By Air Force Staff Sgt. Sherree Grebenstein Special to American Forces Press Service MARTINSBURG, W.Va.: Airmen with the West Virginia Air National Guard's 167th Airlift Wing are working around the clock here in an effort to get critical life-saving supplies to Haiti's earthquake victims.
Sixteen tractor-trailers and eight box trucks ordered by the Department of Health and Human Services brought the critical cargo to the 167th Airlift Wing to be loaded onto aircraft bound for Haiti's capital. The trucks were loaded with medical supplies and equipment, generators, air-conditioning units, tents, food and water. Air Force Col. Roger L. Nye, 167th Airlift Wing commander, said the C-5 Galaxy aircraft stationed at the base in Martinsburg aren't being used to fly the supplies and equipment to Haiti due to the transport jet's massive size. "A C-5 would shut down the airfield at Port-au-Prince," he said. Jerry Hill, a Health and Human Services logistics manager, has a 180,000-square foot warehouse that houses emergency medical supplies. "When disasters happen, [the department] is responsible for getting critical assets to the medical professionals in the field," he said. When it came to finding a location to stage operations for the massive humanitarian airlift, Hill didn't have to look far. As the deployment officer for the 167th Airlift Wing's aeromedical evacuation squadron, Hillknows the wing's efficient reputation and capabilities. "Within 12 hours, we had trucks on site here," he said. "I expected great support from the unit, and that is exactly what we got. When the flag goes up, these guys really shine." Hill estimated that more than a million pounds of supplies will be flown to Haiti from the base. "The base was chosen to support this mission due to the ideal proximity to the national capital region," said Air Force Maj. Melissa Shade, 167th Airlift Wing chief of staff. "Most recently, emergency responders were staged at Martinsburg to support the 2009 presidential inauguration. Since the base began the transformation to house C-5s in 2002, the spacious hangars offer ideal conditions for these types of operations." Nye lauded the efforts of his unit's airmen as they worked in tandem to ensure that critical supplies were loaded onto aircraft as quickly as possible for the desperate earthquake victims in Haiti. The colonel said airmen from the unit eventually may be tasked to support the humanitarian efforts downrange as well. The 167th Airlift Wing has alerted two aeromedical evacuation crews for possible deployment to Haiti. These crews will assess, treat and transport critically wounded patients. About 700 airmen currently are involved with relief effort operations at the Martinsburg air base. Air Force Staff Sgt. Chris Crowell, a cargo specialist with the wing's Logistics readiness squadron, said he is proud to serve on his first humanitarian mission by helping to palletize supplies for aircraft waiting on the base's runway. "'Mountaineer Pride Worldwide' is our motto," he said of the West Virginia Air National Guard. Crowell said his heart goes out to the earthquake victims. "I know they didn't have that much to begin with," he said. "We'll try to do what we can to help. It will be worth it in the end." Many 167th Airlift Wing members responsible for palletizing and loading the supplies on the Mississippi Air National Guard C-17 aircraft had just returned from a week-long deployment to Gulfport, Miss. More than 400 of the base's airmen were in Mississippi to complete an operational readiness exercise, which is a test of a unit's ability to prepare its members for overseas deployments. Air Force Capt. Bill Brohard, officer in charge of the wing's small air terminal, said the real-world humanitarian mission allows airmen to test their mettle. "We're hoping to put our skills to good use," he said. (Air Force Staff Sgt. Sherree Grebenstein serves with the West Virginia National Guard. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Cadle, state public affairs officer for the West Virginia National Guard, contributed to this story.) (Issued on Jan.15, 2010) | ||
| Related Sites: Special Report: Haiti Earthquake Relief | ||
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Saturday, January 16, 2010
West Virginia Air Guard Operates Staging Area
Kissing his wife
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| U.S. Navy Electronics Technician 2nd Class (SW) William Boyd kisses his wife, Marie, before getting underway aboard the Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44), Jan. 15, 2010, at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia Beach, Va. Gunston Hall Sailors are deploying to Haiti to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster response in the aftermath of Haiti's devastating earthquake. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class John Suits, U.S. Navy/RELEASED) | |
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Pennsylvania Guard to Broadcast to Haitians
By Airman 1st Class Claire Behney
Special to American Forces Press Service
HARRISBURG, Pa., : The Pennsylvania National Guard is sending a uniquely equipped plane to Haiti to provide radio and television broadcasts to keep the people of the earthquake-stricken nation informed as rescue and humanitarian missions continue.
About 50 airmen and three C-130 aircraft assigned to the 193rd Special Operations Wing will provide rapid communications response capabilities to all of Hispaniola, which comprises Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Two of the aircraft are cargo aircraft. The third, named Commando Solo, is an airborne radio and television station that will provide important information to the Haitian people as U.S. and international search and rescue and humanitarian aid missions continue.
In what he described as an "unprecedented humanitarian mission," Gov. Edward G. Rendell said that the Pennsylvania Air National Guard had been called out to support the Air Force Special Operations Command mission in Haiti.
One of the aircraft departed late on Jan. 14, the other two aircraft left Middletown, Pa., today.
"Our National Guard is honored to extend a helping hand to the people of Haiti. I am proud of these dedicated airmen, who are always ready to answer the call of duty, whether it is for combat missions or to aid those in need," said Army Maj. Gen. Jessica L. Wright, the adjutant general of the Pennsylvania National Guard.
The 193rd was last called to serve in Haiti more than a decade ago. In 1994, Commando Solo was used to broadcast radio and television messages to the citizens and leaders of Haiti during Operation Uphold Democracy. This is, however, the first humanitarian mission of its type for the wing.
(Issued on : Jan. 15, 2010)
(Airman 1st Class Claire Behney is assigned to the Pennsylvania National Guard.)
Related Sites:
Special Report: Devastation in Haiti
Special to American Forces Press Service
HARRISBURG, Pa., : The Pennsylvania National Guard is sending a uniquely equipped plane to Haiti to provide radio and television broadcasts to keep the people of the earthquake-stricken nation informed as rescue and humanitarian missions continue.
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Two of the aircraft are cargo aircraft. The third, named Commando Solo, is an airborne radio and television station that will provide important information to the Haitian people as U.S. and international search and rescue and humanitarian aid missions continue.
In what he described as an "unprecedented humanitarian mission," Gov. Edward G. Rendell said that the Pennsylvania Air National Guard had been called out to support the Air Force Special Operations Command mission in Haiti.
One of the aircraft departed late on Jan. 14, the other two aircraft left Middletown, Pa., today.
"Our National Guard is honored to extend a helping hand to the people of Haiti. I am proud of these dedicated airmen, who are always ready to answer the call of duty, whether it is for combat missions or to aid those in need," said Army Maj. Gen. Jessica L. Wright, the adjutant general of the Pennsylvania National Guard.
The 193rd was last called to serve in Haiti more than a decade ago. In 1994, Commando Solo was used to broadcast radio and television messages to the citizens and leaders of Haiti during Operation Uphold Democracy. This is, however, the first humanitarian mission of its type for the wing.
(Issued on : Jan. 15, 2010)
(Airman 1st Class Claire Behney is assigned to the Pennsylvania National Guard.)
Related Sites:
Special Report: Devastation in Haiti
An aerial view
Reconstruction Team Joins Clearing Operation
By Air Force Master Sgt. Sarah R. Webb Special to American Forces Press Service GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan : More than 100 members from the provincial reconstruction team and coalition forces participated in a clearing operation with Afghan soldiers in the Gelan district here Jan. 6 and 7.
The coalition forces included soldiers from Poland's 2nd Operational Mentoring Liaison Team, explosive ordnance disposal personnel from Task Force Paladin and a route-clearance team from Forward Operating Base Sherona. "Since the beginning of my tour, we've conducted six missions with the [Afghan army]," said Lt. Col. Romon Utracki, commander of the Polish team, assigned to Forward Operating Base Warrior. On those missions, he added, the Afghan soldiers detained six people and found a weapons cache. To make the operation as challenging as possible, the Afghan soldiers chose specific targets because of the high recent level of enemy harassment of the local population. "It is our job to provide training for the [Afghan soldiers] who work in this theater," Utracki said. "We accomplished our mission today. They decided their targets, created a plan and stuck with it. They did a good job." During the operation, the Polish team established close supporting positions while the other elements secured the outer perimeter. Once the Afghan soldiers had cleared and secured the areas, civil affairs members from the provincial reconstruction team met with village elders to ask about residents' needs and gauge the relationships between the villagers and the Afghan security forces. (Issued on : Jan. 15, 2010) (Air Force Master Sgt. Sarah R. Webb serves in the provincial reconstruction team public affairs office in Afghanistan's Ghazni province.) | ||||
| Related Sites: U.S. Forces Afghanistan U.S. Forces Afghanistan on Twitter U.S. Forces Afghanistan on Facebook U.S. Forces Afghanistan on YouTube NATO International Security Assistance Force | ||||
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Friday, January 15, 2010
Officials Urge More Care for Caregivers
By Elaine Wilson of American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON : The military needs to step up efforts to head off compassion fatigue among its caregivers, a National Guard official said here yesterday.
"I do think not enough of it is being paid attention to by the active or reserve component," said Public Health Service Capt. Joan Hunter, director of psychological health for the National Guard Bureau.
Hunter spoke at the 2010 Suicide Prevention Conference here sponsored by the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments. She defined compassion fatigue as the emotional residue or strain of exposure of working with patients recovering from traumatic events. Warning signs, she explained, include a decrease in performance, inattention to self-care, irritability and anger, absenteeism, and conflicts with workers and peers.
"It starts out in a very insidious way, but can escalate very quickly," she noted.
Hunter said she's already seen evidence of it within the Guard's new psychological health program. Through the program, officials have placed a provider, called a state director of psychological health, in every state and territory. Directors work with community health providers to build relationships and networks that will offer psychological health services for Guard members and their families, according to the National Guard's Psychological Health Program Web site.
"In the first year that we've become operational, I've already seen compassion fatigue among the licensed providers that are providing these services to our soldiers and airmen in the National Guard," she said.
Hunter cautioned leaders not to overload these providers, who already are saddled with an extensive workload.
"I think very quickly, if we're not careful in this program, we're going to move on the scale from compassion fatigue to burnout," she said.
Hunter also noted the importance of caring for the 5,000-plus Guard volunteers, many of whom are geographically dispersed.
"As citizen-soldiers and citizen-airmen, we are very tied to our communities and many of us are remote," she said. In the Army National Guard alone, 6,400 members are the only soldiers within their ZIP code, she noted.
Compassion fatigue has touched chaplains, military family program coordinators, state family program directors and sexual assault and response recovery coordinators, Hunter said.
Caregivers often set themselves up for overload by taking on too much, J. Elizabeth Perkins, director of psychological health for the Michigan National Guard, said at the conference yesterday.
"We think we can do it all," she said, "that we can take on just one more thing. The reality of that is there's always one more, and we'll never be able to accomplish what we need to without taking the time and giving ourselves the permission to say, 'No, I need to take some time so I can then help others.'"
To illustrate, Perkins recalled a conversation she had with a state chaplain. "He was reminding his staff about the importance of self-care. I turned to him and I said, 'Well sir, that's wonderful, but when was the last time you took a vacation?' It had been three years."
Caregivers are adept at offering other people recommendations to help them cope, "but we don't then do that for ourselves."
It's vital to build personal resiliency, she said. Maintaining a healthy diet, exercise, adequate sleep, social support and setting boundaries can help, she added.
Perkins noted that the Defense Department-funded Millennium Cohort Study initially has indicated that daily physical activity reduces the risk of developing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Perkins also cautioned caregivers to be aware of multiple stressors, such as work and personal problems, which can lead to a stress overload.
"We also need to be asking ourselves, 'What else is going on in your life?' And this is not just as helping professionals, but also for those servicemembers with whom we are working," she said.
People at risk of cumulative stress may be confronting mental or physical concerns, for instance, along with marital and family issues. These significant stressors not only raise the risk of illness, but possibly suicide, she said.
Perkins described several effective methods for stress relief including meditation, journaling, deep breathing, the importance of doing nothing and guided imagery. Along with personal de-stressing methods, Hunter said, the Guard is taking big-picture steps to help.
Leaders plan to take the "goals and intent" of the Army's Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program and translate it into a program that works for the Guard. The Army program is a psychological fitness initiative designed to build resilience in soldiers. They also plan to leverage senior enlisted personnel in the hopes of increasing face-to-face contact with junior enlisted members. The Guard doesn't have enough licensed providers to meet the demands of Guard members, she noted.
"I think our counselors and our mental health providers are the best asset we have in the Department of Defense and in [Veterans Affairs]," Hunter said. "And I think it's our responsibility and our duty to protect them and to provide them with the tools they need to get the job done." (Issued on : Jan. 14, 2010)
Related Sites:
National Guard Bureau Psychological Health Program
Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury
Special Report: Defense Centers of Excellence
WASHINGTON : The military needs to step up efforts to head off compassion fatigue among its caregivers, a National Guard official said here yesterday.
|
Hunter spoke at the 2010 Suicide Prevention Conference here sponsored by the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments. She defined compassion fatigue as the emotional residue or strain of exposure of working with patients recovering from traumatic events. Warning signs, she explained, include a decrease in performance, inattention to self-care, irritability and anger, absenteeism, and conflicts with workers and peers.
"It starts out in a very insidious way, but can escalate very quickly," she noted.
Hunter said she's already seen evidence of it within the Guard's new psychological health program. Through the program, officials have placed a provider, called a state director of psychological health, in every state and territory. Directors work with community health providers to build relationships and networks that will offer psychological health services for Guard members and their families, according to the National Guard's Psychological Health Program Web site.
"In the first year that we've become operational, I've already seen compassion fatigue among the licensed providers that are providing these services to our soldiers and airmen in the National Guard," she said.
Hunter cautioned leaders not to overload these providers, who already are saddled with an extensive workload.
"I think very quickly, if we're not careful in this program, we're going to move on the scale from compassion fatigue to burnout," she said.
Hunter also noted the importance of caring for the 5,000-plus Guard volunteers, many of whom are geographically dispersed.
"As citizen-soldiers and citizen-airmen, we are very tied to our communities and many of us are remote," she said. In the Army National Guard alone, 6,400 members are the only soldiers within their ZIP code, she noted.
Compassion fatigue has touched chaplains, military family program coordinators, state family program directors and sexual assault and response recovery coordinators, Hunter said.
Caregivers often set themselves up for overload by taking on too much, J. Elizabeth Perkins, director of psychological health for the Michigan National Guard, said at the conference yesterday.
"We think we can do it all," she said, "that we can take on just one more thing. The reality of that is there's always one more, and we'll never be able to accomplish what we need to without taking the time and giving ourselves the permission to say, 'No, I need to take some time so I can then help others.'"
To illustrate, Perkins recalled a conversation she had with a state chaplain. "He was reminding his staff about the importance of self-care. I turned to him and I said, 'Well sir, that's wonderful, but when was the last time you took a vacation?' It had been three years."
Caregivers are adept at offering other people recommendations to help them cope, "but we don't then do that for ourselves."
It's vital to build personal resiliency, she said. Maintaining a healthy diet, exercise, adequate sleep, social support and setting boundaries can help, she added.
Perkins noted that the Defense Department-funded Millennium Cohort Study initially has indicated that daily physical activity reduces the risk of developing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Perkins also cautioned caregivers to be aware of multiple stressors, such as work and personal problems, which can lead to a stress overload.
"We also need to be asking ourselves, 'What else is going on in your life?' And this is not just as helping professionals, but also for those servicemembers with whom we are working," she said.
People at risk of cumulative stress may be confronting mental or physical concerns, for instance, along with marital and family issues. These significant stressors not only raise the risk of illness, but possibly suicide, she said.
Perkins described several effective methods for stress relief including meditation, journaling, deep breathing, the importance of doing nothing and guided imagery. Along with personal de-stressing methods, Hunter said, the Guard is taking big-picture steps to help.
Leaders plan to take the "goals and intent" of the Army's Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program and translate it into a program that works for the Guard. The Army program is a psychological fitness initiative designed to build resilience in soldiers. They also plan to leverage senior enlisted personnel in the hopes of increasing face-to-face contact with junior enlisted members. The Guard doesn't have enough licensed providers to meet the demands of Guard members, she noted.
"I think our counselors and our mental health providers are the best asset we have in the Department of Defense and in [Veterans Affairs]," Hunter said. "And I think it's our responsibility and our duty to protect them and to provide them with the tools they need to get the job done." (Issued on : Jan. 14, 2010)
Related Sites:
National Guard Bureau Psychological Health Program
Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury
Special Report: Defense Centers of Excellence
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Navy’s first female aircraft handler--Regina Rogers
Hillary Rodham Clinton views the names of lost U.S. Sailors
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton views the names of U.S. Sailors lost in the attack on Pearl Harbor during her visit to the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Jan. 12, 2010. While in Hawaii, Clinton met with Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada to discuss the movement of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, the expansion of the Japanese and U.S. security alliance, the war in Afghanistan and North Korea’s nuclear programs. Clinton is on a trip through the Pacific region to strengthen ties with partner nations and will stop in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. (DoD photo by Tech. Sgt. Cohen A. Young, U.S. Air Force/Released)
Face of Defense: Former British Soldier Joins U.S. Army
By Army Sgt. Teddy Wade
Special to American Forces Press Service
KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan : Army Spc. Robert Sumner looks like any other American soldier. But when he speaks, his thick British accent separates him from the crowd.
Serving here with the 10th Mountain Division's 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, Sumner realizes his road from the British Isles to the mountains of Afghanistan was a long and interesting path.
Sumner said he always dreamed of being a soldier, and after graduating from high school in 1996, he enlisted in the British army, serving in Cyprus, Hong Kong, Kosovo, Bosnia and Northern Ireland until 2003.
In 2004, he began working for a private security firm, and he continued working there until 2005, when he came to the United States for the first time to attend training in Arkansas. There, he met and married his wife, Katherine.
For two years, Sumner lived with his new wife in his new home. But he wanted to give something back to his new country, and in July 2007, he enlisted in the U.S. Army.
"I enlisted in the U.S. Army because I wanted to do something for this country that has given me so much," Sumner said. "When people ask me in the future, 'What have you done for this country?' I'll have something to say."
Sumner joined the 10th Mountain Division, based in Fort Drum, N.Y., after asking one of his drill sergeants in basic training which unit is the most deployed in the Army.
"When I was going to Fort Drum, I was all excited about going over there," Sumner said. "I imagined, 'A mountain division. They should have a lot of mountains to climb, and I'm an avid hiker. That should be fun.' But soon after I arrived, I realized that Fort Drum is flat, and that they just get a lot of snow."
Before deploying in January 2009, Sumner was serving as an infantryman in the reconnaissance platoon. But he suffered an injury during training and was removed from that position.
"I had a foot injury," Sumner said. "An infantryman's feet are very important. So our sergeant major decided to pull me out from that duty and assigned me to the personal security detachment, mostly due to my experience as a contractor. When I arrived in Afghanistan, they placed me in the PSD as temporary duty, but three months later, I was still doing it even though I was fully recovered."
Sumner uses his experience in personal security operations as a PSD team leader for Army Lt. Col. Frederick O'Donnell, the battalion commander.
"The first time I met Sumner was back in Fort Drum," O'Donnell said. "Back then, he was assigned to Combat Company. He was a private first class leading an entire squad during a live-fire exercise. I was impressed just by watching his execution; he displayed a lot of ability. It is funny to me, because he called some of his soldiers 'blokes,' just like they do back in England. The way he gave the commands reflected his background and experience."
Army Staff Sgt. Mike Cruz, noncommissioned officer in charge of the personal security detachment and Sumner's squad leader, also had praise for Sumner.
"I really appreciate his expertise as a soldier," Cruz said. "He is a great asset for the team, and he helps me train the other guys in the PSD."
Sumner noted the difference in the core of the loyalty professed by soldiers in the two armies in which he's served.
"British soldiers often said they fight for the queen," he said. "Over here in America, we fight for the American people. American people have been so good to me.
"When I went back to the U.S. for my rest and recreation," he continued, "people were clapping at the airport and offered to pay for my meal. I was so amazed. Nobody does that in England. Maybe they appreciate my service over there, but they just showed it in a different way. I'm now 31 years old, but I've still got a long way to go. I love the Army, and I feel that I can do so much more."
(Army Sgt. Teddy Wade serves with the 55th Signal Company.)
Related Sites:
U.S. Forces Afghanistan
U.S. Forces Afghanistan on Twitter
U.S. Forces Afghanistan on Facebook
U.S. Forces Afghanistan on YouTube
NATO International Security Assistance Force
Special to American Forces Press Service
KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan : Army Spc. Robert Sumner looks like any other American soldier. But when he speaks, his thick British accent separates him from the crowd.
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Sumner said he always dreamed of being a soldier, and after graduating from high school in 1996, he enlisted in the British army, serving in Cyprus, Hong Kong, Kosovo, Bosnia and Northern Ireland until 2003.
In 2004, he began working for a private security firm, and he continued working there until 2005, when he came to the United States for the first time to attend training in Arkansas. There, he met and married his wife, Katherine.
For two years, Sumner lived with his new wife in his new home. But he wanted to give something back to his new country, and in July 2007, he enlisted in the U.S. Army.
"I enlisted in the U.S. Army because I wanted to do something for this country that has given me so much," Sumner said. "When people ask me in the future, 'What have you done for this country?' I'll have something to say."
Sumner joined the 10th Mountain Division, based in Fort Drum, N.Y., after asking one of his drill sergeants in basic training which unit is the most deployed in the Army.
"When I was going to Fort Drum, I was all excited about going over there," Sumner said. "I imagined, 'A mountain division. They should have a lot of mountains to climb, and I'm an avid hiker. That should be fun.' But soon after I arrived, I realized that Fort Drum is flat, and that they just get a lot of snow."
Before deploying in January 2009, Sumner was serving as an infantryman in the reconnaissance platoon. But he suffered an injury during training and was removed from that position.
"I had a foot injury," Sumner said. "An infantryman's feet are very important. So our sergeant major decided to pull me out from that duty and assigned me to the personal security detachment, mostly due to my experience as a contractor. When I arrived in Afghanistan, they placed me in the PSD as temporary duty, but three months later, I was still doing it even though I was fully recovered."
Sumner uses his experience in personal security operations as a PSD team leader for Army Lt. Col. Frederick O'Donnell, the battalion commander.
"The first time I met Sumner was back in Fort Drum," O'Donnell said. "Back then, he was assigned to Combat Company. He was a private first class leading an entire squad during a live-fire exercise. I was impressed just by watching his execution; he displayed a lot of ability. It is funny to me, because he called some of his soldiers 'blokes,' just like they do back in England. The way he gave the commands reflected his background and experience."
Army Staff Sgt. Mike Cruz, noncommissioned officer in charge of the personal security detachment and Sumner's squad leader, also had praise for Sumner.
"I really appreciate his expertise as a soldier," Cruz said. "He is a great asset for the team, and he helps me train the other guys in the PSD."
Sumner noted the difference in the core of the loyalty professed by soldiers in the two armies in which he's served.
"British soldiers often said they fight for the queen," he said. "Over here in America, we fight for the American people. American people have been so good to me.
"When I went back to the U.S. for my rest and recreation," he continued, "people were clapping at the airport and offered to pay for my meal. I was so amazed. Nobody does that in England. Maybe they appreciate my service over there, but they just showed it in a different way. I'm now 31 years old, but I've still got a long way to go. I love the Army, and I feel that I can do so much more."
(Army Sgt. Teddy Wade serves with the 55th Signal Company.)
Related Sites:
U.S. Forces Afghanistan
U.S. Forces Afghanistan on Twitter
U.S. Forces Afghanistan on Facebook
U.S. Forces Afghanistan on YouTube
NATO International Security Assistance Force
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
U.S. Navy aviation
U.S. Navy aviation ordnancement assigned to the "Warhawks" of Strike Fighter Squadron 97 load ordnance onto an F/A-18C Hornet aircraft aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) while under way in the North Arabian Sea Jan. 9, 2010. The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group is on deployment to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. (DoD photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class James Mitchell, U.S. Navy/Released)
Meeting in Afghanistan
Afghan Minister of Defense Gen. Abdul Rahim Wardak addresses a group of Afghan and U.S. officials during a meeting in Afghanistan Jan. 9, 2010, to sign a memorandum of understanding concerning the ministry assuming responsibility for a newly-completed detention facility in the Parwan province of Afghanistan. According to the memorandum, the Ministry of Defense will perform the custodial role and management functions for the transition of the detention facility until turning over these duties to the Ministry of Justice, Central Prisons Directorate. (DoD photo by Chief Petty Officer Robert W. Garnand, U.S. Navy/Released)
Check of fuel
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Craig Wayman, a fuels laboratory technician with the 380th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, checks a sample of fuel from a fuels truck during operations at an undisclosed base in Southwest Asia Jan. 6, 2010. The 380th ELRS fuels management flight pumps millions of gallons of fuel every month in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom and Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. Wayman is deployed from the 9th LRS at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (DoD photo by Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol, U.S. Air Force/Released)
Face of Defense: Airman Follows Famous Uncle
By Mike Joseph Special to American Forces Press Service LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas : When Airman Christopher Platte decided to join the Air Force last year, he didn't know he would be following in famous footsteps.
BMT graduation was the first time since he was an infant that Platte had been with his famous uncle, who helped break down racial and educational barriers by becoming one of the first African American officers trained and commissioned in the newly reopened Air Force pilot training program at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, in the 1940s. The younger Platte found out about his uncle after telling his family he wanted to join the Air Force. He first spoke with his great uncle in November 2008, he said. "I talked to my mother about [joining the Air Force] and she said, 'Oh, by the way, you have a great uncle who is a Tuskegee Airman,'" Platte recalled. "I had no idea," he added. "I think that it's going to be a great motivation for me to take it a step higher now that I know where I come from. Even if I decide not to be a pilot, it's motivation to be the best I can be in the Air Force." The elder Platte served 18 years in the Air Force and trained more than 400 African American airmen to fly solo and pilot specialized military aircraft. Captain Platte's brother -- Christopher Platte's grandfather -- was also a Tuskegee Airman. Captain Platte has received many honors including an honorary doctorate in public service from Tuskegee University in 2006, and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2007. Retired from Bell Helicopter Textron Co. and living in North Texas, Platte and other Tuskegee Airmen travel the country telling their stories. A modest man who stays involved in community service, the elder Platte said he wasn't out to break down barriers; he only wanted to fly. "It was something I wanted to do," he said. "It was just like getting a toy. I didn't think about the segregation part of it. I wasn't interfered with, so I really enjoyed it." Captain Platte's return to Lackland AFB for his great nephew's graduation was the first time he had been back since his own BMT nearly 50 years ago. And, as Airman Platte begins his military career, he's entering as a survival, evasion, resistance and escape specialist. He, too, started down a different trail. After all, how many airmen begin their career with an Eagle Scout Court of Honor the day before BMT graduation? "It was an interesting experience. It was not a traditional court of honor," he said about the Dec. 10 ceremony. Col. William Mott V, the 37th Training Wing commander, presided over the event and presented Platte with his Eagle Scout award. The two days of activities were enough to make a mother proud. "I don't think there are words to describe how proud I am," said Platte's mother, Marilyn Wright. "He really didn't have any idea the legacy he was stepping into. Since he was six, he's been saying, 'I want to fly planes; I want to be in the air!'" "Honestly, I tried to discourage him, but it's in his heart to be an airman," she said. "Now he's fulfilling a dream." (Issued on: Jan. 11, 2010) (Mike Joseph works for 37th Training Wing public affairs.) | ||
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