Hawaii Air Guard bids aloha to the F-15

Update: Check out this quick-turn video cut by Gabriel Yanagihara.  Mahalo to all our "tweeps" who came out today to see off the Eagles... nice to see you all again!

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The last F-15s assigned to the Hawaii Air National Guard will depart Oahu today.  The 154th Wing has begun conversion to the F-22 Raptor.  For more on today's departure ceremony events, follow the #F15HI tag on Twitter.

Aloha and mahalo, Eagles!

Disaster Prep on the Anniversary of the Great Kanto Earthquake

(Robert B. Sligh, PhD, is the Fifth Air Force historian at Yokota Air Base, Japan)

If you live in Japan and notice something happening on September 1, you’re probably right. Since 1960, each September 1 the Japanese conduct disaster drills. That’s a prudent precaution in a land on the edge of the Pacific “ring of fire.” I’ve felt a few earthquakes in my two tours here. I’m sure you have, too. But the reason they conduct the drill on September 1 is a matter of history.

On September 1, 1923, Tokyo, Yokohama, and the surrounding areas were jolted by a magnitude 8.3 earthquake. After the quake, which did plenty of damage by itself, Tokyo and Yokohama suffered massive fires, as many buildings and houses were made of wood. One estimate placed the death toll at 140,000. Many more were injured. Thousands of houses were destroyed and nearly two million people were homeless.

As a historian, I knew of the Great Kanto Earthquake and, living in Japan in 2004, wanted to find out more. That’s when synchronicity happened. I’d mentioned the 1923 quake at a staff meeting. The next thing I knew, I had an email from my boss, Lt. Gen. Thomas Waskow, Fifth Air Force and U.S. Forces Japan commander. His grandfather, Maj. Gen. Percy Bishop, U.S. Army, had been part of a U.S. military relief operation. U.S. relief operation? That was the first I’d heard of it. That began my quest for “the rest of the story,” the U.S.’ little-known part after the Great Kanto Earthquake..

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All that you can leave behind

(Col. Dave MacMillan is the 171st Air Refueling Wing Commander from Pittsburg, Penn., and is deployed to Andersen Air Force Base to support tanker operations in the Pacific Theater.)

Leaving places better than we found them—this is the calling card of the 171st Air Refueling Wing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As Airmen, wing members recognize their “high calling” and try to connect with people in everyday walks of life as they travel the globe. Some of these connections are on a personal level and some are in the form of giving donated items.

The KC-135’s from Pittsburgh arrived on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, in late June to execute the mission of the 506th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron (EARS), which is to support the Theater Security Package (TSP) and the Continuing Bomber Presence (CBP) missions —both important to ensuring regional security in the Pacific.

Lt. Col. Sean Boyle was the Detachment Commander for July, and he coordinated the 506th EARS Apaca Point clean up with the Guam Park Service and paved the way for “Operation Backpack.” Planned by Master Sgt. John Buckwalter, a 171st Boom Operator, “Operation Backpack” was a wing-wide effort to reach out to kids and families within the local Andersen AFB community. Airmen of the 171st collected a large supply of kid’s backpacks full of school supplies, clothing, and toys and hand-carried them on the long flight from Pittsburgh—destination Guam.

Sergeant Buckwalter contacted the 36th Wing’s community relations chief and the base chaplain’s office to get ideas to help the local community--the Machananao Elementary School was offered as a place to support. The word spread throughout the wing, and many backpacks came forward and were carried on the jets by deploying Airmen...

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Memoirs of a singer

(Tech. Sgt. Paula Goetz is a Vocalist and NCOIC, commander's support staff, of the USAF Band of the Pacific-Asia.)

As a seasoned vocalist in the USAF Regional Bands career field, I have been called upon to sing our nation’s national anthem countless times, I daresay hundreds of times during my military career thus far. This short, one-minute tribute to our heritage and way of life has always given me a deep personal sense of pride and patriotism. Additionally, I am fortunate to be stationed overseas in Japan at Yokota AB, where this ceremony is extended to include the singing of our host nation’s national anthem, “Kimigayo”. This past week I experienced one of the most rewarding performances I have ever given when I was joined in singing Japan’s national anthem in a surprising way.

On August 20, 2010, the base hosted a joint tour of a special group of people that have a very unique connection to the history of what is now Yokota Air Base...

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My experience during Pacific Unity

(Capt. Michael Crosse is a civil engineer and chief of the Civil Engineer division for 13th Air Force.)

I had a rare and awesome opportunity to be the team lead for a civil engineering Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE) that included mid-level officers from more than fourteen Asia-Pacific countries. They came to learn how we do business but I learned a great deal about how our CE counterparts in the PACOM AOR conduct business as well. The SMEE was in three iterations over the summer. They had the opportunity to look behind the scenes at how we conduct emergency management, disasters response tactics, techniques and procedures, among others.

We took the delegates to visit several of our military installations including the U.S. Air Force Academy out in Colorado Springs. I think everyone was really impressed with the school's Field Engineering Readiness Lab where they observed cadets during mock deployments that were designed to allow the students to perform hands-on training in surveying, construction methods and using various construction material. I have to say, I was just as impressed as they were.

I almost forgot to mention who all attended the SMEE. We had our friends from Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Laos, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Timor Leste, Thailand, Tonga, and Vietnam. It was a real treat to meet each and every one of these outstanding officers, and I am certainly happy to have been the lead for this SMEE.

I hope they return to visit us again!

Check out this awesome article written by Tech. Sgt. Kerry Jackson from our 13 AF/ PA team which provides a more in-depth look at the CE SMEE. There's also a supplemental video there as well produced by Tech. Sgt. Aries Early.

Mahalo!
Captain Crosse
13th Air Force/ A7

"Tweeps" witness final Eagle flight by Hawaii Air National Guard

Update: check out this quick-turn video by Ricky Li... thanks for sharing!

Several traditional and social media representatives observed today's last training sortie by the 199th Fighter Squadron with F-15 Eagles.  The unit will now begin transitioning to F-22 Raptors, the first of which recently arrived on Oahu.

Click here for a Twitter stream of observations and links to photos and video.

Thanks to our Tweeps for coming out to observe!  And thanks to the Eagle for 30+ years of service in the skies over Hawaii and forward deployed around the world!

JBER honored to serve in former senators memorial

(SrA Nathan Wyrembelski is from the 3rd Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.)

When I was told that I was selected to represent the Air Force as one of the members of the Joint Pall bearing team for the late Senator Ted Stevens’ memorial service, I felt very honored and privileged.

As a member of the Elmendorf Base Honor Guard, I have participated in a number of funerals and memorial services, but I have never been a part of honoring with dignity and respect, such a special man like Senator Stevens. He served in the United States Senate longer than any Republican in history and took every opportunity to direct and improve social and economic conditions in this beautiful state of Alaska.

It was so obvious to me by the response of the people of Alaska that they really respected and revered the Senator for his efforts. I am extremely proud to have had the opportunity to pay respects to the Senator, his family, and his great state, and I hope that I represented well. Being a part of the Senator’s memorial service is an event that I will always remember, and some day share with my children.