A hero returns home

Tears welling in the eyes of family members, a bugler playing Taps and honor guard members rendering a 21-gun salute are all part of the highest honor given to America’s sons and daughters who die on the fields of battle. A fallen serviceman who fought in Vietnam will finally receive those honors,

Weather squadrons complete merger

Moving with the Air Force’s Smart Ops 21 initiative, the 20th Operational Weather Squadron from Yokota Air Base, Japan, merged into the 17th Operational Weather Squadron at Hickam. To cover its vast, new 95-million square mile area of responsibility, the 17th OWS assembled into one center, improved

Main experiment under way for JEFX ’06

After three spirals spanning five months, the main experiment for the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2006 is finally under way here. JEFX combines live-fly, live-play ground and naval forces, simulation and technology insertions into a warfighting environment. This year, JEFX is assessing

Air Force Academy wins NSA Cyber Defense Exercise

The National Security Agency announced today that the Air Force Academy is the winner of the agency’s 6th Annual Cyber Defense Exercise. The exercise was conducted April 10 to 14 here, at the NSA’s Maryland headquarters and the nation’s other military service academies. During the exercise,

Red Flag-Alaska readies Airmen for deployment

Red Flag-Alaska 06-2 participants have arrived and set up shop at this interior Alaska base to prepare for the annual exercise previously called Cope Thunder. More than 1,500 active duty, Reserve and Air National Guard Airmen, 84 aircraft and an Army and Navy unit will train for two weeks in the Air

Reserve engineers build station for Saint Lucia police force

This tiny, 238-square-mile Caribbean island getaway has lush rain forests, sandy beaches bordering crystal clear water and pleasant weather. For six months this year, teams of Air Force Reserve civil engineers are spending their two-week tours on the isle in the Lesser Antilles Archipelago. They're

Close-air support just a phone call away

Imagine being pinned down by enemy forces, with no relief in sight. Now, imagine picking up a phone and calling your friendly local fighter pilot, flying overhead only miles away, for help. With the new Fighter Aircraft Communication Enhancement, or FACE, pod, ground units in combat are now able to

AFSOC initiative featured at JEFX '06

Eight initiatives will be tested for possible use by U.S. forces during Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment, or JEFX, '06.For the special operations community, one initiative is of particular interest. It will provide a greater ability to collaborate with other warfighters and manage their missions

All together now: Civil engineers team up for project

Almost nothing changed on the outside of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing headquarters here until the final week of the renovation. There was always something indicating work -- trenches, heavy machinery, dusty workers taking a quick break at the gazebo. But the metal exterior itself didn’t give any

Air Force helicopter crew rescues Korean woman

The crew of an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter from Detachment 1, 33rd Rescue Squadron here, rescued a 74-year old Korean woman from Yeong Pyeong Do Island in the West Sea April 19.The helicopter, flown by Capts. Chris Spindler and James Humphrey, began its life-saving mission at approximately 3 p.m.

Mask inspection

Posting the colors

Pods help warfighters improve air combat maneuvers

Knowledge is power and power is influence. In the case of fighter pilots, this knowledge enables them to control adversaries in the air and on the ground. At the Ogden Air Logistics Center, the collection of information leading to air superiority begins with maintaining Air Combat Training System

OPSEC expands focus, remains critical

"Do you think you'll deploy this year? How long will you be gone? What do you think you'll be doing? Where? Will you be going with a lot of people?"At this point in the conversation you should be wondering who is asking, why are they asking and who else might get their hands on the answers. Although

Exercise prepares academy students for cyber warfare

In an obscure office park midway between Baltimore and Washington, about 50 men and women use laptop computers to break into networks at the nation's military service academies. When one of them is successful at penetrating a networked computer, they get up and ring a bell."We hit a remote desktop

Americans in Horn of Africa using new weapon in terror war

American forces are using an unconventional approach to fight terrorism in the Horn of Africa, said the senior enlisted adviser at U.S. Central Command. "The weapon systems down there are well-drilling equipment and shovels, and building schools and hospitals, and training border patrols and

Web saves civil engineer directorate time, money

Members of the 88th Air Base Wing civil engineer directorate have developed a way to save money and time by creating a system to submit project designs for technical and functional review through their Web site. This electronic process allows review agencies to make comments and post them on the Web

Red Flag - Alaska

Reserve aircrew airlifts CE teams supporting war on drugs

A C-17 Globemaster III aircrew flew civil engineers to this tropical isle as part of ongoing support for the war on drugs. The mission also provided an opportunity for the aircrew to maintain their proficiency.The transport started its circuitous mission April 7 at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C.,

Team tests pod at 'LITENING' speed

Three Air Force units have started accelerated testing of a LITENING-AT targeting pod. The 416th Flight Test Squadron here is working with the 85th Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and the 422nd OTES at Nellis AFB, Nev., to update the existing LITENING pod with

Hill begins modifications on F-22A Raptor

A new era is under way for members of the 309th Maintenance Group here as they modify their first F-22A Raptor. This was the first of 12 to 14 aircraft scheduled to visit Hill this year for minor modifications. A total of 18 are contracted to undergo work here. "We're excited," said Guy Phillips,

Atlas V Astra launch planned

The Air Force’s 45th Space Wing will support the launch of an ASTRA European telecommunications satellite on an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla., April 20. The 45th Space Wing will provide range and launch base support to Lockheed Martin and International Launch Services, the commercial

Compass Call keeps jamming

'Touch and go'

Program slashes maintenance time for the B-2 fleet

A critical material scale-up problem that directly affected the operational maintainability of the Air Force’s B-2 Spirit fleet has been solved, thanks to engineers from the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, working with the B-2 Systems Group and material processing experts.Through this

Base defense mission goes beyond perimeter

Most security forces Airmen patrol the base looking for anything out of the ordinary and pull 12-hour shifts in towers along the fenceline.But, for Airmen assigned to the 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, their mission is different. They take the base defense mission beyond the wire and

Officials announce 2006 Hennessy Trophy winners

Air Force Services Agency officials have announced the winners of the 2006 Hennessy Trophy awards. The Hennessy Trophy is an annual award presented to Air Force installations with the best food-service programs. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the single- and multiple-facility category

New radio technology keeps troops in touch

Riding as part of a convoy escort team outside the wire, the Airman feels alone. Feeling nervous, he keys his radio mic to check in with his base -- and hears nothing but dead air. To ensure scenarios like this don’t occur, the Air Force is leading a joint implementation of a new “Radio over

25th Air Support Operations Squadron prepares to deploy

Tactical air controllers from the 25th Air Support Operations Squadron are practicing basic close-combat skills to prepare themselves for an upcoming deployment in support of the war on terrorism. “Not only is the training fun and keeps you physically active, but it is very practical for (Tactical

Minotaur launch successful

A Minotaur rocket was successfully launched at 6:40 p.m. April 14 from Space Launch Complex-8 on south Vandenberg.The rocket launched the COSMIC spacecraft, which consists of six low-earth orbiting, micro-satellites. COSMIC stands for Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and

Eielson units initiate total force integration

Eielson units are combining efforts in the spirit of the total force vision by streamlining cooperative continuity and training. The total force concept eliminates redundancy and simplifies resources, allowing active-duty, Guard and Reserve Airmen to meet challenges with smaller and more

C-130s keep convoys out of Sunni Triangle

It’s not as fast as the latest-model cargo jets. It can’t carry as much cargo as its sister transports and its ride can be a bit bumpy. But the C-130 Hercules -- a 50-year-old transport -- is dependable. It can carry anything from Airmen to office supplies. “We’re like the (pickup truck) of the Air

Dover Airmen stabilize C-5 crash site

When the 436th Civil Engineer Squadron fire chief responded to an emergency notification here April 3, he wasn’t sure what to expect. “Anytime you see an aircraft not sitting on its wheels, it is worse than you expected,” said Senior Master Sgt. Dwight Davis.More than 20 firefighters arrived to find

Desert duty: crew chiefs keep C-130s flying

No one wishes for an aircraft to break -- especially flying crew chiefs. But, that’s when the mobile C-130 Hercules maintainers receive the most attention -- when something is wrong with the plane and they are far away from home. “Fortunately, C-130s are extremely reliable,” said Senior Master Sgt.

Hickam C-17 crews learn Lean concepts

Airmen from the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 154th Maintenance Squadron here are learning how to streamline the processes they’ll use to maintain Hickam’s new fleet of C-17 Globemaster IIIs. Officials from the Boeing Company, which manufactures the C-17, headed the week-long Lean Concepts Workshop.

Vermont Guard hosts leadership, skills competition

What do you do when more than 600 of your servicemembers are deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and you’re lonely at the Vermont Air National Guard?You invite 500 Vermont high school students to take over your base for a day and you challenge their technical skills in the 2006 SkillsUSA

Airmen can reduce combat stress when deployed

Many things can cause stress when deployed. The experience can be as serious as coming under attack during convoy operations, or as simple as having to deal with a new boss. Missing family and friends back home can also strike a nerve. Even if servicemembers realize they might need help, the thought

Physical therapy program confers first doctoral degrees

Two Air Force officers received diplomas and were conferred doctoral degrees in physical therapy during a graduation ceremony here April 7.Capt. Linda Currier and 1st Lt. Elissa Ballas graduated along with 10 Army officers after 27 months of study in the highly ranked U.S. Army-Baylor University

Operation Mountain Lion roars

Luke F-16 crashes

An Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing crashed at about 9:51 a.m. today during a routine training mission approximately two miles southwest of the base. The pilot ejected safely and is being treated at a local medical center. A board of officers will investigate the

Letters to Airmen focus on education

In the two most recent "Letters to Airmen," the Air Force's top leaders focused on the importance of education for both enlisted Airmen and officers. “We must take the Air Force’s basic educational foundation to the next level and be relentless in our continued pursuit to become knowledge-enabled

Pilot in F-16 crash treated and released

The F-16 Fighting Falcon student pilot whose plane crashed April 11 was treated and released from a local medical center after safely ejecting from the aircraft. Capt. Jason Attaway, assigned to the 62nd Fighter Squadron, was on a two-ship student training mission heading toward an air-to-air

Air Force supports Operation Mountain Lion

Coalition air forces are providing 24-hour close-air support for Operation Mountain Lion -- an effort pitting Combined Forces Command Afghanistan ground forces in an offensive against Afghan insurgents.Operations were initiated April 11 by coalition forces in cooperation with the Afghan National

Air Force wins two modeling, simulation awards

The Air Force has won two of the five awards presented by the Department of Defense in modeling and simulation.Air Force winners are: Analysis: Weapon Effects Analysis and Probability System Team, Air Force Materiel Command. The team was awarded for developing and maintaining a world-class software

Boston cardinal selects Air Force chaplain for No. 2 post

The early 20th century American author Thomas Wolfe wrote a book titled “You Can’t Go Home Again.” That saying doesn't hold true for a priest in the Air Force chief of chaplains office.Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Richard Erikson will be coming home again, courtesy of Cardinal Seán O’Malley of the Boston

Air Force extends Pennsylvania Guard flight ops

The Air Force and the National Guard Bureau have directed the 111th Fighter Wing to extend their mission until 2010 at Naval Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, Pa. The 111th Fighter Wing is an Air National Guard unit that operates the A/OA-10 Thunderbolt II. In 2005, the Base Realignment and

CENTAF releases airpower summary report

U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.Coalition aircraft flew 52 close-air-support missions April 11 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter

Air Force takes three DOD environmental awards

Department of Defense officials announced the winners of the 2005 Secretary of Defense Award Environmental Awards. Out of the nine awards handed out, three were given to the Air Force. The Air Force winners are: -- Environmental Quality (Team): Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. -- Pollution Prevention

Space superiority a priority for Air Force authority

They almost scrapped the mission. An Air Force weather officer and the satellites at his disposal talked them out of it. It was a cold night in March 2003. With rain and low visibility, more than 1,000 Soldiers aboard 16 C-17 Globemaster IIIs waited to either go on their parachute mission into

Small business integral part of Air Force operations

When President George W. Bush declared April 9 to 15 National Small Business Week, he noted that “small businesses create most new jobs in our country, and small businesses have been a driving force behind America’s tremendous economic growth and job creation.” Translated into impact on the U.S. Air

Dental specialists train to deploy

Dental specialists here trained in expeditionary field dentistry April 3 to 7. The training demonstrated how dentistry fits into the concept of deployable medical and dental assets and the expeditionary medical support, or EMEDS, facility. “This training supports the heart of the Air Force medical

U.S., Australian forces team up in realistic training

Three Air Force B-1 Lancers recently flew more than 7,000 miles and 16 hours to participate in the Royal Australian Air Force’s Aces South exercise, providing realistic training for the coalition partners. “It was a tremendous success for all parties,” said Lt. Col. Thomas Curran, commander of the

Stop, check the tires

"Foreign objects and debris" checkpoints are important to helping win the war against foreign object damage.FOD is anything that does not belong on the flightline. It could be as small as a pebble or as large as a steel pipe. Several "weapons" are used to help in the battle against FOD. One of the

Globemaster III fleet increases at Hickam

The fourth C-17 Globemaster III to arrive here marks the transition from training to execution for the 15th Airlift Wing and the Hawaii Air National Guard's 154th Wing.Beginning this month, the C-17 will pick up regular scheduled taskings from Pacific Air Force’s Air Mobility Division. The composite

PJ indoc training

Palmdale detachment takes testing to new heights

Edwards Air Force Base has a history of testing cutting-edge weapons systems for the Air Force. A little-known detachment at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif., also has a testing history, but the aircraft tested there are not as well-known as the newest Air Force assets. Warner Robins Air

Phoenix Stripe brings together total force

Forty-six junior noncommissioned officers and civilians from around the Air Force participated in Air Mobility Command's Phoenix Stripe program here April 4 to 7. Phoenix Stripe is a professional development program geared toward providing up and coming staff and technical sergeants with an overview

Network passwords will soon be a thing of the past

Airmen have been carrying around some pretty high-tech identification cards in their wallets for quite a while now. That technology will soon be put to good use. For many, the Common Access Card, or "CAC," is just a replacement for the green military ID card used for so many years. But the card can

CENTAF releases airpower summary report

Coalition aircraft flew 46 close-air-support missions April 10 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt terrorist activities. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons, F-15

Exercise MEDLite 2006

Controllers handle a third of Iraqi airspace

With more than 10,000 aircraft flying through their airspace each month, the Airmen of the 407th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron stay busy. “We are responsible for one third of Iraq -- any aircraft coming in or going through,” said Senior Master Sgt. Troy Hammond, 407th EOSS chief

Vital Guardian tests Guard's critical capabilities

National Guard Counterdrug Program Airmen and Soldiers came to the nation’s capital to support Vital Guardian, the Guard’s first critical-capabilities exercise. The major training exercise, held last week, tested the Guard’s ability to respond to a devastating event, such as a terrorist attack with

Acquisition general testifies before subcommittee

The military deputy for Air Force acquisition testified about service contracts procedures and defended the price tags of some of those contracts before the House Armed Services subcommittee on readiness here April 5. “The Air Force recognizes that services acquisition is an area of high interest to

Weather flight reads the clouds over Kyrgyzstan

According to local climatology, this area of Kyrgyzstan wasn’t supposed to see thunder and lightning until May. But when the satellite picture started growing big patches of red April 6, the 376th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron weather flight knew what it meant, said Staff Sgt. Robert

Mentors or disciplinarians, first sergeants there for Airmen

They may have no subordinates, but every enlisted Airman in the squadron is their responsibility. Some days they are disciplinarians; on others they are an Airman’s best friend. In a crisis, they help Airmen deal with grief and get them through it. The first sergeant is “a counselor, a friend or a

Airmen, Soldiers join forces for joint cargo aircraft

Airmen and Soldiers are teaming up to get a new cargo aircraft. The Joint Cargo Aircraft will fill a vital combat readiness need for both services. The Air Force has been looking into a new aircraft, smaller than a C-130 Hercules, to fill airlift operations, and the Army needs to replace its current

Airmen improve combat tactics

Be prepared for tornado season

Driving to work Sept. 7, 2004, Senior Airman Joshua Hjemvick saw cloud cover and well-defined rain showers south of the base. Suddenly, the forecaster from the 28th Operational Weather Squadron saw flying debris from the buildings to his right. He stopped the car and threw it into reverse, but

Fighting Falcon pilot earns Jabara Award

Capt. John Vargas, a 1996 graduate of the Air Force Academy, has won the 2006 Colonel James Jabara Award, presented annually by the Air Force for excellence in airmanship. Captain Vargas, an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot, completed 45 combat missions totaling more than 200 hours in operations Iraqi

Phoenix Raven training highlights needs of today's SF

Students in the Air Mobility Warfare Center’s Phoenix Raven program here face many challenges in their quest to attain a coveted security forces Raven patch. The course, taught by the 421st Combat Training Squadron, originated in the late 1990s after a need was seen to better protect military

ESC Rapid Improvement Event speeds up hiring process

Electronic Systems Center's first Rapid Improvement Event cut the fat out of the civilian hiring process here, identifying a potential 58-percent reduction in the total time it takes to process a Request for Personnel Action, or RPA, and submit it to the Air Force Personnel Center. In only three

Airmen train for air evac

Digging defensive fighting positions, driving with night-vision goggles and during chemical warfare training and hiking in to camp sound like Army training -- right? They are actually part of the annual training required for Pope’s 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. “We are considered first

Ramstein wins CINC Installation Excellence Award

Brig. Gen. Robert C. Kane, 86th Airlift Wing and Kaiserslautern Military Community commander, announced April 6 that Ramstein won the 2006 Commander in Chief’s Annual Award for Installation Excellence, saying the base is "truly the biggest, busiest and best in the U.S. Air Force." “I’ve known it for

Top Air Force print and broadcast journalists announced

A panel of civilian journalists, teachers and public relations professionals have selected the best in Air Force print and broadcast journalism for the 50th annual Air Force Media Contest. Senior Airman Joe Lacdan, from the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., is the Air Force Print

Ionospheric forecasts improve warfighter communication efficiency

During specific times of the year over the Earth's equatorial region, turbulence in the ionosphere, known as scintillation, causes extended degradation for Department of Defense navigation and communication satellites.  But a sensor package installed at each of 14 locations worldwide has helped

AF Recruiting

Deployed F-15s

Air defense, flight restrictions discussed at conference

More effective, more efficient ADIZ and TFRs. That’s the message from Air Force pilots, battle commanders and air space controllers this week as Continental U.S. NORAD Region representatives reach out to the general aviation community attending the 2006 Sun ‘n Fun Fly-in here. Of specific interest

Ground combat skills prepare Airmen for base survival

As the desert sun beat down on the deployed Airmen, Staff Sgt. Stacy Miller crawled along the ground, digging her helmet and face into the sand as she pushed her body along the barren ground. At one point during the low-crawl, she actually tasted sand, grittiness and all. An information management

Defense leader thanks lawmakers for support of special ops

Ultimate victory in the "long war" requires the U.S. military to adopt more unconventional and indirect approaches in the way it fights, and the Defense Department is doing just that, the Pentagon's top special operations official told a Senate panel here April 5. In testimony prepared for delivery

Moseley: Air Force’s job won’t get easier

The Air Force chief of staff told visitors at Capitol Hill Club in the nation’s capital April 4 the service will face serious challenges in the coming years. However, Gen. T. Michael Moseley said the service will use all its capabilities to continue its joint warfighting efforts while going through

Shaw pilot located after crash

The pilot of the F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned here that crashed April 5 at around 5:40 p.m. was found by the U.S. Coast Guard about two hours later and taken to a nearby U.S. Navy ship for stabilization. Capt. Ted Shultz, assigned to the 55th Fighter Squadron here, was then transported via Coast

Guard fighter aircraft transition

Academy cadets help Spangdahlem drill team hone sabers

Eleven U.S. Air Force Academy Saber Drill Team cadets were here this week to work with the 52nd Fighter Wing Honor Guard's Eifel Sabres drill team they helped train last year. The team is the only one in U.S. Air Forces in Europe. Since the team’s inception last April, they have performed for the

Secretary of state visits Iraq

Convoy tactics

Maintainers repair Iraqi police station radio

For four members of the 407th Expeditionary Communications Squadron, their latest job was not a usual one. Three ground radio maintainers and their flight commander responded to a request to fix a high frequency radio belonging to an Iraqi police station. The HF radio is important because of its

Japanese Airmen intern with Kadena NCOs

Could something as simple as tying engine wires by hand instead of by tool bring two allies closer together? For Staff Sgt. Aiko Koba and Senior Airman Airica Velazquez, it means gaining a greater appreciation for what they do for their respective air force. Sergeant Koba is one of seven Japan Air

Controllers bring airpower directly to fight

Airmen working side-by-side with the Army has become common place these days. But long before Airmen began performing convoy duties and other jobs historically done by their Army counterparts, Tactical Air Control Parties were assigned to Army combat maneuver units around the world. TACPs live,

Spangdahlem mechanics fix jet engines on ‘the line’

Mechanics at this base fix F-16 Fighting Falcon engines on a production line that makes the process of getting engines back in service more predictable. The 52nd Component Maintenance Squadron’s propulsion flight switched to the new maintenance method less than a month ago as part of a lean

Squadron keeps deployed Airmen in touch with their families

During World War II and the Korean and Vietnam Wars, deployed troops looked forward to mail call. This was their primary mode of communication with family and friends. However, letters could take weeks or even months to arrive. Today’s warriors still receive mail, but now they have instantaneous

Medics use Smart Ops 21 to decrease patient notification time by half

For the past year, the 436th Medical Group here has applied a continual improvement process many people often associate with maintenance personnel and programs. LEAN, Six Sigma and Continual Process Improvement are all programs the Air Force has introduced into the maintenance career fields over the

Loyal four-legged friends protect Aviano, deter crime

With their powerful jaws, strong sense of smell and unwavering loyalty, they are not only man’s best friend, but also an incredible asset to the 31st Security Forces Squadron. Aviano’s seven explosive and two narcotic working dogs are always training and patrolling the base as part of their mission

Deployed Airmen teach English to Kyrgyzstan teenagers

With the help of volunteers from the American military base just a few miles away, teenagers in Kyrgyzstan are learning the English language. During hectic deployment hours and long work weeks, Airmen from U.S. Central Command Air Force’s Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan still find time to help out the

Wing modifies tactics, sharpens Airmen's combat skills

 “Alarm Red, MOPP 4.” Those familiar words of exercises past ring throughout a base’s loudspeakers during exercises. Hundreds of Airmen sucking air through gas masks or hours while hunkered down in work centers during scenarios, disaster training is considered a rite of passage in the Air Force.

Thunder alley

U-2 maintainers boast streaking hot record

In the world of sports, there have been some incredible streaks. Cal Ripken Jr. played in 2,632 consecutive major league baseball games. Lance Armstrong was victorious in seven Tour de France races. Football great Johnny Unitas threw at least one touchdown pass in 47 straight games. But none of

Maintainers multi-task to keep C-17s safe

In a dusty tent in the middle of maintenance town, computers are humming and a lone radio squawks the status of an incoming C-17 Globemaster III. The only sign that anybody works here is a row of desert camouflage blouses hung neatly near the door. A few of them belong to crew chiefs. The rest were

Teamwork keeps Bosnia air base safe

Tuzla Air Base, Bosnia, has an airfield that has been maintained by the Air Force since the mid 90s. But because it was a pre-existing location, many issues of safety, that would be disallowed at a stateside or NATO base, must be covered in a waiver package under United States Air Forces in Europe

Stage facility provides aircrews one-stop support

A management team at this base is helping aircrews spend less time preparing for flying with a streamlined, one-stop approach to en route mission planning. The result is an increase in mission velocity, said Lt. Col. James Kirk, commander of the 726th Air Mobility Squadron. That leads to a more