News from the Air Force

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Spotlight: SrA. Nora L. Limjoco:

One of the Air Force's Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2011, SrA. Nora L. Limjoco is a dental lab journeyman currently assigned to the 30th Medical Operations Squadron at Vandenberg AFB, Calif. Limjoco has "definitely raised the bar," according to one supervisor. In addition to excelling at her primary work, designing and fabricating dental prostheses, she directs the 30th Space Wing's Basic Life Support program, oversees the Precious Metals program, and is a member of the 30th Medical Group security team. As part of the BLS program, Limjoco has certified more than 3,000 base personnel, greatly improving wing emergency readiness. She led a five-person lab during the non-commissioned officer in charge's six-month absence and is rated No. 1 among five lab personnel by providers. Her efforts to develop a dental lab case log and initiate product timeline comment codes were lauded by Air Force Medical Operations Agency officials. Limjoco's home of record is Bossier City, La. She represents Air Force Space Command among this year's outstanding airmen.

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Spotlight:

SSgt. John C. Norris: A tactical air control party airman with the Air National Guard's 148th Air Support Operations Squadron at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa., SSgt. John C. Norris is one of the Air Force's 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2011. Norris served as a TACP member on three deployments before leaving active duty to enroll full-time in college and join the Air Guard. Before a recent deployment to Afghanistan, he created realistic training scenarios that increased TACP situational awareness and response times and successfully indoctrinated inexperienced airmen for combat operations. On deployment, he charged into enemy fire, rescuing two wounded soldiers, and then directed lethal fire from two Apache helicopters while ordering evacuation of the wounded. His Army commander has nominated him for a Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device. He also controlled 120 close air support strikes and conducted more than 100 combat patrols, receiving the Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device. Norris' home of record is Oklahoma City. He represents the ANG among this year's outstanding airmen.

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Spotlight:

SSgt. Jordan S. Bishopp: One of the Air Force's Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2011, SSgt. Jordan S. Bishopp is an explosive ordnance disposal craftsman with the 377th EOD Flight at Kirtland AFB, N.M. On his third deployment, this one to Afghanistan, Bishopp completed more than 120 combat missions and neutralized 46 improvised explosive devices. He analyzed 12 post-blast IED attacks, helping improve operations, and he collected and catalogued more than 500 post-attack IED items, providing evidence instrumental in the capture of at least three enemy IED bombers. Over three deployments, he completed more than 400 missions, countering 200 IEDs, and received the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, and the Joint Service Achievement Medal. One of his commanders called him "the complete package," who shows superior job knowledge and leadership, particularly in mentoring younger airmen. Bishopp's home of record is Watseka, Ill. He represents Air Force Materiel Command among this year's outstanding airmen.

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Spotlight:

TSgt. Bradley A. Williams: A vehicle operations supervisor with the 5th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Minot AFB, N.D., TSgt. Bradley A. Williams is one of the Air Force's 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2011. Serving with an Army medium truck detachment on deployment, Williams participated in 200 missions, encountering 300 insurgent attacks. He led 17 convoys, providing critical supplies to 23 forward operating bases. He protected six convoys by rerouting them and coordinating with a quick-reaction force after identifying vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices. He thwarted a small-arms attack. He conducted in-theater training, leading 25 pre-mission convoy briefs and reinforcing combat skills for dozens of airmen and soldiers. He was among first responders on a major accident and coordinated life-saving medical evacuation. His feedback at the career field manager deployment after-action conference prompted the Air Force to change its convoy training standards. He received a Bronze Star Medal for his efforts while deployed. At Minot, as acting first sergeant, he personally counseled airmen on numerous financial and family problems. Williams' home of record is Elkhart, Ind. He represents Air Force Global Strike Command among this year's outstanding airmen.

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A Nation Remembers: Sunday marks the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks that took nearly 3,000 lives in New York City, Arlington, Va., and Shanksville, Pa. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen will host a private remembrance ceremony on Sunday at the Pentagon for families that lost loved ones there. President Obama and the First Lady will attend the commemoration ceremony at the national memorial at the World Trade Center site in New York. The President also will participate in the ceremony in Shanksville. "As tragic as 9/11 was . . . we have drawn tremendous inspiration from that day," said Panetta in remarks Tuesday at the WTC site. He said those events, "brought this nation together in the commitment that what happened" must "never happen again." The United States has "achieved significant success going after al Qaeda," but must "forever remain vigilant," he said. "Our greatest strength lies in those that have been willing to serve this nation to defend it," added Panetta.

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Spotlight:

TSgt. Dustin K. Goodwin: One of the Air Force's 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2011, TSgt. Dustin K. Goodwin is a flight chief assigned to the 48th Security Forces Squadron at RAF Lakenheath, Britain. Goodwin has deployed twice to both Iraq and Afghanistan. Recently in Afghanistan, in a three-hour-long attack against his facility, he engaged 20 enemy fighters and killed three himself—at one point shunning full cover to take out two insurgents who were throwing grenades. He received a Bronze Star Medal and Air Force Combat Action Medal. He also responded outside the wire to 13 enemy rocket attacks, receiving an Army Combat Action Badge. Goodwin helped foil an espionage plot and organized transfer of a high-value-target prisoner, receiving State Department praise. He also worked with the Army's Criminal Investigation Division and US Secret Service to help defuse a potential threat to the President. Goodwin's home of record is Forbestown, Calif. He represents US Air Forces in Europe among this year's outstanding airmen.

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Spotlight:

TSgt. Ricardo A. Chavez: A Reservist serving as a military training instructor with the 433rd Training Squadron at Lackland AFB, Tex., (a part of Joint Base San Antonio), TSgt. Ricardo A. Chavez is one of the Air Force's 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2011. Chavez began his Air Force career as a security forces specialist, including serving as an undercover agent for a joint drug enforcement team, before switching to the Reserve and cross-training as a military training instructor. Chavez has the Master MTI Blue Rope Award and is among USAF's top MTIs. He is considered a BEAST master—training recruits in basic combat skills and improving courseware in USAF's new Basic Expeditionary Airman Skills Training program. He has improved the MTI process, cutting class prep time by 26 percent and equipment errors by 42 percent. Chavez also serves as an MTI training manager, providing orientation and ensuring compliance for newly assigned instructors. Chavez's home of record is El Paso, Tex. He represents Air Force Reserve Command among this year's outstanding airmen.

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Spotlight:

SMSgt. Kathleen M. McCool: A recruiter screening team superintendent with the Air Force Recruiting Service at Randolph AFB, Tex., SMSgt. Kathleen M. McCool is one of the Air Force's 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2011. McCool transitioned from health services management to military training instructor, achieving a Master MTI Blue Rope Award, before volunteering for recruiting and becoming one of the top 12 recruiters in the nation. She took her enlisted accessions production flight from bottom to first place among 189 AFRS production flights. She revamped the new recruiter assignment process, reducing screening time by 5,000 hours per year. She spearheaded Air Education and Training Command's special-duty briefing team, increasing recruiter duty applications by 300 percent, and her mentoring skill enabled a new recruiter to earn top rookie honors in 2010. She also led recruiter hiring, securing high-caliber personnel with a 96 percent successful recruiter schoolhouse graduation rate. McCool's home of record is Tucson, Ariz. She represents AETC among this year's outstanding airmen.

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Spotlight:

SMSgt. Patrick D. Jones: One of the Air Force's 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2011, SMSgt. Patrick D. Jones is an operations flight superintendent with the 375th Civil Engineer Squadron at Scott AFB, Ill. Jones, who helps manage 250 multiskilled military and civilian engineers, was named best Air Mobility Command superintendent and led his squadron to best in the command. USAF benchmarked his work to develop a $15 million 24-mile pipe repair plan. He anchored the wing's Air Traffic System Evaluation Program, receiving AMC inspector general praise for "best to date" preparation. His effort during a major snow recovery operation ensured uninterrupted Tanker Airlift Control Center operations during Haiti earthquake relief activity. He also saved USAF some $2 million by enlisting Reserve help in repairing and converting 85 housing units to transient living facility quarters. Jones' home of record is Shreveport, La. He represents AMC among this year's outstanding airmen. This is the final entry in the series.






Also featured were:

SMSgt. Kathleen M. McCool SSgt. John C. Norris
SMSgt. David L. Newman SrA. Nora L. Limjoco
TSgt. Ricardo A. Chavez SrA. Daniel T. Skidmore
TSgt. Dustin K. Goodwin SrA. Ulla B. Stromberg
TSgt. Bradley A. Williams SrA. Raven S. Taylor
SSgt. Jordan S. Bishopp

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Grand Forks Receives Its First Global Hawk:

The Air Force's first operational RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 40 remotely piloted aircraft touched down at Grand Forks AFB, N.D., its new home. "The arrival of the first operational Global Hawk to Grand Forks is great news, and reaffirms the continued commitment of the Air Force to the [unmanned aircraft system] mission at Grand Forks," said Sen. Kent Conrad (D) in a release. "Global Hawk and UAS represent a new era in military aviation, and we're proud that Grand Forks has an important role to play," said Sen. John Hoeven (R) in a separate statement. The aircraft arrived on Sept. 16 from California. Grand Forks is slated to host 10 Block 40s, the RQ-4 variant featuring the sophisticated MP-RTIP ground-surveillance radar. More Global Hawks will arrive this fall. The Air Force on Monday will activate the 69th Reconnaissance Group at Grand Forks to operate and maintain the base's Global Hawks

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Lockheed Moves Ahead with C-130J Production, Deliveries:

Lockheed Martin is set to deliver the first HC-130J to Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., later this week, kicking off Air Combat Command's recapitalization of the combat search and rescue fleet. Next week, Cannon AFB, N.M., will receive its first MC-130J and another HC-130J will go to Kirkland AFB, N.M., said Jim Grant, vice president of air mobility and special operations programs for Lockheed Martin, at AFA's Air & Space Conference Monday. "We are set to deliver 33 airplanes this year, and we expect to continue that production rate in the mid-30s over the next several years," said Grant. The Air Force announced recently that it will add 48 MC-130J special operations aircraft to its HC/MC-130J recapitalization program of record, increasing the intended buy from 74 to 122 airframes. Thirty-two of the new aircraft will supplant Air Force Special Operation Command's older MC-130s, while the remaining 16 will undergo post-production conversion to AC-130J gunships.

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Everything Is on the Table:

Ever single line item under the budget remains under heavy review, as the Defense Department and the rest of the federal government look to shave costs and reduce the nation's debt, said Air Force Secretary Michael Donley at AFA's Air & Space Conference Monday. Roughly 40 percent of the Air Force's budget is dedicated to personnel costs, so that means coveted items such as health care and benefits must also be considered, he added. "We need to make sure that the compensation earned is sustainable over the long haul," said Donley. However, he echoed previous comments by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, saying any changes to pensions and other benefits are likely to be grandfathered for today's airmen.

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Remains of WWII Airmen Identified:

The DOD POW/Missing Personnel Office announced identification of the remains of four airmen, part of a 10-man B-17 crew lost in the Pacific in 1943. The airmen were on a bombing mission over Papau New Guinea in their B-17 Naughty but Nice on June 26, 1943, when the bomber was hit by antiaircraft fire and ultimately shot down by a Japanese fighter aircraft. The four airmen were: 1st Lt. William J. Sarsfield of Philadelphia; 2nd Lt. Charles E. Trimingham of Salinas, Calif.; TSgt. Robert L. Christopherson of Blue Earth, Minn.; and TSgt. Leonard A. Gionet of Shirley, Mass. Their remains are to be buried as a group in a single casket at Arlington National Cemetery. Previously, DOD had identified other members of the crew that perished in the crash: 2nd Lt. Herman Knott, 2nd Lt. Francis G. Peattie, SSgt. Henry Garcia, SSgt. Robert E. Griebel, and SSgt. Pace P. Payne—all of whom were buried individually in 1985. A 10th airman, 2nd Lt. Jose L. Holguin, was the only survivor and was held as a prisoner of war until 1945.

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Slain Airman Awarded Silver Star:

Capt. Nathan Nylander, who died April 27 helping his comrades when a disgruntled Afghan air force officer attacked US air advisors at Kabul International Airport, posthumously received the Silver Star medal for his valor. Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz presented the Silver Star to Nylander's widow and three children during a Sept. 24 ceremony at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. "Our nation was blessed with such a brave and generous airman," said Schwartz, reported the Arizona Daily Star. He told the children: "You need to know how proud we are of your father. Your dad is an inspiration to me." Nylander, 35, was assigned to Davis-Monthan's 25th Operational Weather Squadron. He was serving in Kabul with the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing. Nylander evacuated a group of airmen and Afghan personnel from the conference room he was in when the Afghan officer began his shooting attack. Nylander then went into a hallway and helped engage and wound the Afghan. Nylander began assisting the wounded, believing that the Afghan officer was incapacitated. But he was fatally wounded when the Afghan resumed the attack. A total of eight airmen and one US contractor died in the shooting.

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TacSat-4 Launch Successful:

The Space and Missile Systems Center's Space Development and Test Directorate at Kirtland AFB, N.M., oversaw Tuesday's successful launch of the Tactical Satellite-4 aboard a Minotaur IV+ rocket from Kodiak, Alaska. "I am really excited about TacSat-4," said Peter Wegner, director of the Pentagon's Operationally Responsive Space Office at Kirtland, in a release. He continued, "It is a little bit of a surprise as not many people have paid attention to it. It is sort of an underdog mission." During its one year of planned activity, the experimental communications satellite should enable ground troops to remain in contact via legacy hand-held radios even when they are operating in difficult mountainous and urban terrain. "This capability does not currently exist," said Wegner. The Navy led the satellite's development. This launch was the first successful mission of the Minotaur IV+ booster configuration.

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Shepherd in the Sky:

A C-17 crew on a recent airdrop mission over Afghanistan diverted to escort a disabled B-1 Lancer to a safe landing back at the B-1's operating base in Southwest Asia. "We were working a complex situation on the ground with some guys taking some fire and we lost our navigation instruments," said Capt. Gavin O'Brien, 34th Expeditionary Bomber Squadron B-1 pilot deployed from Ellsworth AFB, S.D. He continued, "The C-17 heard us having some trouble in the radio and offered to bring us home." After command and control relayed the bomber's coordinates, the airlifter detoured 150 miles to lead the Lancer home to its undisclosed air base outside of Afghanistan. "They were up there flying blind more or less" and "had no way of navigating back out of country," explained Capt. Justin Taylor, C-17 commander assigned to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, who's on a deployment from JB Charleston, S.C.

C-17




B-1

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Grasshopper Greetings:

An airworthy L-2M liaison aircraft from World War II, complete with original radio equipment, replaced a less authentic model at the National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. The former Army Air Forces "grasshopper," which logged 230 hours as a pilot trainer at Pittsburg, Kan., arrived under its own power Wednesday and taxied to the museum. It will join the World War II gallery this winter. "This particular aircraft was used to train pilots during the war, and liaison aircraft like this one served many purposes in combat, such as spotting enemy troop and supply concentrations and directing artillery fire on them," said Jack Hudson, museum director. After the war, this L-2, serial number 43-26592, was converted to a civil configuration. Donor Richard Valladao in 2009 returned it to its military specifications and toured the California air show circuit for several years.

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First MC-130J Enters Inventory:

The Air Force last week received its first new-build MC-130J Combat Shadow II special-mission aircraft. Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel, Air Force Special Operations Command boss, flew the aircraft from Lockheed Martin's production facility in Marietta, Ga., to Cannon AFB, N.M., its new home. The MC-130J joins the 522nd Special Operations Squadron, a part of Cannon's 27th Special Operations Wing. "Members of the 522th SOS will rewrite history as they fly the MC-130 farther, faster, and higher," said Fiel at the Sept. 29 aircraft acceptance ceremony. "As innovative air commandos, you will push this plane to its limits and find creative ways to employ our people more effectively." This aircraft is the first of 69 new MC-130Js that the Air Force plans to equip AFSOC with to replace the command's MC-130E/H/P/W special-role aircraft. The Air Force last week also received its first new HC-130J Combat King II.

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Wright-Patt's Final Trek in the Galaxy:

A C-5A Galaxy transport, tail number 90013, touched down on the landing strip at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, after completing the final C-5 mission for Air Force Reserve Command's 445th Airlift Wing. Two Wright-Patt fire trucks flanked the aircraft as it taxied back, giving it the traditional water cannon salute during the Sept. 28 finale to the wing's six years of operating the massive airlifters. The aircraft flew touch and goes around the local area that day. The Reserve unit began began transitioning early this year from the C-5A to the C-17 Globemaster III. The base is scheduled to receive its full complement of nine C-17s by the end of Fiscal 2012.

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Johnny Alison Buried at Arlington:

Retired Maj. Gen. John "Johnny" R. Alison was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery before a gathering of airmen, family, and friends. "We have lost a great American, a dear friend, and a committed and loving family man," said Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz during a eulogy Monday at the Memorial Chapel at JB Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., prior to the graveside service. "And our nation has lost one of her most spectacular aviators." Air Force Secretary Michael Donley presented the American flag to Alison's wife Penni graveside at Arlington. Alison died June 6 at his home in Washington, D.C., at age 98. Born in Florida in 1912, Alison went on to become a highly decorated World War II combat ace, Korean War veteran, and lifetime airpower advocate. He became known as the father of Air Force special operations. "Our nation and Air Force, which he so deeply loved and so faithfully served, will continue to benefit from his example and to move ever forward in his loving memory," said Schwartz.