Sports Feature Soccer playoffs: ‘Kid Comfort’ delivers 56th Engineers face quilts to children of 673d Med Group the deployed Page B-4 Page B-1 www.jber.af.mil/news ARCTIC WARRIOR Volume 2, No. 45 Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson November 11, 2011 Alaskan Command welcomes new leader By Senior Airman within the theater, including secu- for your trust and confidence which Cynthia Spalding rity and civil support actions. led to this opportunity to com- JBER Public Affairs All components that make up mand,” Hoog said. “Sir, as you Alaskan military forces assembled know there is no higher honor or Air Force Lt. Gen. Stephen for the ceremony. U.S. Army, U.S. responsibility than being charged Hoog replaced Air Force Lt. Gen. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air with our nation’s mission success Dana Atkins as the senior military Force, U.S. Coast Guard and Ca- and the welfare of our incredible leader in Alaska during a change of nadian Forces gathered along with people.” command ceremony here Monday civic leaders, family, and friends The new commander told the at Hangar 20. to welcome their new commander crowd how impressed he was with Adm. Robert Willard, U.S. and his wife. the local community and the ser- Pacific Command commander, “This morning we welcome vicemembers who make up forces Army Gen. Charles Jacoby, North Boss (Lt. Gen. Hoog) and Cinde,” in Alaska. American Aerospace Defense Willard said. “Here is an impres- “To the men and women who Command and U.S. Northern sive leader with a distinctive career, make up this team serving in the Command commander, and Air uniquely well suited to assume this last frontier, my pledge is simple, Force Gen. Gary North, Pacific Air strategically important post and together we’ll accomplish the Forces commander, presided over manage the multi-faceted nature mission our nation requires, while the ceremony. of this assignment.” focusing on our greatest asset, our As commander of Alaskan Willard added he has no doubt people,” Hoog said. “I don’t need Command, a sub-unified command Hoog will build upon the proud to tell anyone about the fiscal reali- under U.S. Pacific Command, Air Force Lt. Gen. Stephen Hoog assumed command of Alaskan heritage of Alaskan Command. ties we face in the future and I’m Hoog integrates the activities of Command, Monday. (U.S. Air Force photo/Steve White) Hoog, the former 9th Air Force looking forward to working with more than 21,000 active-duty, Force installations located through- hostile airborne threats. Reporting commander, Air Combat Com- each of you as we meet the chal- Guard and Reserve members out the state. As commander of the to U.S. Northern Command, Hoog mand, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., lenges that lie ahead.” from all services in Alaska. Gen- Alaskan North American Aero- is also the commander of Joint Task focused his comments on the op- The outgoing commander ex- eral Hoog also commands 11th Air space Defense Command Region, Force Alaska and is responsible portunity and challenges which pressed his gratitude and respect Force and oversees the training and he directs air operations within for the planning and execution of lie ahead. readiness of three wings and Air Alaska to ensure defense against all all Homeland Defense operations “I’d like to thank General North See ALCOM, Page A-3 Arctic paratroopers Kashim Club to close due take training in tropics to high maintenance costs By Luke Waack renovations would require By Army Capt. John Lunieski new home. JBER Public Affairs substantial amounts of money. 8th Forward Surgical Team Despite few supplies, no per- “Currently, over $2 mil- $370K (Airborne) sonnel and limited experience Joint Base Elmendorf- lion is needed, just to keep the unit grew, sought training and Richardson’s Kashim Club is the facility operable. In an era $333K The 8th Forward Surgical Team embraced its new Arctic-Airborne scheduled to close in a few of declining budgets, this is (Airborne) is preparing to deploy identity. months, due to high main- economically unsustainable,” $296K in the next few months to support Nearly a year later the unit tenance costs and a lack of Rendell said. troops wounded in combat. again found itself in the shade of business. Kashim patrons will have $259K A recent training mission in tropical palm trees, this time prov- The Kashim closure should plenty of options left on JBER- the lower 48 is the latest test of the ing its mettle as a combat ready coincide with the re-opening Elmendorf for dining and club $222K unit’s readiness. Army Forward Surgical Team. of the Iditarod Dining Facil- activities, Rendell said. The 8th FST has come full After two weeks at the Army ity in late December or early “By closing the Kashim, we circle, in less than two years. Trauma Training Center in Miami, January. can focus our funding on other $185K About 18 months ago, in the Florida and treating 62 patients at “Given the current tight- operations that are more popu- warmth of sunlit tropical Hawaii, one of the nation’s busiest Trauma er fiscal environment, we’re lar with the JBER community,” $148K an 18th Medical Command as- Centers, the Soldiers of the 8th FST being very conscious about he continued. sembly stood in tight formation are ready to deploy, and fight to where we spend funds to sup- “For special events, they $111K to welcome home 20 heroes from save the lives of American service port the JBER community,” can use rooms in the Arctic their deployment to Afghanistan. members wounded in war. Rendell said. “In looking at Warrior Events Center; for club $74K Their work done, the 8th For- Describing the ATTC, the our operations, it became clear activities, they can use The ward Surgical Team inactivated. team’s commander, Army Maj. that putting money into the Cave or The Chill, or even use $37K Under the lush palm trees of Nathan Marsh said, “ As a young Kashim was short-changing the bar at the bowling center or Fort Shafter, the unit cased its team, we have not yet had the op- our customers; the facility has the golf course,” Rendell said. maroon guidon, smartly saluted its portunity to work together treating high utility costs, rising facility The Food Transformation commander and meandered off the acute trauma patients. Success in maintenance costs, decreased Initiative will give JBER com- parade field. our deployed mission, fighting to customer usage, and continued munity members more options Six months later, the approach- save life and limb, is impossible Nonappropriated Fund losses as well. said Air Force Maj. Brian “The Iditarod is current- ing Alaska winter a sharp contrast without a team focused approach to On Nov. 4, JBER had raised to the Hawaiian spring, a lone trauma. At ATTC we have had an Rendell, 673d Force Support ly undergoing $600,000 in $105,268 toward the 2011 Com- supply officer unceremoniously outstanding opportunity to rehearse Squadron, commander.” renovations as part of the Air bined Federal Campaign goal handed off the same cased guidon, that care. Our experiences there The Kashim building is of $370,000. Call USARAK re-activating the now 8th Forward more than 50 years old, and See KASHIM, Page A-5 CFC/384-0995, 3rd Wing/551- Surgical Team (Airborne) in a See ATTC, Page A-8 9035 or 673d ABW/552-1060. Air Force Reserve pilot, first to reach 1,000 F-22 flight hours By Air Force Capt. Ashley Conner sortie I am focused on the job I year did delay the 1,000 hour flight, 477th Fighter Group (Reserve) have to do.” Piffarerio was unfazed. Upon landing, Piffarerio was “More important to me than Air Force Reserve Lt. Col. met by his wife Jennifer along with this milestone is that the F-22 David Piffarerio, 302nd Fighter active duty and Reserve pilots and fleet is safely in the air and ac- Squadron commander, flew his maintainers to include Air Force complishing the mission,” he said. 1,000 flight hour in the F-22 Rap- Col. Dirk Smith, 3rd Wing com- “Air Combat Command’s plan to tor here Nov. 4, making him the mander, who received a check resume flight operations was done first Air Force pilot to do so. ride from Piffarerio during the in a deliberate and methodical “This is a great milestone for milestone flight. manner with the safety of the pilots the pilots, maintainers and con- Piffarerio was a part of the ini- in mind.” tractors working on the jet and the tial cadre who stood up the 477th When Piffarerio looks back F-22 program as a whole,” said Fighter Group in 2007, of which on his time in the F-22 an event Piffarerio. “The aircraft is matur- the 302nd Figther Squadron falls that stands out the most was when ing and getting better the more under. initial operating capability was we fly and perform maintenance The pilots and maintainers declared in December 2005. on it.” from the 477th Fighter Group Air Force Staff Sgt. Hank Robinson, 525th Aircraft Maintenance He credits the decision to de- Air Force Staff Sgt. Hank are fully integrated with the 3rd Squadron crew chief, prepares Air Force Reserve Lt. Col. David clare IOC to the work of the pilots, Robinson, 525th Aircraft Main- Wing’s active duty F-22 mission, Piffarerio, 302nd Fighter Squadron commander, for the flight which maintainers, flight test engineers tenance Unit crew chief, launched officials said. marked 1,000 F-22 flight hours for Piffarerio, the first Air Force pilot and analysts leading up to the Piffarerio on his sortie.