On the Cover: F-16’s from the 177th Fighter prepare for a night flying mission at Atlantic City Air National Guard 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 New Jersey 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 Maryland 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 Joint Base 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.