Air Force World By Michael Sirak, Senior Editor, with Marc Schanz, Associate Editor

Airmen Killed in Afghanistan fleet of 62 Hueys, which protect the TSgt. Adam K. Ginett, 29, of Knight- nation’s ICBM fields, shuttle VIPs, and dale, N.C., and SrA. Bradley R. Smith, rescue civilians. USAF wants the first screenshot 24, of Troy, Ill., died in separate inci- operational unit of six new helicopters dents in January in Afghanistan while ready for use by September 2015. supporting combat operations. Among its attributes, CVLSP should Ginett died Jan. 19 near Kandahar be capable of: carrying nine com- Airfield of wounds he suffered from bat-equipped troops and four crew an improvised explosive device. He members, maintaining at least 135 USAF photo by A1C Brett Clashman was an explosive ordnance disposal knots true air speed, flying 259 miles technician who had deployed from unrefueled, and surviving against the 31st Civil Engineer Squadron at small-arms fire. Aviano AB, Italy. Smith was killed on Jan. 3 near Boeing Starts Building A-10 Wings Kandahar when an IED exploded near Boeing announced Jan. 18 that it had his vehicle, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch started work on the first replacement reported Jan. 11. He was assigned to the wing set for the A-10 Thunderbolt II 10th Air Support Operations Squadron, ground-attack aircraft at its production an Air Force tactical air control party facility in Macon, Ga. The company unit stationed at Ft. Riley, Kan., that expects to deliver this first set in Sep- operates with elements of the Army’s tember for installation by 2011. 1st Infantry Division. The Air Force contracted Boeing in 2007 to supply some 242 wing sets Airman’s Remains Recovered in Haiti to replace the wings on so-called The remains of Maj. Kenneth Bour- thin-skinned A-10s that were starting land, 37, of Birmingham, Ala., were to experience cracking. Boeing will found Feb. 7 at the Hotel Montana in deliver the sets in four parts—three Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where he had wing sections and an installation been staying on official business. kit—to Hill AFB, Utah, where Ogden Borland was part of a five-member Air Logistics Center technicians will delegation from US Southern Com- install the wings. mand, including US Army Lt. Gen. P. Meanwhile, as an interim fix to K. Keen, SOUTHCOM deputy com- ensure safety of flight with the thin- mander, that had traveled to Haiti on skinned A-10s, Air Force technicians Jan. 12, the day the magnitude 7.0 are adding steel straps and stronger earthquake struck the na- fittings to some of these aircraft. tion, collapsing the hotel among the widespread damage. Mullen Outlines Priorities The four other members of the group Adm. Michael G. Mullen, Chairman survived. Air Force officials said Bour- of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Dec. 21 land, a career helicopter pilot, had been signed out his new Joint Guidance for selected for promotion to lieutenant 2009-10. colonel in June 2009, and action is The new guidance focuses on three pending on a posthumous promotion. priorities: defending US interests in the Middle East and South Central USAF Studies Huey Replacement Asia; maintaining the health of the US The Air Force issued a request for military force (people and systems); information in mid-December, seeking and balancing global strategic risk. It industry input on the in-production closely follows the previous guidance, helicopter designs well-suited to be except for the addition of South Central the Common Vertical Lift Support Asia to the defending-US-interests Platform, the much-desired replace- priority. ment to the service’s Vietnam War-era Mullen emphasized “strengthening UH-1N Huey helicopters. professional relationships with our re- Per the solicitation, Air Force of- gional counterparts” in the Middle East ficials anticipate acquiring up to 93 and South Central Asia as “essential new platforms to supplant the current to addressing our shared interests,”

12 AIR FORCE Magazine / March 2010 and he advocated “finding the right Dover is the site of the sole US Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. size, shape, and posture to globally military mortuary in the continental Schwartz at the dedication ceremony. detect, deter, and defeat current and US where military personnel who die Construction began in November 2009 future threats.” overseas are returned home. The new and was completed within 60 days. center, a 6,000-square-foot facility, The center replaced a smaller facility Family Center Opens at Dover created by renovating a former base that had served in this role. The Air Force on Jan. 6 opened the convenience store, is designed to Center for Families of the Fallen on the provide a comfortable waiting and Extended BMT Proving Successful grounds of Dover AFB, Del., for family grieving area for the families. Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley members who travel to the base to “This center is emblematic of our toured the Basic Expeditionary Airman witness the return of their fallen loved genuine gratitude to the families of Skills and Training complex at Lackland ones’ remains. our fallen service members,” said Air AFB, Tex., and presided over the basic

As an A-10 lands nearby, F‑22s on the flight line at Nellis AFB, Nev., prepare to launch for a Red Flag sortie. Raptors from Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, and Holloman AFB, N.M., 02.04.2010 flew in the latest Red Flag, a highly realistic training exercise that plays out over a 15,000-square-mile range in southern Nevada. This Red Flag event drew nearly 1,300 uni- formed participants, some 80 aircraft, and 19 units from the and Britain.

AIR FORCE Magazine / March 2010 13 Air Force World

Senior Staff Changes Hill AFB, Utah; Mountain Home AFB, Idaho; Shaw AFB, S.C.; Burlington Arpt., RETIREMENTS: Lt. Gen. Jack L. Rives. Vt.; Jacksonville Arpt., Fla.; and McEntire JNGB, S.C. PROMOTIONS: To Lieutenant General: Richard C. Harding. To : These meetings allowed citizens from Gerard A. Caron. the communities around these installations to express their views on the basing as NOMINATION: To be Major General: Byron C. Hepburn. part of the environmental impact analyses required by US law before the Air Force CHANGES: Maj. Gen. Gerard A. Caron, from Dep. Command Surgeon, AETC, may render any final basing decisions, Randolph AFB, Tex., to Cmdr., 79th Medical Wg., AFDW, JB Andrews, Md. ... Brig. which are expected in early 2011. The Gen. Russell J. Handy, from Cmdr., 57th Wg., ACC, Nellis AFB, Nev., to Dir., Air meetings were scheduled to conclude in Component Coordination Element, US Forces-, , Iraq ... Lt. Gen. mid-February. Richard C. Harding, from Cmdr., AF Legal Ops. Agency, Bolling AFB, D.C., to Back in October 2009, the Air Force JAG, USAF, Pentagon ... Brig. Gen. Paul T. Johnson, from Cmdr., 355th FW, ACC, announced those six active duty bases Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., to Cmdr., 451st Air Expeditionary Wg., ACC, Kandahar and installations as Airfield, Afghanistan ... Brig. Gen. Michael A.Keltz, from Vice Cmdr., 7th AF, PACAF, candidates to host operational F-35s, along Osan AB, South Korea, to Asst. Dir., Ops., Plans, Prgms., & Rqmts., PACAF, Hickam with five additional prospective sites for AFB, Hawaii ... Brig. Gen. Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy, from Vice Cmdr., 13th AF, F-35 training: Eglin AFB, Fla.; Holloman PACAF, Hickam AFB, Hawaii, to Cmdr., 57th Wg., ACC, Nellis AFB, Nev. ... Brig. AFB, N.M.; Luke AFB, Ariz.; and the ANG Gen. Robert P. Otto, from Cmdr., 9th Recon Wg., ACC, Beale AFB, Calif., to Dir., stations in Boise, Idaho, and Tucson, Ariz. ISR Capabilities, DCS, ISR, USAF, Pentagon ... Maj. Gen. Joseph Reynes Jr., from Dir., Air Component Coordination Element, US Forces-Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, to Dir. Black Sheep Get First F-22 for Jt. Experimentation, JFCOM, Norfolk, Va. ... Brig. Gen. John F. Thompson, from The at Holloman Cmdr., 303rd Aeronautical Sys. Wg., Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, to PEO, Strat. AFB, N.M., in December took delivery of Sys., AF Nuclear Weapons Ctr., AFMC, Kirtland AFB, N.M. the first of its 20 planned F-22 Raptor stealth fighters. This aircraft, the unit’s SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE RETIREMENT: Brendan Godfrey. new flagship, arrived Dec. 21. It was for- merly assigned to the at SES CHANGES: Devin L. Cate, to Dep. Dir., AF Rapid Capab. Office, Office of the Langley AFB, Va. Admin. Asst. to the SECAF, Pentagon ... Frederica Darema, to Dir., Mathematics, Holloman’s 49th Fighter Wing is sched- Info. & Life Sciences, AF Office of Scientific Research, AFMC, Arlington, Va. ... uled to receive 40 F-22s. Its 7th Fighter Gregory L. Garcia, to Dep. Dir., Intl. & Rqmts., AFMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio Squadron, sister unit to the 8th, was near ... Stephanie Paige Hinkle-Bowles, to Dep. Dir., Force Mgmt. Policy, DCS, Man- its full complement of 20 as of late January. power, Personnel, & Svcs., USAF, Pentagon ... Robert S. Jack II, to Dir., Identity The 8th, known as the “Black Sheep,” is Assurance & Public Key Infrastructure, Office of the Asst. SECDEF, Networks & expected to have its 20 F-22s in place by Integration/DOD Chief Info. Officer, Pentagon ... William C.Redmond, to Dir. of Staff, around the end of 2010. AFRC, Robins AFB, Ga. ... Scott Reynolds, to Dir., Global Combat Spt., DCS, Log., The unit had been without aircraft Instln., & Mission Spt., USAF, Pentagon ... Thomas P. Russell, to Dir., AF Office of since April 2008, when it retired its F-117 Scientific Research, AFMC, Arlington, Va. ... John E. White, to Dir. of Engineering Nighthawk stealth aircraft. Holloman is also & Tech. Mgmt., ASC, AFMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. n under consideration to host F-35 Lightning II strike fighters. Air Force officials have military training graduation ceremony on Jan. 8. “This is the first-year anniversary of the extension of BMT from 6.5 to 8.5 weeks,” Donley told the fresh crop of graduates. He said those extra two weeks, which were added to incorporate instruction in skills that better prepare airmen for the USAF photo by SrA. ZacharyWolf current fights in Afghanistan and Iraq, are making their mark. “I think it has succeeded,” he said of the extension. But the service needs to continue ensuring that this training stays relevant to current threats, such as deal- ing with improvised explosive devices, said Donley. “This is exactly the type of training we need to give our airmen from the very beginning,” he said.

Public Meetings Review F-35 Basing The Air Force in mid-January began a set of public scoping meetings to discuss the potential beddown of combat-ready That’s Smokin’: An F-22 powers over Langley AFB, Va. It was flown by Maj. Dave F-35 Lightning II strike fighter units at Skalicky, commander of the Raptor Aerial Demonstration Team. The 14-member team one or more of the six candidate bases: travels worldwide to showcase the aircraft’s exceptional maneuverability.

14 AIR FORCE Magazine / March 2010 said if F-35s end up there, they might relocate the F-22s. US Repositioning GPS Satellites to Bolster Coverage

Joint Base Initiatives Advance US Strategic Command announced Jan. 7 that it had initiated an effort Air Force officials on Jan. 7 activated with Air Force to improve the signal coverage provided the 633rd Air Base Wing at Langley by Global Positioning System navigation satellites to warfighters in places AFB, Va., the host unit that will oversee such as Afghanistan. operations of JB Langley, which stood “Terrain in geographically challenging areas can degrade complete cover- up at the end of January. age of GPS signals,” stated the command in explaining the decision. The new joint base, consolidating the Accordingly, STRATCOM said GPS satellites would be repositioned, es- base support functions of Langley and sentially spreading out the constellation so that the number of satellites in the Army’s nearby Ft. Eustis under one view from any single point on Earth would increase, potentially enhancing administrative roof, is one of 12 joint the accuracy of GPS receivers. bases being created as a result of BRAC The plan replaces the existing strategy of placing new satellites close to 2005. Like all future joint bases, the goal older ones to mitigate loss of coverage if one satellite goes down. is to reap cost savings by eliminating It is expected to take about 24 months to implement as the satellites are redundant base support services for repositioned based on constellation health. nearby installations. “The beneficial impact to all GPS users, including civilian users, will be On Jan. 8, of- slowly realized during that time period,” stated the command. ficials activated the 628th Air Base Wing The new strategy takes advantage of the current size of the GPS constel- at Charleston AFB, S.C. It will serve as lation, which STRATCOM said is the largest in GPS history. There are more the host unit for JB Charleston, the union than 30 satellites on orbit. of Charleston Air Force Base and the STRATCOM said this initiative is just one of the efforts with the Air Force nearby Naval Weapons Station. Like JB to enhance GPS capability continually. Langley, its formal merger occurred at Along those lines, the Air Force on Jan. 11 transitioned to a new version the end of January. of the software used with the GPS ground control element at Schriever AFB, Colo. Pilot Error Caused F-16 Collision This new software build includes telemetry, tracking, and command func- investigators tions for the new GPS Block IIF satellites, the first of which is expected to found that an F-16 pilot’s failure to be on orbit in mid-2010. reduce air speed and execute proper It also features robust security improvements, such as “over-the-air” dis- maneuvers when rejoining his flight lead tribution of encryption keys to properly equipped military users, stated the during a nighttime training mission over Space and Missile Systems Center in a Jan. 7 release. the Atlantic Ocean last October led to a midair collision that killed the pilot and damaged the flight leader’s aircraft. Capt. Nicholas Giglio lost his life when its first mission to Africa when using 45th Fighter Squadron Reactivated the F-16s collided, ACC said Jan. 11 one of its new C-130J Super Hercules Air Force Reserve Command officials in releasing the findings of its accident transport aircraft. on Jan. 7 formally reactivated the 45th investigation board. His F-16 impacted The wing’s 37th Squadron on Fighter Squadron, an A-10 Thunderbolt the water and was destroyed. Capt. Lee Dec. 19 completed the mission, carry- II training unit, at Davis-Monthan AFB, Bryant, the flight lead, was uninjured ing 17 US troops from Mali to Ramstein Ariz. The unit last flew A-10 ground- and managed to land his moderately on a C-130J after they had helped train attack aircraft before its deactivation damaged aircraft safely at Charleston Malian forces. The flight was in support in 1994. AFB, S.C. of 17th Air Force (Air Forces Africa), also The resurrected squadron, which Giglio also experienced a radar failure headquartered at Ramstein. falls administratively under the 917th that diverted his attention, according The 37th AS is building a force of 14 Wing at Barksdale AFB, La., forms a to ACC. Both F-16s were from the 77th C-130Js, which are replacing C-130Es classic associate arrangement with Fighter Squadron at Shaw AFB, S.C. The that the unit flew for decades. As of late Davis-Monthan’s active duty 355th collision occurred 145 miles southeast January, 10 of the 14 C-130Js were in Fighter Wing to train new, upgrading, of the base. place, with the final four expected to and returning A-10 pilots. arrive by later this year. Compared to The Air Force in 2008 announced C-130J Makes Africa Debut earlier C-130 variants, the J model has its intent to bring back the 45th FS, The at Ramstein features such as greater range and which traces its roots to the 45th Pur- AB, Germany, in December concluded more payload capacity. suit Squadron, activated in Hawaii in 1940. The 917th Wing also has the Index to Advertisers 47th FS, a stand-alone A-10 training Alenia...... 23, Cover II unit at Barksdale. Boeing...... 21, Cover IV Elbit...... 29 AMP Developmental Testing Done General Dynamics...... 7 The Air Force in mid-December L-3 ...... Cover III concluded the development test and Lockheed Martin ...... 3 evaluation phase of the C-130 Avionics Panasonic...... 9 Modernization Program under which USAA...... 11 the service is adding modern cockpit displays and communication and navi- AFA Dental Insurance...... 78 AFA Resume Assistance Service...... 75 gation systems to 221 C-130H-model AFA Spotlight On ...... 75 transport aircraft. AFA Upcoming Events...... 68 According to a Dec. 22 release from AFA Corporate Membership ...... 76 the 412th Test Support Squadron at

AIR FORCE Magazine / March 2010 15 Air Force World USAF photo by SSgt. Angelita Lawrence

Edwards AFB, Calif., the three-year ef- Spangdahlem AB, Germany, on Jan. A Room With a View: TSgt. Kevin fort tallied 295 test missions, including 8 that the base will continue to be an Owen keeps watch from the ramp of a globe-spanning expeditions, and more important fighter hub in Europe as well C-17 Globemaster III over the moun- than 1,000 flight hours. The first AMP as a site for supporting air mobility mis- tains of Afghanistan. He and crew mem- test aircraft flew in September 2006. sions even after the planned retirement bers from the 816th Expeditionary Airlift With the AMP upgrades, these C-130 of 18 of the wing’s 42 F-16s. Squadron had just delivered a load of container delivery system bundles to a aircraft are expected to remain viable for “We have some capability here that base in Afghanistan as part of a combat decades and be capable of flying safely we don’t have other places,” explained resupply mission on Feb. 2. in congested international airspace. Brady, who is retiring after leading USAFE since January 2008. Gen. (sel.) C-5 RERP Ramps Up Mark A. Welsh III has been confirmed Jan. 4 it would not get the new contract, Lockheed Martin announced on Jan. by the Senate to replace him. reported the Springfield News-Sun on 11 that it had received the next fund- Spangdahlem’s fighter drawdown the following day. The unit is losing its ing increment to continue modernizing will essentially strip the base of one of F-16s under BRAC 2005. It expects to a portion of the C-5 Galaxy transport its two F-16 squadrons and about 450 wrap up its training mission for Dutch fleet with new engines and reliability manpower authorizations. It is part of the F-16 pilots this fall. As of late January, improvements. broader Air Force plan to phase out up it had not been assigned a new mission. The $344.3 million infusion covers to 254 legacy fighters across the fleet in work on 15 aircraft during the low-rate Fiscal 2010 to free up funds for fighter SBIRS Reviews Completed production phase of the C-5 Reliability modernization. The Air Force officials on Dec. 29 an- Enhancement and Re-engining Pro- also has one A-10 squadron. nounced the successful completion of gram. While all 111 C-5s in the fleet are critical design reviews for the sensor getting state-of-the-art avionics under Singapore F-16 Training To Arizona payloads that will reside on the next a separate modernization project, only Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) an- batch of Lockheed Martin-built Space 52 C-5s are slated to receive the RERP nounced Jan. 7 that the government Based Infrared System satellites, which improvements. of Singapore has decided to train its are designed to warn of ballistic missile A C-5 with both sets of new gear is F-16 pilots with the Arizona Air National launches. designated a C-5M Super Galaxy. Al- Guard’s at Tucson This group encompasses the pay- ready, the Air Force has three C-5Ms, Arpt, Ariz. loads for the next two geosynchronous all used as test aircraft. The next C-5M “This decision will bring an additional satellites in the SBIRS series, GEO-3, is expected to arrive in the fleet come $60 million into Tucson’s economy,” and GEO-4, and the payloads dubbed September, said Lockheed. wrote McCain. He added that it was HEO-3 and HEO-4 that will reside on also a vote of confidence as the Tucson classified intelligence spacecraft. Spangdahlem Retains Importance Air Guard unit vies to be selected to “Payload CDR culminates 21 months Gen. Roger A. Brady, outgoing US operate F-35 Lightning II strike fighters. of effort replacing obsolete parts and Air Forces in Europe commander, told The Ohio ANG’s 178th Fighter Wing implementing lessons learned from our airmen of the 52nd Fighter Wing at at Springfield-Beckley Airport learned first two GEO and HEO payloads,” said

16 AIR FORCE Magazine / March 2010 The War on Terrorism

Operation Enduring Freedom—Afghanistan Operation Iraqi Freedom—Iraq Casualties Casualties By Feb. 11, a total of 973 Americans had died in Op- By Feb. 11, a total of 4,378 Americans had died in eration Enduring Freedom. The total includes 971 troops Operation Iraqi Freedom. The total includes 4,365 troops and two Department of Defense civilians. Of these deaths, and 13 Department of Defense civilians. Of these deaths, 702 were killed in action with the enemy, while 271 died 3,478 were killed in action with the enemy, while 900 died in noncombat incidents. in noncombat incidents. There have been 4,923 troops wounded in action dur- There have been 31,648 troops wounded in action dur- ing OEF. This number includes 2,067 who were wounded ing OIF. This number includes 17,730 who were wounded and returned to duty within 72 hours and 2,856 who were and returned to duty within 72 hours and 13,918 who were unable to return to duty quickly. unable to return to duty quickly.

First MC-12 Arrives in Afghanistan US Forces-Iraq Stands Up The MC-12W intelligence-surveillance- Activation of US Forces-Iraq, the new single headquar- reconnaissance aircraft destined for operations in Afghani- ters organization for all US military forces in Iraq, took stan arrived Dec. 27 at Bagram Airfield. That same day, the place Jan. 1 at Camp Victory, Iraq. It replaced organiza- 4th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron stood up at tions including Multinational Force-Iraq and Multinational Bagram to operate these twin-engine turboprop aircraft. Corps-Iraq that were inactivated at the same ceremony. “Knowledge is power and that is what we provide,” said Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, who led MNF-I, now Lt. Col. Douglas Lee, the new unit’s commander. commands USF-I. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, head The MC-12 provides real-time full-motion video to of US Central Command, said at the ceremony the new ground troops and also collects signals intelligence. By command “represents another important milestone in the late summer, the Air Force expects to have 24 MC-12s continued drawdown of American forces.” operating in Afghanistan. Six MC-12s already operate in All US combat ground troops are expected to be out of Iraq out of Joint Base Balad. Iraq by the end of 2011. Troops from 30 different nations served as part of MNF-I during its tenure, but the last Air Guardsmen Deploy to Afghanistan With A-10Cs coalition troops left Iraq in July 2009. Air Guardsmen from Arkansas’ 188th Fighter Wing and Hawk Base Returns to Iraqi Control Maryland’s 175th Wing arrived Jan. 11-13 at Kandahar US Forces-Iraq on Jan. 1 transferred responsibility for Airfield, Afghanistan, with their A-10C ground-attack air- Hawk Base near Baghdad back to the government of Iraq craft to form the 104th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and the Iraqi Air Force, as part of the US drawdown of that will provide close air support to coalition troops in forces from the country. Afghanistan for several months. Hawk was the first property within the larger Victory These airmen relieved members of the 354th EFS there Base Complex to revert to Iraqi control. who returned to Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., after flying The transfer included 31 facilities, four generators, and more than 2,500 sorties over six months at Kandahar. life-support equipment that now form the IqAF’s permanent For the airmen of the 188th FW, it was the first deploy- headquarters, which is collocated with the new Iraqi air ment with A-10s. operations center that is under construction.

Col. Scott Larrimore, SBIRS Space years, it has already saved the base despite the Pentagon’s attempts to Group commander at Los Angeles AFB, about $140,000 in electricity costs, said terminate its development, citing more Calif. HEO-1 and HEO-2 are already Col. Mark E. Bartman, 180th Fighter pressing funding needs. on orbit. GEO-1 is slated for launch in Wing commander. 2011, followed by GEO-2. New Bomber for China Threat? F135 Program Shifts Gears Rep. John Fleming (R-La.) on Jan. Toledo Solar Farm Expanding Pratt & Whitney announced Jan. 5 13 told Adm. Robert F. Willard, head of Officials with the Ohio Air National that it had delivered the final F135 test US Pacific Command, that the Pentagon Guard’s in Toledo, engine in the configuration designed should “put even more emphasis on the together with local politicians and indus- for the Air Force’s F-35A and Navy’s need for the next generation bomber” try representatives, on Jan. 5 celebrated F-35C Lightning II strike fighters and in light of China’s new ballistic missile the new phase of expansion of the solar was poised to begin deliveries of the capability designed to negate US air- project at the Air Guard base at Toledo production version of this engine. craft carriers. Express Airport. This milestone is “another demon- Willard, appearing before the House The Phase 4 expansion will increase stration of the continued maturing” Armed Services Committee hearing by 50 percent the output of this solar of the F135, said Warren Boley, Pratt on potential Chinese security threats, energy system, allowing it to generate & Whitney’s vice president of F135 said, “Certainly our bomber force and 1.2 megawatts of electricity, or more than engine programs. F135 test units had any recapitalization of our bomber one-third of the base’s energy needs, already logged more than 12,850 test force” are part of the defense strategy, reported the Toledo Free Press Jan. 8. hours, both on the ground and in the which entails looking at a broad range Development and construction of air, by then. of capabilities. this solar field began in 2006. It is the The F135 is locked in competition Fleming’s Congressional district in- largest solar field in the state of Ohio with the General Electric-Rolls Royce cludes , a and the largest on any National Guard F136 engine to power future F-35s. B-52H bomber hub. He is co-chair of the base in the country. In less than two Congress continues to fund the F136 Congressional Caucus on Long-Range

AIR FORCE Magazine / March 2010 17 Air Force World USAF photo by 1st Lt. Bryan Bouchard

Strike, along with Rep. Madeleine Z. in 2012, according to the company. It Toward a Common Defense: An Bordallo (D-Guam). is the second Middle East nation after F-15 of the 67th Fighter Squadron, pi- Qatar to buy the C-17. loted by Maj. Tom Hunt, takes off from Boeing Logs More C-17 Orders Two days later, Boeing disclosed that Hyakuri AB, Japan, in early February. Almost 100 USAF airmen deployed Boeing on Jan. 6 announced a con- it had received a letter of request from from Kadena AB, Japan, to participate tract signing to supply the United Arab India for the “potential acquisition” of 10 in a week-long training exercise along- Emirates with six C-17 Globemaster C-17s to replace and augment the Indian side their Japanese counterparts. III transport aircraft. The UAE will take Air Force’s Russian-made An-32 and delivery of four C-17s in 2011 and two Il-76 airlifters.

As of mid-January, there were 212 C- 17s in use worldwide, including 193 with

DOD image the US Air Force. Australia (four), Britain (six), Canada (four), Qatar (two), and the 12-member Strategic Airlift Capability consortium (three) operate the remainder. In mid-December, news surfaced that the will acquire a seventh C-17 in December 2010.

Pilot’s Remains Identified The Department of Defense an- nounced Jan. 12 that it had identified the remains of Air Force Maj. Russell C. Goodman, who was shot down in an F-4B Phantom fighter over North Vietnam on Feb. 20, 1967. They were scheduled for return to his family for burial in Alaska. Good- man was flying with the Navy from USS Enterprise on an exchange program. Navy Lt. Gary L. Thornton and he were on a bombing mission against a North Vietnamese railroad yard in Thanh Hoa Zap, Pow!: The Airborne Laser on Feb. 11 destroyed a ballistic missile during its boost phase. The proof-of-concept demonstration at Point Mugu NAWC, Calif., was province when their F-4B was struck by captured in this infrared image. The ABL test bed is a heavily modified 747 equipped anti-aircraft fire and exploded. with a massive high-energy laser capable of tracking and destroying enemy missiles While Thornton was able to eject— while they are over enemy territory. and was taken captive—Goodman

18 AIR FORCE Magazine / March 2010 was killed. Goodman’s remains were recovered during two crash site exca- John P. Murtha, 1932-2010 vations between 1993 and 2008 and identified with forensic tools, including Rep. John P. Murtha, a 19-term member of Congress and chairman of DNA identification. the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, died in February at the age of 77. Offshore Drilling and Eglin Murtha was one of the most influential and hawkish Democrats in Congress, Col. Bruce H. McClintock, commander known for his advocacy of weapon systems and benefits for military veterans. of the 96th Air Base Wing at Eglin He was one of the chief Congressional opponents of President Obama’s AFB, Fla., told Florida state legislators termination of the F-22 Raptor, the F136 engine for the F-35 strike fighter, on Jan. 13 that oil and gas drilling in and the new VH-71 Presidential helicopter. He pushed to resolve gridlock waters near the base would threaten over the KC-X aerial tanker replacement by promoting the purchase of both its operations, reported the Pensacola competing entries in that competition. He was the first combat veteran of News Journal Jan. 14. the Vietnam War to be elected to Congress. The legislators were considering a Murtha was born in West Virginia in 1932 and grew up near Pittsburgh. He measure that would lift the 20-year-old dropped out of college to join the Marine Corps in 1952, saying he felt com- drilling ban in Florida waters. McClintock pelled to serve during the . He became a drill instructor and was told them that above-water pumping selected for officer candidate school. He joined the Marine Corps Reserve in stations attract sportfishing, whose 1955 and continued to serve until 1990, retiring as a colonel after 35 years. participants would be at risk during tests In civilian life, Murtha ran family businesses. He graduated from the Uni- in which missiles are fired at drones versity of Pittsburgh with a degree in economics, on the GI Bill. over the Gulf of . He volunteered for active duty in Vietnam from 1966 to 1967, receiving the Spent missile and drone bodies “have Bronze Star Medal and two Purple Hearts during his service as an intelligence to fall somewhere,” he said. Lobbyists officer near Da Nang. for drilling maintain that exclusion zones Murtha was elected to Congress in 1974, on his second try, after serving would be sufficient to protect military in the Pennsylvania legislature. He became chairman of the HAC defense training areas. panel in 1989, and remained chair until 1995. He was its ranking Democrat from 1995 to 2007, and became its chair again in 2008 when the Democrats Vietnam War Airman Laid to Rest won back the House. In 2006, he failed in a bid to become majority leader. The remains of CMSgt. Melvin D. Dubbed by critics “the king of pork,” Murtha was unapologetic for chan- Rash, a C-130 loadmaster, missing neling federal funds to his Pennsylvania district, which struggled with the since his aircraft went down on May loss of steel and coal jobs. His skill in getting money for his district, and a 22, 1968 near the Vietnam-Laos border, willingness to throw contracts to constituents caused him to be dogged by were laid to rest Dec. 7 with full military investigations and inquiries most of his tenure, but he was never officially honors at Arlington National Cemetery charged with wrongdoing. In the infamous “Abscam” scandal of 1982, Murtha in Arlington, Va. was named as an unindicted co-conspirator. In late 2009, a House ethics The Newport News Daily Press re- panel declined to bring charges against him for earmarking $100 million that ported Dec. 28 that the aircraft’s wreck- went to a defense contractor in his district. age was found in 2002, but it took an- Murtha led many Congressional delegations abroad and advised Presidents other six years for military investigators of both parties on military and foreign affairs matters. He worked to secure to get to the site and find the human Congressional funding for the Nunn-Lugar amendment, providing funds to remains of Rash and four more of the decommission nuclear weapons of the former Soviet Union. aircraft’s nine crew members. Working with Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson, Murtha steered funds According to the Pentagon’s Defense to provide Afghan rebels with weapons and Stinger missiles to combat the /Missing Personnel Office, Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Rash’s remains were identified in March Murtha voted to give President George W. Bush the authority to pursue 2009. He was 21 at the time of the crash, war with Iraq in 2002, but later became the war’s most visible Congressional which was due presumably to enemy fire. critic, eventually declaring the conflict militarily unwinnable. In 2005, he said The remains of CMSgt. John Q. Adam, the war “is not going as advertised,” that the US was pursuing a “flawed policy one of Rash’s crewmates, were laid to wrapped in illusion,” and called for an immediate withdrawal of US troops. rest in Kansas City, Kan., last July. Adm. Michael G. Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said, “That we remain the greatest military in the history of the world is testament in no Obituaries small part to his vigilance and stewardship.” Retired Maj. Gen. John J. Pesch, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he would always be grateful for Air National Guard director from April Murtha’s “personal efforts on behalf of the Afghan resistance fighting the 1974 to January 1977, died Jan. 10 at Soviets—efforts that helped bring about the end of the .” his home in Virginia at age 88. Pesch Gates said that although he and Murtha “did not always agree, ...I always entered the Army Air Corps in 1942, respected his candor and knew that he cared deeply about the men and initially flying the A-24 and later the women of America’s military and intelligence community.” B-17 in which he flew 31 combat mis- —By John A. Tirpak sions. He joined the after the war and returned to active duty for the Korean War and after the Vietnam War with new fighter Arizona Daily Star. Record entered again in 1959, serving on the Air Staff. force structure and established the the Air Force in 1961 through ROTC After a stint with Air Defense Com- active duty rotational missions” for it. at Purdue University in Indiana and mand, he became deputy director in Retired Lt. Gen. James F. Record, earned his pilot wings in 1962. He flew 1966 of the Air Guard at the National who led 12th Air Force and Air Forces as a forward air controller in O-1 and Guard Bureau. Retired Lt. Gen. John Southern prior to his retirement in 1997, O-2 aircraft and was an F-100 instruc- B. Conaway, former NGB chief, said died Dec. 22 from a form of leukemia tor pilot in Vietnam, accumulating 616 Pesch “reset the Air National Guard at age 71, according to a notice in the combat missions. Over his career, he

AIR FORCE Magazine / March 2010 19 USAF photo by SSgt. Samuel Morse

commanded three fighter wings and units, including the 376th Bombardment Vaporized: An F-16 piloted by Capt. an air division. He later served as first Group, and flew 38 combat missions in Cory Farrer takes off Feb. 3 on the deputy commander of Joint Task Force the B-24 bomber. During the latter part final day of an operational readiness Middle East in the late 1980s and com- of his Air Force career, Warren served exercise at Misawa AB, Japan. The manded the Joint Task Force Southwest as assistant deputy chief of staff for huge cloud of vapor behind the aircraft is steam and snow kicked up by the Asia from November 1992 to March 1993. personnel on the Air Staff and as deputy fighter’s jet exhaust. Post military, Record joined Hughes assistant secretary of defense for military Aircraft and remained with the company assistance and sales. He retired from ballistic missile launch from hardened, (acquired by Raytheon) until 2007. the Air Force in July 1971. underground silos and for launch of the Retired Lt. Gen. Robert H. Warren, Retired Col. Albert J. “Red” Wetzel, manned Gemini spacecraft. As executive US Air Force Academy superintendent who led the Titan missile program, died assistant to the commander of the Bal- from July 1962 to July 1965, died Jan. Dec. 26 in New Orleans at age 91. Wetzel listic Systems Division, he established a 9 in his home in Charleston, W.Va., at entered pilot training in 1942, flying a scientific advisory group. Before retiring age 92, according to a notice in the number of aircraft, including the B-47 in from the Air Force in 1965, he served as Charleston Daily Mail. Born in Yankton, . He also served director of Strategic Programs with the S.D., in 1917, Warren graduated from as chief project officer for USAF’s first Undersecretary of Defense for Research West Point in 1940 and received his ground-launched cruise missile, the and Engineering. He was inducted into flying wings the following year. During Matador, and while leading the Titan the Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of World War II, he led several bomber program, helped develop procedures for Fame in 2003. n News Notes

Vice Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr. enlisted corps, during a ceremony in for 2009. Holt is a competitive cyclist as- was nominated Dec. 23 to receive a fourth Omaha, Neb. signed to F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo. Warren star and take command of US Northern CMSgt. Mike Ramos, a soon-to-retire is a standout softball player from Tyndall Command and NORAD. He would replace Air Force Special Operations Command AFB, Fla. Air Force Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr., who combat controller, on Jan. 5 received the Ground-breaking took place Dec. has led both commands since March Legion of Merit to honor his more than 11 at McChord AFB, Wash., for the 2007 and is to retire. 30 years as a leader in special tactics 23,500-square-foot building that will house President Obama on Dec. 22 an- operations. the Air National Guard’s nounced that Howard Schmidt is the An Air Force MQ-1 Predator remotely 262nd Network Warfare Squadron that White House cybersecurity coordinator, piloted vehicle crashed Jan. 15 in south- supports USAF’s cyber operations. responsible for orchestrating the activities ern Afghanistan. Air Forces Central said Boeing on Jan. 8 delivered the fourth across the US government to protect US the loss was not due to hostile fire. An KC-767 tanker to the Japanese Ministry cyber networks. investigation was launched to determine of Defense, thereby completing Japan’s Air Force Global Strike Command the cause. order for the new tankers. Handover of on Jan. 19 declared the 90th Missile A student pilot’s loss of situational the first three tankers occurred in Febru- Wing at F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo., mission awareness while practicing aerobatics ary 2008, March 2008, and March 2009, ready following the unit’s first full-scale near Columbus AFB, Miss., on July 9, respectively. no-notice nuclear surety inspection since 2009, caused him to eject from his T-6 The Berlin Airlift Exhibit, after trav- it moved under the new command in trainer aircraft, resulting in the aircraft’s eling to 29 different cities, is now on December 2009. loss and his slight injuries, the Air Force permanent display at Travis Air Museum Retired Gen. John D. W. Corley, for- announced Jan. 12. on the grounds of Travis AFB, Calif. A mer Air Combat Command commander, Capt. Ian Holt and MSgt. Karrie War- ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on on Jan. 13 was inducted into the Order ren were named the Air Force’s top male Dec. 10 to open the now-permanent of the Sword, the highest honor of the athlete and female athlete, respectively, exhibit. n

20 AIR FORCE Magazine / March 2010