Joint Base Charleston
Patriot
Vol. 2, No. 27
Team Charleston – One Family, One Mission, One Fight!
Friday, July 15, 2011
Col. McComb assumes command of Joint Base Charleston Courtesy of Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs Col. Richard McComb took command of the 628th Air Base Wing and Joint Base Charleston during a change of command ceremony July 21 at JB CHS – Air Base. McComb was previously the chief, Security Forces Division, Directorate of Installations and Mission Support, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Il. McComb officially assumed command from the outgoing joint base commander, Col. Martha Meeker. She will be assuming the duties as Special Assistant to the Commander, U.S. European Command, and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Mons, Belgium. McComb was born in Neubruecke, West Germany. A graduate of Columbus State University, Columbus, Ga., he received his commission in 1988. He is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigations National Academy and the Air Command and Staff College. He has a Master of Arts Degree in Administrative Management from the University of Maryland as well as master degrees in Military Operational Art and Science and National Security Strategy. McComb has served in a variety of duty positions within the security forces career field including: Flight Security Officer, 857th Missile Security Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D., Operations Officer, 10th Security Police Squadron, Royal Air Force Alconbury, United Kingdom, Commander, 386th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Southwest Asia, and Assistant for Antiterrorism Policy, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict and Interdependent Capabilities at the Pentagon. Addressing the 628 ABW one last time, Meeker said, “This is a bitter sweet moment as I stand up here getting ready to turn over the command to Richard McComb, but I know this See Change of Command, Page 2
U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nicole Mickle
Col. Richard McComb accepts the 628th Air Base Wing guidon from Brig. Gen. William Bender as Col. Martha Meeker and Chief Master Sgt. Jose LugoSantiago stand at attention during the 628 ABW change of commander ceremony July 14 at Joint Base Charleston - Air Base. McComb is the new Joint Base Charleston commander, Bender is the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center commander and LugoSantiago is the 628 ABW command chief. Meeker's new assignment is as Special Assistant to the Commander, U.S. European Command, and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Mons, Belgium.
Flight of the Raven: protecting aircraft and Airmen
INSIDE DEWE
Story and photos by Staff Sgt. Rashard Coaxum 315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Dorm vs. dorm See page 6
NNPTC Preps for Day of Caring See page 9
WATER SAFETY A true story See page 12
Operational Readiness Inspection Countdown:
20 Weeks
Charleston, SC
Preferring to be seen and not heard, the U.S. Air Force's special operations security forces unit, code named the "Ravens", have a unique mission in today's Air Force landscape: top flight security and mission safety. "Protecting the aircraft, its crew and most importantly the Air Mobility Command's assets assigned to the mission is our assignment," said Tech. Sgt. Steven Smith, from the 315th Security Forces Squadron. "The Air Force has determined that certain locations and airfields pose a higher risk to the safety of Air Mobility Command assets, so we are tasked with the protection of those assets," Smith added. Smith is a member of Joint Base Charleston's reserve security forces squadron and also a member of the base’s elite Phoenix Raven security program who recently flew with the 300th Airlift Squadron on a humanitarian aid mission to the island nation of Haiti. The Phoenix Raven program took root in early 1997 and has graduated more than 1,900 security forces Airmen who have been assigned to Air Mobility Command bases across the nation. Their duties include counter-threat assessment and aircraft security and location security. The Ravens operate in small teams of two to six highly trained Airmen who deploy as aircrew members on missions that have been determined to be high risk. "We deploy with the aircraft and aircrews to some the most hostile locations in the world in some of the most austere conditions," said Staff Sgt. Eugene Nace, from the 628th Security Forces Squadron. "Regardless of where we have to deploy, we ensure Air Mobility Command assets reach their
destination, the aircraft is protected from any potential threat that may exist and the crew is kept safe and out of harm's way. That all falls back on our training," said Nace. Airmen who have been selected for the Phoenix Raven program go through a rigorous training regimen consisting of a pre-Raven training course as well as the Raven school certification course. The pre-Raven training course is a 45-day long class which tests both the physical and mental capabilities of the Airmen selected to become Ravens. "The class is designed to put you through your paces to see if you have what it takes to become a Raven," said Staff Sgt. Benjamin Lee, a member of JB CHS 628 SFS. "You are pushed to the max in both the physical training and classroom knowledge aspects to evaluate if you can move to the actual Raven certification course." After the Airmen have completed the pre-certification course they move on to the Phoenix Raven course held at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. where they learn the tools they Tech. Sgt. Steven Smith (middle) stands with Staff Sgt. Benjamin need for deploying with an aircraft. Lee (left) and Staff Sgt. Eugene Nace aboard a C-17 Globemaster III "At the school we learn all the bound for Haiti. The airmen are members of the Air Force's elite things that keep the aircrew and the "Phoenix Raven" program which tasks Ravens to fly with aircraft entire mission safe. This includes on missions around the world. counter-terrorism threat assessments, anti-hijacking procedures as well as hand-to-hand very intense with long days and a lot of training combat techniques to protect the crew and the but it's all worth it to make sure everyone comes AMC assets aboard the mission," said Nace. "It's home at the end of the mission."
Friday, July 15 Scattered T-Storms (50%)
High 84º Low 73º
Saturday, July 16 Showers
AMC, mobility air force teams gearing up for Air Mobility Rodeo 2011 Courtesy of Air Mobility Command and Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs
(60%)
High 82º Low 74º
Sunday, July 17 Scattered T-Storms (40%)
High 85º Low 74º
AMC RODEO 2011 Everyone is invited to Nose Dock 1, July 22 at 10 a.m. to show their support as the Joint Base Rodeo Team departs for the 2011 Air Mobility Rodeo.
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. – The 2011 edition of Air Mobility Rodeo, sponsored by the Air Mobility Command, is set to take place July 24 to 29 at McChord Field on Joint Base LewisMcChord, Wash., and the team from Joint Base Charleston is prepped and eager for the competition to begin. Rodeo is a readiness competition that "focuses on improving our worldwide air mobility forces' professional core abilities," AMC officials said. More than 150 teams and 3,000 people from the Air Force, Air Force Reserve and allied nations are expected to participate. "I think we have an excellent chance of bringing home a trophy," said Lt. Col. Brady Caldwell, 437th Airlift Wing Rodeo Team chief. "The entire team is excited about the chance to show off their skills and the opportunity to represent Team
Charleston and the entire Lowcountry." The 52 members of Team Charleston come from the 437 AW and 628th Air Base Wing and consist of the competitors, air crew, air-drop inspectors, Airmen from the maintenance and aerial port squadrons as well as umpires and JB CHS civic leaders. History shows that Rodeo began in October 1956. At that time, 13 troop carrier wings of the Continental Air Command, the Air Force Reserve Command's predecessor, sent crews to participate in a "Reserve Troop Carrier Rodeo" at Bakalar Air Force Base, Ind. The first airdrop competition for units of the active-duty force occurred in April 1962, when the Military Air Transport Service held a MATS-wide Rodeo at Scott AFB, Ill. The 1962 Rodeo competition was a combat skills competition designed to develop and improve techniques and procedures while enhancing air mobility operations, and promoting esprit de corps.
In 1979, Rodeo was expanded to include international air mobility partners. "Rodeo tests the flight and ground skills of aircrews as well as the related skills of special tactics, security forces, aerial port operations, aeromedical evacuation and maintenance team members," the competition fact sheet states. "It also provides valuable joint and combined training for all participants." "It's not all work though," Caldwell said. "Every team also sets up a hospitality tent where competitors and their support teams can socialize. The tents are stocked with food and drinks that are representative of the region the team is from. We'll have some good Lowcountry cooking and beverages available for people to enjoy." The last Rodeo competition took place in July 2009 at McChord AFB. For more information, see the Air Mobility Rodeo 2011 fact sheet at http://www.amc.af.mil/amc/library/factsheets/ factsheet.asp?id=18488.
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