Gulf Defender Friday, December 23, 2016 tyndall.af.mil gulfdefender.com 325FWTyndall TYNDALL HOSTS Checkered Flag 17-1 complete GOLDEN AGE PARTY | PAGE 5 By Senior Airman Volunteers from Solomon Cook all across Team 325th Fighter Wing Tyndall danced, Public Affairs sang and spent time with more TYNDALL AIR FORCE than 200 senior BASE — The 325th Air Expe- citizens from the ditionary Wing, comprised of local community. various maintenance, logistics readiness, and fighter squad- rons, completed its mission of simulating a large-scale, aerial total force integration exercise Dec. 5-16. Involving more than 90 aircraft and more than 800 personnel, Checkered Flag 17-1 GUARD, lasted two weeks. RESERVE “The biggest success of INTEGRATE the exercise is the integration DURING piece,” said Col. Randy Cason, CHECKERED 44th Fighter Group com- FLAG | PAGE 9 mander and Air Expeditionary U.S. Air Force F-15 Strike Eagle pilots from the 336th Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Wing commander. “That’s Idaho, perform fi nal operations checks on their aircraft prior to take-off at Tyndall Air Force Base. U.S. AIR Active-duty, Air why we do this — it’s the abil- FORCE PHOTO BY SENIOR AIRMAN SOLOMON COOK Force Reserve ity to operate together. and Air National “Mixing fourth- and fifth- exercise in numerous ways, restrictions within the training “It usually conforms into Guard Airmen generation fighters, it’s always from planning to logistics and airspace.” another training exercise that from around challenging for the fourth-gen force support, all the while Cason credited Tyndall’s is occurring. It just so happens the country are because they can’t see the fifth- conducting a Combat Archer training airspace for the cost- that this particular Checkered working together gen airplanes,” Cason said. Weapon Systems Evaluation saving success of Checkered Flag occurs at Tyndall and runs through Total “Yet, they have to fight with Program (WSEP). Tyndall Flag because fighters do not concurrently with a Weapon Force Integration them and work with them. In leadership had the foresight to have to maneuver around civil- Systems Evaluation Program at Checkered order to do this, it requires a lot use both events concurrently ian air traffic, saving time and (WSEP).” Flag. of communication and coordi- to pool resources, personnel money. “It’s more ‘bang for With the increase in opera- nation. We set expectations, and assets allowing a fiscally your buck,’” Cason said. tions tempo, members of the we build plans, we execute and responsible operation. One of the goals of the 325th Operations Group in we meet those expectations.” “One of the tremendous exercise was to be ready at RAPCON, ground controllers “It’s something easy to say benefits of this exercise is that a moment’s notice. “The and tower personnel, worked in a few sentences, but it’s a it allows the focusing on tac- purpose of the exercise is to tirelessly throughout Check- Munitions .................. 2 very challenging thing to do tical execution,” Cason said. prepare a large-scale, aerial ered Flag 17-1 to ensure people Heroes ....................... 4 airborne moving 500 miles “Any time a large air training total force integration exer- and aircraft conducted exercise Angel Tree .................. 8 per hour. More efficient inte- event occurs, there are a lot of cise for any contingency that operations in a safe, controlled Nightlife ...................10 gration means more capable administrative requirements; may arise,” Cason said. environment. Classified .................. 12 combat teams,” Cason said. planning, scenario orches- “Checkered Flag can take Tyndall facilitated this tration and concerns about on many forms,” Cason said. See FLAG, 6 2 Friday, December 23, 2016 | Gulf Defender Tyndall Munitions Flight keeps Checkered Flag 17-1 armed and ready U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Richard Eichenlaub, 325th Maintenance Squadron munitions systems specialist, performs an accountability check of ordnance on a weapons rack at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Dec. 14, 2016. The 325th Fighter Wing houses an arsenal of some of the most advanced weapons in the world as a base with fi fth-generation fi ghters. The responsibility of munitions systems specialists is to assemble and process these powerful non-nuclear munitions. U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO BY AIRMAN 1ST CLASS CODY R. MILLER U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Bradly Grigg, 325th Maintenance Squadron munitions systems specialist, performs maintenance on a weapons system in preparation for use in Checkered Flag 17-1 and Combat Archer 17-3 at Tyndall Air Force Base. Tyndall’s Munitions Flight plays a heavy role in supporting multiple exercises and evaluations that the 325th Fighter Wing takes part in throughout each year. U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO BY AIRMAN 1ST CLASS CODY R. MILLER By Airman 1st Class the interaction between the and foreign partners.” Cody R. Miller weapon and aircraft. This During this most recent 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs experience provides the Checkered Flag and Combat pilot with tangible first- Archer, the Munitions TYNDALL AIR FORCE hand knowledge of what to Flight processed 63 missiles BASE — Tyndall’s ammo expect when the time comes across 13 different models troops maintain weapons to deploy munitions on real and variants of aircraft. In systems for Checkered Flag world targets. order to ensure total suc- 17-1 and Combat Archer 17-3. In order to have the cess, the munitions Airmen The Airmen of the 325th best possible expertise for went “above and beyond” Maintenance Squadron maintaining specialized by posturing and building 81 Racks of training missiles are stored in a holding area during Munitions Flight, commonly munitions, munitions spe- weapons systems ready to be Checkered Flag 17-1 and Combat Archer 17-3 at Tyndall Air Force known as “Ammo,” handle, cialists go through specific fired for the exercise. Base. U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO BY AIRMAN 1ST CLASS CODY R. MILLER store and transport weapons training to learn weapon “Multiple missile systems systems for use in achieving system maintenance, storage have very different require- are ordered up to four months motto of ‘Ammo makes the Tyndall’s mission to train and procedures and transporta- ments,” Odom said. “Only in advance, and the missile mission happen.’” project unrivaled combat air tion of munitions. trained Tyndall Munitions conversion process started In addition to supporting power. “Munitions Airmen at Airmen are authorized to almost two months prior to the munitions requirements For two weeks in Decem- Tyndall receive specialized build and deliver specialized the beginning of the exercise. for the 53rd Weapons Eval- ber, Tyndall projected a depot-level training to build converted missiles. It’s a “Ammo troops are always uation Group’s Weapon different kind of combat air telemetry missiles that gain great feeling of pride knowing committed,” Odom said. Systems Evaluation Pro- power. valuable weapons data to that we’re the only special- “I can truly say that every gram during Combat Archer, Exercises like Checkered improve missile reliability and ized unit that is cleared to person contributes in some Combat Hammer and Check- Flag and Combat Archer eval- lethality,” said Chief Master perform such extensive mis- form or fashion to mission ered Flag Exercises, the uate how pilots who operate Sgt. Benjamin Odom, 325th sile maintenance.” success. Starting with the Munitions Flight’s number different aircraft, coordinate MXS munitions flight chief. Long before the first missile munitions requisition process one priority is to safely main- with each other in a large- “These live-fire exercises was loaded onto an aircraft to receiving, storing, inspect- tain a $104 million dollar scale aerial combat force. also improve our warfight- for Combat Archer, Tyndall ing, testing or delivering munitions inventory in sup- These exercises also allow ing capability and provide munitions Airmen were hard assets. Our drive and deter- port of the 325th Fighter younger pilots to deploy live invaluable pilot training to at work preparing. Munitions mination to ensure continual Wing’s 55 F-22 missions to weapons and experience each of our military services and the required components mission success defends our train combat ready pilots. Gulf Defender | Friday, December 23, 2016 3 Saturday June 18th 2016 Today Tomorrow... 0800 Coffee at home base 0900 PT with the squad 1200 Time to chow down 1400 Bayside R&R 1700 Retreat and regroup IntroducingSweetBay—amaster-plannedcommunity (ourneighborhoodcharterschool),andtothefuture of new homes in Panama City, Florida, designed TownCenter.Locatednearthenavalandairbases, to celebrate the great outdoors. It’s where miles of SweetBayisallaboutcommunityandfamily. natural coastline are your personal playground, Won’tyoujoinus?VisitourWelcomeCenterto andascenictrailnetworkconnectsyournewhome tourthe8modelsandlearnaboutournewhomes, to the waterfront, the park, University Academy pricedfromthemid$200stothe$500s. SweetBayFl.com | 844.35.SWEET | SweetBay Welcome Center, 3204 Heartleaf Ave. East Panama City, Fl 32405 All information, development plans, pricing, and amenities are subject to change without notice. SweetBay is a protected and registered trademark. Models do not reflect racial preference. 1162615 4 Friday, December 23, 2016 | Gulf Defender Paul W. Airey NCO Academy honors enlisted Air Force heroes By Senior Airman Dustin Mullen 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE — The Paul W. Airey NCO Academy hosted a Legacy of Valor ceremony to honor 15 enlisted heroes here Dec. 13, 2016. Since 2014, each NCO Academy class has picked through hundreds of enlisted Airmen and identified 15 of the most extraordinary to represent each flight. “This event is about more than just remembering our heroes; it’s about spending time with them and celebrat- ing their valor,” said Chief Master Sgt. Darnell Burton, Paul W. Airey NCO Academy commandant. “This is also an opportunity for their families to come together and let us recognize them and see how we honor their loved one and their name.” For those honorees who gave the ultimate sacrifice, the NCO Academy invited family members and squad- U.S.