AFCEA - Los Angeles

The undersecretary of the Air Force and representatives from government, industry and the Department of Defense kicked off the three-day Nevada Forum here Aug. 24 to brainstorm ideal ways to blend military missions with renewable energy projects.

Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin C. Conaton, the service's senior energy official, said the forum's main purpose is to facilitate an open dialog between stakeholders on how to achieve safe, compatible, renewable energy development while ensuring military operations and training are not impeded.
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Two lieutenants from the 742nd Missile Squadron here contributed to a once-in-a-lifetime event by pulling their first and last alert together Aug. 19.

What made this alert so unique is the fact that the two officers are brothers, and the scheduling factors aligned to allow a joint alert.

An alert consists of combat crewmembers traveling out to the field and establishing command and control of their squadron's block of Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles. While on alert, they are responsible for day-to-day operations, maintenance and security of the missiles within their control and are prepared to launch their missiles at all times. There are two crewmembers at the console to ensure 24-hour vigilance of the ICBMs.
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More than 30 Airmen helped clean up one of New York City's well-known military memorials as part of Air Force Week here Aug. 25.

Despite rainy weather, Airmen from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst donned gloves and ponchos while they beautified the 11-acre Grand Army Plaza. This plaza is the opening to Prospect Park in Brooklyn, and the site of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Arch, a memorial dedicated to servicemembers who died during the Civil War.

This Air Force Volunteer Day is a first for an Air Force Week, and one of three volunteer events scheduled to be held this week. These events are designed for Airmen to show their support and appreciation for the citizens of New York, while educating them about the Air Force mission.
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The 11- and 12-year-old Kaiserslautern Military Community All-Star team made its second consecutive trip to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa., after winning the Europe Region Tournament Aug. 3.

This is the sixth time a team from Ramstein Air Base has earned a spot in the tournament and is the 15th time Germany made the LLWS.

"Getting to the LLWS is something I always wanted to achieve myself since I was growing up in Oklahoma and watching the tournament," said Gary Harrington, KMC All-Stars head coach. "By far, this is the hardest division and regionals I ever had to go through."
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The Space Logistics Group, a subordinate unit of the Space and Missile Systems Center, received an overall grade of "in compliance with comments" on a compliance inspection conducted Aug. 16 through 23. This was the first time the group had undergone a CI.

CIs are conducted to assess areas mandated by law, as well as mission areas identified by senior Air Force and major command leadership, as critical or important to assess and assure the health and performance of organizations.
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Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley speaks during the Air Force Week New York City proclamation ceremony at the USS Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum here Aug. 24

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Air Force officials are accepting application packages through Sept. 13 for officers interested in participating in the Language Enabled Airman Program, which offers an opportunity to develop a foreign language skill throughout an Airman's career.

Launched earlier this year by Air Force Culture and Language Center officials, LEAP is the first career-long program designed to offer language-sustainment training for Airmen in diverse career fields. A September selection board will consider applications from active-duty officers as well as U.S. Air Force Academy and ROTC cadets.
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Tailspotters may come to Spangdahlem Air Base with an eye out for the F-16 Fighting Falcons or other aircraft, but If they stop at the right time and place, actual falcons can be seen on the prowl.

To the surprise of some, these birds and the base falconer serve an important role in pest and foreign-object damage control.

Ronald Leu, a 52nd Civil Engineer Squadron base falconer, is the fulcrum between the base and these mission-critical predators that keep nuisance populations to tolerable levels.
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Airmen from the 86th Airlift Wing and 435th Contingency Response Group at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, traveled to the 33rd Air Base here Aug. 13 through 19 for combined training with Polish military forces.

Operation Screaming Eagle, the weeklong off-site training, aimed at sharing knowledge, strengthening bonds and building partnerships between the two units.

This was the first off-site training since members of the Polish air force's 3rd Airlift Wing and Airmen from the 86th AW and 435th Air Ground Operations Wing formalized their sister-wing relationship earlier this year.
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More than a decade in the making, the culture of the "wingman" approach to suicide prevention is still evolving as risk factors and causes of suicide are becoming more widely understood.

The wingman concept should be very familiar to most Airmen. Suicide prevention training has been incorporated into Airman culture from basic training though every level of professional military education and yearly refresher training.

For Lt. Col. Michael Kindt, the Air Force Suicide Prevention Program manager, when it comes to suicide prevention, the numbers are the key to understanding what approach to take.
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Guam's history is one of bloodshed and celebration, hardship and prosperity. It's also one of significant events that would later alter the course of history.

Sixty-five years ago, on August 14, 1945, servicemembers at Northwest Field Guam, saw the launch of 143 B-29 Superfortress aircraft assigned to the 315th Bombardment Wing for what would become the last combat mission of World War II.

The mission would be the longest continuous mission ever attempted by the 20th Air Force, logging more than 17 hours of flight and covering a distance of 3,760 miles to destroy the largest remaining oil reserves in Japan, at Akita.
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When Staff Sgt. Trevor Harvey lights the candles on the altar before Mass on drill weekends, he favors the hand that once pitched to Ken Griffey Jr.

"During one game I pitched, he hit a ball over 500 feet," said Sergeant Harvey, who now serves as the chaplain's assistant with the Arizona Air National Guard's 162nd Fighter Wing here.
Originally from Imlay City, Mich., Sergeant Harvey started playing baseball at age 7, and he excelled in the sport. Throughout high school, he played varsity baseball. Just before graduation, word spread quickly to local scouts about the 6-foot-5-inch left hander.
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Throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Airmen are sharing their stories, and their appreciation during Air Force Week here Aug. 24 through Aug. 29.

The New York City Police commissioner, on behalf of the Mayor of New York City, proclaimed this week Air Force Week in a ceremony aboard the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum today.

"New York City is the largest city in the nation and it's a great opportunity for people in the city and the state of New York to recognize all of our Airmen," Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley said during the ceremony. "And, it's a great way for our Air Force to reciprocate and say, 'Thanks' to the people of New York for all of their support."
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Representatives from the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps, as well as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Japan and many more partner nations, recently participated in the annual Empire Challenge 10 here and at locations worldwide simultaneously July 26 through Aug. 13.

The exercise is an annual joint and coalition intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance interoperability demonstration.

"(Empire Challenge) 10 showcases emerging ISR capabilities and provides vital lessons learned to improve joint and combined ISR interoperability to support warfighters at the tactical level," said Andy Florence, a 480th ISR Wing exercise planner. "Over 30 capabilities were selected for (Empire Challenge) 10 demonstration, with the intent of delivering successful technologies to commanders in Afghanistan."
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"We are committed to equipping Airmen with the most advanced capabilities available at the earliest time possible," Air Force officials said Aug. 24. "Based on feedback from Airmen, we believe the Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern (OCP) provides advanced protection to servicemembers while operating outside the wire in Afghanistan. Army (officials), while beginning an aggressive fielding schedule, (are) working with Air Force (officials) to support developing a long-term joint fielding strategy later this year."
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August is Cataract Awareness Month, and the 633rd Medical Group here is striving to ensure Airmen and their families know the scoop on cataracts.

A cataract is a clouding of the lens, the part of the eye that focuses light and produces clear images. Inside the eye, the lens is contained in a capsule. Over time, old cells die and accumulate inside the capsule, causing the lens to become cloudy and decrease the sharpness of one's vision.

Three types of cataracts are:
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While convoys are operating in areas where ground communications are limited, joint airborne battle staff crews are stepping in to bridge the gap during the responsible drawdown of forces where communication is critical to ensure U.S. Forces redeploy safely.

The drawdown has been a continuous process to bring the number of American troops down to approximately 50,000 by the end of August, and ultimately a complete removal by the end of 2011. Moving the forces out requires troops to be moved by air and ground. When traveling by convoy, the communications grid can be spotty throughout the vast Iraqi desert.
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Airmen and Marines work together loading one of four CH-53E Super Stallions here Aug. 20. The helicopters will be used to supplement U.S. military rescue and relief efforts in the flood-affected areas of Pakistan.

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I didn't know them. Not personally, anyway.

But when two members of a base with little more than 600 people die, it's hard not to be affected.

On Aug. 2, I had to photograph the ceremonial loading and departure of the remains of two 1-228th Aviation Regiment Soldiers who died recently in an off-base car accident.

Even though Army Sgts. Luis Brito and Leodegario Lizárraga didn't die in combat, or even because of it, their deaths were tragic and left unexpected holes in the lives of many.
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When Tech. Sgt. David Bales got the call that an Airman he supervised was drunk and talking about "ending it all," he immediately drove to the dormitory. He'd been around too many successful and attempted suicides to just attribute "ending it all" to a case of drunken rambling.

As an intelligence Airman, Sergeant Bales has worked with Airmen who have attempted suicide and some who've succeeded. Worse, he saw first-hand the toll suicide takes on the loved ones left behind when his best friend killed himself.
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