B-1B Bombers and 250 Airmen Temporarily Moving from South Dakota to Texas Following Crash

Airmen at Ellsworth Air Force Base, located near Rapid City, have begun flying an undisclosed number of Lancers to Dyess Air Force Base near Abilene, Texas, officials from both bases told Military.com.


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Ukrainians Worry After Plane Crash that POW Exchanges with Russia Will End

As Russia and Ukraine trade accusations over this week's crash of a Russian military transport plane, one thing is clear: families' fears that future prisoner exchanges may be in danger and loved ones could stay imprisoned.


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U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Micheal Whitney, and Airmen Cole Ladouceur, two fire protection specialists assigned to the 174th Attack Wing, speaks to two students from Baldwinsville Central School District during a wing career fair at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base

 

SYRACUSE, NY, UNITED STATES
01.18.2024
Photo by Alexander Rector 
174th Attack Wing Public Affairs  

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Micheal Whitney, and Airmen Cole Ladouceur, two fire protection specialists assigned to the 174th Attack Wing, speaks to two students from Baldwinsville Central School District during a wing career fair at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, Jan. 18. During the career fair more than 60 high school students met with 174th Attack Wing Airmen, viewed unit vehicles and equipment, and learned about career opportunities with the New York Air Nationl Guard. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Alexander Rector)

HANCOCK FIELD AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, NY – The New York Air National Guard’s 174th Attack Wing opened their doors and hosted a career fair for more than 60 high school students from Baldwinsville Central School District at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, Jan, 18.

The career fair showcased job opportunities with the Syracuse headquartered unit and allowed the students to speak with 174th Attack Wing Airmen and view Air Force equipment and vehicles.

“We’re excited to open our base and welcome the students, teachers and guidance counselors from the Baldwinsville Central School District,” said U.S. Air Force Col. John O’Connor, commander of the 174th Attack Wing. “This is a great opportunity to demonstrate the opportunities available at the 174th Attack Wing, and the New York Air National Guard.”

Craig Rosen a high school teacher at Baldwinsville Central School District and retired U.S. Navy helicopter pilot, decided to pursue a field trip to Hancock Field for his students after a chance meeting with Tech Sgt. Trayvon Wynn, a recruiter assigned to the 174th Attack Wing.

“One day at the beginning of the school year, I walked into the school, and saw Tech Sgt. Wynn and I noticed how he was engaging the students,” said Rosen. “I saw that how he interacted with students was the same way I interact in my classroom, so I walked up to him, and I was like, Hey, I said, I need you to come to my classroom and just sit down and talk to my kids.”

At Baldwinsville High School, Rosen teaches a class titled MST for mathematics, science, and technology, which is a project-based hands-on STEM course where students explore subjects like aerodynamics, physics, chemistry, mathematics, and technology, through project-based learning.

“It's a very unique course in the sense that it's not somebody standing up in front of the classroom lecturing, it's more of a class where I give them a problem set and materials and they work in small groups to solve the problem,” said Rosen.

When Rosen started brainstorming on somewhere to bring his class in the local community where they could see different careers that use MST, Hancock Field Air National Guard Base seemed to fit the bill. The 174th Attack Wing, headquartered at Hancock Field, operates the MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft. The unit also operates two training schools at the base which train MQ-9 crews and maintainers.

With support careers such as civil engineering, security forces, logistics, and intelligence, the 174th Attack Wing has opportunities for service that intersect a wide spectrum of academic disciplines.

“It was very eye-opening,” said Jenna Diliberto, a senior at Baldwinsville High School. “Coming here I thought it would be mostly mechanical stuff but I learned that there also are medical programs here which is what I’m going to college for, so this could also be an option for me in that field.”

Surrounded by three MQ-9 Reapers in the unit’s main hanger, the students took turns piloting a flight simulator and looked at interactive displays during the three-hour event.

“One of the missions of our school district is community connection, and this is community connection,” said Rosen. “These kids are coming down and seeing what's going on inside the walls of this base. They're coming in here and seeing that the military is not just what they see on Call of Duty and if you want to turn this into a career, this is a viable opportunity. I think that's important.”

“I just want to thank you guys. You all really made this an amazing event and Tech. Sgt. Wynn went above and beyond,” said Rosen. “I really can't say enough how impressed I was by the amount of people and the quality of education you are providing to my youth. You really went above and beyond so I appreciate that.”

For more information on joining the 174th Attack Wing, please contact the recruiting office at 1(800)883-4484.

Members of Camp Lemonnier Fire and Emergency Services Department, Djiboutian and French fire departments pose for a photo

 

CAMP LEMONNIER, DJIBOUTI
01.03.2024
Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Thomas 
Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti  

CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti (January 3, 2024) - Members of Camp Lemonnier Fire and Emergency Services Department, Djiboutian and French fire departments pose for a photo during the trilateral aviation firefighting walkthrough at Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport, Djibouti, Jan. 3, 2024. The familiarization event prepared firefighters for effective joint response by assessing V-22 Osprey and C-130 Hercules airframes, critical components, instructions, coordination and response to aircraft mishaps alongside other nations. CLDJ is an operational installation that enables U.S., allied and partner nation forces to be where they are needed to ensure security and protect U.S. interests. The installation provides world-class support for service members, transient U.S. assets and 38 local tenant commands. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Christopher Thomas)

Exercise on Humphreys airfield tests emergency responders

First responders conduct a pre-accident drill upon a Chinook on Desiderio Army Airfield, Jan. 23, 2024, on U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys. The installation conducts the drill on a regular basis and tests rescue and recovery operations.(U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Johnny Rodriguez) (Photo Credit: Pfc. Johnny Rodriguez)

CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea -- On the ice-cold tarmac of Camp Humphreys’ Desiderio Army Airfield, a CH-47 Chinook helicopter landed, while inside seven Soldiers staged themselves as mock victims of a crash, kicking off the second quarter pre-accident drill, Jan 23, 2024.

The call came out over the radio, and moments later, U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys emergency responders were en route to the scene, but since they were responding to an exercise, lights flashed but their sirens were quiet.

“Emergency response teams conduct individual training on a regular basis, but these events give us the opportunity to synchronize our training in a complect collective exercise,” said U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Ryan Chambers, airfield safety officer.

To provide added realism, the exercise coordinators used smoke machines. Inside the helicopter, the mock victims feigned injury, crying for help as the firetrucks closed in on the scene. The firefighters mobilized, with a team grabbing the water line, while others assessed the situation and readied a triage area, complete with stretchers.

“Realism is absolutely vital for this type of event,” said Chambers, who hails from Parker, Colo. “These exercises allow us to introduce new scenarios to try to diversify and maximize the training as much as possible for all players involved.”

Once the exercise evaluators determined that the firefighters’ actions would have extinguished any fire, had there actually been one, the emergency personnel moved to the helicopter to evacuate the Soldiers. Each of the Soldiers had instructions detailing their mock injuries, but the emergency responders had to determine what was wrong and the proper way to safely remove them from the aircraft. While some could walk, other Soldiers had to pretend they had significant injuries, including broken bones and internal bleeding, forcing the emergency medical technicians to employ back and neck braces before carrying mock patients to the triage area.

“These exercises give us an opportunity to validate and refine our current procedures to make sure that we’re the most effective and efficient as possible to respond to any real-world incident,” said Chambers.

Although several days had gone into preparing the scenario, the exercise was over in less than an hour. In just a few months, the airfield safety team will be back to the drawing board creating another scenario to test Camp Humphreys’ ability to respond to an airfield emergency.