansert was a critical member of the team who enabled coalition forces to strike Islamic State group targets during Operation Inherent Resolve, where three KC-10 Extender Tankers provided pre- and post-strike refueling for 11 F-15 and F-35 fighter aircraft. She flew 25 combat missions totaling more than 200 hours and offloaded 2.5 million pounds of critical fuel in support of the operation. She deftly managed an in-flight emergency involving a GR-4 Eurofighter, resulting in the preservation of $127 million in assets, averting a strategic loss. Additionally, she managed the Total Force integration mobility exercise deployment and scrubbed 72 records, smoothing the rotational prerequisites. Finally, she enabled two Active-duty Air Force evaluations, backfilled four Total Force integration missions while in predeployment preparation, alleviating 30 percent of the boom operator shortfall.

Senior Airman Cassidy B. Basney

Space Intelligence Instructor
50th Operations Support Squadron, Schriever Air Force Base, Colo. (USSF)
Home of Record: North Ridgeville, Ohio

Senior Airman Cassidy B. Basney delivered intelligence support to space operators, securing 13 weapon systems and 70 Department of Defense satellites worth $71 billion. She authored the first Air Force Space Command Signals Intelligence Essential Elements of Information criteria, establishing eight enterprise-wide requirements for 42 threats, which integrated operations and intelligence support to the mission. Additionally, she revamped the 14th Air Force Request for Information process, analyzing 20 requests and distributing intelligence to six crews, resulting in a decreased response time from four months to one week. Finally, she headed 150 proximity reports for the 1st Space Brigade, which synchronized joint Air Force and Army satellite communications operations and increased tactical support to 241,000 warfighters.

Senior Airman Roxanne Y. Darien

Senior Airman Roxanne Darien, left, executed readiness exercise operations by verifying 2,300 requirements and clearing 96 deployers. **USAF**

Public Health Technician
75th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, Hill Air Force Base, Utah (AFMC)
Home of Record: Bronx, N.Y.

Senior Airman Roxanne Darien executed readiness exercise operations by verifying 2,300 requirements and clearing 96 deployers, directly contributing to her team being named “Best Performing” by the command’s Inspector General. She enhanced the Hill Air Force Base flu-line initiative by teaming with local health departments, resulting in the vaccination of 2,000 personnel in less than 16 hours. She led the Department of Defense food recall program by initiating the process that verified 31 Food and Drug Administration notices in less than two hours. Additionally, she led the National Public Health Week activities by coordinating hygiene and food safety demonstrations for 270 patrons. Finally, she inspected 55 work centers and audited 1,000 Occupational Safety Health Administration requirements, securing the safety of 7,000 personnel.

Senior Airman Portia L. Short

Ceremonial Guardsman
U.S. Air Force Honor Guard, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. (AFDW)
Home of Record: Lawton, Okla.

Senior Airman Portia L. Short led more than 80 ceremonies in Arlington National Cemetery and the National Capital Region as a fully qualified member of the Firing Party Element. Additionally, she performed duties as a Base Honor Guard Training Instructor, where she was instrumental in training over 80 personnel, providing Military Funeral Honor Guard training consistency for 17 bases supporting more than 40,000 missions worldwide. She was an instrumental member of the unit’s recruiting team where she briefed more than 3,000 candidates and was crucial in selecting top recruits. Finally, she was a speaker for the International Festival and Events Association Expo, where she briefed over 142,000 attendees and was key in the scheduling of seven events performed by the Honor Guard for an estimated audience of more than 3 million.

—Compiled by Chequita Wood

Editor’s Note: This story was updated on Oct. 19 at 3:14 p.m. EDT to correct Gansert’s title.

Air National Guard Gets New Command Chief Master Sergeant

Oct. 9, 2020 | By Brian W. Everstine

Chief Master Sgt. Maurice L. Williams took over as the 13th command chief master sergeant of the Air National Guard during an Oct. 9 ceremony at the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes.

Williams, previously the senior enlisted adviser of the Kansas National Guard, replaces Chief Master Sgt. Ronald C. Anderson. Anderson had served in the role since May 2016.

“He’s an Airman’s Airman—he’s been there on the frontlines with each and every one of our Airmen,” Air National Guard Director Lt. Gen. Michael A. Loh said at the ceremony. “He knows what they feel, he knows how they act, he knows the tough things we do when we’re deployed away from home and how our families feel.”

Williams joined the Air Force in 1980, starting as an air transportation specialist before moving to the Air National Guard in 1987. His previous positions include serving as the command chief for the North Carolina National Guard, the command chief of the 145th Airlift Wing of the North Carolina Air National Guard, and the senior transportation liaison at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. At the ceremony, Williams said he is challenging himself to offer the Air National Guard “bold leadership during these challenging times.”

“We’re planning to empower Airmen to be innovative, develop them professionally, provide tools to be resilient and evaluate policies and force structure that would meet our mission requirements,” Williams said during the ceremony. “To the 100,700 Airmen in the 155 locations in the 50 states, three territories, and districts, I am looking to serving with you, side by side, with your families on this amazing journey.”

Pentagon Issues Strategy to Better Harness Data

Oct. 9, 2020 | By Rachel S. Cohen

The Pentagon this month debuted an overarching data strategy to move the military toward cloud storage, information-crunching algorithms, and predictive analytics for digital-age warfare.

“Adversaries are also racing to amass data superiority, and whichever side can better leverage data will gain military advantage,” Deputy Defense Secretary David L. Norquist said in the strategy, released Oct. 8. “Our ability to fight and win wars requires that we become world leaders in operationalizing and protecting our data resources at speed and scale.”

Over the past few years, the Pentagon has increasingly looked to bridge the technological divide between America’s fighting forces, which still heavily rely on manual processes for everything from scheduling to inventory, and the private sector. Though work is underway to make information more available across ranks and regions, it is often difficult for troops to access the information and analysis they need to quickly make well-rounded decisions.

The strategy focuses on pulling targeting, tracking, and other data together from across the military services as part of joint, all-domain operations; DOD management data; and business analytics at each level.

It looks to embrace artificial intelligence and ethical data use as it pursues a computer-savvy workforce and sets software standards for the entire military. Its goals include allowing users to locate, retrieve, recognize, and trust data, while working across DOD to use information most effectively. The Pentagon wants to build common operating pictures that are uniform across the military and to protect its data from attack, manipulation, and leaks.

The top-level data strategy comes as the Air Force, which created its own chief data officer in 2017, pursues a data-driven combat overhaul known as the Advanced Battle Management System. ABMS is the Air Force-led piece of the Pentagon’s joint, all-domain command-and-control effort.

Dave Spirk, who was named the Pentagon’s chief data officer in June, will coordinate data efforts across the various military organizations and their own CDOs. Groups across the department—the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the military departments, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff, combatant commands, and other agencies and field activities—are tasked with developing data strategy implementation plans with milestones, ways to track progress, and goals.

Spirk will chair a new CDO Council that tackles policy for the military’s biggest data hurdles and advises on DOD research, procurement, budget, and personnel matters.

The Pentagon also recently debuted a personnel strategy that recognizes the role of information technology and “digital native” employees in a successful military.

Pararescuemen Earn Bronze Stars for Bravery in Afghanistan

Oct. 9, 2020 | By Brian W. Everstine

Two pararescuemen on Oct. 1 received Bronze Stars with Valor for their roles in saving the lives of partner forces in two separate fights in Afghanistan in 2019.

Master Sgt. Adam Fagan and Staff Sgt. Benjamin Brudnicki, Airmen serving in the 48th Rescue Squadron, received the nation’s fourth-highest military honor during a ceremony at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. They credited training before their deployment for saving the lives of special operations forces overseas.

“The experience and brotherhood created with my team overseas is the most valuable piece for me,” Brudnicki said in an Oct. 7 release. “The Air Force best utilizes its special warfare assets when putting them to work in the joint environment, and I am proud to be a part of that.”

Fagan, then assigned to the 64th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron at Kandahar Airfield, was attached to a team of Army Special Operations Detachment Force Alpha and Afghan Special Forces that was raiding Taliban-controlled Sangin on March 24, 2019. As the team approached an enemy compound, they were attacked by small-arms fire from a fortified position as well as an improvised explosive device, according to the award citation.

Gunfire wounded an Afghan commando, and Fagan responded despite the onslaught.

“The heavy small-arms fire, coupled with rocket-propelled grenade blasts and multiple [IED] detonations pinned down the Afghan Special Forces team and hindered access to the critically wounded casualty,” the citation stated. “Without hesitation and with complete disregard for his own safety, Sgt. Fagan took immediate control of the dire situation and engaged the fortified enemy position, repeatedly exposing himself to heavy fire.”

Fagan shot back to allow the rest of his team to reach the Afghan commando. He then treated the casualty, called for a medical evacuation, and moved the commando to the helicopter landing zone as gunshots and grenade fire continued. He also provided cover for the helicopters to land, according to the citation.

“The culmination of Sgt. Fagan’s exceptionally brave actions and speed of patient delivery led to the destruction of an enemy weapons cache, the elimination of five enemy insurgents, and ultimately saved the life of a coalition partner,” the citation states.

At the ceremony, Fagan said training with other rotorcraft gave him the confidence to quickly call in a medevac.

“I knew what I was capable of,” he said. “I knew I could treat that guy under fire in the dark.”

Brudnicki, the other honoree, was also assigned to the 64th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron at Kandahar when he was attached to a Special Forces ODA and Afghan commando team on May 3, 2019.

During a counterinsurgency mission in Helmand Province, they approached a village that was a known Taliban stronghold. When they breached the first “compound of interest,” the assault team heard an enemy group nearby was preparing for an engagement.

“[Brudnicki] and his team utilized the Taliban’s own kill holes against them with decisive small-arms fire,” the citation stated. “At distances of less than 5 feet, he engaged relentlessly with personal weapons and hand grenades, despite their cover being damaged with a rocket that failed to detonate.”

A civilian was hurt in the fight, and Brudnicki braved “effective enemy fire from an adjacent compound” while running through an open courtyard to rescue and stabilize the wounded person. Another call for aid came when an Afghan commando was severely wounded and pinned down.

“He rushed to join the fight and engaged the enemy’s fortified position by again crossing the open courtyard and exposing himself to grave danger,” according to the citation. “He successfully suppressed the enemy, allowing partner force commandos to remove the casualty from the courtyard.”

Brudnicki then set up a place where they could gather wounded troops, and created a plan to transport blood and evacuate people.

“His actions resulted in the seven enemies killed in action, including a Taliban commander, and saved the lives of two coalition partners,” the citation states.

DOD Continues Push to Bring 5G to Bases

Oct. 9, 2020 | By Rachel S. Cohen

Wireless networking initiatives are spreading across the Defense Department as the military embraces 5G technology.

On Oct. 8, the Pentagon awarded $600 million in contracts to several companies that will test out uses of fifth-generation wireless networks at military installations nationwide. Those projects advance alongside the Air Force’s rollout of 5G at its own bases.

Telecommunications giants such as AT&T and Verizon promise that 5G will be faster and more reliable than earlier cellular and computer connections to the Internet. The military wants to leverage those advances so it can digitize its offices and flightlines, ditch manual processes, and offer troops the same connectivity they get at home or in the private sector.

“The Department of Defense is at the forefront of cutting-edge 5G testing and experimentation, which will strengthen our nation’s warfighting capabilities as well as U.S. economic competitiveness in this critical field,” Michael Kratsios, acting undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, said in an Oct. 8 release. “Today’s announcement demonstrates the department’s commitment to exploring the vast potential applications and dual-use opportunities that can be built upon next-generation networks.”

Three bases tapped for 5G experiments host Air Force units: Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., and Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Naval Base San Diego, Calif., and Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Ga., are participating as well.

As previously reported, the JBLM project will look at using 5G to enable augmented and virtual reality equipment for mission planning, training, and operations. DOD tapped GBL System Corp., AT&T, Oceus Networks, and Booz Allen Hamilton for that effort.

At Nellis, Airmen will try using 5G to connect disaggregated command-and-control systems that would need to deploy quickly in an emergency. AT&T is the sole contractor in that experiment.

Hill will partner with Nokia, General Dynamics, Booz Allen, Key Bridge Wireless, Shared Spectrum Company, and Ericsson to prove whether Air Force radars can share the electromagnetic spectrum with 5G cellular devices.

The Marines are exploring the idea of a “smart warehouse” with digital inventory tools in partnership with Federated Wireless, General Electric, KPMG, and SRC. And the Navy is working with AT&T, GE, Vectrus Mission Solutions, and Deloitte Consulting on a similar warehouse project as well as 5G-connected drones, biometrics devices, cameras, and more.

DOD said this is the first round of 5G experimentation contracts, and it will announce work at more sites in the future.

Meanwhile, the coronavirus pandemic has slowed the Air Force’s plan to bring wireless connectivity to 10 bases in the southeast U.S. Those installations include Moody Air Force Base, Ga.; Robins Air Force Base, Ga.; Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga.; Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.; Joint Base Charleston, S.C.; Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.; McEntire Joint National Guard Base, S.C.; Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.; Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn.; and Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind.

Two bases have received “Long-Term Evolution” (LTE) capabilities, or an upgraded version of earlier wireless connectivity so far, a Department of the Air Force spokesman told Air Force Magazine. The service said last year that Verizon would install 5G infrastructure on or near Air Force and Space Force property under 25-year leases that cost the Air Force nothing.

“As bases are now opening and allowing visitors, work is restarting,” he said. “For the two bases that initially received the LTE capability, there has been a significant quality-of-life enhancement for the base population. As additional small cells are installed, as well as adding 5G capabilities, this will increase cellular capabilities in the workspaces.”

The Air Force is splitting its rollout into regions, and plans to pick a telecommunications company in December to bring 5G to bases in the Midwest and Northwest. It will also solicit 5G firms for bases in Alaska by the end of the year, with more agreements to come in 2021.

As part of a separate push to outsource information technology services to private companies, the Air Force wants AT&T and Microsoft to bring 5G to seven bases—Buckley Air Force Base, Colo.; Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.; Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; Hurlburt Field, Fla.; Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.; and Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.—by 2022. The other armed forces have similar initiatives at their own bases as well.

“Once fielded, we anticipate 5G networks to enable a transformative level of speed and connectivity that will connect more devices and accelerate digital transformation for the [Department of the Air Force] and families at these installations,” the spokesman said.

Installations that will fall under the next two 5G leasing agreements include:

Buckley Air Force Base, Colo.
Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.
Cavalier Air Force Station, N.D.
Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Colo.
Creech Air Force Base, Nev.
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.
Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.
F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.
Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D.
Hill Air Force Base, Utah
Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.
Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.
Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.
Minneapolis-St. Paul Air Reserve Station, Minn.
Minot Air Force Base, N.D.
Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
Schriever Air Force Base, Colo.
U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
Clear Air Force Station, Alaska
Eareckson Air Station, Alaska
Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
King Salmon Air Force Station, Alaska

8th Fighter Wing Takes New Approach to Defending Kunsan

Oct. 8, 2020 | By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

The 8th Fighter Wing is repurposing elements of the “agile combat employment” concept to better defend Kunsan Air Base in South Korea, Wing Commander Col. Chris B. Hammond told Air Force Magazine on Oct. 7.

Hammond said the wing’s new approach to base security, dubbed “Weapon System Kunsan,” looks to use all on-base manpower and assets more holistically. It also wants to revamp its partnership with South Korean troops who handle security outside of the binational base’s gates.

Agile combat employment is the Air Force’s strategy for quickly deploying across the world without needing to rely on the permanent resources offered at brick-and-mortar installations, which may be attacked in a conflict. ACE advocates for training Airmen to handle a range of tasks instead of a single specialty, and the 8th Fighter Wing wants to use that concept to creatively strengthen base defense.

Hammond said the wing is working to better integrate the base’s entire population, as well as the Republic of Korea Army that defends the installation. The U.S. military hopes that approach will improve Kunsan’s protection, how it welcomes new units, and how it launches into combat.

“Because we are a fight-in-place, and not a expeditionary-type mission, we’re looking at that ACE concept … and although we may not bounce around amongst different bases, we are stealing a lot of skill sets and applying them to what we do here and how we fight,” Hammond said. “It may not be a material solution, but an Airman solution where multicapable Airmen have the flexibility to defend the base.”

In addition to the Air Force, Kunsan also houses three U.S. Army units with MQ-1C Gray Eagle strike and reconnaissance drones and a Patriot anti-missile system, and an Army squadron that handles all of Kunsan’s contracting. The Republic of Korea Air Force’s 38th Fighter Group operates KF-16 jets from the base as well.

“To think that we’re going to go fight our adversaries from Kunsan as just the 8th Fighter Wing is not a correct assumption,” Hammond said.

The “Weapons System Kunsan” strategy—one way the wing is responding to Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr.’s directive to maintain air superiority through rapid innovation—demands combining those assets in new ways.

This means integrating the Air Force’s systems with the Patriot battery on base and taking advantage of Kunsan’s organic air power, Hammond said. The installation is looking at using data collected by its aircraft to inform where it may need to fire outside its fence in support of security forces.

“Why would we not use those to not only take the fights to our adversary, but also [to] defend our own base?” he said.

Security Forces Getting New, Improved Helmets

Oct. 8, 2020 | By Brian W. Everstine

Air Force security forces now have a new, lighter, and more comfortable helmet.

The Air Force Security Forces Center is sending out new ballistic helmets to replace the Advanced Combat Helmet, which Airmen complained were bulky and uncomfortable. The lower-profile helmet comes with better padding and a railing built in to hold equipment like night-vision goggles and communications gear, according to an Oct. 8 Air Force release.

The 71st Security Forces Squadron at Vance Air Force Base, Okla., was the first to receive the helmet, which will roll out to all units in the U.S. and overseas.

“It is actually really quick to put on and easily adjustable, allowing me more time to check my Airmen and make sure everyone’s gear is on straight,” said squadron member Senior Airman Craig Smith. “The biggest improvement I noticed is it’s lightweight, and if I take a hard turn in a Humvee, I know I’m not going to break my neck.”

The center is modernizing much of security forces’ gear, including protective equipment, the new M18 handgun, more M4A1 rifles, the M110A1 semiautomatic precision-engagement rifle, the M320A1 grenade launcher, and a reconfigurable vest.

In June, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center awarded a contract to the Virginia-based firm TSSi to provide its first body armor specifically made for women. Female guards disliked how the older gear fit, and armor designed with women’s proportions in mind will protect them better, the service said.

The changes come after the Air Force’s “Year of the Defender” in 2019, in which the service conducted an extensive review of security forces to find areas for improvement, from new equipment to tactics and training. The service worked through 900 specific items that needed change and has spent more than $180 million to update their gear.

Airborne Firefighting Units Conclude Busy Season

Oct. 8, 2020 | By Brian W. Everstine

Air Force C-130s and Airmen wrapped up their firefighting season on Oct. 3 after helping extinguish a record number of blazes in California over more than two months.

Since USAF’s firefighting units were activated July 22, specially equipped C-130s spent about 600 hours flying 518 sorties in 46 fires. The aircraft dropped more than 1.35 million gallons of fire retardant—the third-largest amount since 2007 and the most since 2013, according to 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern).

Crews from the California Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing, the 152nd Airlift Wing from the Nevada Air National Guard, the 153rd Airlift Wing from the Wyoming Air National Guard, and the Air Force Reserve’s 302nd Airlift Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., flew the missions. They swapped out every week or so to stay fresh.

The units fly C-130s outfitted with the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, a roll-on system with a 3,000 gallon tank that sprays fire retardant out of the aircraft’s rear parachute door. Air Forces Northern activates the units when the Defense Department approves a request for help from the U.S. Forest Service.

“We’re passionate about this mission,” Col. Gregory Berry, commander of the 302nd Air Expeditionary Group who coordinated the response, told Air Force Magazine. “Arguably the most rewarding thing we can do is to help fellow Americans in their time of need.”

The 2020 season was the Nevada unit’s largest activation ever. Its C-130s were responsible for pouring 300,000 gallons of fire retardant over the course of nearly 110 airdrops as of Oct. 1, according to a 152nd Airlift Wing release.

“It’s very rewarding knowing you are helping so many people,” Tech. Sgt. Paul Teska, a MAFFS flight engineer with the 152nd Airlift Wing and a former wildland firefighter, said in the release. “I remember being on the ground, looking up, and seeing the planes dropping retardant. Being a part of the machine that is MAFFS, and just firefighting in general, is a great feeling.”

As COVID-19 Spooks Joint Chiefs, DOD Plans Ahead

Oct. 8, 2020 | By Rachel S. Cohen

A top military health official on Oct. 8 defended the precautions taken by the Pentagon as two senior military officials tested positive for the coronavirus, saying Americans should heed the cautionary tale that anyone can contract the disease.

Most of the Joint Chiefs are quarantining at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19 after the vice commandant of the Coast Guard fell ill. The Marine Corps assistant commandant has contracted the coronavirus as well, though other top brass have not shown symptoms and continue to routinely test for the virus while sequestered.

Defense Health Agency boss Army Lt. Gen. Ronald J. Place told reporters during a discussion hosted by the Defense Writers Group that the Joint Chiefs are “very good” about keeping distance between themselves and others, covering their faces, washing hands and avoiding handshakes, and isolating if anyone in their orbit becomes sick.

“Absent almost total isolation, there’s not a great way for us to totally prevent spread,” Place said. “Despite all those best practices that we think that we know about how to try to contain this particular virus, it isn’t 100 percent effective. … Our senior leaders are following the rules and are role models for those rules.”

Americans need to remain vigilant despite frustration with social and business restrictions and emotional fatigue during the pandemic, he added.

The spate of sickness in America’s top military echelon has spurred concerns that the U.S. could be vulnerable to attack. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Mark A. Milley and other Pentagon officials have refuted that idea.

“America is capable and ready to defend the homeland and support our allies and partners,” Milley said in an Oct. 8 release. “The Joint Chiefs and I remain in constant communication while in quarantine and the chain of command remains the same. There has been no impact on our ability to effectively plan, coordinate, and synchronize efforts to defend our nation.”

Place noted that the Pentagon has adjusted workplace protocols as the world learns more about the virus. Defense Department leadership shifted from teleworking almost exclusively in the early months to resuming in-person meetings over time, while taking additional precautions inside the building.

It’s possible that Coast Guard Vice Commandant Adm. Charles W. Ray was able to spread the coronavirus during an Oct. 2 meeting inside the high-level conference room known as “The Tank.” The DHA director said deciding to convene in person is just one of many risks DOD officials decide on each day.

“All of those senior leaders understand that there was some risk about being in the same room with each other or other people,” Place said. “But they evaluated the risk in such a way that it was worth the potential risk to make the mission, or whatever was happening inside that meeting room.”

This is the second coronavirus scare among the Joint Chiefs so far this year, as the pandemic continues to spread in the military ranks.

As of the morning of Oct. 7, DOD recorded more than 69,000 cases of COVID-19 across military and civilian employees and their dependents and defense contractors. More than 47,000 of those people have recovered, nearly 1,400 were hospitalized, and 98 died.

While no outbreaks in the military have surpassed the number of people sickened on the USS Theodore Roosevelt, where COVID-19 infected more than 1,200 sailors and killed one, the virus has spread in units that need to gather in person to remain mission-ready and at training bases.

DOD is now planning for the eventual rollout of a coronavirus vaccine for its troops, using its annual influenza immunization process as the blueprint. Getting a COVID-19 shot into the arms of service members poses different challenges than the tried-and-true flu shot, Place said.

For example, all vaccine manufacturers make the same version of the single-jab flu shot, but several companies are in the race to create an effective coronavirus vaccine. Some are developed as single doses, while others require two doses.

“We have to be able to figure out not just how we transport, how do we hold it, how we inject it, but how does it fit in the system with six different makers?” Place said. “If you get one, how do we make sure that the second dose that you get is from the same maker?”

DOD is participating in two Phase III vaccine trials, one with AstraZeneca and another that Place declined to name. The Pentagon may consider making the COVID-19 shot mandatory for service members if the vaccine is fully licensed by the Food and Drug Administration, though the calculus changes if it is authorized only for emergency use, he said.

The pandemic has forced DHA to rethink how it looks at the staff, bed space, and equipment needed to respond to an outbreak. It has also refined its model for projecting how infectious diseases will spread, which helps it plan for outpatient and inpatient care and the supplies that are required.

DHA is also considering new apps that can evaluate the effectiveness of various responses to an infectious disease outbreak, and assessing how the pandemic’s disruptions to normal military life could play out in the future.

“Musculoskeletal injuries from overuse or from non-use, because we weren’t doing PT for a while … and then get back into it—what happened from that?” Place said.

Brian W. Everstine contributed to this story.

Senior Master Sgt. Verna L. Cannon-Golemboski