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1677. SECAF discusses priorities during European trip by Master Sgt. Joe Bela U.S. Air Forces in Europe News Service RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFPN) -- Discussing his four priorities for fiscal 2002 during a visit here Nov. 23, Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche addressed issues concerning today's airmen and his take on the future of the Air Force. This was the last stop for Roche, who toured several U.S. Air Forces in Europe installations during a five-day trip, which included visits to Aviano Air Base, Italy; Incirlik AB, Turkey; and Tuzla AB in Bosnia-Herzegovina. A proponent of positive change, Roche said his first priority is people, and that includes a continued commitment to tackling retention issues, especially among career airmen with 13 to 15 years of service. "Why are we losing people at a point where, in a few more years, they could have a pension? Something is not right there," said Roche. "I'm trying to understand this, and it's one of the reasons why we're devoting much attention to quality-of-life and family housing issues. "We certainly want to learn more about what drives a family to want to leave the (Air Force) at that point," he said. "Certainly, a booming economy during the last few years has drawn away some of our most talented people." The economy has stabilized, said Roche, and now "we have to focus on what makes Air Force life 'not' what it ought to be. We're taking this very seriously in both enlisted and officer ranks." One way to attract and retain people is to improve quality-of-life facilities and services, said Roche. "When you invest in quality of life, you retain highly qualified people," he said. "Let's say we lose someone with 14 years of experience as a radar technician," Roche said. "It will take us another 14 years to adequately replace that person. So from an economical standpoint, improving quality of life is a sensible investment." Roche said another priority on his list focuses on strategy and the force structure. Both Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper and Roche are trying to formulate a suitable plan. "Of course, this process has been accelerated drastically since the events (terrorist attacks) in September," he said. "Now we have to deal with something we never anticipated -- homeland defense. "This ties up aircrews and airplanes in the states every single day," Roche said. "The Guard and Reserves do most of this work. That means these folks are not available to help us with our overseas rotations." Ultimately, the air expeditionary force is being strained, he said. Roche said the Air Force is trying to understand how events like the terrorist attacks in New York and at the Pentagon will affect the AEF concept over the long haul. "How do we keep this up for one year, for two years, without destroying the AEF concept? That's something General Jumper and I will have to solve as soon as we can," he said. Efficiency is one priority the secretary believes is right on track. "In the case of USAFE operations, it's one of the biggest 'pickup basketball games' I've ever seen," said Roche. "We've got airmen from here; we've got airmen from there. We've got some Guard, some Reserve and a lot of active-duty people coming from different units at different periods of time to serve a function. "Managing people as well as assets and aircraft is a huge operation, and I'm far from suggesting how we can make it more efficient. It's really rather awesome that it works," he said. "My worry is that we can't answer the basic questions from some of our people," he said. "Questions like 'I'm already on rotation, will I have some time before I deploy again?' and 'When will stop-loss end?' "We've mobilized 42,000 Reserve and Guard, when will they be released? These questions are unanswerable at the moment, he said. "This is not a matter of typical efficiency, but a matter of making sure we employ the right talent and not mobilize people to fill the 'box.'" Addressing his final priority -- innovation and reform -- Roche said maintaining a high degree of competence and pride is the key. He said the only way this can exist in an organization is if the leadership team, all the way down to the first-line supervisor, the noncommissioned officer, has that same philosophy. "I'm struck by the fact that our airmen understand they're doing something that needs to be done. They feel they're doing something that's worthwhile and it shows," he said. "It's a sensible caring for each other. Leaders need to worry about the folks who work for them," said the secretary. "The classic way of military thinking -- 'My mission, my people, my self' -- that has to continue. It's clear it's there; it's not broken. Don't fix it; just encourage it." (Courtesy of USAFE News Service) 1676. U.S. tankers deploy to Bulgaria by Tech. Sgt. Theresa McCullough 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs BURGAS, Bulgaria (AFPN) -- KC-135 Stratotankers were deployed here Nov. 23 to support humanitarian relief missions during Operation Enduring Freedom. This is the first time U.S. military forces have conducted operational missions from Bulgaria. The aerial refueling tankers, which previously flew out of Souda Bay, Greece, and Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, are now consolidated into one unit, the 351st Expeditionary Aerial Refueling Squadron. The Bulgarian government offered its support as part of coalition efforts to combat terrorism. U.S. government officials requested the use of the Burgas airport facilities. "Taking two flying operations from bases that had established support operations and combining into one new location, requiring the creation and build-up for an entirely new support system, has been quite a challenge," said Col. Ray Dinsmore, deployment commander. "Especially while simultaneously maintaining the ongoing mission support to the humanitarian relief mission from a combination of these three locations." The advance team had just a few days to prepare for the aircraft and aircrew arrival. "We (the advance team) were working out major agreements, securing the facilities and use of the airport, along with making arrangements for Bulgarian military police security," Dinsmore said. "Now, the last three or four days we've been in the execution portion of this operation, seeing people and planes arriving and the mission getting off the ground." U.S. Army soldiers used the facilities prior to the 351st EARS arrival, and their corporate knowledge was crucial in the camp set up, said Capt. Mark Kerr, advance team member. "Their help was a big factor in getting us spun up as quickly as we did," he said. "It has been an experience of a lifetime setting up from the ground up for a real-world operation. Seeing the end result makes a real difference; it's great to see the fruits of your hard work." People from the 31st Security Forces Squadron at Aviano Air Base, Italy, are working closely with the Bulgarian military police and airport police to provide security. Airmen from England's Royal Air Force Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath, plus Ramstein, Spangdahlem and Rhein Main air bases in Germany are also supporting the mission. Civil engineering, communications, transportation, medical, bioenvironmental, and audiovisual specialties, as well as the chaplain corps, represent this support. U.S. forces have participated in exercises in Bulgaria for several years. The United States has worked and trained with the country as part of the NATO Partnership for Peace program since 1994. Several times this year, the seaport of Burgas has served as the gateway to the Balkans for U.S. forces supporting NATO operations as part of the Kosovo Force. (Courtesy of U.S. Air Forces in Europe News Service) 1673. Special ops group aids in typhoon recovery by Master Sgt. Michael Farris 353rd Special Operations Group KADENA AIR BASE, Japan (AFPN) -- After typhoon Lingling left a trail of death and destruction in the Philippines earlier this month, Air Force Pacific Command and the American Embassy in Manila called on the 353rd Special Operations Group here to transport disaster relief aid to the stricken area. The Philippine Red Cross made an official request for assistance when more than 130 bodies were recovered and hundreds others were feared dead. The 353rd SOG had three MC-130P Combat Shadows in the country at the time. "We were less than two hours away," said Maj. Pat Butler, a pilot with the 17th Special Operations Squadron. "When the order came for us to fly south, we were ready to go." On Nov. 12, a crew from the 17th SOS loaded a plane with 10,000 pounds of rations, mosquito nets, sleeping mats and other relief items. They flew from Manila to Surigao and offloaded the items with engines running. The next day, two crews flew similar missions to Cagayan de Oro on Mindanao, and Iloilo on Panay Island. The final mission sent another 10,000 pounds of relief to Iloilo on Nov. 14. The crews were able to add the relief missions on to their daily flying schedule, said Butler. "We stretched our crew days a bit, but otherwise the trips south were uneventful," he said. Because the cargo was not on pallets, Tech Sgt. Roger Brown and other 17th SOS loadmasters had to optimize the load while ensuring safety. Brown said it felt good to help out people in their time of need. "They had been whipped pretty badly by that typhoon, but their spirits were still high," he said. Capt. Scott Hartman flew into Cagayan de Oro. He said his efforts were greatly appreciated by the volunteers that showed up to help offload the plane. "They were very excited that we were able to fly those relief supplies out to them," he said. "There was a sense of urgency to get the supplies out to those villages that had been hardest hit." Hundreds of families fled their homes to escape raging waist-deep floods, civil defense officials said. The storm, with winds gusting up to 55 mph, knocked down power and telephone lines. The experience for Butler hit a little closer to home. "My wife, Shirley, is from the Philippines," he said. "One of her strongest childhood memories was right after a typhoon wiped out her village. U.S. helicopters flew to her town and hovered overhead. The crews would throw out loaves of bread, packets of coffee and other supplies that would help get them through a couple days. It felt great to step in and fill that role -- one which means so much to those folks and Philippine-American relations." An average of 20 typhoons lash the Philippines every year. Lingling was the 14th to hit the country since January. 1674. Reservists cope with changes caused by call-up by Senior Airman Robert Sperling Air Force Reserve Command Public Affairs ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFPN) -- Reservists called to active duty to support Operations Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle are finding a renewed sense of purpose and patriotism as they answer their country's call. "After the Sept.11 terrorist attack, I was the only one of my college classmates that was able to be a part of the response," said a senior airman assigned to an Air Force Reserve Command unit from Charleston Air Force Base, S.C. "It is a great feeling to be a part of something good." Besides their contributions to America's war on terrorism, the more than 9,000 reservists who have been called-up since Sept. 20 are receiving additional pay and benefits while on active-duty status. Their entitlements include increased military pay, basic allowances for housing and subsistence, continental United States cost-of-living expenses, and medical and dental benefits for themselves and their families while activated. An activated reservist receives pay based on years of service and grade. For example, a technical sergeant with more than 18 years of service gets $2,421.30 a month, plus basic allowances for housing and basic allowance for subsistence. A Reserve technical sergeant with the 917th Civil Engineer Squadron at Barksdale AFB, La., said, "The change in pay from civilian life to active duty has been a respectable increase." While on active duty as a fireman, he is augmenting the active force's 2nd CES at Barksdale and will receive about $40,800 annually. In civilian life, where he is also a fireman, he makes about $22,800 a year after his retirement and medical benefits are withdrawn. Some allowances are not taxable for people on active duty and their medical insurance and retirement benefits are not withheld from their paychecks. Mobilized reservists receive the same medical and dental coverage as their active-duty counterparts. Their families become eligible for TRICARE benefits depending on the duration of the sponsors' active-duty orders. To help families of reservists activated for Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom, the Department of Defense has waived TRICARE deductibles for care received since Sept. 14. The activation of reservists has caught some families off guard. "Our command staff had to set up a support chain for all of the reservists and their families who were unfamiliar with all of the new benefits available to them and to assist them as they transition to active duty," said a lieutenant in a security forces squadron in the western United States. "The majority of my troops are in good spirits and are very excited to be able to participate in such a worthwhile mission and wish that they could do more," he said. "We have had troops in our squadron who either recently separated or were about separate reconsider their decision and re-enlist just to be a part of this mission." Reservists called to active duty are protected by federal law under the Uniformed Services Re-employment Rights Act of 1994. USERRA provides servicemembers, upon release from active duty, the right to return to their former position or one of similar status, seniority and pay. USERRA applies to involuntary and voluntary duty. Reservists and their families are heeding their country's call to arms and doing their best to make a difference; however, for some families, the transition to active-duty military pay and benefits has not been an easy one. Some corporations are stepping up to cover monthly health insurance premiums and other company benefits for their employees. The Air Force Aid Society can help activated reservists and their families make the transition, especially if paychecks have been slow in arriving. The AFAS supplies families with basic living needs, emergency travel funds, solutions to child-care problems, and emergency assistance loans and grants and more. Married reservists and their families are not the only ones having to adjust to full-time military service. The Charleston airman was enrolled in law school when the Sept. 11 terrorist attack occurred. "After being activated, I had to put that on hold to pursue the needs of my country," he said. "The really great part about serving my country in this way is that the school is holding my spot in this highly competitive degree program." (Courtesy of AFRC News Service) 1678. T-6 flying training begins at Moody by Capt. Christa D'Andrea Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFPN) -- After a month of academics, the first class of student pilots to train exclusively in the T-6A Texan II began flying here Nov. 20. It was all systems go as instructors from the 3rd Flying Training Squadron and students in Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 02-01 took to the skies in the Air Force's newest trainer aircraft. "The aircraft is in place, the instructors are in place and I expect the program to be fully successful," said Col. Mike Maffei, chief of the aircrew training and standardization division at Air Education and Training Command, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. "The folks out there are highly motivated and highly experienced." The first class has 15 students, including two members of the Navy, who will complete a six-month course using the new joint primary aircraft training system and graduate in April. A new class of students will begin training every three weeks, and the 3rd FTS will train about 250 students each year. It was the "luck of the draw" for those who were selected to attend the first class, said Maffei. "The students are very excited," he said. "In fact, we had to push the class start date back and we had offered the students the opportunity to roll into another class at another base. However, they decided to wait it out in order to be the first to fly the T-6." The T-6A is a propeller driven, single-engine, two-seat trainer designed to teach students basic flying skills common to all military pilots. The aircraft is fully aerobatic and features a pressurized cockpit with an anti-G system and an advanced avionics package with sunlight-readable liquid crystal displays. It will eventually replace the Air Force T-37 and the Navy T-34C during an eight- to 10-year transition period. "The move from the aging T-37 Tweet is important to the Air Force and Navy," said Capt. Andreas Wesemann, 3rd FTS A Flight commander. "The older aircraft were designed over 50 years ago, and they are very antiquated in their cockpit instrumentation. The T-6A offers state-of-the-art avionics, tremendous improvement on fuel economy, improved visibility for formation flying, lower maintenance costs and the absolute best in crew safety." The 3rd FTS, part of the 479th Flying Training Group, was activated here in April. "It is exciting to be part of a new aircraft, standing up a new squadron (and) training new pilots for tomorrow's Air Force," Wesemann said. All JSUPT bases are scheduled to receive the T-6A, with Laughlin AFB, Texas, next on the list. The 12th Flying Training Wing at Randolph was the first to receive the T-6 and has been training instructor pilots since May 2000. (Senior Airman Tre Tiernan, 347th Rescue Wing public affairs office, contributed to this story.) *COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. 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