09 AFNS 97 AFNS
AFNS
Celebrating the Air Force's 50th Anniversary:
The Golden Legacy, Boundless Future...
Your Nation's Air Force
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Air Force News Service
This file contains 6 stories and 6 image cutlines
AFNS electronic filename: 09dec97
971563. General Jumper takes helm of USAFE
971562. Nellis EOD receives new, safer detonation system
971561. Latest modified B-2 arrives at Whiteman
971559. Tamanmone Casmir: Lest we forget
971560. Chaplain reflects on true value of life while stranded
overnight on I-25
971564. Squadron releases 1998 Thunderbirds schedule
971558. Air expeditionary mission support - cutlines (4)
971559a. Tamanmone Casmir: Lest we forget - cutline
971565. Air Force unveils anniversary quilt - cutline (1)
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971563. General Jumper takes helm of USAFE
by Tech. Sgt. Joe Bela
U.S. Air Forces in Europe Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) -- Pledging total commitment to the
mission and its people, the new commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe
took charge of the organization during a ceremony here Dec. 5.
Gen. John P. Jumper assumed responsibility for USAFE and its more than
32,000 active-duty, reserve and civilian members when he accepted the
command guidon from Army Gen. Wesley K. Clark, commander in chief of
U.S. European Command.
A 30-year Air Force veteran with more than 1,400 combat flying hours,
Jumper also takes over NATO's Allied Air Forces Central Europe. Both
organizations have headquarters at Ramstein.
"It's a tremendous honor to be assuming command of two diverse and
unique organizations -- AIRCENT and USAFE," Jumper said. "Both
organizations enjoy a proud and distinguished history, and both
organizations demonstrate the best features of an energetic alliance."
Declaring AIRCENT and USAFE the most successful alliance in history,
Jumper said, "The men and women of AIRCENT and USAFE have been leaders
in the integration of allied air forces. From the early days of the
Berlin Airlift to today's missions over Bosnia ... your professionalism
and commitment to high standards are the model for interoperability
among air forces."
While addressing the audience -- which included four military flights
representing Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, the
United Kingdom and the United States -- Jumper touched on the history of
today's allied environment in Europe.
"In 1948 and 1949, a fledgling U.S. Air Force teamed with its allies to
provide food and other humanitarian supplies to the blockaded city of
Berlin," he said. "The unprecedented success of this airlift effort
became a symbol of Western resolve for providing a lifeline to the
isolated victims in Berlin. Today, we continue to make history in the
skies over Bosnia and Iraq as we pursue common goals of peace and
stability."
Frequent deployments and responsibility to the families of the airmen
who fill these roles are a concern to the general.
"Our operational tempo will remain high and this requires that we pay
close attention to the demands of our people and their families," he
said.
"Our Air Force chief of staff and my predecessor, General (Michael E.)
Ryan, said, 'We have many responsibilities to our people. We must
ensure that when we send them in harm's way, it is for a critical cause.
(Let's make sure) they have the best training and equipment to do the
job,'" Jumper added.
"We must do all we can to provide the best quality of life, be
responsive to concerns, and ensure the opportunity for fulfilling a
family life. When we deploy, we must ensure our families are secure and
well cared for," he said. "Most of our people ask no more than the
opportunity for advancement and fulfillment commensurate with that of
the nation they are sworn to defend, and we should provide no less.
"Our people have been and continue to be our nation's treasure. It was
true in 1948 during the Berlin Airlift and it is true today," Jumper
said.
"Ellen, Melissa and I are proud to be one of the families serving a
great nation, a great alliance and a great Air Force," he said. "We
pledge to you ... the men and women of USAFE our total commitment to our
mission and our people." (Courtesy of USAFE News Service)
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971562. Nellis EOD receives new, safer detonation system
by Airman 1st Class Monica J. Munro
Air Warfare Center Public Affairs
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (AFNS) -- The Air Force's only Laser
Neutralization System was unveiled Nov. 20 here. The system allows
explosive ordnance disposal teams to destroy mines and unexploded
ordnance from a safe distance, as opposed to their more "hands on"
method used today, by using a concentrated laser beam.
"We are going to start destroying things from afar," said Chief Master
Sgt. Ernie Lorelli, chief of EOD. "We're going to do that with directed
laser energy. The laser is zeroed in on a bomb, and the concentrated
light heats it to detonation in about four seconds."
The new laser system will not only reduce costs by saving on explosives
used to destroy unexploded ordinance, but will be safer for EOD people.
Lorelli said the old method of destroying unexploded ordnance involved a
person putting a demolition charge beside the item to destroy it. It
involved more risk since the person had about six minutes to protect
themselves before detonation.
"Instead of having one of my troops put on 50 pounds of body armor, 30
pounds of explosives (to destroy an unexploded ordinance), the laser
would allow him to destroy the unexploded ordnance from about 250 yards
away," Lorelli said.
Another old method of ordnance disposal was using a high-powered rifle
to shoot the bomb. This method was also risky since a bullet could
project off an object and be a deadly hazard for many meters, said
Lorelli.
The idea for the laser originally came about during the Cold War and was
revived again in December 1996, said Lorelli. The first laser system
prototype was mounted on an armored personnel carrier.
"If everything goes as planned, all the EOD teams will eventually
receive a humvee version," Lorelli said. "It won't be as big and
clumsy, and it will be cheaper, and almost twice as powerful."
Right now the cost of the LNS, or "Thor" as Lorelli likes to call it, is
about $1 million. Once the system is no longer a prototype, Lorelli
explained, the cost should go down to about $500,000.
Thor will greatly reduce hazards to operators and people down range.
With the laser's precision, the only potential hazard is its
concentrated light beam. To offset that risk, EOD teams will wear
protective goggles.
Lorelli said the prototype was tested at Nellis because it has the
largest, most hazardous EOD mission in the Air Force.
"We drop more than 90 percent of the cluster-bomb training units in the
Air Force
here," he said.
A cluster bomb holds anywhere from 200 to 700 bomblets. The Air Force
drops about 2,000 cluster bombs a year, with an average of 20 explosives
per cluster bomb not exploding. This adds up to thousands per year with
EOD responsible for the clean up.
To grasp this precision technology, Nellis EOD personnel went through 10
days of training for the LNS.
"We learned everything from laser theory to air conditioning theory, the
system that cools down the laser and electronic equipment for the entire
system," said Master Sgt. Timothy Tracy, superintendent of EOD
Operations.
But even the latest technology has its limitations.
"The laser only has a certain range," Tracy said. "For example, if you
are out in the woods or in the jungle, you are probably not going to be
able to use this system because the laser won't have a clear enough
shot. If you can get a clear shot, you're probably too close."
Everyone on the EOD team will eventually be trained to use the LNS,
according to Tracy. Thor, according to Lorelli, is not designed to cut
down on manpower; it is designed to make the job less dangerous for the
people in EOD.
Lorelli said the laser system will eventually change who they recruit
into the career field.
"The kids coming in today are a lot smarter than I was when I came in.
Young troops now have different motor skills and are able to grasp
computer knowledge a lot better than I can. We need troops who are
comfortable with computers because that's essentially what the system
is." (Courtesy of Air Combat Command News Service)
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971561. Latest modified B-2 arrives at Whiteman
by 1st. Lt. Christine Breighner
509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. (AFNS) -- 509th Bomb Wing's B-2 fleet grew
to 10 recently as the latest stealth bomber arrived here from the Air
Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
Still unnamed, the aircraft -- called "air vehicle 2" -- is the third
Block 30 B-2 bomber to join the Whiteman fleet. It is also the first
B-2 from the six original flight test aircraft to arrive here.
Block 30 B-2s feature the latest technology and weapon carriage
capability. The original B-2's were termed Block 10 and subsequent
models were termed Block 20. Whiteman is scheduled to have 21 Block 30
B-2s by the year 2000.
"The Block 30 airplane brings us improvements in avionics capability and
weapons carriage capability," said Col. Bill Percival, 509th Operations
Group commander. "Block 30 modifications improve and increase radar
modes and enhance terrain-following capability. We also gain the
ability to deliver additional weapons, including the Joint Direct Attack
Munition and the Joint Stand Off Weapon."
JDAMs are guidance units that strap onto the rear of MK-84 2,000-pound
free-fall bombs. The system links satellite signals and moveable tail
fins which direct the bomb to a target. JSOWs are also precision
weapons, whose initial capability is scheduled for fiscal 1999.
The B-2 can carry 16 JDAMs or eventually 16 JSOW munitions.
"We're excited about increasing our number of Block 30 jets," said
Percival. "The pilots are trained and ready to use these aircraft.
AV-2 is just beautiful -- it gets us a little closer to full operational
capability."
The first Block 30, the Spirit of Pennsylvania, arrived at Whiteman in
August. The second, the Spirit of Louisiana, arrived Nov. 10.
The B-2 stealth bombers are capable of delivering conventional and
nuclear munitions anywhere on the globe. Their combination of low
observability, large payload capacity, near-precision munitions, and
long range gives the bombers a unique ability to penetrate sophisticated
defenses and threaten an enemy's war-making capability.
The B-2 is an integral part of the Air Force's bomber force, which also
includes the B-1B Lancer and the B-52H Stratofortress. (Courtesy of Air
Combat Command News Service)
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971559. Tamanmone Casmir: Lest we forget
by Navy Lt. David B. Oates
U.S. Support Group-Haiti Public Affairs
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AFNS) -- Thanksgiving for most at U.S. Support
Group-Haiti consisted in partaking of the elaborate dinner provided in
Camp Kinzer's and Fairwinds' dining facilities, followed by watching
football on satellite television.
For a young boy born nine days prior, his Thanksgiving was spent
struggling for his life.
Tamanmone Casmir laid semi-comatose in the 355th Air Transportable
Hospital Nov. 27. He was covered in tubes, some for an oxygen tank five
times his size and 50 times his weight. Other tubes were for an IV and
heart monitoring. Tamanmone's crib was a field hospital bed with
makeshift cardboard walls. He was wrapped in blankets.
Tamanmone was first seen Nov. 26 during the ATH's weekly health call at
the Missionaries of Charities in Cite Pele, one of the most depraved
areas of this city in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
Through an interpreter, Tamanmone's mother said he had been running a
fever for the past three days, and hadn't eaten for more than 24 hours.
Tamanmone was also suffering from violent seizures.
"We brought him back to the hospital that day and performed a spinal
tap," said Air Force Capt. Lorri M. Clark, a pediatric nurse
practitioner with the 355th ATH. "The test showed he had bacteria in
his spine."
Meningitis.
The bacteria causing the painful, and potentially fatal, disease was one
of three types. ATH's do not have the appropriate equipment to identify
the type of bacteria it was, according to Clark.
"Normally someone (military servicemember) this sick would be back in
the states fast," said Canadian Air Force 1st Lt. Heather L. Russell, a
staff nurse training with the 355th ATH.
Transferring Tamanmone to the U. S. was not an option, because the child
is a Haitian national. That did not stop Clark or Russell from
attending to him around the clock.
"The first night here, he seized all night," said Clark. "We gave him
three different types of medication. His temperature came down to
normal, and he seemed to be getting better."
The next morning, Tamanmone suffered a setback. His brain began to
swell. His body temperature and heart rate lowered considerably.
Thanksgiving evening saw Tamanmone getting better, only to reverse again
the next morning.
The roller coaster progress brought emotions to their brink, even to
those like Clark, who has been in this line of business for more than 11
years.
"It's tough. Thanksgiving Day, I was in tears," said Clark whose dark
circles under her eyes displayed the amount of attention she had placed
on Tamanmone. "No matter how many times you see this, it never gets
easier.
"The day it does is the day I leave," said Clark
Another point of frustration was this illness is preventable in
countries like the United States and Canada, because of their attention
to public health and prenatal care programs, according to Russell.
"They (Haiti) just don't have the public health infrastructure," said
Russell. "It's scary, sad."
Sitting side-saddle in an adjacent hospital bed were Tamanmone's
parents. Their longing faces displayed their fear and uncertainty
whether their newborn would live to see his first birthday. Their
knowledge of modern medicine was limited, so explaining procedures to
them became tedious, according to Russell.
"I don't think they understand the technology," said Russell. "We try
to tell them we're doing everything we can -- certainly more than anyone
else can in Haiti."
Clark sought help with the other physicians in the ATH and pediatric
specialists by phone at the Air Force's Wilford Hall Medical Center in
Texas. Nevertheless, the human body is as much art as it is modern
science. So Clark and Russell, at times, were forced to simply wait,
monitor and pray.
Haiti's mortality rate is high by any standards, but even more so when
compared with its Caribbean neighbors. The numbers are so large that
they become mere statistics.
As Tamanmone laid in his quasi-crib, the statistics became real. He
was, in fact, a child like all other children.
"He's so cute when he yawns," said Senior Airman Debbie L. Naegele, a
medical technician with the ATH.
Tamanmone Casmir was pronounced dead Nov. 29 at 6:23 a.m. The only
consolation in such a tragic case is looking at another statistic -- the
one that shows more than 45,000 people who walked out of more than 550
humanitarian assistance calls healthier and happier, thanks to medical
teams like the 355th ATH.
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971560. Chaplain reflects on true value of life while stranded
overnight on I-25
by Staff Sgt. Devin Fisher
Air Reserve Personnel Center Public Affairs
DENVER (AFNS) -- For Air Reserve Personnel Center Chaplain (Lt. Col.)
David E. Markwalder, celebrating his birthday took on a new meaning Nov.
11. It was not significant simply because he was hitting "the big 5-0,"
but rather he realized how thankful he was to be alive.
The chaplain will probably never forget his experience of spending the
night in his Geo Metro on Interstate 25 in the midst of the Oct. 24-25
"Blizzard of '97" -- Colorado's worst October snow storm since 1923 --
which crippled the Front Range and Eastern Plains with more than 2 feet
of snow.
Markwalder, who was among more than 450 cars stranded on the highway
between Denver and Colorado Springs, was fortunate to escape with only
minor frost bite on his left fingers despite the temperature dropping to
25 below zero with wind chill.
"Two things that kept coming through my mind again and again -- life is
very fragile on the one hand and very valuable on the other," he said.
"When you go through something like this it brings life to a new
height."
The chaplain said the blizzard afforded him the opportunity to reflect
on the value of life.
"We often take our families, our jobs and so much for granted and act as
if nothing is ever going to hurt us. But situations like this force you
to grab a hold of the true values of life and you come back to your
faith, your family and your friends -- the things that are lasting."
The expedition began the eve of Oct. 25 following a coworker's
retirement dinner.
"The storm was forecasted to give us 4 to 8 inches of snow and I've been
commuting from Colorado Springs for six years and never been stranded,
so I went to dinner thinking the roads would be a challenge, but not
impossible," the chaplain recalled.
Markwalder was invited to stay at Chaplain (Lt. Col.) David
Cornthwaite's house until the storm subsided, but he felt the roads were
good enough at that point to allow him to get over Monument Pass and on
into Colorado Springs so he could be with his wife. Cornthwaite phoned
his wife and asked her to call Colorado Department of Transportation for
road conditions. The recording said the road was snow-packed, but open.
So Markwalder went on his way.
"All you can do is go on the best information you have," Markwalder said
with a smile.
He decided to fill up his gas tank before getting on I-25.
"That was the first wise decision I made that night because being
stranded with gas is one thing, but being stranded without gas is a
totally different story," he said.
The chaplain opted to exit I-25 at Lincoln in hopes of avoiding the
traffic jam. He was going to take the back roads to Parker and then
Highway 83 home. After a mile on Lincoln, Markwalder ran into a
"whiteout." He found a safe place to turn around and headed back to
I-25.
"That was my second wise choice," he explained. "If I was going to be
stranded, I wanted to be with the mass."
Markwalder thought the highway was backed up due to an accident because
he was just a few miles north of Surrey Ridge, which he says is
notorious for accidents. After moving only a quarter-mile in two hours,
the frustration set in.
"I was listening to all the radio stations and the word was if you don't
have to go out, stay home," he noted. "Once in a while they would say
there were hundreds of cars on I-25, but they didn't say if there was an
accident or the road was closed."
He did, however, credit the radio stations for encouraging those
stranded to turn their car on, warm it up for 20-30 minutes and turn it
off until they couldn't stand it anymore. This allowed people to save
fuel and reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, he said.
After sitting in his car for about an hour and a half, Markwalder talked
with his neighbors on the freeway. They too didn't have a clue about
the situation. And to Markwalder's surprise, nobody he talked to had a
cellular phone he could use to contact his wife. Despite the challenges
that night, Markwalder's sense of humor prevailed.
"I was supposed to teach a Sunday School class that week on gratitude.
"When you're stuck in that kind of situation you have the choice to deny
it or embrace it," he explained. "I chose to embrace it and finish up
my Sunday School lesson, and I was reminded that it could have been a
lot worse."
Fortunately, the chaplain had filled up his gas tank and had a blanket,
snow scraper and brush, gloves, and an extra pair of shoes and socks in
his gym bag.
Finally, at about 3 a.m., Markwalder found out the road had been closed
and a foot and a half of snow had drifted due to the heavy winds -- he
was now officially stranded.
He was later informed by someone at the head of the pack that the road
was closed prior to 8 p.m. the night before -- at least an hour and a
half before the recording said the road was open.
At about 3:30 a.m. the chaplain buried his head under his blanket -- to
keep his body heat in -- and went to sleep.
"I woke up at 6 a.m. shaking because I was so cold -- my feet were like
ice," he said.
Denver citizens, along with one of the stranded truck drivers, came up
with a plan to build a path across the divider -- a 4-foot drift -- and
have cars, one by one, go to the other side of the freeway which had
been plowed and head back into Denver.
Markwalder was finally able to call his wife at 4 p.m. Saturday.
"The first thing I said was 'Honey, I want you to know that I am OK.'"
She was very worried because she had been calling the other chaplains
since 8 a.m.
Once Cornthwaite found out his location, he met Markwalder and had him
follow him home.
"What a gracious gift to have friends who care," he said.
At 5 p.m. Sunday, Markwalder was informed I-25 was opened back up. He
and his wife were reunited at 7 p.m.
Looking back on the excursion, Markwalder admits hindsight is always
20/20.
"You can always say, 'What if?' But I feel I did the best I could and
made the best decisions I could with the information I had. I can't
beat myself up and say that I really blew it and should have done
anything differently."
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971564. Squadron releases 1998 Thunderbirds schedule
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (AFNS) -- The Department of Defense recently
released the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron "Thunderbirds"
schedule for 1998.
The squadron will perform 62 demonstrations at 35 sites in the United
States and one demonstration in Canada.
Below is the 1998 schedule:
March
28-29 Punta Gorda, Fla.
April
4 Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.
11-12 Easter break
18-19 MacDill AFB, Fla.
25-26 Point Mugu Naval Air Weapons Station, Calif.
May
2-3 Knoxsville, Tenn.
9-10 San Angelo, Texas
16-17 Fairchild AFB, Wash.
27 U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
30 Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
31 Eielson AFB, Alaska
June
6-7 North Kingstown, R.I.
13-14 Hillsboro, Ore.
20-21 Sante Fe, N.M.
27-28 Davenport, Iowa
July
3-4 Battle Creek, Mich.
11-12 Plattsburgh AFB, N.Y.
18-19 Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.
22 Cheyenne, Wyo.
27-28 Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich.
August
1-2 Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
8-9 Abbotsford, British Columbia
15-16 Big Flat, N.Y.
17-24 Mid-season Break
29 Minot AFB, N.D.
30 Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
September
5-7 Cleveland, Ohio
12-13 Westover Air Reserve Base, Mass.
19-20 Durango, Colo.
26-27 Salinas, Calif.
October
3-4 Sioux City, Iowa
10-11 El Paso, Texas
17-18 Muskogee, Okla.
24 Columbus AFB, Miss.
31 Victorville, Calif.
November
1 Victorville, Calif.
7-8 Lake Charles, La.
14-15 Lake City, Fla.
Since the unit's inception in 1953, more than 299 million people in all
50 states and 59 foreign countries have witnessed the red, white, and
blue jets in more than 3,500 official aerial demonstrations. In all
that time, the team has never canceled a performance because of
maintenance difficulties.
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971558a,b,c,d. Air expeditionary mission support - cutlines (4)
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From left, Capt. Mac Langdon, and 1st Lt. Larry Councell, B-52
navigators, plan a training mission with Capt. Jay Martin, chief of
scheduling. The B-52 crews from the 96th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale Air
Force Base, La., are currently operating under the 2nd Air Expeditionary
Group in Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory. (Photo by Tech.
Sgt. Raymond T. Conway)
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Lt. Col. J.R. Smith, 78th Fighter Squadron, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.,
pre-flights a F-16 aircraft at Shaw in support of 347th Air
Expeditionary Wing. (Photo by Sraff Sgt. David G. Shoemaker)
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971558c.gif and 971558c.jpg
Tech. Sgt. Darrell Hodger, a load team member with the 20th Equipment
Maintenance Squadron, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., tightens down a strap
for cargo being loaded on a C-5 aircraft from Dover AFB, Del. All
equipment is being shipped from Shaw AFB to Saudi Arabia in support of
the 347th Air Expitionary Wing. (Photo by Staff Sgt. James E. Lotz)
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971558d.gif and 971558d.jpg
(Left to Right) Master Sgts. Randy Wright and Anthony Richards, ramp
coordinators with the 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Shaw Air
Force Base, S.C., inspect cargo so it can be loaded on a C-17 aircraft
from Charleston AFB, SC. Both check cargo at Shaw AFB before it is
shipped to Saudi Arabia in support of the 347th Air Expeditionary Wing.
(Photo by Staff Sgt. James E. Lotz)
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971559a. Tamanmone Casmir: Lest we forget - cutline
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Canadian Air Force 1st Lt. Heather Russell, a staff nurse training with
the 355th Air Transportable Hospital, looks after Tamanmone Casmir
during his stay with the U. S. Support Group-Haiti. (Photo by Navy Lt.
David B. Oates)
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971565a. Air Force unveils anniversary quilt - cutline (1)
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The Air Force unveiled its 50th anniversary quilt in the Pentagon
concourse Dec. 5. The quilt contains more than 85 handmade squares from
virtually every Air Force base throughout the world and measures 20 feet
by 20 feet. Thread used to join the squares together was flown aboard
the Space Shuttle Atlantis on its Sept. 22 mission. Final assembly of
parts and pieces took more than three months to complete, including more
than 500 hours for hand-embroidered lettering. The quilt center
features a 36-inch Air Force seal surrounded by seals representing each
major Air Force command. The quilt is framed in a special display case
covered with Plexiglas to allow viewers to "walk" on the quilt for
better viewing. This heritage quilt, better known as the "Fabric of the
Air Force," was created to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Air
Force. After a one-week display at the Pentagon, the quilt will be
permanently displayed at the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson Air
Force Base, Ohio. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Angela Stafford)