Combat Excellence-Always on Mission 2 Combat Excellence Always on Mission 3 from the Commander’S Desk CONTENTS the BEACON COL
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August 2015 Combat Excellence-Always on Mission 2 Combat Excellence Always on Mission 3 From The Commander’s Desk CONTENTS THE BEACON COL. TIMOTHY J. DONNELLAN 6 FIRST HONORARY COMMANDER DARREL T. ANDERSON, 124 ASOS HONORARY COMMANDER 8 Stay Focused, Positive To Warriors of the 124th FW, COMMAND CHIEF’S CORNER I hope you all are enjoying the summer and plan to continue to do so before we head into the fall. We have a lot of exciting things to look 10 FIRE DEPT TRAINING HEATS UP forward to--the first is the arrival of Mountain Home flying operations for three weeks in August. If you have not heard, now is a good time to keep reading! If you have heard and feel “LIVE BURN” confident you know the timeline, I may be able to offer some updates. » p.14 12 MED GROUP & FIRE DEPT JOINT TRAINING Mountain Home Air Force Base closed their runway on July 10 to make much-needed major repairs. The LIFE FLIGHT NETWORK TOUR & VEHICLE EXTRICATION aircraft stationed there must continue to fly and their aircrew must continue to train, so they have deployed to WING COMMANDER various locations in the US until the first week of August, at which time they will arrive at Gowen Field. Col. Timothy J. Donnellan 14 Aircraft Dedicated to the Community More than 20 Airmen from the 366th Maintenance Group have operated from our facilities, since early July, PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER “PRIDE OF COEUR D’ ALENE AND HAYDEN” UNVEILED on the east campus to conduct maintenance on their F-15E’s as they rotate in from their stateside deployed lo- Lt. Col. Gary A. Daniel cations since early July. We will eventually have up to 800 Airmen from the 366FW joining us at Gowen Field. PUBLIC AFFAIRS NCOIC [email protected] The current plan is for the 428th Fighter Squadron, Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), to fly into Master Sgt. Becky Vanshur Gowen Field from Davis Monthan Air Force Base on July 31. I have attached a chart showing the ranks of the www.idaho.ang.af.mil RSAF - please take a moment to review it. PUBLIC AFFAIRS STAFF Tech. Sgt. Sarah Pokorney (editor) The 389th and 391st Fighter Squadrons are slated to fly into Gowen Field AFB from Nellis Air Force Base Tech. Sgt. Joshua Allmaras bit.ly/124Beacon Aug. 2-3. They will begin flying on Aug. 6 and plan to fly a full schedule Aug. 10-24. They are scheduled -rede Tech. Sgt. John Winn » p.17 ploy to Mountain Home on Aug. 25-26. Senior Airman Cassie Morlock fb.me/124FWofficial Senior Airman Skyla Child We will continue to fly our normal schedule, and the 1/183d Aviation Battalion, which fly AH-64 Apaches and UH-60 Black hawks, will as well. It will be very busy up to the day of the 366FW’s scheduled departure. Flic.kr/ps/2tB3kf This month’s cover I’m excited and proud of the 124FW and all the work that has gone into our massive support for the 366FW. photo was taken June 7, www.twitter.com/124FighterWing Just like us, they will deploy next year to the Area Of Responsibility (AOR). Our ability to host them at Gowen 2015 by Tech. Sgt. Sarah Field allows them to come home from the various locations where they have been TDY and spend time with Pokorney during the their families before they deploy. If we were unable to host them, they would not be able to come home until the 124th Medical Group and www.instagram.com/124FighterWing runway was completed. Gowen Fire Firefighter tour of a Life Flight Net- THE BEACON is the official newsletter/magazine of the 124th Fighter Wing, work helicopter led by Idaho Air National Guard. It is published monthly by the wing public affairs Flight Paramedic, Gregg office. Views expressed may not be those of the U.S. Air Force, Air National (continue on pg. 4) Heller. Guard, Department of Defense or U.S. Government. The Beacon | August 2015 The Beacon | August 2015 4 Combat Excellence Always on Mission 5 (CONTINUED FROM PG 2) FROM THE COMMANDER’S DESK We will also use this as an opportunity to train with them in the same manner we intend to conduct operations next year--a rare opportunity to be sure, and one we will make the most of. While they are at Gowen I would ask each and every one of you to help where you can and provide leadership and mentorship when necessary. Our experience is our greatest asset in the Guard. When possible, please take the opportunity to engage the 366FW, whether at the food trucks on the east campus or on the flight line. It will be busy and very active as we take on a significant increase in the pace of operations. Don’t hesitate to address concerns with your supervisors, or, if time critical, address them on the spot. I’m also happy to tell you that we are hosting Gen. Herbert J. “Hawk” Carlisle, the Commander of ACC, the second week of August. He is coming here to see Gowen Field and look at our capabilities for future missions. This is great news for the Idaho Air National Guard as we move into the future. Most of his visit will be trans- parent, but he will be conducting an all call and a windshield tour of the base. It’s a great opportunity for us to showcase our organization while performing our day-to-day mission. I’m anxious to show Gen. Carlisle our act! Col. Aebischer is moving up as the new 124FW/CV on Sep. 1 as Col. Trimble retires. We will have new com- manders for the Maintenance (MXG) and Mission Support (MSG) groups by September. The Medical Group just returned from a domestic operations exercise. The MSG is moving offices, the Operations Group is deploying to the National Training Center to support the 116th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, MXG has been sending folks all over the U.S. grabbing A-10’s on cross country sorties, and we’re on deck to support our state mission with fires if needed. We have re-structured some offices on the fighter wing staff; most noticeable is the plans shop, which is actively building the schedule for next year. With this schedule we will provide stability through a published plan, with input from every squadron, as we march toward the largest deployment the fighter wing has ever faced. It will be busy, but I promise it will be predictable. Again, thanks for all you do for our country and the great State of Idaho. I’m excited to take on these new chal- lenges together as I know we will be stronger after them! (Photo illustration courtesy of the Republic of Sinapore Air Force Website www.mindef.gov.sg) The Beacon | August 2015 The Beacon | August 2015 6 Combat Excellence Always on Mission 7 WELCOME HONORARY COMMANDER MR. DARREL T. ANDERSON Idaho Power President and CEO, Darrel T. Anderson gets an up-close look at 124th Air Support Opera- tions Squadron equipment and capabilites at Gowen Field. Boise, Idaho, July 22, 2015. Anderson was sworn in earlier that day as the honorary commander of the 124 ASOS and the first honorary commander of the 124th Fighter Wing. (Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. John Winn) Idaho Power President and CEO, Darrel T. Anderson observed while Senior Airman Jesse Vanpatten, with the 124th Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS), called in A-10 Thunderbolt II close air support (CAS) in the Advanced Joint Terminal Attack Controller Training System (AAJTS) simulator at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, July 22, 2015. Anderson was sworn in earlier that day as the honorary commander of the 124 ASOS and the first honorary commander of the 124th Fighter Wing. The wing’s new honorary commander program is a collaborative effort designed to build long-term relationships and foster a better understanding of the 124th Fighter Wing’s units and missions. (Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Sarah Pokorney) The Beacon | August 2015 The Beacon | August 2015 8 Combat Excellence Always on Mission 9 COMMAND CHIEF’S CORNER Stay Do you have what it Focused, takes to make it? Positive TACP CHALLENGE 2015 Do you have what it takes to pass the Air Force Physical Ability Stamina Test? This is the same test used to qualify Tactical Air Control Party Specialists and all wing members are being challenged to see if they Over the past few months, I’ve seen and heard of increadible have what it takes to keep up with our very own 124th Air Support Operations Squadron TACPs. Even Airmen doing extraordinary jobs. if you don’t think you can do it, come out and try. Our TACPs will be administering and encouraging all who face the challenge. I’m proud of our SFS defenders running through their shoot, Command Chief Master Sgt. move, communicate course, our firefighters doing their firemen’s when - september 13, 2015 0900-1000 challenge, the IDO office planning our upcoming mobilization, Tammy S. Ladley who - all male and female airmen and Lt. Baisden aiding an injured hiker with lifesaving mea- where - base track sures. I had the opportunity to go downrange and watch our Air Support Operations Squadron Joint - what is the challenge - Terminal Attack Controllers call in close air support to our A-10 pilots - INCREDIBLE! completed in this order I can recall several more examples but this message will be too long. To sum it up--SIMPLY 1.5 mile run (10:47 or less) AMAZING is what comes to mind whenever I think about the Airmen in the 124th Fighter Wing.