New Hampshire becomes the ninth and last necessary state to ratify the Constitution of the United States, thereby making the document the law of the land. (Source: History.com 06/21/20)
Sunday, June 21, 2020
Saturday, June 20, 2020
Eglin in line for 2nd F-35 squadron
EGLIN AFB, Fla. - A second F-35 jet training squadron is expected to be stood up at Eglin Air Force Base next year, a move “which will effectively double our operation by 2022,” Col. Jon Wheeler, commander of the Eglin-based 33rd Fighter Wing, said during an online defense issues forum convened June 18 via YouTube by U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.). He said the new squadron will bring 24 aircraft and up to as many as 410 personnel to the base. “We’re expecting the stand-up of that ... squadron to happen in May 2021, with the first aircraft being delivered in October of 2021,” Wheeler said. There will still be some hurdles to overcome such as the completion of an environmental impact study (EIS) that is part of AF basing decisions, which includes the potential effects of noise on the community. According to the AF, the new F-35 training squadron at Eglin is expected to reach full operational status by Spring 2023. The AF announced in May 2019 that Eglin was its preferred alternative for the squadron. (Source: NW Fla. Daily News 06/19/20)
MDA Back2Biz webinar
The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) will host a Zoom webinar at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 24, regarding the Back to Business Mississippi Grant Program. Deputy Director for Governmental Affairs and Chief Innovation Officer for the Mississippi Development Authority, Jamie Miller, will be available to answer questions about the application process and eligibility requirements. The program provides grants to small businesses that were forced to close as a result of COVID-19. Businesses with fewer than 50 employees are eligible for grants up to $25,000. Out of the $240M available, $40M has been designated for minority-owned businesses. MDA set up a website, backtobusinessms.org, where small business owners can apply for these grants. The site also features step-by-step instructions on filling out the application, rules and regulations, required documents and FAQs. (Source: Mississippi Secretary of State 06/19/20)
Friday, June 19, 2020
Rosenblum has reins of 14th HCOS
Lt. Col. Kenneth Rosenblum assumed command of the 14th Healthcare Operations Squadron during a change of command ceremony June 19 at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. The 14th HCOS is attached to the 14th Medical Group with the goal to keep all pilots, airmen, and family member healthy and ready for the of challenges life. “I am both honored and humbled to be given the opportunity to lead the 14th HCOS,” Rosenblum said. “I can’t express how excited I am to join this team and I look forward to getting to know the people, learn from them and lead them to continue a legacy of excellence.” (Source: CAFB 06/19/20)
Austal USA among 5 DoD actions
The Department of Defense announced June 19 five Defense Production Act Title III actions to help sustain and strengthen essential domestic industrial base capabilities and defense-critical workforce in shipbuilding, aircraft manufacturing, and clothing and textiles. These actions will help to retain critical workforce capabilities throughout the disruption caused by COVID-19 and to restore some jobs lost because of the pandemic, according to Pentagon spokesperson Lt. Col. Mike Andrews. Austal USA of Mobile, Ala., is among the five companies, and received $50M in funding to maintain, protect, and expand critical domestic shipbuilding and maintenance capacity. GE Aviation was also among the five. (Source: DoD 06/19/20) Mississippi Note: It was not specifically clear if the two Mississippi (Ellisville and Batesville) and one Auburn, Ala., plants would be among those benefitting directly. Batesville Composites Operation that produces advanced composite engine components. The factory is involved in the assembly of large front fans for jet engines as well as the production of composite components. The GEA’s Ellisville Composites facility manufactures and assemble new composite components unique to the aviation industry. https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2226346/dod-announces-187-million-in-defense-production-act-title-iii-covid-19-actions/source/GovDelivery/
Saufley Field gate crash
PENSACOLA, Fla. - One person was killed after a car crashed into a barrier at the gate of Saufley Field, an outlying field for touch-and-go landings for student-aviators at NAS Whiting Field, Fla., and home to the Navy Advancement Center that is responsible for Navy-wide administration of the Navy Enlisted Advancement System. Saufley Field, also HQ for the Naval Education and Training Professional Development Center, is located about 10 miles north of NAS Pensacola, Fla. Florida Highway Patrol says a sedan driven by a 20-year-old male from Pensacola failed to stop at the front gate of the property. The car crashed into a barrier at the front gate and flipped over. A spokesperson for Escambia County says crews were called out to assist Navy firefighters with an extrication. No passengers were listed in the report. The victim’s name was not immediately released. (Source: WEAR-TV 06/18/20) A WEAR photojournalists on scene also reported that the victim "appeared" to be a service member.
Navy knows causes of PEs
Following the results of a recently completed root-cause analysis, the Navy now knows what has been causing physiological events (PEs) in aviators, which spiked so bad in 2017 that flight instructors wouldn’t get into their aircraft to train new student pilots. The analysis pointed to a complex relationship between aircrew, flight gear and the aircraft. Rear Adm. Fredrick Luchtman, commander of the Naval Safety Center and the lead of the Physiological Episodes Action Team (PEAT), told reporters June 19 that two root-cause corrective action (RCCA) teams had completed their work in December and briefed naval aviation leaders in February on their findings related to the T-45 Goshawk training and F-18 family of fighters. The teams spent three years and $50M of work, produced 8,000+ pages of technical documentation, and proposed 567 recommendations for how to keep pilots/weapons officers safer in the cockpit. Ultimately, the teams found there was no simple fix. That’s the bad news, according to Luchtman, but early decisions have resulted in a 96-percent decrease in the PE rate in the T-45 fleet, and a 74-percent in the F-18 fleet since 2017. What was causing the PEs? (Source: USNI News 06/19/20) Mississippi Note: Pilots flying the T-45C aircraft at NAS Meridian were among those reporting PE-related symptoms. https://news.usni.org/2020/06/18/navy-clear-on-causes-of-physiological-events-in-pilots-final-recommendations-released-for-pe-mitigation
Thursday, June 18, 2020
NGB nominee addresses SASC
Army Lt. Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, the president’s nominee to become the next Chief of the National Guard Bureau (NGB), addressed the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) in a confirmation hearing June 18. “Today is an important and pivotal time in the history of the National Guard,” he said. The Guard has been placed on “complex dynamic missions overseas and here at home,” he continued. The next chief of the NGB “must continue to effectively navigate this unprecedented landscape and work closely with stakeholders” at all levels. In recent months, the NG has been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic response in every state. They have been supporting their communities for virus testing sites, long-term care facilities, hospitals and food banks. They’ve delivered personal protective equipment, sewn face masks, turned convention centers into alternate-care facilities “and so much more,'' Hokanson said. The Guard has also responded to civil unrest in multiple states. ''As a result, we reached a new peak earlier this month of over 120,000 citizen-soldiers and airmen mobilized worldwide. If confirmed by the full Senate, Hokanson will be promoted to general. He currently is the bureau’s vice chief. He told the SASC he plans to work to ensure the NG is manned, trained, equipped, and ready. (Source: DoD 06/18/20)
SECDEF’s beef w/ entrance exam
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Less than 30 percent of youth are qualified to join the military, but less than 1 percent are interested. Defense Secretary Mark Asper wants to know whether these accessions standards – that include ASVAB scores - are serving the force. The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, a standardized test that measures language, math and other skills, as well as a long list of medical conditions, bar some prospective recruits from signing up. “I think we disqualify very capable people for not very compelling reasons,” SECDEF told AF officials June 16 at Lackland AFB, Texas, which is (one of two homes, Keesler AFB, Miss.) to the AF’s basic military training. As long as someone is generally healthy, fit and motivated to serve, he said, why should an “ambiguous” medical history or low scores on a multiple-choice test prevent them from signing up. SECDEF asked training and medical officials for their feedback. Maj. Gen. John DeGoes, commander of the 59th Medical Wing at Lackland, told Esper that not every one of those conditions is a liability or a ticking time bomb. For bringing in the best talent as possible, it may be worth looking at them on a case-by-case basis. “I think we need to move to risk management,” DeGoes said. “We make recommendations, commanders - you decide.” (Source: Military Times 06/17/20) https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2020/06/17/secdef-has-beef-with-the-militarys-entrance-exam/
Madison native top of AFA class
Second Lieutenant Zachary Bailey, of Madison, Miss., finished at the top of his 2020 graduating class of more than 950 cadets at the Air Force Academy in Colorado on April 18 to begin an initial five-year career in the Air Force. Bailey says he’s equally “proud of the habits I developed along the way.” Zack is the son of Keith and Suzanne Bailey of Madison. His mother says her son has a knack for working with others and attributed part of his academic success to his role as a tutor at the academy. Top of the class positioning is determined by a weighted combination of a cadet's academic success, represented by their grade point average, as well as scores in military proficiency and physical fitness. Bailey finished with the highest GPA in his class at 4.0 and has been the top of his class at the end of every semester while in Colorado Springs. “It wasn’t something I set out to do,” Bailey says. “I knew I would be in school with kids from all over, and being from Mississippi, I just wanted to do the best I could.” Bailey went to Madison Central where he played on a state championship soccer team and graduated valedictorian in 2016. (Source: Madison County Journal 06/17/20) http://www.onlinemadison.com/Content/Default/Rotator/Article/Madison-s-Bailey-1-at-Air-Force-Academy/-3/593/43623
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
McConnell: ‘OK’ with renaming bases
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is “OK” with renaming military bases (like forts Bragg and Hood), named for Confederate officers despite President Trump’s opposition. The senator said he’ll live with whatever lawmakers while debating the annual defense bill in the coming weeks. A Senate panel voted last week to require those bases to be renamed within three years. McConnell, himself the descendant of a Confederate veteran, didn’t endorse the idea, but said he wouldn’t oppose it. “I can only speak for myself on this issue. If it’s appropriate to take another look at these names I’m OK with that,” McConnell said. “Whatever is ultimately decided I don’t have a problem with (it).” McConnell is sticking with the Washington tradition - and current law - of having states choose their own statues for display in the Capitol complex, saying it’s preferable for states like Mississippi, home to Confederate President Davis, to remove them on their own. (Source: The AP 06/16/20) The state of Kentucky, during the Civil War, was a state in which slavery existed. However, Kentucky never officially seceded from the Union, but in reality remained neutral. So, Southern supporters formed an illegitimate “shadow government” that voted for accession to the Confederation. Presidents of the U.S. and Confederacy – Davis and Lincoln - were both born in Kentucky. https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2020/06/16/senates-top-republican-ok-with-removing-confederate-names-from-military-bases/
NASP awardees 'stared evil' in face
NAS PENSACOLA, Fla. – Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola Navy Security Forces (NSF) and Fire and Emergency Services Gulf Coast (FEMSGC) personnel were presented awards June 16 for their actions involving a terrorist attack onboard the base in December. The attack resulted in the death of three sailors and eight others were wounded. The terrorist was killed. Along with other local first responders at the scene, NSF and FEMSGC saved the lives of others that day. In a pre-recorded message, Vice Adm. Yancy Lindsey, commander of the Navy Installations Command told the awardees that their “rapid response in a chaotic moment saved an untold number of lives. Some of those in our audience today are here because of your courage and your service. They, and I… salute and thank you.” Base commander Capt. Tim Kinsella said those first responders, “ran toward untold danger, not knowing if they would return” to aid shipmates. “They stared pure evil in the face, they stood their ground and they saved lives. I am honored and humbled to present the security and emergency services personnel with these prestigious awards.” The list of awardees and awards: Secretary of Defense Medal of Freedom and Secretary of the Navy Distinguished Civilian Medal for Valor to Police Capt. Charles D. Hogue, NSF. Navy and Marine Corps Medal: Master-at-Arms (MA) 1st Class Donald Scott, MA2 David Link, and MA2 Holly Barber, all of the NSF. Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal: MA2 Joshua Johnson. Secretary of the Navy Distinguished Civilian Medal for Valor: Capt. Charles D. Hogue, Capt. Robert Johnson, Cassandra Avant, and Daniel Dugger, NSF. Commander, Navy Installations Command Certificate of Life Saving: James McCabe, David Clark, Chad Goetter, and Robert Wragg, all of Fire and Emergency Services Gulf Coast. A video of the awards ceremony can be viewed at www.facebook.com/NASPCOLA. (Source: NASP 06/16/20) https://www.dvidshub.net/news/372221/nas-pensacola-awards-ceremony-dec-6-attack.
20 new SUPT 16/17 pilot-grads
COLUMBUS AFB, Miss. - Twenty student-officers graduated June 12 from Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) class of 20-16/17 on June 12, on Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, becoming a part of the newest generation of military aviators. Col. David Fazenbaker, 14th Flying Training Wing vice wing commander, congratulated the graduates on their accomplishments and answering the nation’s call to action. “Each of you play an important role in our national defense because in a few short months you will be defending our borders, projecting our power, engaging in combat and transporting vital equipment to the next fight,” said Fazenbaker. The 52-week pilot training program has three phases: 6-week pre-flight of academics and physiological training; primary training conducted in the T-6A Texan II; and the final phase where students select, by order of merit, advanced training in the fighter-bomber or airlift-tanker track. Each pilot will now depart to their next duty station to fly designated aircraft such as the C-17 Globemaster III, F-35A Lightning II, or KC-135 Stratotanker. Some of the graduates were also assigned to be First Assignment Instructor Pilots tasked with training future SUPT classes on CAFB. Col. Fazenbaker has been vice wing commander since July 2019. Prior to his current assignment, he was the United States Transportation Command’s Liaison Officer to United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command/United States Forces Korea. (Source: CAFB 06/16/20)
New lead at 14th CPTS unit
COLUMBUS AFB, Miss. - Maj. Josh Mann assumed command of the 14th Comptroller Squadron during a change of command ceremony June 16 at Columbus Air Force Base. The14th CPTS’ mission is to serve, support, and finance the command, airmen and civilians. Their work includes areas such as military, civilian, travel and relocation pay inquires as well as separation/retirement payments, LeaveWeb inquiries, and indebtedness to the government. (Source: CAFB 06/17/29)
Tuesday, June 16, 2020
Slattery to be GEA engine's CEO
John Slattery, who was headed Embraer’s Commercial Aviation business since 2016, will become CEO of commercial and military aircraft engine’s GE Aviation on Sept. 1. He will replace David Joyce, who will retire, General Electric announced June 15. (Source: Aviation Week 06/15/20) https://aviationweek.com/aerospace/aircraft-propulsion/embraer-commercial-chief-slattery-lead-ge-aviation.
Ex NHP officer gets flag promotion
The Secretary of the Navy and Chief of Naval Operations announced June 16 that Rear Adm. (lower half) Anne M. Swap, who was selected for promotion to rear admiral, will be assigned as director of the National Capital Medical Directorate, Defense Health Agency, in Washington, D.C. Swap is currently serving as commander, Naval Medical Forces Atlantic, Portsmouth, Va. (Source: DoD 06/16/20) Capt. Anne Swap served earlier in her career as Director for Administration at Naval Hospital Pensacola, Fla. NHP has branch health clinics in Gulfport and Meridian, Miss., and Louisiana and Florida.
Monday, June 15, 2020
F-15C crash in North Sea, pilot dead
An American Air Force pilot from the 493rd Fighter Squadron pilot, based at RAF Lakenheath, England, was killed when an F-15C crashed into the North Sea during a routine training mission June 15, confirmed 48th FW Commander, Col. Will Marshall. The pilot’s name has not been released pending next of kin notification. The aircraft crashed about 74 nautical miles off Flamborough Head, on the U.K.’s Yorkshire coast, the British coast guard said on Twitter. The coast guard, which dispatched a helicopter and lifeboats and called for other maritime support to search for the pilot, located F-15C wreckage a few hours before the pilot was recovered. Online flight trackers showed American KC-10s and KC-135s, as well as NATO AWACs, flying in the crash zone, suggesting they may have participated in efforts to find the airman and aircraft. It’s the 48th FW’s first F-15 crash since 2014, and AF’s first F-15C crash in two years. (Source: Air Force Magazine 06/15/20) https://www.airforcemag.com/493rd-fighter-squadron-pilot-killed-in-f-15c-crash/
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