AFCEA - Los Angeles

For the past 55 years U-2 Dragon Lady crews have soared high above the earth collecting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information to aid in the fight against enemy forces. Throughout the years, even with the advances in technology, the mission remained the same.

Over time, several changes in the aircraft and protective equipment have evolved to help the U-2 and its pilots better perform their mission. Training to become a U-2 pilot has also evolved from "learn on the fly" to a detailed training course requiring approximately nine months to complete.
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Airmen today face a strong challenge. The intense battle rhythm through constant deployments and reintegration after returning from those deployments causes stress physically, emotionally and psychologically, on both Airmen and their families.

"Because of this, the Air Force has been showing the strains through divorce, substance abuse and suicide," said Col. Ted Uchida, the 20th Mission Support Group commander. "We cannot fail the Airmen, because failing them would mean burying them or visiting them in the hospital."
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Members of the 601st Air and Space Operations Center here held a ceremony Aug. 21 to commemorate the activation of the 101st Air and Space Operations Group.

The 101st AOG, which is a Florida Air National Guard unit, provides the manning for the 601st AOC to fulfill their mission of defending the homeland. The 101st AOG, formerly known as the Southeast Air Defense Sector, officially stood up July 1, 2009.

"The 601st AOC and the 101st AOG have a no-fail mission," said Col. Scott Barberides, 101st AOG commander. "Around the clock, 24-7, we never turn the lights off, and people are working right now defending our skies."
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"Humans today are still more capable than machines, but by 2030 that is absolutely not going to be the case anymore," said Dr. Werner Dahm, the Air Force Chief Scientist, in describing one of the conclusions he reached during the Air Force's first in-depth look at future technology in more than a decade.

The man charged with providing independent, objective scientific advice to Air Force leadership was at the Air Force Association Technology Symposium Aug. 26 to make a presentation titled 'Technology Horizons: A Vision for Air Force Science & Technology During 2010-2030.'
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Human error caused an A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft to depart the runway during an aborted takeoff May 10 at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., according to an Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report released Sept. 2.

The aircraft was assigned to the 75th Fighter Squadron from the 23rd Wing at Moody AFB. The pilot sustained minor injuries after ejecting when the aircraft left the runway. The aircraft continued traveling over uneven grassland until the nose gear collapsed. The right main landing gear and aircraft nose became lodged into the ground causing a catastrophic fuselage failure. The aircraft was engulfed in fire due to a ruptured forward main fuel tank and was subsequently destroyed.
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A structural test vehicle from the Defense Support Program, which helped provide the Air Force with early warning of ballistic missile launches or above ground nuclear detonations, was recently donated to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force by Northrop Grumman.

This 35-foot-long structural test vehicle, which is now on display in the museum's missile & space gallery, includes the infrared sensor Trailblazer component without the associated electronics. Structural test vehicles are full-sized units used to verify that all the components fit together correctly.
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Bringing together 16 Asia-Pacific nations and non-governmental organizations, representatives from Singapore Armed Forces and U.S. Pacific Command hosted a humanitarian communication workshop here Aug. 16 through 27.

Established in 2003, Pacific Endeavor tested the processes participating nations, non-governmental organizations and other entities would likely deploy in support of a major natural disaster.

For the first time since the program's establishment, members of the humanitarian community played a key role in the workshop. The United Nations, the Salvation Army and the Singapore Red Cross sent representatives to further the interoperability between non-governmental organizations and the military.
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More than 200 Airmen from here arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug. 20 and 21 to participate in an exercise with some of the Air Force's most advanced operational fighter squadrons.

The 209 members of the 391st Fighter Squadron and aircraft maintenance unit will spend approximately three weeks in Alaska, flying with F-22 Raptors from JB Elmendorf's 90th FS and the 525th FS. The Idaho-based unit will play the aggressor and also work on the integration of two different generations of aircraft.
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Two Air Force Academy firefighters received Department of Defense awards during the Defense Fire and Emergency Services Annual Awards Banquet in Chicago Aug. 27.

Senior Airman Jessica Morehouse was named the 2009 DOD military firefighter of the year, and Deputy Fire Chief Ken Helgerson received the 2010 Ray Picard Award, which recognizes individual superior leadership and outstanding contribution.

"Every day, Academy firefighters provide phenomenal support to our big and busy Air Force Base," said 10th Air Base Wing Commander Col. Rick LoCastro. "Senior Airman Morehouse and Chief Helgerson are true superstars, and we are proud to see them get the recognition they so richly deserve, not only at the Air Force level but from the Department of Defense. They both truly exhibit the fanatical pride and superior performance we look for and get every day from our Air Force Academy team."
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Air Force officials are seeking to develop officers as strategic thinkers through a program that will allow them to obtain a doctorate in strategic studies.

The Air Force Chief of Staff Ph.D. program will allow officers to attend a top-tier university to complete their doctorate in studies such as history, political science, international relations, economics and philosophy. Participating universities include Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, Princeton, Harvard and the Tufts University Fletcher School.
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Airmen receiving permanent-change-of-station orders in September will have their orders approved at a centralized location as officials here begin implementing procedures to close out the fiscal 2010 PCS budget.

Active-duty Airmen with assignment report dates or a date eligible for return from overseas of January 2011 or earlier may be impacted by the new procedures. Airmen entering the service, separating or retiring are not affected.

Air Force Personnel Center officials implemented procedures at the end of fiscal 2009 to ensure Airmen continue to receive orders in-hand no later than 60 days prior to their projected departure date, but no earlier than 90 days prior to their reporting date or DEROS. Those procedures also helped serve as a measure to better project PCS funding.
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The secretary of the Air Force addressed thousands of Legionnaires at the American Legion's 92nd National Convention here Sept. 1 to thank them for their devotion to Airmen and veterans.

In his speech to the nation's largest veterans service organization, Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said the Air Force will continue to provide for the physical, emotional, cognitive and spiritual well-being of Airmen and their families because the service recognizes it "is not only the right thing to do for our Airmen, it is the smart thing to do for our Air Force."
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During a recent commander's call, Gen. Raymond E. Johns Jr., commander of Air Mobility Command, may have best cited the importance of airlift to today's military when he said, "One mission can change the world."

As one of AMC's core capabilities, airlift remains a staple in getting the "beans and bullets" to the warfighter, officials said. As a prime example, they cite the Afghanistan surge. Since the surge of an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan was announced by President Barack Obama on Dec. 1, 2009, the airlift community has been extra busy, statistics show.
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Officials from the Air Forces Northern National Emergency Preparedness Directorate are deploying emergency preparedness liaison officers to provide assistance to emergency relief forces as required as Hurricane Earl and Tropical Storm Fiona approach the U.S. coastline.

The EPLOs, in concert with defense coordinating officers deployed from U.S. Northern Command, will be supporting Federal Emergency Management Agency representatives to advise officials from states and regions on Air Force capabilities available to provide Defense Support of Civil Authorities if needed and requested.
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It was a celebration here Aug. 20 as 1st Lt. Dan Griffin and his 11 classmates became the Air Force's newest A-10C Thunderbolt II attack pilots.

Their afternoon graduation ceremony was held at the base theater in front of family, friends, their instructor pilots and teachers and base leaders. It culminated 27 weeks of some of the most intense training these pilots will undergo in their entire Air Force career.

Over the past six months the pilots were assigned to the 358th Fighter Squadron, as members of class 10-BBD, where instructor pilots taught them the basics about flying the A-10C.
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The Department of Defense and all of its components now maintain thousands of Facebook pages according to the assistant secretary of defense for public affairs' registry maintained on www.Defense.gov.

So to think that the Department of Defense is timid about the use of social media -- think again.

Facebook boasts more than 500 million users and may reach 700 million within the next year. Like Google, Facebook can be thought of as one of the world's largest countries, according to a July 22, 2010, social media article in the Economist magazine entitled "The Future Is Another Country."
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The change from Operation Iraqi Freedom to Operation New Dawn does not affect the pays and entitlements troops serving in Iraq receive, a Pentagon spokeswoman said Sept. 1.

Servicemembers deployed to Iraq will still receive hostile fire/imminent danger pay, hardship-duty pay and incidental expenses. Some servicemembers will qualify for family separation allowances. Also, all pay for warrant officers and enlisted members is tax exempt, while officers are exempt from taxes for up to $7,611.30 each month they serve in a designated combat zone.
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A sergeant stationed at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., received The American Legion's Spirit of Service Award Aug. 31 in recognition of his extensive volunteer efforts in the community.

Staff Sgt. Edward L. Perez, who serves as an airfield systems installation technician with the 688th Information Operations Wing, provided more than 400 hours of community service during 2009 in the Gulf Coast area.

American Legion National Commander Clarence E. Hill presented the award during The American Legion's 92nd National Convention at the Milwaukee Convention Center. Sergeant Perez was honored along with a representative from each of the other four military services.
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The Denver Broncos have added a little airpower to their defense during their 2010 training camp in the form of an Air Force Academy second lieutenant.

Lieutenant Ben Garland, a 2010 graduate of the Air Force Academy, has been spending his leave and days off as a Denver Broncos defensive lineman, after being signed by the team as a free agent in April.

A native of Grand Junction, Colo., Garland has been a lifelong Denver Broncos fan. He was ecstatic about the opportunity to play in the National Football League when his dream team came calling for him in April at the Academy.
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The 493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, deployed from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, assumed command of the NATO Baltic air policing mission Sept. 1 from the Polish air force at Lithuania Air Force Air Base.

For the next four months, the squadron, comprising approximately 125 people, is responsible for ensuring the air sovereignty of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

This is the third time since 2004 the U.S. Air Force has accomplished this mission and the second time the 493rd EFS has had responsibility.
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