Category: Aviation

Source: United States Air Force

IRWINDALE, Calif. (AFNS) —  

It wasn’t just any other day in beautiful Southern California. A sunny, picturesque day with temperatures in the low 80s. If you didn’t know any better, you would have thought that a fog had rolled in just as the festivities had begun. But no, that smoke accompanied by the distinct scent of burnt rubber is exactly why thousands of fans congregated together at the Irwindale Speedway; it was race day.

Motorsport fans traveled from all over to attend the Formula Drift event, Oct. 14. U.S. Air Force recruiters with the 369th Recruiting Squadron, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserves spent the morning showing the F-16 Fighting Falcon static display that sat to the left of the hangar, an interactive recruiting asset that allows the public to try their hand at three Air Force specialties; aircraft maintenance, metal fabrication and a virtual reality simulation of in-flight refueling operations. The recruiting setup drew attention from a variety of patrons, but it isn’t every day when the Air Force’s highest enlisted leader pays a visit.

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass’ first stop of the day was spent meeting recruiters who were supporting the event, where she had the opportunity to recognize a few Airmen who had been identified by 369th RCS leadership as superior performers.

“These three individuals have really embraced the challenges that we have faced in the Air Force Recruiting Service this year,” said Chief Master Sgt. Jeff Kelloway, 369th RCS senior enlisted leader. “They have really strived to master their craft and improve their skills, and really have exceeded on all fronts this year despite those challenges; we couldn’t be more impressed with their actions and what they have accomplished.”

Tech. Sgt. Aaron Munoz-Case, one of the three recruiters recognized, was celebrated by his leadership for his initiative to lean into utilizing social media to reach a wider audience, something that Bass shared that she can relate to. Munoz-Case said he was excited to meet a senior leader who understands the value of social media as a communication platform.

“I really appreciate that she recognizes the need for Air Force recruiters and leaders to have a digital footprint,” Munoz-Case said. “I think it helps us reach potential applicants from all walks of life and allows us to connect with communities who may not know what being an Airman is all about.”

Munoz-Case said that her recognition motivated him but he was especially inspired after she joined their team to interact with Formula Drift patrons.

Bass spent time sharing her Air Force story and conversing with several of the motorsports fans who took the time to stop in and experience the recruiting booth. After talking with several potential future Airmen, Bass was in for a thrill as she continued to her next stop of the day’s events.

Bass met with Amanda Sorensen, AFRS-sponsored driver, who daringly invited her to join in a joyride in the Air Force-branded, high-performance stock car. Sorensen showcased her professional driving abilities by expertly balancing speed and control while drifting around the track, filling the stadium with the smoke and aroma of burnt rubber. Sorensen exited the track to drive Bass to meet her brother, Branden, who is also an AFRS-sponsored Formula Drift driver, at the recruiting booth where the trio met fans and signed autographs.

“I couldn’t be more excited about the partnership that the Air Force has with Team Sorensen, I think between that partnership and events like this, it allows us to connect with a diverse demographic of people from all ages and economic backgrounds, and that is important to our Air Force.” Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass

Among the fans in the crowd were an especially proud group of soon-to-be Airmen and their families. Bass took a moment to personally congratulate the young men and women who were minutes away from reciting the oath of enlistment on the track during the evening’s opening ceremony.

Following the opening ceremony, the crowd roared with a combination of praise for the patriotic introduction and excitement for the day’s main event. Bass finished the evening enjoying the Formula Drift event, but she spent the day experiencing something uniquely special. Bass witnessed two key moments in the recruiting process; an applicant’s introduction to the Air Force and the recruit’s reciting the oath that every enlisted service member, past, present and future decrees to gain admittance into the armed services.

“It was really inspiring to get to spend time with our recruiters who are out there looking for the next generation of Airmen,” Bass said. “I particularly enjoyed having the opportunity to meet some of their recruits and hear their ‘why’ before watching those 18 young men and women raise their right hands and make that commitment in front of 45,000 fans. It’s a reminder to everyone of what makes us the world’s greatest Air Force.”

Source: United States Air Force

WILL ROGERS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Okla. (AFNS) —  

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass saw firsthand how Airmen with the 137th Special Operations Wing set the Oklahoma Standard across the force during a visit Oct. 12.

She encouraged every service member she met to understand the “why” of the Air Force’s prioritization of learning multiple skill sets and becoming multi-capable Airmen, noting that the wing had leaned into the concept through its mission sustainment team.

“I hope you appreciate learning this skill set that we hopefully will never have to tap into,” Bass said. “We are more focused on reoptimization than we ever have been before. How do we reoptimize what the Air Force looks like to do the number one thing we are supposed to: defend our nation?”

She noted that the variety of civilian and military experience of Air National Guardsmen makes them ready-made to be formed into small mission teams, whether someone is a power production specialist in the Guard and a mechanic as a civilian, or a fireman in the Guard and a carpenter as a civilian.

Staff Sgt. Anthony Hill, 137th SOW Mission Sustainment Team, or MST, member, is a civil engineer Airman and policy analyst for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma as a civilian. He encountered the MCA concept during a previous deployment to Africa where they did not have the equipment and training needed to rapidly establish a base for austere operations.

“The tent systems we were setting up were more difficult and heavier in design, it took a longer time to train individuals and assemble units with those different levels of experience and they required a dedicated power grid,” he said. “The tent systems that are now part of our MST deployment package would have made a huge difference in sustaining the mission in that expeditionary environment.”

Discovering how to better equip Airmen for expedient operations in locations with limited resources has been the focus of the MST since its inception. A photo of the MST’s preliminary training activity was featured in the U.S. Air Force “Profession of Arms” as it calls for Airmen to serve in whatever form is needed to get the mission accomplished while meeting the expected standard of excellence.

“Our number one job is to deter. If deterrence does not succeed, we will make sure that we are able to compete and win. We are not fighting conflicts that we have before. We have to optimize ourselves in the information, space and cyber domains because if you lose in those things, you lose – period.” Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass

Airmen with the 137th Special Operations Group have developed equipment to be compatible with an expeditionary warfare environment. On the tour, Bass encountered the mobile processing, exploitation and dissemination center, which was built to provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations in austere locations.

“We were the first to develop this package,” said Tech. Sgt. Stephen Rosebrook, 285th Special Operations Intelligence Squadron, Oklahoma National Guard. “We have since trained active-duty special operations squadrons as well as partner nation forces.”

The 137th SOW mission is to provide forces organized, trained and equipped to support combatant commanders across the spectrum of conflict. Ensuring its citizen air commandos are prepared to deploy to the fight together anytime, anywhere, is a focus of the wing.

“We have got to reprioritze and reoptimize to make sure that we can continue deterring,” Bass said. “It is not our job to predict when challenges and crises and conflict will come, but it is our job to be ready today for anything.”

Source: United States Air Force

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —  

Department of the Air Force’s Report to Congressional Committees, Comprehensive Strategy for the Space Force, dated August 2023, was published on the SpaceForce.mil Space Force Policy page for public review Oct. 13. A link to the document is available here.

Source: United States Air Force

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) —  

In this week’s look around the Air Force, a new training aircraft is being put through its paces, the Department of the Air Force focuses on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility at a special conference, and crews from Global Strike and Air Combat Command come together to learn about hypersonic weapons. (Hosted by Tech. Sgt. Eric Mann)

Watch on DVIDS | Watch on YouTube
For previous episodes, click here for the Air Force TV page.

Source: United States Air Force

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. (AFNS) —  

Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin visited Minot Air Force Base Oct. 11. Allvin and his team toured the installation to learn about the processes that make Minot AFB operational and to get an in-depth understanding of the base’s nuclear deterrence mission.

During the visit, Allvin met with 5th Bomb Wing and 91st Missile Wing leaders to gather insight into the only U.S. Air Force base holding two-thirds of the nuclear triad. Minot AFB leadership teams highlighted facilities and operations contributing directly to the success of the nation’s nuclear deterrence mission.

“The strategic importance of the work carried out here at Minot AFB cannot be overstated,” Allvin said. “As the only dual-wing nuclear capable base in the Air Force, the Airmen assigned here are responsible for two legs of our nation’s nuclear triad. It’s a responsibility that is not to be taken lightly, and one the fine Airmen here have risen to meet time and time again.”

Allvin’s visit provided an opportunity to engage directly with the Airmen responsible for mission execution, fostering a sense of unity and purpose in safeguarding the nation’s security interests.

“This whole experience has been very illuminating” Allvin said. “It’s clear that our nation’s nuclear deterrence mission is in the best of hands here at Minot.”

The engagement was one of Allvin’s first visits to any Air Force base in his role as acting chief of staff.

“It’s an honor to be one of the first installations to host the acting chief of staff,” said Col. Daniel Hoadley, 5th BW commander. “His decision to visit Minot AFB really drives home the point to our Airmen that what we do here is of paramount importance to national security.”

Source: United States Air Force

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AFNS) —  

Officer Training School is implementing a new accessions program aimed at developing Air Force and Space Force leaders who are prepared to compete and win in today’s strategic operating environment.

The new training program, dubbed OTS-Victory, incorporates a five-modular approach designed to enhance the effectiveness of foundational officer development by focusing on specific knowledge, skills and abilities in each module. The course is structured to develop an officer trainee across all foundational competencies within 60 training days.

Officer graduates will be steeped in the Air Force and Space Force competencies through deliberate assessments tied to leadership, mission command, warfighting, communication and professionalism. In the end, OTS’s goal is to produce graduates ready for the challenges in an era of strategic competition.

Starting fiscal year 2024, OTS will conduct, on average, 20 classes per year with a new class starting every two weeks. The additional class start dates promote flexibility for stakeholders, reduces candidates’ wait time to attend training and allows for increased trainee throughput when necessary. At any point, OTS will have up to five classes in session, in various phases of training.

Additionally, the new training construct allows OTS to easily surge production to meet annual production numbers set by Congress in both steady state and contingency mobilization posture. If called, the school can surge up to 26 classes per year.

“Within existing resource authorizations, we are restoring OTS’s ability to serve as the officer accession ‘shock absorber,’ meaning we have the structural agility and organizational effectiveness to respond to production demands during peace or war,” said Col. Keolani Bailey, OTS commandant. “Whether we need to increase or decrease production, we won’t compromise the quality of training.”

In terms of the instructor cadre, they are now afforded the opportunity to become subject matter experts in the two-week modular blocks of instruction versus teaching the entire 60-day curriculum.

“Instructors will receive increased reps and sets and better feedback to elevate the overall performance of the team. This reduces lesson planning, preparation timelines and creates more opportunities for deliberate development, course updates, and instructor reconstitution time,” Bailey said. “This will allow instructors to reduce bureaucracy and concentrate on their primary mission — building warrior-minded leaders of character focused on the future fight.”

With OTS previously offering only five classes per year, thereby limiting time off between classes, the new program builds 10 weeks “off the line” each year for instructors. Therefore, when not actively instructing a class during these time periods, instructors are afforded the necessary time to refine course delivery, attend professional development programs, and enjoy their well-earned leave with family and friends.

The first class of officer trainees to experience OTS-V arrived on campus Oct. 10.

The purpose of OTS is to train and develop new officers to fulfill Air Force and Space Force active duty, Reserve and Air National Guard requirements, in partnership with the U.S. Air Force Academy and Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps.

Officer Training School is located at Maxwell Air Force Base and consists of two academic buildings with auditoriums, four dormitories, dining facility, physical conditioning center, parade field, running track and sports fields. Additionally, OTS maintains an Air Expeditionary Force garrison training site, a 200-acre field training facility, confidence course and two expeditionary assault courses.

Source: United States Air Force

SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) —  

Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall visited the 82nd Training Wing and the 80th Flying Wing Oct. 4-5, where he got a firsthand look at how Sheppard Air Force Base Airmen are transforming technical and flying training to support the future fight.

Kendall spoke with Airmen from across the wing and community leaders to learn about the base’s challenges and improvements within day-to-day operations. He visited multiple squadrons and agencies to see how they’re modernizing classrooms and impacting Airmen in training.

The Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program leaders briefed Kendall on the unique, 14-nation partnership’s importance to NATO combat power as well as plans for the future beddown of the T-7A Redhawk.

During his visit, Kendall also took time to recognize star performers and their outstanding achievements.

Source: United States Air Force

QUANTICO, Va. (AFNS) —  

Source: United States Air Force

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) —  

After almost eight years, Eglin Air Force Base’s McKinley Climatic Lab returns to 96th Test Wing possession as of Oct. 1.

The realignment moves the lab from Arnold Engineering Development Complex back to the 96th Range Group. A 2016 Air Force Test Center consolidation moved the lab under the unit at Arnold AFB, Tennessee.

The return, to better align with local infrastructure and Eglin AFB’s test and evaluation missions, puts the Lab back under the 782nd Test Squadron.

The capabilities available at the Lab help engineers ensure maximum reliability and operational capability of complex systems as global operational theaters continue to impose harsh environments.

Tests at the facility for the Department of Defense, other government agencies and private industry included items such as large aircraft, tanks, missile launchers, shelters, engines, automobiles and tires.

The Climatic Laboratory has five testing chambers: the main chamber; the equipment test chamber; the sun, wind, rain and dust chamber; the salt fog chamber and the altitude chamber.

The main chamber is the largest environmental chamber in the world. At approximately 252 feet wide, 260 feet deep and 70 feet high, tests have consisted of large items and systems for aircraft such as the B-2 Spirit Bomber and the C-5 Galaxy. The temperatures achieved in the chamber range between -65 degrees Fahrenheit to 165 degrees Fahrenheit with a simulation of all climatic conditions including heat, snow, rain, wind, sand and dust.

The equipment test chamber is 130 feet long, 30 feet wide and 25 feet high. Although it is smaller, it has the same capabilities of the main chamber. Tests usually consist of jet engines, small vehicles and turbine-driven ground power units.

The sun, wind, rain and dust chamber produces ambient or hot test conditions. Wind-blown rain at rates up to 25 inches per hour and heavy sand and dust storms can also be created in this chamber.

Because of the corrosive properties of salt fog test conditions, the salt fog chamber was designed to provide an ambient test chamber that is away from other test chambers. The chamber has two steam-fed heat exchangers that create the temperature to perform the salt fog test.

The chamber is approximately 55 feet long, 16 feet wide and 16 feet high. The chamber doesn’t have refrigeration capability.

The altitude chamber can create pressure altitudes as high as 80,000 feet with a temperature capability of -80 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The chamber measures 13 by 9 feet and 6 feet high.