-Caveat Lector- WJPBR Email News List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peace at any cost is a Prelude to War!
1681. NATO, Tinker unit join forces for 'noble' cause by Darren D. Heusel Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. (AFPN) -- "We are here, among friends, fighting shoulder to shoulder with our U.S. and Canadian counterparts," said German Maj. Gen. Johann Dora, NATO Airborne Warning and Control System commander. "We're not just allies for Germany, France, Portugal or somebody else in Europe. We are allies for every individual country in NATO that is in danger." Dora was talking about Operation Noble Eagle missions he and his fellow crewmembers fly to patrol American skies in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. "The other allies are standing by to help," Dora said. "This is the first time that somebody from Europe has actively come to the U.S. to help them with their problems, which are our problems. We're proud to be here and very happy to be at Tinker because we are very well received." NATO's partnership with the 552nd Air Control Wing AWACS crews here is nothing new. The two units train together regularly throughout the year in various exercises worldwide. "We are probably the closest two military units in the world," said Brig. Gen. Ben Robinson, 552nd ACW commander. "If we could have planned for three months, we wouldn't have pulled this off any better." Five aircraft were a tremendous contribution on the part of NATO, particularly when considering the scope of what it is trying to do and its overall mission in Europe, Robinson said. Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, 552nd ACW crews have been stretched thin, Robinson said. NATO's arrival allows people at the North American Aerospace Defense Command to continue providing combat air patrol missions and lowers the operational tempo of the U.S. AWACS fleet. The NATO detachment began flying operational missions Oct. 15 after undergoing ground training, briefings and familiarization flights. "By biting off a big chunk of the mission, we're allowing the crews from Tinker to stay home with their wives and [stabilize] their lives a little," said Rodney, a lieutenant colonel from Canada who pilots one of the NATO planes. "Everybody associated with NATO is glad to be here. We've had a tremendous welcome and the accommodations have been excellent," said Capt. Rune, a navigator from Norway. "It's nice to be able to help out with a mission like this," he said. The homeland defense missions provide "a unique situation in the fact that you have foreign troops on native soil," said Tech. Sgt. Chuck, a flight engineer who has been assigned to NATO for the past two years. "We can pretty much go anywhere in the world," Chuck said. "It just so happens that this time we're here in America." Besides Canada, Germany, Norway and the United States, other members of the NATO alliance include: the United Kingdom, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Turkey. (Courtesy of Air Force Materiel Command News Service) 1682. NATO crewmember settles into life in Oklahoma by Darren D. Heusel Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. (AFPN) -- When opportunity came knocking for NATO E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System crewmembers to join the United States in its war on terrorism, 180 people from 13 different countries answered the call. Among them is Andy, a 28-year-old technical sergeant from Germany who serves as a surveillance operator aboard one of the five NATO airplanes. The aircraft are stationed here to help with Operation Noble Eagle. NATO's arrival in the United States stems from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and Article 5 of the 1949 Washington Treaty, which basically states that an attack on one member of the alliance is an attack on all. "You also have to realize that this is the first time we've gotten to come over here and help the Americans," Andy said. "For me, it's a big honor because a lot of European countries owe their freedom and democracy to the Americans. It means a lot to my parents and friends back home, as well." His enthusiasm to assist America is shared by the other 17 crewmembers, Andy said. They boarded a NATO E-3 AWACS recently en route to the East Coast for a homeland defense mission. This day, like so many others since Andy arrived in the states Oct. 9, began very early. "In this case, about 3:30," he said. Work begins with a daily briefing, and then he and his crew are off to the NATO operations center where they do any last-minute checks and receive any additional information. After that, it is out to the flightline. "Once we get to the jet, we perform our systems checks," he said. "I will check my oxygen mask, different settings and other emergency equipment." He also gets paperwork pertaining to the specific mission the crew will be performing that day, Andy said. "I get a game plan ready with my colleagues, so that when we take off, we already know what we're going to do," he said. "We also want to have an alternate plan in place in case of an emergency." Once in the air, Andy begins entering into a computer all the data specifically required for the mission, which can include aircraft that might be flying, other units involved in the mission and aircraft identification criteria. "This is all in preparation before we get into the area of operation," he said. "It's important to make sure we have good communications so that we are ready to assume our duty. We'll usually assume responsibility for that airspace for six to eight hours, or however long we're tasked." AWACS crews are looking for aircraft that do not belong in that airspace, or aircraft that are "behaving in a suspicious manner, in order to prevent what happened on Sept. 11," Andy said. "In our area of responsibility, we try to detect all the targets and identify them," he said. "Once we identify the targets, we pass that information on to other units or platforms involved, most importantly to the technical director on the ground because he needs that information to assess the situation." In the event the airborne crew can not identify or track a target, they will notify officials on the ground to try and have it identified. The crew uses various ways, such as voice communications and real-time data-forwarding systems, to pass information on to the technical director on the ground. "It's all a process of finding out if there's anybody in the area that's not supposed to be there and take the appropriate action if that happens," Andy said. Normally, Andy and the other controllers will get a break during the flight, which he said "is quite necessary actually. We're like civilian controllers in that you don't want to sit behind a screen for too long," he said. "It's a matter of maintaining alertness and consciousness." Before being relieved in the area of operation, Andy said he prepares a "pass-over briefing for the next gent. "After that, we start heading back home, which is now Tinker Air Force Base," he said. "Sometimes, that can take hours. On the way back, we'll usually try to conduct a mission debrief -- talk about lessons learned and things that went well -- in order to enhance our performance every time." Andy said the mission debriefs continue once the crew returns to NATO ops, usually about 12 to 14 hours after takeoff. Finally, it is time to board the bus and head back to the dorms. Six to eight hours of flying is like double the time on the ground, because "the air is very dry and the situation is very intense," he said. "I don't have any problem falling asleep," he said. Andy said he sometimes might grab a couple of buddies and go off base "for a drink and a laugh. The people here are very friendly and make me feel very welcome," he said. "I'm trying to get to know as many locals as possible, exchange thoughts really. "The one thing I'd like to leave here with, if nothing else, is to know I helped this great freedom-loving country of yours become more safe and secure, and that I helped prevent any more of these brutal attacks from happening," he said. "I also want the American people to know that we, NATO, stand side-by-side with them. Everything else is secondary." (Courtesy of Air Force Materiel Command News Service) 1685. People with pay problems should call center RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) -- Air Force personnel officials are asking all airmen with pay or bonus payment problems to call the Air Force Personnel Center's contact center here by Dec. 7. As the Air Force's internal tax reporting deadline approaches, personnel officials want to ensure airmen have received all their pay and entitlements so they are not faced with problems when tax season rolls around. Officials want to make sure they have enough time to work with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service to resolve all cases in time for this tax year. Common problems may include initial enlistment or re-enlistment bonuses, special or incentive pay, or problems with regular pay. "We've been working airmen's issues hard with DFAS, and we want to make sure we've heard from everyone with a problem," said Lt. Col. David Zeh, chief of the contact center. "It's important that we identify any remaining members and try to resolve their cases by early December so DFAS has time to update their pay records," said Lt. Col. Thomas Major, chief of the finance division at the Air Force's accounting and finance office. "This will ensure everyone's end-of-year leave and earnings statement and W-2 form are accurate since bonus pay is taxable in the calendar year it is paid, not in the year the entitlement is earned," Major said. People who do not receive their bonus payment this calendar year may receive double payments next year, which can result in a higher tax bracket, officials said. People can reach the contact center at DSN 665-2949 or (800) 558-1404, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST. 1684. Hill employees join Olympic A-team by Mary Galbraith Ogden Air Logistics Center Public Affairs HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AFPN) -- Safe and soft landings are a priority for two base workers, but these landings have nothing to do with aircraft. Jeanette Bonnell and Rose Rees, both base civilian employees, are volunteer members of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games On-Hill Aerials Team, nicknamed the A-Team. During aerial competitions, athletes ski downhill to a steep ramp called a kicker, which launches skiers into the air. They then acrobatically twist and turn as they drop from three or four stories up. After performing a variety of maneuvers, the skiers land on a hill covered with soft, churned snow which absorbs the landing impact. That is where the A-Team comes in. Using straight-edged shovels, team members stand shoulder to shoulder, chopping at least 18 inches deep into the snow and ice to create air pockets. "It's similar to a chain gang," Rees said of the line of volunteers. "Once the hill has been chopped, we side step down on skies to break up any remaining large chunks of snow." After the chop team finishes, they help team leaders shovel, rake and haul snow all over the hill, depending on weather conditions. Once training or events begin, the volunteers will drive snow buggies pushing what they call "the greatest white stuff on Earth" over the landing hill's side. Coaches and other on-hill team members catch it and fill in divots to give athletes the safest conditions possible to perform. "We'll also throw green pine needles down the hill so when the aerialists are doing their acrobatic maneuvers [in the air] they'll have a better depth of perception," said Bonnell, who works for the Ogden Air Logistics Center here. Both volunteers have worked aerial events similar to those scheduled during the Olympics. Bonnell has volunteered at local resorts for about four years, and Rees has volunteered for about nine years. Both women worked at the test event held in January 2001 and were selected for their "A-Team" positions. They will also help during the holidays when the U.S. Olympic men's and women's aerial teams are selected. The Olympic trials will serve as practice sessions for the volunteers. Because working on the hill requires team synchronicity, Bonnell said it is important for them to work together as much as possible. "You do it enough so I know what Rose is going to do, and she knows what I'm going to do," Bonnell said. "It becomes almost second nature." Because they anticipate working long hours for several days during the Olympics, both women are working out and training. "The way the schedule is set up you'll work almost the entire time, but then you'll get a day or two of reprieve -- because it's hard work," Bonnell said. "Even just gripping shovels -- you don't think about it but when you're chopping and holding it, your hands get really tired." It will not be unusual for the A-Team to be on the job at 5 a.m, Bonnell said. They anticipate seeing a lot of early hours during the Olympics so they can accommodate the athletes' training schedules. "It may be five in the morning, with freezing conditions, but you're down to a T-shirt because of the physical effort involved," said Rees, who works for the base's 75th Communications Squadron. "It may be tiring, but you never think for a second that you don't want the job or it's too hard, you just push yourself to the limit to stay with the team." Bonnell said seeing the event from a few feet away is a completely different feeling than watching from the stands or on a TV set. "You see the best athletes in the world performing right in front of you and the feeling of incredible pride goes through you," Rees said. "We're not even slightly near the caliber of the athletes performing, but [it's great] just to be preparing their venue site." She said the athletes are amazed that someone would actually want to volunteer to do what they do. They are "so gracious and appreciative of our help," she said. "I think that, combined with the camaraderie of our teammates, makes the experience worthwhile." Bonnell said everybody on the team skis and some are former competitive athletes. Keeping up the hard physical labor will be challenging, but she does not want to be anywhere else during the Games, she said. "These are the premier athletes of the world and you're just in awe," she said. "The actual aerial jumps they do may be 3 to 4 seconds at the most. If you're not looking right then, you can miss it. And you just can't get beyond that it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." (Courtesy of Air Force Materiel Command News Service) 1683. Hill worker will carry Olympic torch by Mary Galbraith Ogden Air Logistics Center Public Affairs HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AFPN) -- When a certified letter arrived at Linda Ambard's home a few weeks ago, she hesitantly opened it. Little did she realize it would be the best birthday present she ever got. "When the registered letter showed up ... well, registered letters are usually bad," said Ambard, the youth activities center director here. She opened it and was surprised. As one of her 40th birthday presents, her husband submitted her to be a torchbearer for the 2002 Olympic Games. "It was the best birthday present I could have had," she said. Second Lt. Phil Ambard said the decision to nominate his wife to carry the Olympic torch came easily. "I told them she was the finest person I'd ever known and my best friend," Phil said of the nomination packet he filled out. "I'm really happy she was picked. She really does deserve it." Phil summed Linda's strong points into categories like her strong faith; being a great mom and wife; and the energy she invests in work and exercise. Linda will need that energy to keep warm when she runs about the distance of a football field in February's cold temperatures. She said she is going to have one of her five children videotape her leg of the race while the others cheer. "We're going to make a family event of it," she said. Her 9-year-old son, Tiger, is looking forward to watching. "I get to get out of school," he said. "But I also think it's exciting because the Olympics are pretty fun to watch on TV. You get to see a bunch of Olympic people do cool tricks." Linda's Olympic torch-carrying route is plotted somewhere between Salt Lake City and Tooele, which is about 40 miles away. She will know the exact location and date next month. Linda said she carried the torch for other events, including the Special Olympics in the early 1980s. Throughout her life, Linda has had plenty of practice running. She has been running since high school. In fact, the Idaho native ran during college while attending Idaho State University in Pocatello. "Running is my passion -- it's something I really like to do," she said. "That's my relaxation and my mental sanity." Linda said having five children and running through all of her pregnancies is part of what may have set her apart from others who were nominated. "I'd say being a military spouse probably had something to do with it too, and I'm civil service," she said. "I bring a face to the United States Air Force and civil service." Linda said she is dedicating her section of the run to military people defending the United States. "I love this country and the Olympics stand for the freedom of expression we have," she said. "Somebody is trying to take it away from us. "Just the fact that we have somebody willing to defend our country makes me proud," she said. Linda said having a husband, son and brother that are all active-duty military people made the situation very real for her. She also has a daughter who wants to join her brother at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., and a son who plans to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in New York. "The military is definitely something we all believe in and I'll be proud to represent them," she said. (Courtesy of Air Force Materiel Command News Service) 1688. Bataan survivor visits base, shares his story by Tech. Sgt. Jeff Loftin 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan (AFPN) -- Retired Chief Master Sgt. Paul Lankford, who survived the Bataan Death March and 42 months as a prisoner of war, spoke to audiences here recently. The World War II hero's visit was sponsored by the Shogun Chapter of the Airlift/Tanker Association. Lankford, an airplane mechanic with the 27th Bomb Group during the war, started his ordeal Dec. 8, 1941, just after the attack on Pearl Harbor, with a bombing attack on his unit in the Philippines. The Japanese bombings continued daily thereafter on Bataan. In February 1942, their rations were cut to only two coffee cups of rice daily per soldier. In March and April, about 1,000 troops a day were being sent to the hospital with malaria, Lankford said. With so many sick and no reinforcements, medicine or ammunition, Brig. Gen. Edward King, commanding officer at Bataan, had no choice but to surrender. This was the first time in the history of the United States that so many field forces surrendered. "When the surrender came, that was I think one of the lowest feelings I've ever had," said Lankford. "Everyone was crying as we held up our white handkerchiefs to indicate to the enemy that we gave up. We were going over to be in their hands, not knowing what was going to be taking place. We were giving up our liberty, giving up our freedom and going into the unknown." Most of the troops by this time had malaria, dengue fever and dysentery. Lankford, also sick, had lost 30 pounds before the 65-mile march began. After killing several military people while looking for loot, their captors made them march. About 600 Americans and an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 Filipinos lost their lives during the Bataan death march. At one point on the trail, the troops were actually walking on human flesh. "The Japanese storm troopers had moved in and made our sick and lame buddies to get on the road there," said Lankford. "The heavy trucks and tanks coming down from the north overran them. They were flattened out. It was kind of rubbery as you were walking along. "Speaking to high school kids, I'm oftentimes asked how I knew they were human bodies," he said. "You could see a hand or maybe a skull, or part of a leg or something like that." At another point on the trail they were taken near some artesian springs, but denied the water. Starving for water under the boiling sun, many were killed when they desperately went for the refreshment. Later that night, Lankford dropped out of his column by pretending to join the many who died on the way. He then filled his canteen in a mud hole and shared it with members of the next column, which he quietly joined. About three to five miles from San Fernando, P.I., the troops began to smell a very distinct odor, Lankford said. When they arrived, they found a prisoner of war camp with dead bodies literally stacked around it. After staying overnight, the prisoners were packed into boxcars for part of the trip northward. Baking in the tropical sun and with no sanitation or room to lie down, many died of malaria, dengue, dysentery and starvation during the ride. Those who survived the trip were marched an additional five miles to the former Camp O'Donnell. During this stretch, Lankford watched as his captors shot and killed elderly people and children attempting to give the prisoners food and water. At Camp O'Donnell, Lankford worked digging graves and burying bodies. He then spent time in another camp before being sent to Korea in what he called a "hell ship." The prisoners were crammed into cargo holds without sanitation or room to lie down. Lankford spent a month on the ship as it zigzagged trying to avoid torpedo attacks because it was not marked as a Red Cross ship. When they arrived, they were sent by train to Manchuria where Lankford spent the remainder of the war in prisoner camps. "I'm often asked how I made it back and a lot of my buddies didn't make it through," he said. "First, I put my trust in the almighty above. I interceded with Him. I had my family back home that I knew was also praying for me to come through. That's number one. Number two was that I never did give up. I made up my mind when I was first captured that regardless of what they're going to do to me I'm going to keep going. I'll make it through." Lankford is one of only about 1,000 survivors of the Bataan death march still living today. After his ordeal, he continued with the military, retiring in 1981 with 40 years service. He was recently inducted into the U.S. Air Force Enlisted Heritage Hall Museum. (Courtesy of Pacific Air Forces News Service) 1686. Preparation can soothe fears, help survival by Erin Zagursky Air Combat Command Public Affairs LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFPN) -- In May 1999, a tornado blasted through Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., damaging dormitories, destroying base stables, killing horses and wrecking property. "I saw cars that looked like cigars," said Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Clarence Goodwin, who was serving as Tinker's senior chaplain at the time. Goodwin and many people from the Tinker community helped out after the tornado, offering rides to those whose cars were destroyed. But cleaning up after an emergency situation is not enough. Proper preparation before an extreme event occurs can soothe fears and limit the amount of cleanup required after the unthinkable happens. Families should have certain supplies in their households to prepare for any emergency situation, such as water, canned goods, medication, a radio with working batteries, flashlights, candles, matches, blankets, bottled water, phone numbers of friends and relatives, and a cellular phone, said Master Sgt. Troy Odden, the readiness functional manager for Air Combat Command. "The number one thing you should have is a well thought out plan," Odden said. "Practice it. Make a game out of it." People should have a full tank of gas, evacuation and alternate-route maps, flashlights, blankets, medications and a cell phone in their cars, he said. Beyond these items, people facing hurricane threats should watch for tropical developments, use a hurricane-tracking chart, and contact local emergency management agencies for evacuation routes. Those who face the threat of floods should know if they are in a flood plain, move all important items up in their houses, turn off natural gas appliances and water heaters, and follow evacuation routes so cars will not get stuck in high water. Preparation is also possible for chemical and biological attacks. While the risk of such attacks is limited, families can prepare by maintaining proper health, hygiene and sanitation, said State Department officials. During chemical or biological attacks, people should have three goals: minimizing impact, limiting dispersal of the agent and preserving the scene, officials said. If someone finds something suspicious, the first thing to remember is to remain calm. "Calmness begets calmness," Odden said. People should notify everyone in the area, avoid touching the suspicious object and call the appropriate authorities. If white powder billows out when opening a package or letter, people should exhale forcefully, stop inhaling and leave the room. Someone should notify people in the building to evacuate, contact local authorities and ask someone to turn off the ventilation system. If people come in contact with the package or letter, they should not notify others since they may be contaminated. Also, do not use the fire alarm to empty the building, because "it causes panic," Odden said. Everyone should move outside, the potentially infected people first followed by the noninfected, he said. Those infected should stand downwind from everyone else and everyone should be upwind of the potentially infected building. No one should leave until told to do so by authorities. Emergency personnel will arrive soon and take care of decontaminating the people and area. Goodwin, now a chaplain for the 1st Fighter Wing here, recently helped out in the aftermath of another emergency situation: the terrorist attack on the Pentagon. People can help out in emergency situations like tornados by giving to agencies like the Red Cross, donating blood, knowing where medical facilities are and keeping their bodies in shape, he said. No one wants to talk about disasters with their families, but "part of duty is taking care of loved ones, and preparing them for the worst," Goodwin said. Families should not only prepare physically, but spiritually as well, he said. He encourages family members to get involved in their local place of worship so they will have a faith and a support system to fall back on in times of need. People should attend a base emergency preparedness orientation or ask their base disaster preparedness representative for information about threats unique to their bases and for tips for specific threats. *COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for nonprofit research and educational purposes only.[Ref. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ] Want to be on our lists? Write at [EMAIL PROTECTED] for a menu of our lists! Write to same address to be off lists! <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! 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