-Caveat Lector- WJPBR Email News List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peace at any cost is a Prelude to War! 0847. Remembering Khobar Towers Five years ago, 19 airmen were killed and more than 400 others were injured when a terrorist bomb destroyed Khobar Towers at Dhahran Air Base, Saudi Arabia. The memories are vivid for survivors, and the after effects of the bombing still ripple through the Air Force today. Take an in-depth look at the bombing, its after shock and its impact on survivors in this Air Force News Special Web Report. 0845. Air Force strives to sustain its civilian work force by Staff Sgt. A.J. Bosker Air Force Print News WASHINGTON -- The Air Force continues to take steps to ensure the sustainability of its civilian work force, Air Force officials said. As the major command with the largest civilian population -- more than 57,000 members -- Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is taking the lead in the service's civilian work force-shaping efforts. Although very experienced and capable of accomplishing the mission, the Air Force's civilian work force is "out-of-balance," officials said. "We have a very low number of younger employees, only 25 percent are age 40 or below, and a much larger number is nearing retirement age," said Polly Sweet, AFMC's human resources division chief. "Taking into account both optional and early retirements, over 62 percent of the civilian work force will be eligible to retire by the end of 2005." To avoid future readiness concerns, the service must start bringing in new people now to have them trained and ready to replace the more experienced people as they retire, Sweet said. The AFMC work force-shaping office is developing initiatives for the Air Force that target recruitment, training, retention and managed separation of civilian employees. One such initiative is giving entrance and exit interviews to employees. These interviews will be given to new employees after 120 days of employment and again to separating employees. The information from these interviews will be used to help the Air Force identify problem areas and improve its processes. The Air Force is also increasing the annual number of centrally funded interns by 120 and is trying to fund a "co-op" program that will include up to 500 positions, complementing the service's active college and job fair recruiting efforts. To further augment the accession of new employees, the Air Force is looking for ways to streamline its civilian hiring process. "Too many times we lose candidates because we have such a cumbersome process that often takes months from the time applicants submit their resume to the time they hear from us," Sweet said. "We now face a situation where many of the skills for which we are looking to hire -- engineers, skilled mechanics and business majors -- are in high demand from industry," she said. "In many cases, there isn't a large enough supply of skilled candidates coming through the pipeline compared to the demand. Therefore, it's important to improve our process to be competitive." Despite its best efforts, the Air Force can only hire as many people as it loses. "We generally can't bring new people into our work force until someone retires," Sweet said. "If the bulk of our work force retire at the same time, we will have a tremendous number of vacancies to be filled at the same time, and not enough mid-career employees trained to perform mission-critical duties, unless we can manage separations in an orderly way." To manage this, the Air Force is using a voluntary separation incentive pay program. "(VSIP) is important because it gives managers the ability to better manage the attrition -- to let some people retire today and start bringing in new employees -- before we have that big wave of people leaving," Sweet said. "We are seeking to extend VSIP through 2002 and 2003." Another initiative AFMC is pushing in its personnel proposals is for pay banding, such as is currently in place at the Air Force Research Laboratory. The AFRL is the organization under AFMC that plans and executes the Air Force's entire science and technology budget, including basic and applied research and advanced technology development. A program at AFRL called the Laboratory Personnel Demonstration Project, or Lab Demo, provides leadership the opportunity to offer more salary to newly recruited laboratory scientists and engineers, making pay competitive with civilian laboratories. "Lab Demo helps with retention, as well, by allowing us to compensate the scientist or engineer based on contribution to the mission vs. length of time spent in the organization," said Robert May Jr., AFRL executive director at Wright-Patterson AFB. May said he sees this as a plus to recruiting and retaining a high-quality workforce. Although the civilian force is "out-of-balance" now, Air Force officials do not expect the work force of the future to undergo a similar crisis. "We expect to see a higher turnover in the future because it is a more mobile society, and (a more) mobile generation and federal retirement benefits are more portable," May said. "This will give us the opportunity to refresh our work force, bring in new people and ideas, which is certainly beneficial to a research organization," he said. "It also enables us to change our skill mixes as new technology comes along. "So turnover is not necessarily bad, but too much turnover can be chaotic," he said. 0851. U.S. trains with Japan in Exercise Cope North Guam 2001 ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam (AFPN) -- With the successful deployment of fighter aircraft outside of Japan for only the third time in its history, Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-15s took to the South Pacific skies here June 7 to train with their U.S. counterparts in Exercise Cope North Guam 2001. Since 1978, Cope North is a regularly scheduled bilateral exercise designed to enhance the air operations of both countries' forces. During this year's two-week exercise, pilots from both countries will conduct training in air combat tactics, electronic combat and airborne air control. The training pits U.S. pilots against Japanese pilots in scenarios in which one side tries to defend its airspace while the other side attempts to penetrate it. Participating in the exercise are ten JASDF F-15 Eagles from the 2nd Air Wing, Chitose Air Base, Japan; an E-767 airborne warning and control system from Hamamatstu AB, Japan; 16 U.S. Air Force F-16s from Misawa AB and one E-3 AWACS aircraft from Kadena AB; and two Marine EA-6Bs from Iwakuni Naval Air Station. And while pilots test their air-combat skills far above the skies of Guam, the 30 Air Force, Marine and JASDF aircraft deployed here provide a constant workload for the 150 Air Force and 76 JASDF maintainers. Just like the pilots, the maintenance crews have been able to interact with their counterparts in an exchange of ideas. "Being able to speak with and learn from each other has been a real benefit to this deployment," said Master Sgt. Stephen Lampley, production superintendent of the 961st Maintenance Squadron. Cope North Guam 2001 also marks the debut deployment of the JASDF E-767. Based at Hamamatstu Air Base, Japan, the E-767 is six feet longer than the Boeing 707, has 50 percent more floor area, nearly twice the cabin volume, and can fly higher, faster and remain on station longer without re-fueling than the U.S. E-3 AWACS aircraft. "The 767 AWACS is an outstanding example of acquisition success and international cooperation among the United States and Japan," said Maj. Dave Boyer of the 605th Air Expeditionary Group. The exercise also marks the first time the U.S. Air Force E-3 and JASDF E-767 aircraft have been operationally co-located -- sharing not only ramp space, but aircrews as well. "This is a historic deployment for both JASDF and U.S. forces," said Lt. Col. Michael Benson, 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron detachment commander. "This is the first time we are exercising joint command and control on both E-3 and 767 aircraft simultaneously." "This (exercise) provides our forces an opportunity to increase our interoperability between U.S. and JASDF aircraft," said Lt. Col. Masaki Namba, the JASDF 767 deployed commander. Not all the lessons of the exercise will take place in mock air engagements, though. At the end of each day, pilots from both sides sit and discuss what took place during simulated air battles. "The other benefit of the setting is the chance to get to know your allies and fellow warriors and to develop a deeper trust of their capabilities," said Col. Don Weckhorst, 605th Expeditionary Group commander For the JASDF, the exercise will provide one other key lesson, which is pretty standard for U.S. pilots -- deploying, employing and re-deploying their assets. "Coming to Guam, the JASDF can experience and learn what it takes to send a package of airplanes and personnel to support operations like this," Weckhorst said. "This, combined with the amount and availability of air space at Guam, provides an ideal opportunity to further enhance the training environment for both forces." 0850. OSI, FBI establish joint office ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFPN) -- The Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigations strengthened their ties recently when they formally activated a joint operations group outside of Atlanta. The group consists of a resident OSI agent, an FBI supervisory agent and four FBI field agents. They are collocated in the AFOSI Region 3, Operation Location B, satellite office at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Ga. Air Force Reserve Command OSI officials here said the joint office is a first for the command and OSI. The group offers "unlimited opportunities for liaison and intelligence-gathering abilities between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies within the greater Atlanta area," officials said. "A wealth of intelligence knowledge is now readily available and accessible because this office will serve as a central focal point among the law enforcement community in Atlanta," said Special Agent Jeff Fleshman, the OSI agent at Dobbins. While the office is new, working with the FBI is not, said Staff Sgt. Mark Getsy, spokesperson for AFOSI headquarters at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. "The new office at Dobbins ARB is another step forward in the continuing efforts to build a strong relationship between OSI and the FBI," Getsy said. "Worldwide, OSI has co-located with many of its federal, state and local law enforcement counterparts to make it more convenient for the mission and to solve the investigation." At the activation ceremony, Special Agent-in-Charge Theodore Jackson of the FBI Atlanta Division and Brig. Gen. William P. Kane, 94th Airlift Wing commander at Dobbins, praised Fleshman and Atlanta-based FBI Special Agent Kenny Powers for creating the partnership between the two organizations. Air Force Reserve Command activated Region 3 OL-B at AFRC headquarters in July 1998 to provide criminal, fraud and counterintelligence investigative services to reserve units worldwide in a manner comparable to OSI units serving other major commands. In addition to Dobbins, the OL-B staffs full-time satellite offices at March ARB, Calif.; Westover ARB, Mass.; Fort Worth, Texas; and Homestead Air Reserve Station, Fla. The Reserve's special agents provide criminal and fraud investigative support at the five satellite locations as well as criminal investigation analysis and support-of-force protection at 15 AFRC locations. (Courtesy of AFRC News Service) 0849. Fisher House opens in Europe by Vanessa Molina U.S. Air Forces in Europe Public Affairs RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFPN) -- The first Fisher House located outside of the United States opened June 17 at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. The Fisher House serves as a temporary home for families of servicemembers and veterans receiving care at military and Veterans Administration medical centers. Patients' families would normally have to stay in guest housing or a hotel. The Fisher House is designed to be a less costly and more convenient means of lodging. The two-story, 5,600-square-foot Landstuhl Fisher House contains eight living suites. Besides bedrooms, the house has a large family room and dining room, which evokes a relaxing home atmosphere. With the addition of the Landstuhl Fisher House, the Fisher House Foundation has a network of 28 homes, which has lodged more than 45,000 military families to date. "No one could have imagined ten years ago how far this program would progress," said Arnold Fisher, chairman and president of the Fisher House Foundation. Fisher said he believes the estimated savings to families is more than $33 million. The first Fisher House opened on June 15, 1990, in Portsmouth, Va. Until now, Fisher Houses have been built only in the United States. The Landstuhl Fisher House "will greatly improve services available to military members stationed in Europe as well as veterans who have retired in the European theater," said Gen. Gregory Martin, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe. Martin praised the efforts of Arnold Fisher in giving his time unselfishly and devoting his energy to supporting this charitable cause. "What the Fisher House program gives to the services goes a long way to help our soldiers, sailors, Marines, coast guardsmen and airmen ... this touch of hospitality will help comfort those in need," Martin said. Reservations for the Fisher House are not necessary. However, if rooms are filled, priority is given to families of patients with a severe medical condition. Boarding costs $10 a night and includes private bathrooms and free use of laundry and kitchen facilities. The plaque above the entryway of the Fisher House embodies the Fisher family's spirit of giving: "Dedicated to our greatest national treasure -- our military service men and women and their loved ones." (Courtesy of U.S. Air Forces in Europe News Service) 0852. Air Force people receive Congressional Gold Medals WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- Three Air Force people were recognized for their commitment to public service and to themselves in a ceremony June 20 on Capitol Hill. Senior Airmen Mathew Kurian and Joshua Ryf and Air Force Academy Cadet 2nd Class Kevin Fitzgerald each received the Congressional Gold Medal during a ceremony which featured opening remarks from Senate Majority Leader Thomas Daschle and Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott. Gen. John W. Handy, Air Force vice chief of staff, also attended and helped present the medals to the three airmen. The trio and 118 other young Gold Award recipients were lauded for performing a combined 72,000-plus hours of community service. The gold award is the highest of three congressional awards presented on a non-competitive, individual basis to people in the United States ages 14 to 23. The other awards are silver and bronze. To earn the awards, individuals must meet goals in four categories: voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness and expedition/exploration. The three blue-suiters said they were thrilled and honored to have earned the Gold Award. "Earning this award means so much to me because the community benefits from the voluntary public service," said Ryf, who is assigned to the 634th Air Mobility Support Squadron at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. Ryf mentored and tutored elementary and junior high school students and also taught English to Japanese citizens while stationed at Kadena Air Base, Japan. Making a difference in young kids' lives is what Ryf said had the biggest impact on him. His other achievements include pursuing his education, participating in a fitness program, and planning and leading a five-day camping trip. Assigned to the 99th Supply Squadron at Nellis AFB, Nev., Kurian was recognized for his volunteer work with the base honor guard and honing his ceramic modeling skills. He also made cycling a part of his fitness regime and participated in a 13-mile canoe trip down the Colorado River. Kurian said he learned about the Congressional Awards Program when he arrived at Nellis. "I like to volunteer and help people," he said. "It's a great feeling." Fitzgerald also said he enjoyed volunteering and helping the community. The cadet performed volunteer service at a science center. He conducted science experiments and demonstrations for young children. He also participated in conservation projects and helped restore low-income housing in the community. To fulfill his exploration goal, he embarked on a 21-day backpacking trip in the Rocky Mountains. Fitzgerald said receiving the medal was an honorable and humbling experience. "It made me want to go out and help some more," he said. "This is a good thing for the Air Force," said Arthur Myers, director of services, which oversees the program for the Air Force. "People from across the nation got to see three of our airmen recognized for helping their community," Myers said. "It's a strong impression that just might encourage some of the other young people in attendance to become members of the Air Force family in the future." Air Force people have participated in the Congressional Awards Program for about four years, he said. People interested in learning more about the Congressional Awards Program can go to their base community or youth center for additional information, Myers said. 0836. Opportunities available for officers to expand global skills by Staff Sgt. Amy Parr Air Force Print News WASHINGTON -- With the Air Force now an expeditionary aerospace force, officers are encouraged to expand their global skills, allowing more effective communication with other cultures. "Today's Air Force officers need to be globally aware and possess global skills of language, academics and practical experience with another culture," said Col. Anthony Aldwell, international airman policy affairs division chief. Currently, only 5 percent of Air Force officers are identified as foreign language proficient. While learning an additional language is not a requirement, Aldwell said, participation in the foreign area officer branch-sponsored programs is encouraged for all line officers. The Air Force has a goal set for 2005 -- foreign-language proficiency for 10 percent of its officers. The biggest advantage of these programs is that when the Air Force deploys, it will have regional experts and linguistically talented officers to better facilitate the deployment process, Aldwell said. Although regional expertise of language requires time and dedication, the Air Force has established programs to make it easier and more cost-effective for officers wishing to pursue foreign area and language studies. Programs available supporting the global expeditionary airman concept are listed below. -- Tuition assistance for a second graduate degree in foreign area studies; -- Tuition assistance for foreign language studies (not necessarily a degree); -- Five-year scholarship funding for ROTC double majors, with one in foreign language study; -- Air Force Institute of Technology-funded advance academic degree programs; -- Language and Area Studies Immersion; -- Area Studies Advanced Program; and -- Various Air Force Special Operations School regional orientation courses. Officers have an opportunity to learn 39 different languages in the LASI program, Aldwell said. "They can apply to study in 41 locations. While language is not at the top of the list (of Air Force priorities), it's now on the list. Language skills are important to the Air Force," he said. Heritage speakers are also encouraged to expand their global skills with these programs, Aldwell said. Officers proficient in a foreign language are eligible for foreign language proficiency pay of $50 to $300 per month. Proficiency level and the number of languages maintained by the officer determine the amount. Currently, Aldwell said, there is a critical need for more Russian, Chinese, Arabic, and Serbo-Croatian speakers. "Remarkably, we still need more Spanish speakers," he said. Through the foreign area officer branch, officers are provided with the training opportunities to gain more global skills, allowing them to be more effective when deployed or working with allies and coalition partners. This program will provide the Air Force with "officers who are much more plugged into the world," he said. Not all officers are expected to be FAOs, but the language programs are open to all officers. For more information, officers contact Master Sgt. Stephen Taylor at DSN 425-8348 or commercial at (703) 588-8348 or check out the Web site at www.safia.hq.af.mil/afaao/fao/index.htm. 0847. 'Candy Bomber' drops in on Dover for loader-naming ceremony by Airman Andrew Svoboda 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (AFPN) -- Col. (ret.) Gail S. Halvorsen, the 'Candy Bomber' of Berlin Airlift fame, was honored June 19 as Air Mobility Command's Next Generation Small Loader named for him was introduced during a ceremony at the AMC Museum here. The ceremony not only honored Halvorsen, but also welcomed the Air Force's first two "Halvorsens" into operation at Dover Air Force Base. Halvorsen, dressed in his vintage flight suit, said he believed fulfillment in life comes not through possession of worldly goods, but through helping his fellow man. He said this cargo loader is a tool which will provide relief to those in need around the world. "Airlift is the business of hope," Halvorsen said. "In Berlin (during World War II), we brought supplies, rations, and cargo to those in need. This provided them with hope." It wasn't the chocolate that was important to the people of Berlin, it was knowing someone in the United States was fighting for them, Halvorsen said. "Someone once told me (during World War II) 'I can survive on thin rations, but not without hope.' God bless the men and women in uniform who put service before self," Halvorsen said. "The greatest thing in life is not money, but serving others." In addition to the two loaders here, the Air Force will purchase more than 260 Halvorsens in the near future. The Halvorsen loaders will eventually replace the older 25,000-pound and wide-body elevator loaders still in service. The old 25,000-pound loader could only be raised to a height of 13 feet. The Halvorsen can extend to more than 18 feet. Dover will remain the single point for all formal training in the Eastern half of the United States, Europe and Southwest Asia. (Courtesy of Air Mobility Command News Service) 0846. Air Force releases Aerospace Power Journal's summer edition MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AFPN) -- Leadership is the focus of the Summer 2001 edition of the Aerospace Power Journal, which Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Ryan describes as a "collection of papers highlighting a variety of thoughts on leadership ... an excellent introduction to a difficult topic." This edition of the journal includes "Leading Airmen," an article by retired Maj. Gen. Charles Link, chief of the Developing Aerospace Leaders office. Dr. Mike Thirtle of the DAL office provides the historical context for this latest Air Force people development initiative. Prof. Dennis Drew, retired Col. and associate dean of the School of Advanced Airpower Studies at Air University, and retired Lt. Col. jay Fawcett also contribute articles on leadership concepts. The Airpower Research institute of the College of Aerospace Doctrine, Research and Education at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., publishes the professional flagship journal of the Air Force every quarter. The journal, one of the publications on the chief of staff's professional reading list, is distributed to offices across the Air Force and is also available online at http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil. Previous editions of the publication also are available at the site, as are instructions for how to comment on or contribute to the publication. Information about the "Developing Aerospace Leaders" initiative may be found at http://www.dal.af.mil/home.shtml. 0844. Now Showing: June 25 edition of Air Force Television News SAN ANTONIO (AFPN) -- An Air Force medical team's assistance to flood victims in the Houston area highlights the June 25th edition of Air Force Television News. Staff Sgt. Joe Wallace reports on the Wilford Hall Medical Center medics' efforts in the wake of flooding caused by tropical storm Allison. In a separate report, Wallace examines the role of Air Mobility Command in a special "Eye on the Air Force," that includes AMC Commander General Tony Robertson, Jr. The program also features three tangible results of work by Air Force Battlelabs. Senior Airman Kevin Dennison shows how the time-honored supermarket practice of shrink wrapping food is being adapted for deployment equipment; Staff Sgt. Michael Noel reports from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on tests to improve storage of equipment aboard deployment aircraft; and Senior Airman Eric Kerr goes to the New Mexico desert to show how terrorists' tactics are being used to combat terrorism. Senior Airman Marty Rush has the story of the Department of Defense courier service, a group of people in the military that daily delivers sensitive material. Tech. Sgt. Paul Firman examines a unique approach to overcoming dwindling numbers of active duty airmen at Dover AFB, Del. And, both the secretary of the Air Force and Air Force chief of staff discuss a wide range of issues facing the service in a joint appearance before a Senate subcommittee. Air Force Television News is an award-winning, biweekly production of Air Force News Service. It is distributed on videotape to more than 3,000 military and civilian outlets worldwide and is seen on more than 700 cable outlets nationwide. The program can also be seen on the Internet at www.af.mil. *COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for nonprofit research and educational purposes only.[Ref. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ] Want to be on our lists? 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