DECEMBER 20, 2013
HAVE YOU READ YOUR KA TODAY?
Volume 37, number 50
4th ASOG participates in SerpentEx by Senior Airman Damon Kasberg 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Courtesy photo
Members of the 4th Air Support Operations Group participated in a combined close air support exercise, known as SerpentEx, Dec. 1 to 13 in Corsica, France, hosted by the French air force. The exercise focused on testing air-land integration elements including close air support aircrews, forward air controllers and joint terminal attack controllers. JTACs are highly skilled specialists imbedded with Army and Marine combat units and are trained to coordinate with the ground unit’s commander to properly call in air and artillery strikes during ground-based combat operations. “The over arching theme of the exercise was counter insurgency operations, which mirrors current missions we are involved in,” said Staff Sgt. Stephen Thomas, 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron JTAC instructor. Nine allied nations, along with 27 CAS-capable fighter aircraft and 32 terminal attack controller teams took part in the exercise. This coalition exercise gave the 435th AGOW service members the unique opportunity to train alongside many different nations. “It’s interesting and impressive working alongside so many allied nations,” Thomas said. “This exercise allowed us to broaden our close air support execution perspective through combined
Senior Airman Matthew Smith, joint terminal attack controller, 2nd Air Support Operations Squadron, coordinates close air support with an overhead French Mirage 2000D during an exercise in Corsica, France.
See SERPENTEX, Page 3
Airmen volunteer to support Army humanitarian assistance program by Doris Crittenden U.S. Army Medical Materiel Center Europe PIRMASENS, Germany — When medical equipment for U.S. Army Medical Materiel Center Europe’s humanitarian assistance program needs to be cleaned, inspected and prepared for shipment, Airmen from the 86th Medical Group volunteered for the job. The group came to USAMMCE headquarters, located at a U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz installation in Pirmasens, on Saturdays to get the work done. They began volunteering in March 2012. Since then, they prepared 483 pieces of medical equipment valued at $4.2 million in support of the humanitarian missions to Georgia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Some equipment also supported U.S. Africa Command projects.
Recently, a group of 20 volunteers took part, including biomedical engineers, medical logisticians and personnel from other medical specialties, said Luis DeAndrade, who leads USAMMCE’s humanitarian assistance program. Five were on temporary assignment at Ramstein. They inspected and prepared 121 pieces of medical equipment and prepared 15 gurneys, $775,000 of aid for this year’s Operation Provide Hope mission to Tbilisi, Georgia. The shipment will also support “A Call to Serve,” or ACTS, a nongovernmental organization in Georgia. “We are preparing as much materiel as possible for shipment to the countries the program supports,” said DeAndrade, adding See VOLUNTEER, Page 3
NEWS
Although not required by law or military regulation, service members are encouraged to salute Medal of Honor recipients as a gesture of respect and courtesy regardless of rank or status.
Please enjoy this last edition of the KA, and remember to pick up a copy of the first paper in the new year on Jan. 10!
FEATURES
Tip of the Week
Courtesy photo
Airman 1st Class Alex N. Kolesar, a medical admin technician, and Tech. Sgt. Erik S. Papp, a biomedical engineer, volunteer at the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Center Europe in Pirmasens.
CJCS brings USO tour to Germany, Page 8
KMC holiday concert, Page 26
The KA wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year