Air Force Senior Airman Lanea Trevino, a command post controller with the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing in Southwest Asia, prevented a tragedy when she acted quickly to help a female comrade who collapsed from dehydration. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nathanael Callon

Department of Defense
By Air Force Senior Airman Michael Charles
379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

While preparing for her night shift, Air Force Senior Airman Lanea Trevino noticed something odd about the shower stall next to hers.

The shower supplies, visible through the half-opened curtain, had remained untouched for the entire time she had been there.

“It was strange,” Trevino said. “I had seen nobody else in the facility so it was odd that an entire set of supplies would be left.”

While some might dismiss the empty shower stall and shower supplies as a case of forgetfulness, Trevino decided to walk through the facility to be sure. After noticing an occupied female toilet stall, Trevino knocked on the door and asked the person inside if she had left her shower supplies.

There was no response.

“I immediately began to worry,” Trevino said. “I could see that she was in the stall but wasn’t moving.”

Trevino reached her hand under the stall and shook the girl’s leg but there was no response. She quickly peeked under the stall and noticed the airman was unconscious. Taking immediate action, she ran to the nearest trailer and told the first person she saw to call emergency responders.

“My first instinct was to get help,” Trevino said. “I couldn’t tell if she was breathing or not but I knew that she would need additional medical assistance either way and ran to get it.”

Fearing the worst, she grabbed a male, who had been walking by on his way to lunch to help her get the unconscious individual out of the stall. The door had been locked from the inside and the only way into the stall was to climb over top of it. The male lifted her over the stall and she opened the door from the inside.

Using a fireman carry, Trevino dragged the unresponsive female out of the stall and laid her flat on the ground. Moments later, paramedics from the 379th Expeditionary Medical Group arrived on scene and begin caring for the individual, who was later diagnosed with severe dehydration.

Being vigilant and watching out for your fellow wingman is the responsibility of all airmen, said Air Force Chief Master Sgt. William Harner, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing’s command chief.

“Trevino displayed the ethos we expect from all our Air Force teammates,” Harner said. “She paid attention to her surroundings, noticed that something was not right, and acted accordingly. Her vigilance yielded a life or death result.”

Heat-related injuries can include dizziness, confusion, heavy breathing or unconsciousness, Trevino said.

“It’s our duty to look out for each other,” she said, “especially in the summertime when the heat takes its toll on your body.”

Thanks to Trevino’s actions the service member is due to make a full recovery.

“I would expect anyone else to do the same for me,” Trevino said. “As airmen in the U.S. Air Force, we are part of a unique family and you never have to have a reason to look out for your family members.”

DVIDS

ORISKANY, N.Y. — More than 700 National Guard soldiers and airmen from New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands come together next week at the New York State Preparedness Center here to prepare for certification as a regional disaster response force.

Residents may notice increased military traffic in the Oriskany, Rome and Utica areas as the HRF arrives and conducts its final training preparations and validation exercise.

The organization, known as a National Guard Homeland Response Force, will train both at the New York National Guard Armory in Utica and Oriskany at the New York State Preparedness Center to certify their readiness to assist responders following a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high explosive incident.

Airman 1st Class Andrew McCutchen receives an immunization. U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nathan Bevier

Parents are asked to approve a variety of immunizations for their children. The various recommended vaccines are given beginning within a few months of birth and continue for the next dozen years and more. Some parents believe, without a scientific basis, that vaccines routinely harm children and that children are better off unvaccinated.

The United States Army has some experience with infectious disease. They keep records. The historical data for some diseases which we now prevent with a vaccine is available on line. Here are just some of the costs to the Army and the troops.

All four of these illnesses are preventable through immunization. The Army varied in number during those years but never exceeded three million men.

Registered nurse 2nd Lt. Rebeccah Collins vaccinates Alexia Woods, 12, for chicken pox and meningitis during the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center School Physicals and Immunization Clinic at Fort Hood, Texas. Photo by Jeri Chappelle, CRDAMC Public Affairs

The United States population is estimated to be 313,515,695 as of May 10, 2012. Let’s look at the case counts for these illnesses for the year 2011, the last full year.

Diphtheria – 0 No reported cases in the U.S. since 2003.
Measles – 222 cases
Mumps – 370 cases
Smallpox – 0 No reported cases since 1949.

Look at the difference that routine immunizations make. Each case of mumps, for example, cost the Army 17 days back during World War I. The 2011 case count for mumps is 0.16 percent of the Army total. The savings in days out of work due to mumps is clear.

Add in the people who did not die from diphtheria or smallpox. Add in the reduction in illness related disabilities. Immunization for vaccine preventable diseases saves lives and money.

In a similar training mission, members of the Slovak Republic 5th Special Forces Regiment prepare to evacuate a simulated casualty as part of a Partnership Development Program event at the Military Training Center Lest in Slovakia. U.S. Army photo by Master Sgt. Donald Sparks, photo approved for official public release by MSG Donald Sparks, Special Operations Command Europe Public Affairs Officer

Lt. Col. Steve Osterholzer, spokesman for the 10th Special Force Group, confirmed today that a small element of Russian paratroopers is expected to train at Fort Carson, Colorado, in May. The twenty Russian soldiers are from a light infantry unit, not Spetsnaz.

The Russians will be participating in a training mission under the terms of a bi-lateral agreement signed last year between the Russian and U.S. militaries. It was recognized that troops that may need to work together in the fight against terrorism ought to train together. Special Forces troops conduct dozens of similar training missions for nations worldwide every year.

Osterholzer described the training as “entry level”. It will include weapons familiarization, medical evacuation, mountaineering and basic communications. The training is intended to build a basic relationship between the two militaries.

No secret or top secret items will be involved. The Russian troops will have an escort 24/7 while they are at Fort Carson.

A joint parachute jump is planned during the training. Lt. Col. Osterholzer said that it is traditional that such jumps qualify the participants to wear the jump wings of the other nation. The Americans will earn Russian jump wings and the Russians will earn American wings.

In keeping with Special Forces protocols, there will be no press releases or photos from the training mission.

The original report of this training mission was released by the EU Times with a great deal of embellishment. The errors in that story lead to much speculation and concern on message boards and other Internet sites. The Russians will not be defending Denver’s airport, or taking over either the CIA or NSA buildings in Washington.

In Afghanistan, a recent change of command ceremony saw Major General Charles M. Gurganus assume command of NATO’s Regional Command Southwest (RC-SW) from Major General John A. Toolan, Jr. RC-SW consists of the Afghan provinces of Helmand and Nimruz.

The U.S. Marine Corps has held the responsibility for RC-SW for some time. Helmand Province has been the scene of fierce fighting against the Taliban while Nimruz has been far calmer. MG Toolan spoke with reporters yesterday about the situation in his AOR at the end of his tour.

Toolan commanded about 20,000 Marines and just under 13,000 troops from Coalition partners. The United Kingdom made up the largest of these units, supplying 9,500 men and women. They have the responsibility for three districts in Helmand Province and also lead the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRC) for the province.

Gunner Peter Maina from Light Regiment Royal Artillery, 29 Commando, 3rd Commando Brigade, attached to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion the Rifles, and a native of Plymouth, England, checks a .50 caliber machine gun prior to taking over Sanger duty at Patrolling Base Seca in Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand province, Sept. 12. Marine Corps photo.

He had high praise for the other Coalition partners.

• The Danes are operating with the British in securing what he described as “one of the most kinetic districts in Afghanistan.”
• The Georgians have been assigned their own battlespace, evidence of their abilities, and will add a second battalion to their forces in September.
• Jordan and Bahrain have troops providing base security.
• The UAE is providing rotary wing assets in support of special operations mission. They are supplying both attack helicopters and transport helicopters.

In Toolan’s words “Things are good. Not great, but good” At this time the local population sees the Afghan security forces and the Coalition troops as the “home team”. Two years ago, it was the Taliban that was seen in that role.

MG Toolan sees corruption as the greatest threat to continued progress in Afghanistan. He talked about both “parasitic” corruption and “predatory” corruption. Parasitic corruption derives from the powerbrokers in Kabul, and consists of crimes such as skimming, nepotism, “pay to play”, bribery and the like. Predatory corruption is at the local level, when police or military use their power to steal.

Another problem that Toolan discussed was the integration of the Afghan Local Police (ALP). The ALP has been effective in adding an additional layer of security, he told us, especially in the troubled Marjah area. But there are not enough slots in the various national police organizations to accept all the ALP. He hopes that a retraining program can be created to give these men usable skills in construction, etc.

Asked to reflect on successes during his command, the general pointed to two infrastructure needs that the Marines have filled.

A Marine with Support Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, uses a grader to improve road surfaces on Route Tiffany, April 6, 2012. Support Company cleared and constructed the improved-surface road to facilitate travel in northern Helmand province. Malrine Corps photo.

Road building opens up impoverished areas to trade and communication. The Marines have built over 1,000 miles kilometers of roads in RC-SW. MG Toolan pointed out that this alone undercut Taliban influence.

Afghan children give their approval of the new bridge constructed near Combat Outpost Rankel in the district of Garmsir, Helmand province, Jan. 29. The Marines of Bridge Platoon, Alpha Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion endured a 5-day convoy in order to replace a temporary bridge with a more permanent structure that would increase mobility for Marines operating in the area. Marine Corps photo.

The Marine move into the region around the Kajaki Dam was the other accomplishment that Toolan cited. The hydroelectric dam was built by the U.S. in the 1960′s and for several years provided both electricity and irrigation to the Helmand River valley. These resources made the area very productive. After the Russian occupation, the civil war and the Taliban takeover, the dam fell into disrepair and was poorly used, if at all.

The Taliban controlled the dam until last October. A Marine offensive took the dam and the area surrounding it. This allowed the Government of Afghanistan to begin receiving the benefit of the dam.

MG Toolan pointed out the the Afghan security force still need support in some critical area. Electronic intelligence gathering, logistics and battlefield health care are still lagging. He would also like to see a point in time when the police can transition from anti-terrorism duties to a more traditional role of law enforcement.

Regional Command – South West resources:

• NATO / ISAF site for RC-SW
• RC-SW WordPress site for news
• RC-SW on Facebook
• RC-SW photos on Flickr
• Digital content from RC-SW on DVIDS

Major General Tony Cucolo, Director of Force Development for the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-8 at Headquarters, Department of the Army, and several senior staff members briefed reporters recently on the future of the Army’s vehicle fleet. The over 270,000 vehicles used by the Army give it the lead in vehicle ownership in the Federal government, surpassing even the Postal Service. After over a decade of war, the lessons learned on the battlefield coupled with new budget constraints are changing the composition of the Army’s vehicle fleet. Some of the changes are:

HMMWV (High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle)
MG Cucolo stated that there is no future for the HumVee in national defense. Its use in combat is no longer feasible. The vehicle may still have uses with the National Guard, in disaster relief and other non-combat missions. The replacement vehicle is intended to be the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. The focus for the JLTV is for it to be light weight and have equivalent armor protection to the MRAP.

MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected)
COL Mark J. Barbosa spoke in detail about this vehicle, developed specifically for the conditions seen in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Army has about 20,000 MRAPs. This is one of the Army vehicles that, according to Barbosa, for which additional uses are being sought. Current plans are to reset the older vehicles as they rotate from combat. Some 1,300 are currently receiving all the latest upgrades. This process will continue until all MRAPs have been rehabilitated. Refurbished vehicles are assigned to unit about to deploy that are in training. Barbosa told reporters that around 3,000 would be assigned to specific types of units, with the remainder being placed at contingency sites as pre-positioned.

M-113 (Armored Personnel Carrier)
Cucolo brought up the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle program (AMPV). The AMPV will replace the M-113 which has been in service since Vietnam. Jon Lee, from the G-8 staff, reported that the program is on track for an acquisition decision in late FY 2012 or early FY 2013.

Bradley Fighting Vehicle
MG Cucolo said that the Army is replacing the Bradley. It cannot carry a full squad of infantry, requiring two Bradleys to transport on squad. Its electrical system is “maxed out” and unable to power the newest combat network equipment being fielded. And, the general said that improvements in armor protection are necessary. The successor is the Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV).

Major General Cucolo and all of the staff that briefed reporters emphasized that the Army vehicle fleet for the foreseeable future will have to be both versatile and affordable. The mix of unit types and vehicles within units is under review at the highest levels, said Cucolo. A “healthy tension” exists between the two tracks that development is pursuing, off the shelf solutions versus the development of new technology.

U.S. Coast Guard

The U.S. Coast Guard took delivery of its first fast response cutter, the Bernard C. Webber, Friday in Miami. Webber is the first of 58 planned Sentinel Class patrol boats replacing the Coast Guard’s venerable but aging Island Class patrol boat fleet.

“Consistent with the Sentinel Class name, the cutter Webber will guard our coasts and its citizens and protect the nation’s vital maritime interests,” said Rear Adm. Karl Schultz, Coast Guard director of governmental and public affairs.

Patrol boats like Webber are the workhorses of America’s littoral maritime fleet. Possessing superior speed and flexibility, Coast Guard patrol boats deliver the Coast Guard’s unique blend of military capability, law enforcement authority and lifesaving expertise wherever needed along the coast. The Sentinel Class patrol boat is one of many critical recapitalization efforts the Coast Guard is managing to responsibly rebuild the capabilities that make the service our nation’s frontline maritime first responder.

“The United States is a maritime nation that depends heavily on the sea for commerce, security, sustenance and recreation and the new fast response cutter is an essential element of the Coast Guard’s offshore and coastal presence that America requires to protect its maritime interests,” said Schultz.

The Sentinel Class patrol boats carry the names of enlisted Coast Guard heroes to honor a long line of Coast Guard men and women who have distinguished themselves since the establishment of the nation’s Revenue Marine in 1790.

Bernie Webber, namesake of the fast response cutter Webber, led a crew of three Coast Guardsmen aboard a 36-foot rescue boat, in 60-foot seas, to rescue 33 mariners from the wreckage of the tanker Pendleton near Chatham, Mass, in 1952. The skill and bravery he and his crew demonstrated that stormy evening epitomizes what it means to serve in the U.S. Coast Guard and are demonstrate the service’s values of honor, respect and devotion to duty. The men and women of the Coast Guard still staff a nation-wide network of boat stations – just as Bernie Webber and his crew did – performing extraordinary life-saving and security operations for the nation.

The 154-foot fast response cutter is capable of speeds in excess of 28 knots and operating in seas up to 20-feet. It’s armed with a remotely-operated and stabilized 25-mm chain gun plus four, .50 caliber machine guns, modern C4ISR equipment, four-person berthing areas and a crew of 21 enlisted personnel and three officers.

The Bernard C. Webber will be homeported in Miami and is scheduled for commissioning April 14. The Coast Guard’s first six fast response cutters will be stationed in Miami. Plans call for the first 18 fast response cutters to be homeported throughout the Southeast U.S. and Caribbean.

Christine Fisher, one of 14 contestants who belted out lyrics at the 2012 Southeastern Connecticut Submarine Force Birthday Ball Sing-off, performs in the auditorium of Fitch High School on March 24 in Groton. Fisher later won the sing-off. U.S. Navy photography by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Virginia K. Schaefer

U.S. Navy
By Lt. Cmdr. Jennifer Cragg
Commander, Submarine Group 2 Public Affairs

More than 100 people attended the first Southeastern Connecticut Submarine Force Birthday Ball Sing-off at Fitch High School March 24 in Groton.

Of the 14 contestants who belted out their favorite lyrics in the auditorium of Fitch High School, a 20-year old junior attending the University of Connecticut from Mystic, Conn., won the sing-off.

“It’s a good opportunity to sing the national anthem at this year’s Submarine Force Birthday Ball,” said Christine Fisher, who also added that her boyfriend, who is assigned to a Groton-based submarine, encouraged her to audition.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to perform for the ball. All of the finalists were great singers and it was a great experience,” said Fisher, who was also a 2009 graduate from Fitch High School.

Brittney Longyear, one of the three finalists selected by the judges to perform the national anthem said she decided to enter the competition for a good cause.

“I always look at these types of events going toward a good cause and I love to get involved with things that are bigger than me,” said Longyear, who has been singing since the age of three, and has performed at various fundraisers to raise awareness for cancer research and competed in national singing contests.

Active duty military personnel also participated in the sing-off. Yeoman 2nd Class Alex Kuen, assigned to Submarine Surveillance and Equipment Program Atlantic, who studied opera in college, entertained the audience with his singing and his two-year old son’s appearance on stage during his audition.

“Anytime I can sing in front of people I will grab at the opportunity,” said Kuen, who was the third finalist chosen to perform the national anthem in front of the panel of judges prior to Fisher’s selection. Kuen has some impressive singing credentials; he used to sing professionally in a barbershop quartet out of Providence, R.I.

Kuen’s wife Meaghan was overjoyed with her husband’s performance, “so very proud.”

Besides Kuen, other contestants brought with them to the stage years of experience working in the music industry. April Marie, a native of Waterford, who now resides in New York and has trained musicians for the past 20 years, sang “At Last” by musician Etta James for the judges and audience.

“The talent here tonight, must be so hard for the judges,” said Marie, who had nearly 20 family and friends from New York and Connecticut who supported her through the audition.

Two other services were represented in the sing-off, a former Army specialist and an Air National Guard soldier also competed.

Marion Green, originally from New Jersey, is a contractor employed on Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland. Green has served as an Army ammunition specialist and performed before the troops in Kabul, Afghanistan (Camp Phoenix) spanning 2008 – 2010. Green also performed with the Army’s 101st Airborne Division’s Manifest Destiny in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2010.

“I wanted to be a part of this because you need to sing for the troops, it helps to build their morale,” said Green.

SrA Lisa Weiss, currently serving with the Pennsylvania Air National Guard also competed in the sing off, and performed with the Air Force’s Tops in Blue in 2010.

“I love singing the national anthem, and actually got the opportunity to perform with the Air Force when they toured around the world,” said Weiss.

Capt. Marc Denno, commanding officer, Naval Submarine Base New London was one of five judges who volunteered their time to judge the contestants participating in the sing off.

“I am once again overwhelmed by the support of the Connecticut community for our Navy,” said Denno. “Many non-military affiliated contestants showed up tonight so show their support. We also received a lot of help from our neighbors to put on this event, as well as the use of the local high school.”

Lt. Scott Mythen, director, Navy Band Northeast discussed also judging the talented group of singers in this year’s competition.

“A talented group of vocalists took the stage Saturday,” said Mythen. “The decisions were not easy, given the impressive level of talent.”

Mythen was one of five judges who voluntary judged the singers to find the best talent to perform the national anthem at the 112th Submarine Force Birthday Ball on April 14 at MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort.

“The judges had a tough time picking the top three,” said Mythen. “I believe what ultimately shone through was not the ability to entertain the crowd, but rather whose voice had the quality, throughout all vocal registers, needed to perform the national anthem.”

Mythen added the national anthem is not always the easiest to perform.

“Rendering vocal honors to our flag are not easy, especially given the skill required to sing the expansive melody found in the Star Spangled Banner. It requires control and power, range and a pure tone. I’m pleased with the selection that was made,” said Mythen.

Rear Adm. Rick Breckenridge, commander, Submarine Group 2 spoke prior to the start of the sing off about the significance of our nation’s anthem.

“Before the competition begins it’s fitting to understand our anthem’s creation to set the stage for the contestants who will be performing later this evening,” said Breckenridge.

The Southeastern Connecticut Submarine Force Birthday Ball Planning Committee is an all volunteer, non-federal entity not endorsed by the Department of Defense.

Cpl. Tristan I. Hobson checks the trunk of a patrol car for supplies on Camp Foster March 28. Hobson saved a local community member's life on Camp Kinser Feb. 18 with the aid of an automated external defibrillator. Hobson is a military policeman with Headquarters and Service Battalion, Marine Corps Base Camp Butler. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Kasey Peacock

The life of a military policeman encompasses many different tasks. One might assume a typical day would include patrolling, issuing citations, interacting with service members, and making arrests.

What one may not assume is that MPs can be called for anything, at any time, sometimes even placing them first on scene at a medical emergency.

The morning of Feb. 18, Cpl. Tristan I. Hobson, a military policeman with Headquarters and Service Battalion, Marine Corps Base Camp Butler, Marine Corps Installations Pacific, received one of those calls.

When Hobson received the call that an employee at the Camp Kinser Mess Hall, had collapsed and was not breathing, he immediately shouted to his partner, Lance Cpl. Leonard J. Kim, that it was time to go. The two geared up for the unknown and later found out that the key to the victim’s survival lay unused in the trunk of Hobson’s patrol car.

“When I arrived on scene, I could tell immediately the victim was not breathing,” said Hobson. “I began conducting (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), but it wasn’t working.”

That is when Hobson grabbed an automated external defibrillator.

An AED is a portable electronic device that diagnoses potentially life-threatening cardiopulmonary conditions in a patient and guides the first responder through the life-saving process.

Hobson and his partner connected the AED to the victim and began following the instructions.

“I can remember the machine telling me to continue chest compressions and then telling me to administer the shock,” said Hobson. “At that time, I advised everyone to back away and did what I was supposed to do. I used the shock.”

After repeating this process for several minutes, emergency technicians arrived. Hobson had given the fifth shock, which restored the victim’s heart rhythm and proved to be the shock that saved her life.

“MPs are fully capable of responding to a crisis, and we are thankful for their training,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Jason M. Turgeon, a preventive medicine technician with Combat Logistics Regiment 37, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force. “It’s important for properly trained personnel to make sure the scene is safe and secure for the emergency medical providers.”

Military policemen conduct a variety of annual training scenarios refreshing their CPR and basic first-aid capabilities.

“Our MPs train for anything that could possibly be thrown at us,” said Staff Sgt. Thomas D. Sanford, a military policeman with the battalion. “Hobson and Kim showed great leadership skills by taking action and responding accordingly to the crisis.”

Hobson later found out from the victim’s brother, who was on the scene, that without his quick actions with the AED, she may not be here.

“When I heard the news that she was alive I was very relieved,” said Hobson. “I remember giving all that I had while performing CPR because I realized her life was at stake.”

Hobson responded to a similar situation a few months prior. These two incidents have proven this piece of equipment is vital for responding to life-threatening situations, according to Hobson.

Following a ribbon cutting, the solar panel field located east of Liberty Village and south of Johnson Drive at Fort Hood, Texas, was turned on March 27, 2012. The field consists of 3,000 photovoltaic panels mounted to a steel frame that span across a four-acre site that will generate one million kilowatt-hours annually. US Army photo by Christine Luciano

U.S. Army
By Christine Luciano
Fort Hood DPW Environmental Outreach

After a year of planning and construction, Fort Hood and Universal Services Fort Hood Inc. activated a solar field of nearly 3,000 photovoltaic panels.

The four-acre solar field, near Liberty Village community, will generate one million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy annually for 300 single-family homes.

“We are taking the first step forward and realizing how we can be energy self-sufficient,” Brig. Gen. Joseph DiSalvo, deputy commanding general, III Corps and Fort Hood, said. “This is impressive that 20 percent of the energy for Liberty Village will be provided at no cost with solar energy. We are planting a seed here that will get us on a gliding path to show other Department of Defense installations how to do this.”

Last March, Universal Services Fort Hood Inc., known as USFH, approached Fort Hood with plans of a solar field.

The Fort Hood Directorate of Public Works, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fort Worth District, and USFH explored the renewable energy opportunity.

Fort Hood extended the property lease near Liberty Village, and construction began last November.

“This has been a great partnership and investment into renewable energy,” Brian Dosa, director of the Fort Hood Directorate of Public Works, said. “The Army and Fort Hood are moving forward toward building more sustainable facilities. When we have the opportunity to build something new or have a major renovation, we want to include energy efficient mechanics and renewable energy as much as we can and set Fort Hood for success.”

The $3 million project did not cost the Army or the taxpayers anything.

The contractor, USFH, is solely responsible for financing, constructing, operating and maintaining the solar array and equipment. Housing residents will consume the renewable energy without additional cost.

Thousands of panels will be fixated and titled to the south to maximize the sunlight. The energy will not be stored but will go directly into the grid to feed into poles tied into Liberty Village. Residents will have an opportunity to see the energy made, sent and used within their community.

“The biggest responsibility we have is supporting initiatives like this,” DiSalvo said. “After we see the benefit of this, it will open up opportunities for us to expand. At Fort Hood, we are always interested in partnering with Central Texas communities and any initiative that helps us with the right causes.”

As part of the Army’s challenge to pursue the Net Zero Energy goal, to produce as much energy as the installation uses, the solar field is an opportunity that will bring green electricity to military Families on Fort Hood.

DiSalvo was pleased with the limitless possibilities available with sustainable energy, and he said the post is committed to showing the nation that the Great Place is committed to energy efficiency.

Archaeologists excavate land Feb. 9, 2012, at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., in order to make way for a solar array the base is planning to build. The excavation team has found thousands of artifacts dating back to 3,000 B.C. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Sandra Welch

U.S. Air Force
by Senior Airman C.J. Hatch
56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

Archaeologists here recently unearthed an ancient dwelling — just one of thousands of artifacts found here that date back as far as 3,000 B.C.

The excavation was part of the site preparation, including mitigation of surface archaeology and testing for subsurface archaeology, for a large solar array on the south side of the base,

“This site could be of importance to Arizona and the Phoenix valley,” said John Hall, the senior project director with Statistical Research, which is doing the excavation. “We had some of the artifacts dated and this site is almost 1,000 years older than any other site in the Phoenix valley.”

Since October 2010, the excavation team has found thousands of artifacts around the area to help them get an idea of how the people here lived.

“We believe the people to be nomadic,” Hall said. “We found storage holes filled with stone tools and other things. The stone used clearly comes from a river, very different from the stone around Luke.”

One of the things about the site archeologists found interesting was that it dated to the poorly understood Middle and Late Archaic periods of the Phoenix Basin and south-central Arizona between 3,000 and 1,000 B.C.

“The things we have found here will allow a very detailed examination of these ancient life ways,” Hall said. “This is an unprecedented opportunity not included in the more than 100 years of documented archaeological work in and around the Phoenix Basin.”

Archaeologists have long studied the Hohokam of the Phoenix valley — one of three major prehistoric archaeological traditions of the American Southwest — including they way they lived, the farming they did and the plants they grew. The Hohokam occupied the valley and much of southern Arizona from 1 to 1450 A.D. The Hohokam grew corn, beans, squash and agave. They also built hundreds of miles of canals throughout the valley to irrigate their agricultural fields. This site has offered a new perspective into the lives of people thousands of years before that.

“This site is 2,000 years older than the Hohokam; these people could be their ancestors,” Hall said. “They were from a time before agriculture, before maze was brought up from Mexico. This will help us understand lots of things. We can get a better idea of how people got food before farming. We can narrow down the time frame when maize was brought from the south. We have 5,000 years of history right here to help us understand things. This could change our understanding of the prehistoric people of the valley.”

The location of Luke AFB attracted the Native Americans who lived here 5,000 years ago as well as the Air Force in the 1940s.

“The land here is in a great location,” Hall said. “You have the White Tank Mountains and the Aqua Fria River both right here close by. There was food and water at hand, and we think they may have moved between the foothills and the river over their course through the valley.”

The land being excavated is located by the south end of the runway and was not being used for anything before the solar array was planned. Luke AFB officials plan to build the solar array to help offset energy costs.

“We have land here that was not being utilized because of the noise from the end of the runway,” said 1st Lt Chris Warshaw, of the 56th Civil Engineer Squadron. “We have a perfect spot for a solar array that could generate almost 50 percent of the electricity the base consumes.”

The solar array is still planned to be built, but it will take longer than initially planned due to the mitigation phase.

“We need to thank Luke,” Hall said, “because if the base had not been here, the land probably would have been dug up years ago to make room for houses or farms.”

MV Green Wave arrives at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, on Feb. 14, 2012, carrying over 300 units of United States Antarctic Program cargo representing the program's annual food, parts and other supplies during Operation Deep Freeze, the DoD’s support activity to the National Science Foundation-managed USAP.

U.S. Air Force
by Maj. Jonathan Hannon
Joint Task Force-Support Forces Antarctica

Following the redeployment of the last two C-17 Globemaster IIIs to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., and Stewart Air National Guard Base, N.Y., the personnel participating in the 2011-2012 edition of Operation Deep Freeze can lay claim to yet another successful and history-making season.

ODF is the U.S. military’s support to science and research activities conducted by the U.S. Antarctic Program. ODF is a joint, inter-agency operation under the direction of the National Science Foundation and led by Lt Gen Ted Kresge, Joint Task Force-Support Forces Antarctica commander.

“Deep Freeze is one of our toughest missions, requiring strong leadership and precise teamwork by the deployed joint force on the ice in Antarctica and at Christchurch, New Zealand. Year after year, the JTF-SFA proves it can excel and successfully operate in any environment and take on any challenge,” said Lt. Gen. Kresge. “I’m rarely surprised at the extraordinary accomplishments of this team, but this year is truly an exception and I’m beyond proud of all the hard work this team has done for the National Science Foundation.”

During the 2011-2012 season, six ski-equipped LC-130 Hercules aircraft from the 109th Airlift Wing, Stratton Air National Guard Base, N.Y. flew 359 missions between McMurdo Station, Antarctica, and 18 inland Antarctic destinations, transporting more than seven million pounds of cargo and fuel and more than 1,600 passengers. In addition, C-17A aircraft from the 62nd and 446th Airlift Wings at Joint Base Lewis-McChord flew 72 inter-continental missions between New Zealand and McMurdo Station, carrying over six million pounds of cargo and more than 5,000 passengers.

Tasked with providing a major component of logistical support to many Antarctic locations, JTF-SFA aircraft also responded to requests for assistance on multiple occasions in support of the NSF and New Zealand Rescue Coordination Center.

On June 28, for the first time in history, a C-17 aircraft performed an operational mid-winter landing at McMurdo Station with the aid of night vision goggles. Having to navigate around massive ash clouds from volcanic activity in Chile and facing -42° F temperatures in McMurdo, the crew, in cooperation with a Pacific Air Forces Critical Care Air Transport Team, performed an evacuation of a critically-ill program participant to New Zealand.

In August during winter fly-in missions, JTF-SFA was instrumental in coming to the aid of a seriously-ill program participant at the US Amundsen-Scott South Pole station where air temperatures below -60° F prohibited any aircraft landings. The C-17 airdropped two bundles of urgently-needed medical supplies.

On Dec. 15, the Russian fishing trawler Sparta became stranded in heavy sea ice and struck a submerged iceberg, tearing a hole in its hull. An LC-130 aircraft was called upon to provide aerial reconnaissance of and communication links to the vessel, allowing for a Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 aircraft to later airdrop three parcels on an ice floe next to the ailing ship. Less than a month later, seven crew members severely injured in a fire aboard the South Korean-flagged fishing vessel Jeong Woo 2 were transported to McMurdo Station, where they were triaged and treated by U.S. Air Force and contracted medical personnel, and airlifted to Christchurch via an LC-130 aircraft.

Throughout the season, C-17 and LC-130 aircraft carried participants from the Australian, Italian, New Zealand, and South Korean Antarctic programs under scientific collaborative agreements with the NSF.

Transportation was also provided to such dignitaries as the Prime Minister of Norway, King of Malaysia, U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa, Director of the National Science Foundation, the commanders of U.S. Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command, and a Congressional delegation, among others.

Maritime activities in Antarctica began in January with the arrival of the NSF-contracted Russian icebreaker, Vladimir Ignatyuk. The icebreaker cut through 12 miles of ice in preparation for the arrival of the Military Sealift Command-contracted fuel tanker, Maersk Peary, on Jan. 27. The Peary off-loaded more than 6.75 million gallons of fuel and departed McMurdo Station on Feb. 2.

Following the departure of the Peary, the MSC-contracted MV Green Wave arrived McMurdo on Feb. 14, carrying over 300 units of USAP cargo representing the program’s annual food, parts and other supplies. Peary also carried the 331st Transportation Company’s Modular Causeway System. Unusual winter conditions resulted in McMurdo’s seasonal ice pier being insufficient for supporting cargo operations (it was sound enough to allow fuel off-load to proceed normally). The ice pier situation resulted in an urgent request by NSF for assistance through U.S. Transportation Command, answered by the U.S. Army.

True to their motto “causeway or no way”, 42 soldiers assembled the causeway in challenging weather conditions. It was the first construction of its type in extreme cold-weather and icing and permitted the off-load of nearly seven million pounds of cargo and a backload of more than 8.7 million pounds of retrograde cargo. This substantial cargo transfer was assisted by the Navy Cargo Handling Battalion-One sailors from Williamsburg, Va., who worked around-the-clock to complete the cargo transfer in just eight days while battling sub-freezing temperatures and sustained Antarctic winds.

“You cannot say enough about the dedication of these Soldiers and Sailors. Their actions speak volumes about their character and their caliber,” said Gen Kresge. “Really, it’s been a remarkable season–from beginning to end. The whole JTF-SFA team displayed unprecedented flexibility in accomplishing the mission. After two years with JTF-SFA, I’ve certainly learned there are no limits to what this joint force can do.”

For 54 years the NSF has depended on the skills and unique abilities of Airmen, Soldiers, and Sailors to ensure safe delivery of life-sustaining fuel and cargo for research scientists and residents in Antarctica. The 2012-2013 ODF season will begin in August 2012 or as directed by the NSF.

U.S. Air Force
by Sandra Pishner
446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

Reservists from the 446th Airlift Wing and active-duty Airmen from the 62nd Airlift Wing completed a record-setting season for Operation Deep Freeze.

As the 304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, McChord Air Force Base, Wash., aircrews and maintainers conducted 74 missions in support of ODF, six more than any previous season. Squadron members also donated a record $10,000 to charities in Christchurch, New Zealand, where they stage ODF C-17 Globemaster III missions.

Operation Deep Freeze is a joint service, inter-agency activity that supports the National Science Foundation, which manages the United States Antarctic Program. Airlift support began Aug. 20, 2011, and ended with the return of the Airmen in early March.

Continuing the theme of firsts for this season, McChord AFB Airmen conducted a C-17 operational South Pole airdrop and a mid-winter medical evacuation out of McMurdo using night-vision goggles. And for the first time in ODF, a reservist was commander of the 304th EAS.

Lt. Col. Bill Eberhardt, from the 728th Airlift Squadron here, commanded the squadron of 35.
“Aircrew wise, it’s a 50-50 split (between 446th and 62nd AWs),” Eberhardt said. “Generally, the 446th Operations Group mans the staff of the 304th EAS. We (the 446th AW) have the (director of operations), superintendent, and chief loadmaster. The only non-reservist on the staff is from the 62nd Airlift Wing, the commander of the squadron.”

This year, unit members flew 2,524 passengers south, 2,631 passengers north and more than 6.3 million pounds in cargo.

“Pretty impressive for one small squadron with one airplane,” Eberhardt said.

At the end of the season the McChord AFB contingent was extremely busy, flying almost every day, Eberhardt said.

“Weather and fuel planning are the primary challenges of flying ODF missions,” Eberhardt said. “When you go down there to McMurdo or airdrop on the South Pole, there’s only one runway within about 2,200 miles you can land on. So you have issues with mission planning; if you lose an engine or something like that you don’t have a lot of options.”

This season, Eberhardt said, was one of the most successful to date. And they get to do it all again Aug. 20, 2012.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Laura Comacho, of New Braunfels, Texas, the non-commissioned officer-in-charge of the new mild traumatic brain injury recovery clinic on Forward Operating Base Sharana, stands next to the as yet to be mounted sign for the new facility March 21. Photo by Sgt. Ken Scar

DVIDS
Story by Sgt. Ken Scar

The Department of Defense estimates that 22 percent of all combat casualties from Operation Enduring Freedom are brain injuries. Of those, the majority are mild traumatic brain injuries. Victims of MTBIs don’t have the extreme symptoms of the more serious TBI, but even mild damage to the brain can last a lifetime. Fortunately, sufferers of MTBI have an excellent chance at making a full recovery if the injury is treated properly within the first 72 hours, so treating MTBI has become increasingly important to health care professionals in the field.

The medical treatment facility at Forward Operating Base Sharana now has a posh new facility to treat those casualties during the most crucial time in their recovery, the first 24 hours.

“Within the first 24 hours is when the brain is going to heal the most, so we’ve tried to give them a simple place that’s quiet to sleep,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Laura Camacho, from New Braunfels, Texas, the non-commisioned officer-in-charge of the facility. “The brain is healing when they’re sleeping. If they’re thinking, reading, writing, playing a computer game – the brain is working. We don’t want any stimulation – just stillness. I hate to say it, but we almost offer a spa-like retreat.”

Comacho explains the careful planning put into every detail of the new facility as she leads a tour through the immaculate rooms of the center, all simply decorated with comfortable beds and chairs, dimly lit with strings of Christmas lights, and walls painted with a muted burnt umber color which, she explains, helps to prevent headaches.

Creating this refuge for injured soldiers has been a labor of love for the soldiers of Company C, 122nd Aviation Support Battalion, Task Force Blackhawk, who currently operate the Sharana Medical Treatment Facility.

“Our soldiers have worked really hard to make this place better than when we received it,” said Staff Sgt. Lucas White, of Coffeyville, Kan., who is the NCOIC of the Sharana MTF. “There was nothing wrong with how we received it, but you always want to make a mark where you’ve been.

“We’ve seen approximately 140 MTBI’s since we’ve been here,” he said, noting that the unit is about nine months into their one-year deployment. “We return the large majority of them to duty after 72 hours.”

“83 percent are returned to duty,” said Comacho. “We are giving them the best place we can to recover, and that’s pretty important.”

The new facility is a vast improvement from the last building they used, which was the typical FOB plywood structure with no separate rooms and little temperature control, Comacho said. The new MTBI recovery center has separate, centrally heated and cooled accommodations for up to 10 patients.

“This is a huge, huge improvement because if you don’t give them a comfortable environment, they’ll do whatever it takes to get out of here,” Comacho added. “They may not be 100 percent, but tell you that they are because they just want to get out. With this place, they’ll wait until they are well and we feel good letting them go.”

“Now we can provide a nice, quiet, comfortable environment that will allow their brain to rest,” said Capt. Cindy Dean, from Fort Belvoir, Va., the officer in-charge of the new center.

“It’s so inclusive and comfortable in here sometimes it’s hard to walk outside into the light,” she added, laughing.

Navy Ensign Darius Mercer, right, and sailors assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones transfer six rescued Filipino mariners to U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Baranof in the Persian Gulf, March 15, 2012. U.S. Navy photo

Central Command March 15 2012

Crews of the Navy guided-missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones and Coast Guard Cutter Baranof rescued 24 Filipino mariners here today, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command officials reported.

The John Paul Jones, assigned to Combined Maritime Forces Task Force 152, responded to a distress call from the Liberian-flagged motor vessel Stolt Valor, operating in international waters 48 nautical miles southeast of Farsi Island, Iran, officials said.

When the John Paul Jones’ crew spotted one of two life rafts signaling with a small light and launched the ship’s rigid-hull inflatable boat to investigate, they found 16 people in the first raft and eight more in the other.

“We were ready to assist, and we were fortunately in the position to help,” said Navy Cmdr. Jon Duffy, the John Paul Jones’ commanding officer.

Stolt Valor’s master confirmed one crew member died during an explosion. The 24 rescued mariners were in good health and did not require medical help, officials said. Their rescuers gave them food, water and blankets.

“Coming to the aid of fellow mariners in trouble and conducting search and rescues at sea are critical skills that the Navy trains us to get right,” Duffy said. “I couldn’t be more proud of how our crews reacted from the initial distress call to when every survivor was safe on deck.”

At about 7:30 a.m., the 24 survivors were transferred from the John Paul Jones to the Baranof to be taken to Manama, Bahrain.

Stolt Valor is a chemical tanker carrying about 13,000 metric tons of methyl tertiary butyl ether, which is used to increase oxygen content in gasoline throughout the United States to reduce carbon monoxide and ozone levels caused by auto emissions, officials said. It is considered soluble, but not biodegradable, they added.

The Combined Maritime Forces battle watch officer reported the incident to the Marine Emergency Mutual Aid Center, which sent firefighting tugboats to the scene.

The USS John Paul Jones is conducting maritime security operations in the Persian Gulf. Coast Guard Cutter Baranof is assigned to Task Force 55 and U.S. Coast Guard Patrol Forces Southwest Asia, supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.