On the Cover: F-16’s from the 177th Fighter prepare for a night flying mission at Atlantic City Base, N.J., Jan. 9, 2015. ANG/Airman 1st Class Shane S. Karp

JANUARY 2015, VOL. 49 NO. 1

THE CONTRAIL STAFF

177TH FW COMMANDER COL . KERRY M. GENTRY PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER 1ST LT. AMANDA BATIZ PUBLIC AFFAIRS MANAGER MASTER SGT. ANDREW J. MOSELEY PHOTOJOURNALIST TECH. SGT. ANDREW J. MERLOCK

PHOTOJOURNALIST AIRMAN 1st CLASS SHANE KARP PHOTOJOURNALIST AIRMAN 1st CLASS AMBER POWELL EDITOR/BROADCAST JOURNALIST TECH. SGT. MATT HECHT

AVIATION HISTORIAN DR. RICHARD PORCELLI

WWW.177FW.ANG.AF.MIL

This funded newspaper is an authorized monthly publication for members of the U.S. Military Services. Contents of The Contrail are not On desktop computers, click For back issues of The Contrail, necessarily the official view of, or endorsed by, the 177th Fighter Wing, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the Depart- Ctrl+L for full screen. On mobile, and other multimedia products ment of the Air Force. The editorial content is edited, prepared, and provided by the Public Affairs Office of the 177th Fighter Wing. All tablet, or touch screen device, from the 177th Fighter Wing, photographs are Air Force photographs unless otherwise indicated. tap or swipe to flip the page. please visit us at DVIDS! Story by Airman 1st Class Shane S. Karp, 177th FW/PA

Unit members complete 48-hour exercise

irmen from the 177th Fighter Wing

participated in a 48-hour exercise

A here entitled JAN ME EX 15-01 which demonstrated the base’s readiness to deploy. since the Air Force implemented its new inspec- capability to generate aircraft and deploy weap- men now is: don’t play, just do.” The exercise required extended working hours for tion system in June of 2013. ons in a combat environment,” said Lt. Col. Thor Members of the Wing Inspection Team, in con- personnel and a substantial increase in operations Under the new system, inspections are now a Himley, 177th Fighter Wing Inspector General. junction with Inspector Generals from outside the tempo throughout the base, all while working more continual internal and external evaluation. “The challenge for the new-style inspection is to unit, evaluated unit members on their ability to through unexpected low temperatures which re- In the past, inspectors viewed the performance shift away from the old mentality that there were complete tasks and perform as mained well below freezing during the 48 hours. of the wing during a one or two week window. play areas, and non-play areas, and players and they would in a real-world sce- The exercise was the first of its kind at the 177FW “The goal of the exercise is to validate the wing’s non-players,” said Himley. “Our challenge to Air- nario, said Himley. “I need those in leadership to communicate ask questions if they are unsure about what to do in certain real-world situations to en- to their Airmen what they expect out of them, sure a positive and successful inspection. so when the next inspection rolls around, Air- men are aware of these expectations,” said

Himley.

The next exercise of this nature is scheduled for later this year, and Himley urges Airmen to

FALCONS AT SUNRISE: A U.S. Air Force Airman from the Air National Guard's 177th Fighter Wing stands by pre-flight checks on an F-16C Fighting Falcon prior to a training mission early in the morning on Jan. 9, 2015 at Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, N.J. The Airmen took part in JAN ME EX 15-01, a mission employment exer- cise that tested the Wing's sortie generation capabilities. ANG/Tech. Sgt. Matt Hecht AMMO TROOPS KEEP JETS IN THE FIGHT

Below middle: U.S. Air Force Senior Airman James Mullen, left, and Airman 1st Class Viviana Lara, from the New Jersey Air Na- tional Guard's 177th Fighter Wing at Atlantic City Air National Guard Base N.J., work on munitions loaded onto an F-16 Fighting Falcon while participating in a training exercise Jan. 9, 2015. Below left: U.S. Air Force Airmen from the New Jersey Air National Guard's 177th Fighter Wing Atlantic City Air National Guard Base N.J., unload munitions from an F-16C Fighting Falcon on Jan. 9, 2015. The Airmen participated in an aircraft generation exercise that tests the readiness of the ground and flight crews. Below Right: U.S. Air Force Senior Airman James Mullen from the New Jersey Air National Guard's 177th Fighter Wing at Atlantic City Air National Guard Base N.J., performed maintenance on the weapons systems of an F-16C Fighting Falcon during a training exercise on Jan. 9, 2015. ANG/Airman 1st Class Amber Powell EARLY MORNINGS AND LATE NIGHTS

Top Left: An F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot from the 119th Fighter Squadron latches into his fighter here before a night training mission at Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, N.J. , Jan. 9, 2014. ANG/Airman 1st Class Shane S. Karp Bottom Left: A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot looks over his jet prior to a training mission early in the morning at Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, N.J, Jan. 9, 2015. Airmen from the 177th Fighter Wing took part in JAN ME EX 15-01, a mission employment exercise that tested the Wing's sortie generation capabilities. ANG/Tech. Sgt. Matt Hecht Bottom Right: A U.S. Air Force F-16 pilot from the New Jersey Air Na- tional Guard's 177th Fighter Wing , Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, N.J., prepares for takeoff on Jan. 9, 2015, as seen by a night vision lens. Pilots and maintainers worked through winter cold temperatures while participating in a training exercise that test the readiness of the wing. ANG/ Airman 1st Class Amber Powell HOG WILD: A U.S. Air Force A-10C Warthog from the Air National Guard's 175th Wing drops inert bombs during joint terminal attack controller proficiency training at 177th Fighter Wing Det. 1, Warren Grove Gunnery Range, N.J., Dec. 18, 2014.

Story and photos by Tech. Sgt. Matt Hecht, 177th Fighter Wing Public Affairs slight wind rustles the pine trees. Radios practice bombs on targets further out. TOP COVER: A U.S. Air Force tactical air control party Airman crackle. The hint of whining engines can watches a Marine Corps UH-1Y Venom helicopter from HMLA-773 “This type of exercise is key for us,” said Det. B "Red Dogs" as it provides close air support during joint be heard on the horizon. The Tactical Air Donohue. “Deconflicting air space with multiple terminal attack controller proficiency training at 177th Fighter A Wing Det. 1, Warren Grove Gunnery Range, N.J., Dec. 18, 2014. Control Party (TACP) Airmen from the New Jersey aircraft and multiple targets can be challenging. Air National Guard’s 227th Air Support Operations Warren Grove Range gives us the space and the Squadron spring into action as communications target selections we need for training.” come alive. Marine Corps helicopters and Air Na- tional Guard -A 10C Warthogs check in on station to provide close air support during an afternoon of training at 177th Fighter Wing Detachment 1, War- ren Grove Range. The telltale sound of helicopter blades cutting through the air became louder. “They should be coming out of the northeast, mak- ing dry runs on those positions” said Tech. Sgt. MAPS: Two U.S. Air Force tactical air control Chris Donohue, as he pointed through the tree line party specialists from the New Jersey Air Na- towards the range’s expansive urban village. tional Guard's 227th Air Support Operations Squadron look over maps during joint terminal A Marine Corps AH-1Z SuperCobra and UH-1Y Ven- attack controller proficiency training at 177th Fighter Wing Det. 1, Warren Grove Gunnery om fly low overhead, scanning for the ‘enemy.’ Range, N.J., Dec. 18, 2014. Staff Sgt. Aaron Thieroff, another TACP Airman from the 227th, coordinated the airstrikes like a complicated dance routine, as the A-10’s, AH-1Z’s, and UH-1Y’s took turns diving in on targets. “We’re taking small arms fire from the tree line,” Thieroff radioed to the Marine Corps Venom and SuperCobra attack helicopters, as Airmen acting as instructors pelted the up-armored HUMVEE with pine cones, to simulate the sounds of ricocheting bullets. TACP Airmen receive training that is physically, mentally, and technically challenging. “Danger close.” These Airmen support everyone from Army and Marine infantry to some of While the helicopters performed dry runs, the A- 10’s did several strafing passes and dropped inert the military’s most elite special operations teams. VENOMOUS: A Marine Corps UH-1Y Venom helicopter from HMLA-773 Det. B "Red Dogs" flies overhead providing close air support during joint terminal attack controller proficiency training at 177th Fighter Wing Det. 1, Warren Grove Gunnery Range, N.J., Dec. 18, 2014. HMLA-773 is based out of McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. Story by Dr. Richard V. Porcelli

s is true for any important organization, it is The Origins of the ANG vital that today’s members have knowledge of their origins and a sense of their history. The 119th Fighter Squadron can proudly claim a and rich history both in terms of the U.S. Air Force th A and the Air National Guard. That history is The 119 Fighter Squadron the subject of this and future articles in The Contrail. The concept of a National Guard is a uniquely American phenomenon. The concept, placing a military force un- der the control of a local state government, has been embraced only by the among all federa- tive countries. Federative countries are those nations formed by a union of individual, self-governing states. In other federated countries, such as Brazil, Russia, Ger- many, Mexico and Switzerland, their equivalent of a “national” guard or militia is in fact entirely controlled by the central government. The roots of the National Guard in America go back di- rectly to the Minutemen who fought for the independ- ence of the original Thirteen Colonies from British rule. In fact, the forebears of today’s Guardsmen and Guardswomen first fought at Concord Bridge on April 19, 1775, where they fired the shots “heard ‘round the world.” Surprisingly, the history of citizen soldiers dates even further back, many years before the American Revolution, to 1636 when the Massachusetts Bay Colo- ny formed a home defense unit. (The Massachusetts ’s 182nd Regiment can correctly claim their origins back to that date, 378 years ago.) Other colonies and, after the Revolution, all states fol- lowed suit forming their own Organized Militias com- posed of citizen soldiers, that later came to be called National Guards. The New York National Guard organized the first “Aeronautic Corps” on April 30, 1908 as part of the 1st Company, Signal Corps of that unit and formed an Avia- tion Detachment of the 1st Battalion, Signal Corps, on November 1, 1915. In August 1919, that unit was reor- ganized as the 102nd Aero Squadron at Kelly Field, Tex- as. Today’s 102nd Rescue Squadron, part of the 106th Rescue Group of the NYANG stationed at the Francis Gabreski Airport, Westhampton Beach, Long Island, can accurately lay claim to being the oldest Air National Guard unit in existence. The Douglas O-46 observation plane was the first monoplane New Jersey was not far behind. On June 5, 1917, the flown by the Air National Guard. The enclosed cockpit and 5th Aviation School Squadron was organized at Hamp- 200 mph speed made it advanced for its day. ANG photo ton, Virginia, which later became known as Langley Air Guard units flew biplanes. The O-46 “parasol” (meaning a Right: Newark Airport is Force Base, and today, as Joint Base Langley-Eustis. On single wing on top of the fuselage) had a top speed of 200 shown looking east in the ear- September 2, 1917 the unit was re-designated as the 119th mph and boasted a fully enclosed cockpit for its two-man ly 1950s. The terminal is in Aero Squadron – the direct ancestor of today’s 119th Fight- crew. The New Jersey National Guard, supported by the er Squadron. The 119th can proudly claim to be one of the Maryland National Guard, flew O-46s on anti-submarine the right center, while the oldest units in the U.S. Air Force - the 100th anniversary of patrols of the well into the early years of NJANG base was in the center, the squadron is fast approaching! Shortly thereafter the WWII. next to where the Turnpike name was changed again, this time to Detachment 11, Air The Guard Bureau first ordered the North American O-47 in would be built, and in front of Service, Air Production. The unit did not participate in World 1937. It was the first Guard aircraft to feature retractable War I, but remained at Hampton Field until it was demobi- Port Newark. landing gear, a single cantilever (not parasol) wing and fully lized on May 29, 1919. enclosed cockpit. The 975-hp Wright R-1890-1 engine Below: The Bell P-39 Airacobra th In 1921, the New Jersey National Guard formed the 119 gave it a top speed of 220 mph and a service ceiling of was a unique design, perhaps Squadron (Observation) and changed its name to the 119th 23,000 feet. It was the most advanced aircraft in Guard Observation Squadron on January 23, 1923. On January service at the outbreak of WWII; in fact, a few Guard’s O- too ahead of its time. Alt- 30, 1930 the 119th Observation Squadron received federal 47s were shipped to Singapore at the outbreak of the war hough a sitting duck in air-to- th recognition as the aviation unit of the 44 Division, New to stem the tide of battle but due to that outpost’s fall into air combat against the Japa- Jersey National Guard. Based at Newark Metropolitan Air- Japanese hands, the aircraft ended up in Australia for the nese Zero or Nazi Messer- port (today, Newark Liberty International Airport), the 119th war’s duration. The North American BC-1 was not a mis- OS flew a mixture of Consolidated PT-1 and O-17 as well sion aircraft, but an important Guard training aircraft at the schmitt 109, it held its own as as Douglas BT-1 and O-2 training and observation aircraft. outbreak of WWII. With a top speed of 230-mph, this train- a ground attack fighter. ANG The PT-1 (Primary Trainer Number 1) and O-17 were near- er actually exceeded the performance of the Guard’s ‘first- photos ly identical aircraft. They replaced WWI era “Jennies” as line’ observation planes! It was a direct antecedent, with an the basic aircraft of the Guard Bureau. The PT-1 was the almost identical exterior appearance, of the famous T-6 first training airplane purchased by the Army Air Service in Texan – perhaps the most famous training plane of all time. substantial quantity following World War I. It acquired the On September 16, 1940, as the war clouds darkened over nickname 'Trusty' for their excellent ability to make a quick Europe and Asia, the 119th was called to active duty and and effective recovery from a spin. Easy to fly, the Trusty assigned to the 59th Observation Group, Second Corps, made some students overconfident, and they received a U.S. Army. Due to the buildup of other units in anticipation shock when they advanced to faster airplanes with more of war, the squadron lost many of its aircraft except for one difficult handling characteristics. A total of 221 were built (a BC-1A, seven O-46s and three O-47A/Bs. large number for the day); powered by a 220-hp Wright R- 790-1 radial engine, the top speed was barely 100 mph. In March 1942 the unit began its wartime odyssey, moving Similarly, the Douglas BT-1 and O-2 were also virtually the away from Newark to be stationed at 6 different airfields, same aircraft, being a trainer and observation version, re- changing its designation 4 times! Still flying the O-47A/B spectively. Winner of the 1925 Air Service (as the Army Air observation plane, their first move was to nearby Corps was known at that time) competition, the Guard Bu- Army Air Corps Base (today’s Joint Base McGuire-Dix- reau followed suit with an order for 45 aircraft. Their role Lakehurst), then to Barnstable Airport, Massachusetts; was to provide gun spotting and support of the ground Grenier Field, New Hampshire; and then Birmingham Field, units. In 1936 the Army officially consolidated the lineage – all during 1942! The group was deactivated at and honors of the original 119th Aero Squadron with those the end of 1942 but reactivated in early 1943 at Ft. Myers of New Jersey’s 119th Observation Squadron. Army Airfield, Page, Florida, flying the Bell P-39 Airacobra as part of the 59th Replacement Group. The squadron remained at Newark Airport throughout the 1930s, transitioning to a mixture of aircraft types, including At the outbreak of the war, the P-39 was a first line Army the Douglas O-38 and O-46 as well as North American O- Air Corps fighter. It was a very innovative design, with the 47 and BC-1 observation planes. A 525-hp Pratt & Whit- 1150-hp Allison V-17 engine mounted behind the pilot. A ney R-1690-3 engine powered the O-38, a two-seat bi- shaft, passing virtually between the pilot’s legs, drove the plane, giving it a top speed of 150 mph and a service ceil- three-bladed prop. This precarious arrangement actually ing of 19,000 feet. Many consider it to be the first good forced the pilot’s seat higher in the cockpit than normal, aircraft flown by the National Guard. It entered service in giving him an excellent field of view compared to contempo- 1931 and still flew with some Guard units at the outbreak of rary aircraft. Although fitted with an early design super- WWII. The O-46 was the first monoplane ordered by the charger, the engine’s performance fell off drastically above . Up until it was ordered in 1936, all 12,000 feet altitude. The novel weight distribution also gave it strange flight characteristics, with a tendency to assigned back to the New Jersey National Guard on May of the innovations of the H’s design were directly incorpo- tumble “end-over-end” in certain situations! On the plus 24, 1946. But it was a “paper” unit until January 29, 1947 rated in North American’s early jets, including the FJ Fury side, the engine’s location, armor protection of the cockpit, when it was extended federal recognition. Based once for the Navy and the F-86 Sabre for the Air Force. and T-9 cannon firing through the propeller’s spinner made again at Newark Airport, the 119th Fighter Squadron (SE), On September 1, 1952 the unit was re-designated as the it an ideal ground-attack and tank-busting aircraft. Despite where the “SE” suffix designated “single engine,” received 119th Fighter Bomber Squadron to denote its primary mis- its drawbacks, almost 10,000 were built. Russia received Republic P-47D Thunderbolts as well as a few assorted sion. Partly as a result of the shortcomings of the H-model, about 5,000 Airacobras under the “Lend-Lease” program, support aircraft, including North American T-6 Texan train- the unit “traded down” to the earlier F-51D version of the and used them effectively to blunt Germany’s Operation ing aircraft. The 119th has flown high performance fighter Mustang in July 1954. Incidentally, a number of the unit’s F Barbarossa, the invasion of Russia in June of 1941. aircraft since that time – one of the longest such stretches -51Ds, after retirement, were purchased by Universal Studi- of single mission assignment in Air National Guard history. The mission of the 59th Replacement Group was, as the os where they starred (for airplane lovers, Rock Hudson name implies, to train replacement pilots for this unique The Republic P-47D Thunderbolt gained its fame as the was only the co-star) in the movie “Battle ground-attack aircraft as well as to fly anti-submarine pa- best ground-attack aircraft of the Second World War. It Hymn” about Air Force hero, Col. Dean Hess, who saved trols off the mid-Atlantic coast. Within months they moved was large, heavily armed with eight 50-cal guns mounted in countless Korean orphans while assigned the task of teach- again, keeping their aircraft and mission, to Thomasville the wings. (The staggered arrangement of the very heavy ing ROK (Republic of ) pilots to fly the Mustang. Army Airfield, Georgia where they were re-designated as machine guns was necessary to keep a proper center of th th In May 1955 the 119 entered the jet age with the receipt of the 490 Fighter Squadron. But the need for P-39 replace- gravity of the aircraft.) It had a top speed of 428 mph and a North American F-86E Sabres, being re-designated the ment pilots diminished as the aircraft was replaced in front- ceiling of 43,000 feet. Although designed as an escort 119th Fighter Interceptor Squadron in July of that year. The line Army Air Corp service by more modern Republic P-47 fighter, the longer-range North American P-51 Mustang F-86 Sabre gained fame in the world’s first jet air battles, Thunderbolts and North American P-51 Mustangs; the mis- superseded it in that role. Reverting to close air support, it successfully defeating technically and numerically superior sion was ended and the unit disbanded during 1944. still continued to rack up an impressive number of air-to-air Communist MiG-15s over “MiG Alley”, the northwest region kills. Since 15,863 P-47s (known as “T-Bolts” or “Jugs”) The unit was dormant only a short time. It was reconstitut- of North Korea, bordering with , where the Yalu River were built between May 1941 and December 1945, plenty ed and re-designated as the 119th Fighter Squadron; it was empties into the Yellow Sea. Mainly due to superior train- were available to staff post-war Guard flying units. Essen- ing, Air Force Sabre pilots achieved at least an 8:1 (some tially every Guard fighter unit on the east coast and south- claim an 11:1) kill ratio over the MiGs flown by Russian, ern U.S. (plus the Territory of Hawaii) was eventually Communist Block, Korean and Chinese pilots. Above: The 119th FS was equipped with the Republic’s P-47 Thunderbolt after being reformed equipped with Thunderbolts. The F-86E was an improved day fighter that followed the after WWII. It was one of the greatest warplanes of all time and today’s A-10 Warthog After the September 1947 creation of the U.S. Air Force as first production version, the F-86A. It incorporated an “all- a separate branch of the military, the air units of the Nation- (officially, Thunderbolt II), is a direct decendent of the “Jug”. Below: NJANG F-51D Mustangs flying tail” - a direct result of lessons learned by Chuck al Guard became the Air National Guard. At that time the Yeager with the Bell X-1 experimental sound barrier- are warming up before a flight. In 1954 they replaced the lightweight P-51H due to problems earlier Pursuit designation “P” was replaced by Fighter, “F”. breaking aircraft. It was externally similar to the earlier ver- with structural failures. ANG photos Thus, virtually overnight the unit’s P-47Ds became F-47Ds! sion except for a raised fairing at the base of the vertical fin In February 1952, the North American F-51H Mustang re- and rudder above the all-flying tail. The fairing contained placed the 119th’s weary Thunderbolts. This was the ulti- the controls for the new horizontal tail, which moved in its mate production version of the Mustang. Its development entirety to give better control through the transonic speed was a result of North American’s attempt to develop a light- range, eliminating control reversal caused by aerodynamic er, faster and aerodynamically more stable version of the forces. The -E version also had an A-1CM gun sight linked war-winning P-51D. It featured a higher-powered Allison V- to the APG-30 , whose antenna was mounted in the 1710-119 engine, more streamlined fuselage, higher sitting upper lip of the intake. Top speed was 679-mph, but the cockpit, disc brakes, taller vertical tail (to correct the earlier service ceiling was limited to 47,200 feet (compared to versions’ instability in yaw), and most importantly, a rede- 51,000 feet for the MiG-15). Readers are encouraging the signed, straight-edged, laminar flow wing. It was one of the see the April 2014 issue of The Contrail which contains an fasted propeller driven aircraft ever, with a top speed of 487 article, “Finding Little Miss Claire”, about a 119th FS veteran -mph (Mach 0.74) at 25,000 feet. However, it had problems of the Sabre days. that plagued its career in the Air Force and the Air Guard. Due to the growth of commercial air traffic at Newark, the The thin metal construction (to save weight) resulted in a NJ Air National Guard was forced to move the 119th FIS to tendency to breakup under high G maneuvers. Pilots were McGuire Air Force Base. In March 1958, Republic F-84F warned that if they exceeded the G-limit they would “loose Thunderstreaks replaced the Sabres and shortly thereafter their wings” – both literally and symbolically! Even if not the 119th moved for the last time – to its current home at abused, the aircraft suffered from wrinkling of the wings, Atlantic City Airport. fuselage and tail, plus the tendency of the tail wheel to col- lapse upon landing – highly disconcerting traits! But many U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Austin Daniel, an F-16 crew chief from the New Jersey Air National Guard's 177th Fighter Wing, stands by to signal Maj. Phillip Stein to launch prior to a training mission at Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, N.J., Dec. 17, 2014. (U.S. Air National Guard pho- to by Tech. Sgt. Matt Hecht) “RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS!” the world simply by being positive and listening. When you listen to someone, you tell them you and “We make a living by what we what you feel or believe is important. get; we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill I find it fun to just do something nice for someone I don’t know. Yesterday I shoveled a neighbor’s drive-

way. I paid for a couple and their young children for It all comes down to choices. This lunch, and told the waitress not to identify who paid. year, we can choose to be a nega- I enjoy most talking to veterans at the Gloucester tive influence on those around us or a positive one. County Vet Center, who have great stories to tell. We can choose to belittle and demean others in an Maybe you can do the same or just hand out balloons attempt to feel better about ourselves for a few mo- to children. The opportunities are endless. If you are ments or we can lift them up, be an encourager. aware of the needs of those around you and are look- With as much heartache and stress in today’s envi- ing for opportunities to help, you will find them. You ronment, I hope we would choose to make a positive will be surprised at how many times you will cross difference to those around us. paths with people you can assist in small but mean-

ingful ways, that may be multiplied and neutralize a Random Acts of Kindness are a means by which we recent toxic experience. make a deliberate attempt to brighten another per- son’s day by doing something thoughtful. Kindness Start the New Year off right by thoughtful gestures. is a way of showing others that they count, and even You may be surprised at how much you gain from in the face of hostility and selfishness, you’re taking giving. Until next time……… a stand to be a positive influence. Anyone can per- form a small act of kindness. The problem is that Remember: “If there is any great success in life, it lies many of us are overwhelmed. We feel like we’re in the ability to put yourself in the other person’s under a time crunch with our current responsibili- place and see things from his perspective as well as ties. We worry about our lack of time, obsess about your own.” – Henry Ford to-do lists, and worry some more. We become nar- rowly focused on our own lives. Plus, we erroneous- For a confidential appointment with the Doc, call me ly assume that acts of kindness are restricted to giv- at 609-761-6871 or by cell at 609-289-6713. Email is ing money, volunteering, or performing grand ges- good too [email protected] tures….all resources we don’t have at the moment.

The easiest and probably the most meaningful act of kindness is attentiveness. Practice awareness for opportunities to help other Airman or someone or to say a kind word. Listen to what a person is saying and engage in an uplifting conversation. Be an en- courager. You can impact people’s attitudes about For more awards photos, check out the 177th Fighter Wing Facebook page!

U.S. Air Force tactical air control party Airmen from the 227th Air Support Opera- tions Squadron pull a Humvee being ridden by Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, and an elf as they visit military members and their families at the annual holiday party at Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, N.J., Dec. 7, 2014. ANG/Tech. Sgt. Matt Hecht K-9 officers from Camden County got an up- close look at an F-16 here on Dec. 17, 2014. ANG/ Master Sgt. Andrew J. Moseley

A U.S. Navy F/A-18 Hornet from the Blue Angels demonstration team taxis towards the ramp at Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, N.J., while Senior Airman Christo- pher Bird, a 177th Fighter Wing F-16 crew chief, stands by to marshal the aircraft to its parking spot, Dec. 5, 2014. Blue Angels narrator Capt. Jeff Kuss and events coordi- nator Capt. Corrie Mays arrived in Atlantic City to announce the Blue Angels participa- tion in the 2015 Thunder Over the Boardwalk Air Show. ANG/Tech. Sgt. Matt Hecht Explosives Ornance Disposal (EOD) Technicians with the New Jersey Air National Guard's 177th Fighter Wing, gave a demonstration to members of the , Chief Master Sgt. Randall Mason and Chief Master Sgt. Atlantic County Composite Squadron NJ-105, during a tour of the EOD shop at the George Clark present Staff Sgt. stripes to Senior Airman Marie base in Egg Harbor Township, N.J., Jan. 2, 2015. ANG/Master Sgt. Andrew J. Moseley Madera, 177th Maintenance Squadron. Courtesy photo

Final Photo FIGHTING FALCONS

U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons from the New Jersey Air National Guard's 177th Fighter Wing taxi for takeoff for a training mission early in the morning on Jan. 9, 2015 at Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, N.J. The Airmen took part in JAN ME EX 15-01, a mission employment exercise that tested the Wing's sortie generation capabilities. ANG/Tech. Sgt. Matt Hecht