• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

SEPTEMBER 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 4 Operation pathfinder -Click the image below to watch the video- 124TH MEDICAL GROUP PARTICPATES IN TSUNAMI EXERCISE 8 WELCOME TO GOWEN FIELD MOUNTAIN HOME F-15S ARRIVE AT GOWEN 10 COUNCIL CORNER A FEW WORDS FROM THE NCO AND AIRMAN’S COUNCIL » p.8 18 RECOGNITION WARRIOR OF THE MONTH AND OUTSTANDING AIRMEN WING COMMANDER Col. Timothy J. Donnellan 25 STAY ALERT PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER MILCONNECT AND DESKTOP ALERT EXPLAINED Lt. Col. Gary A. Daniel PUBLIC AFFAIRS NCOIC [email protected] Master Sgt. Becky Vanshur www.idaho.ang.af.mil PUBLIC AFFAIRS STAFF Tech. Sgt. Sarah Pokorney (editor) Tech. Sgt. Joshua Allmaras (editor) bit.ly/124Beacon Tech. Sgt. John Winn » p.16 Senior Airman Cassie Morlock fb.me/124FWofficial Col. Tim Donnellan, commander of the 124th Fighter Wing addresses a group of people during an aircraft dedi- Senior Airman Skyla Child cation ceremony Aug. 14, 2015. The “Pride of Twin Falls” and the “Pride of Jerome” were unveiled during the cer- emony. The video above is a portion of Donnellan’s address. Flic.kr/ps/2tB3kf This month’s cover photo www.twitter.com/124FighterWing was taken Aug. 2, 2015 by Tech. Sgt. John Winn WING VISION WING MISSION during the arrival of www.instagram.com/124FighterWing Always on Mission. F-15s from Mountain Combat Excellence - Nothing Less. Home Air Force Base. THE BEACON is the official newsletter/magazine of the 124th Fighter Wing, Providing world-class warfighters for the Idaho Air National Guard. It is published monthly by the wing public affairs Every Airman a mission-ready, account- nation and guardians for our state office. Views expressed may not be those of the U.S. Air Force, Air National able, innovative, leader. Guard, Department of Defense or U.S. Government. The Beacon | September 2015 The Beacon | September 2015 4 Combat Excellence Always on Mission 5 buildings at the rubble pile. capabilities and the abilities on how to parties to constantly improve under- FIRST RESPONDERS FLOOD OREGON “The fortunate part of doing a work together is the most important standing, efficiency and readiness. morning and afternoon exercise is aspect of this type of training,” he said. “Communication is huge. It was the that we can learn from the mistakes Many live in the local area and would biggest issue today especially across FOR TSUNAMI EXERCISE from the first half and in the second be susceptible to the hazards of a the different services with civilian and half play a little better,” said Graver. tsunami following a major earthquake. military. It probably was my biggest Working in concert with the mili- Corinne Bechet from Manzanita, takeaway from the training,” she said. PATHFINDER 2015 | CAMP RILEA, ORE tary was the Oregon Disaster Medical Oregon, played the role of a diabetic Testing the steps that it took to find, Team, led by Dr. Jon Jiu, a professor at patient who had missed two dialysis recover and move patients put into the Oregon Health Science University treatments and was suffering weak- play all of the preparation that Graver in Portland. ness. Later on that day, she role-played and Jiu established before this year’s Jiu described how he joined the someone who had suffered burns from exercise. ODMT in 2000 when his friend, Dr. a house fire. Having done this train- “Victims were found, teams were sent Helen Miller, ‘twisted his arm’ to join. ing over the past three years, she said to triage to treat them, they were flown “Nine months later 9/11 happened,” she understands the importance to the on hypothetical helicopters [pickup he said. overall objective. trucks] all the way to casualty collec- Officials believe the Pacific Northwest “It’s very important to know what to tion points,” said Graver. “We accom- is overdue for a magnitude 7.0 do because we live in an earthquake plish all of that in this exercise.” or greater earthquake, due to the place. I already have a bag ready to go “We are trying to standardize the Cascadia Subduction Zone--an area at home,” she said. information flow so we can do the ‘best that extends along the Pacific coastline Knowing the risks, Bechet weighs for the most’ when we find victims in from California to Vancouver, British the pros and the cons of living in a these situations,” Graver said. Columbia. Staying prepared is never tsunami zone. Graver said the learning will continue too far from Jiu’s mind even in light “The beach is my medicine, I run even after the last tents and radios are of recent media reports of a devastat- every morning with my dogs,” she packed up. All participants received By Tech. Sgt. John Hughel ing earthquake for the region. said. “I am more and more prepared, packets during the start of the exer- 142nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs “We have been focused on this train- and the more training and awareness cise, and are encouraged to share their CAMP RILEA, Ore. -- More than include specialists in search and group or agency can do it all,” he said. ing for over five years so it is not like allows me to feel at ease with nature’s experiences and feedback, which will 250 participants from U.S. Northern rescue, medicine and other key first “So why wait until game day? In these we are just now beginning the process,” uncertainty.” be used in future training exercises. Command, U.S. Air Force Reserve, responders. events we are learning a common lan- Jiu said. “But yes, having the public Previously a caregiver and medical “The last page of the packets is an after Army and Air National Guard units, As the exercise began, participants guage between group members while being aware of the hazards as well.” provider, the roles were reversed for action report,” Graver said. “They can civilian organizations, and state explored various designated train- building relationships and incorporat- Jiu said in the past several years Oregon Air National Guard Senior give us their thoughts and offer other and county agencies took part in ing areas on Camp Rilea including ing vital skills sets.” these exercises continue to grow and Airman Melinda Duran, who is amedic vital information so we can regenerate Pathfinder-Minutemen exercise here, Slusher Lake, a mock village known as As the exercise unfolded, three sep- become more complicated as areas to with the 173rd Fighter Wing’s Medical substantial knowledge going forward.” Aug. 5. Military Operations in Urban Terrain arate scenarios began to unfold. The improve and shortcomings are iden- Group. She said reversing her role as Pathfinder-Minutemen was a joint or MOUT site, and a large purpose- first involved a water rescue and tified and built into subsequent train- casualty victim gave her a renewed multi-agency, multi-state exercise built rubble pile designed to simulate drowning victim recovery in Slusher ing scenarios. understanding what a patient would based on response exercise designed to a collapsed structure. Lake. An air crew with the U.S. Coast “This is a full-scale exercise from start experience in a natural catastrophe. replicate a post-earthquake and subse- A key aspect of the training was ascer- Guard’s Air Station Astoria assisted to finish and requires both the military “I guess I did not realize how com- quent tsunami environment with casu- taining a common language between with hoist operations using a HH-60 and civilians to do the job,” Jiu said. plicated it was to get someone out alties in need of immediate medical team members while integrating skill Jayhawk helicopter, while members of “Certainly having the military with of a fallen building,” Duran said. “It treatment. sets during the search and recovery the Oregon Air National Guard’s 125th search and rescue capabilities and air took six people to drag me on a skid Military members worked side-by- process. Special Tactics Squadron provided the evacuation assets are critical to having through a series of holes. Now I know side with their civilian counterparts Overseeing rescue operations from water recovery and search teams on our doctors and medical teams treat that the things a patient will experi- in 12-member teams, accomplishing the joint operations center, Lt. Col. the ground. the injured.” ence by the things that hurt me in the two scenarios during the day to find John Graver, 304th Rescue Squadron The second scenario focused on Jiu echoed Graver’s assessments extrication process.” and rescue simulated causalities and commander, said that working with house to house searches for injured about the training for Pathfinder- Duran begins medical school soon provide immediate medical care and others in a training environment not victims at the MOUT Site, while the Minuteman 2015and emphasized but will continue to participate in recovery. only helps focus resources but also third training scenario involved teams how communication is the common this type of training and hopes to The teams were organized to have enhances communication abilities. locating and rescuing victims trapped thread. draw upon the experience from these a variety of skills in each group, to “When a disaster strikes, no one in vehicles and simulated collapsed “Honestly understanding each other’s exercises. She sees the benefits for all The Beacon | September 2015 The Beacon | September 2015 6 Combat Excellence Always on Mission 7 Do you have what it takes to make it? 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 have what it takes to keep up with our very own 124th Air Support Operations Squadron TACPs.

Load more

  15

Copy Link