07-19-2013 The Patriot (Joint Base Charleston)

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Joint Base Charleston, S.C.

Patriot

Vol. 4, No. 26

Team Charleston – One Family, One Mission, One Fight!

Friday, July 19, 2013

Joint Base Charleston welcomes SecDef

Department of Defense photo / Glenn Fawcett

Col. Richard McComb, Joint Base Charleston commander, welcomes Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to Joint Base Charleston - Air Base, S.C., as he steps off of a U.S. Navy P-8 aircraft July 16, 2013. Hagel is the 24th Secretary of Defense and the first enlisted combat veteran to lead the Department of Defense. Hagel’s visit to JB Charleston included learning about flying and support operations conducted in the Air Force at Charleston, meeting with Boeing representatives to talk about what the company provides to the Air Force, and conducting a town hall meeting with Department of Defense civilian employees to discuss federal government sequestration and civilian worker furloughs in the department. See more photos on Page 9.

Airmen coordinate deploying cargo, passengers

INSIDE

Story and photo by Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

AT/A

Leadership forums coming See page 3

GAME NIGHT

Riverdogs host military night See page 11

UEI COUNTDOWN 137 Days Begins December 2, 2013

Weekend Weather Update JB CHS, SC

Friday, July 19

Mostly Sunny

(0% precip)

High 91º Low 76º

Saturday, July 20

Isolated T-Storms (30% precip)

High 88º Low 76º

Sunday, July 21

Isolated T-Storms (30% precip)

High 88º Low 77º

SOUTHWEST ASIA – Moving cargo and personnel from location to location within the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility can be quite the feat, but for 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron Airmen in the air terminal operations center, it's their "bread and butter." "We have the most diverse mission sets transit through here every day," said Staff Sgt. John Hubicsak, an 8th EAMS ATOC information controller deployed from Ramstein Air Base, Germany. On average, the ATOC handles more than 7,000 tons of cargo, 6,600 passengers with 250 tons of baggage and more than 725 aircraft each month making them the busiest mobility hub in the AOR. "Coordination is our game," Hubicsak said. "We gather information about every aircraft's mission from the flight manifest as they make their way through here and disperse the pertinent information out to the work centers that need it." ATOC is responsible for constantly monitoring airlift mis- Staff Sgt. John Hubicsak discusses load plans with Airman 1st Class Brittany McGarrity sions and providing updates to various agencies across 8th on a C-17 Globemaster III at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing in Southwest Asia, July 12, 2013. Hubicsak is an 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron air terminal operations cenEAMS and the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing. "We coordinate with 379th AEW agencies, handle aeromed- ter information controller deployed from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and McGarrity is ical evacuation patients and ship a lot of blood to medical units an 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron C-17 loadmaster deployed from Joint Base in Afghanistan," said Hubicsak. "We support all the tankers Charleston, S.C. and fighters coming through here with cargo and passengers of their own, as well as C-130 [Hercules] crews who hop in and out of the range," said Hubicsak. "Our cargo provides deployed service members smaller forward operating bases in theater." with things like power and fuel to keep air conditioners running in living Hubicsak said not only is ATOC responsible for informing the "Mighty quarters so they have a comfortable place to rest their head at night after Ocho's" maintenance operations center of requirements, but ATOC also hours in the sweltering heat of the desert." completes load planning as they organize the cargo for movement to tell But it's not just the forward deployed service member relying on these load masters what to expect from the load. ATOC Airmen. "They're very helpful in providing us the information we need to know "I depend on these guys every day," said Master Sgt. Travis Crane, the to accomplish our mission," said Airman 1st Class Brittany McGarrity, an 8th EAMS ATOC superintendent deployed from Joint Base Charleston, 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron C-17 Globemaster III loadmaster S.C. "I've only been here a month and the continuity and experience my deployed from Joint Base Charleston, S.C. "The technical data they pro- guys provide the mission every day is phenomenal. Without them, we vide is instrumentally important as we mathematically preplan the correct couldn't complete the mission as efficiently and flawlessly as we do it." placement of the load on the airplane to ensure it can safely fly." Units across the base, in some form or another, support the "Ocho's" McGarrity added the information ATOC provides enables her and the vast mission set, but it's one office coordinating, talking, gathering and cargo jet's aircrew to deliver the supplies, equipment and people to their dispersing the information around to get the mission done. destination so the joint warfighters down range have what they need to "It's really gratifying that I can make so many different agencies come perform their duties, wherever they may be. together to support the joint warfighter in the way we do it," Hubicsak "What's most fulfilling for me is being so involved in something and said. "We're always forward thinking in order to save the Air Force time knowing your decisions directly impact the quality of life for folks down and money."

Welcome Home gives employers opportunity to hire veterans From Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center Public Affairs

Welcome Home 2013 offers area employers the chance to interview and hire some of our nation’s best trained veterans into their workforce August 8, 2013, at the Charleston Area Convention Center. The annual free event is a job fair for employers and job seekers open to all veter-

ans, service members and their families. A workshop for veterans and other military job seekers focusing on resume writing, tips for successfully navigating hiring fairs, military skill translation and interviewing will start at 9 a.m. “When veterans leave the military, the first thing they need is a good job and we are offering companies a great way to meet and hire them,” said Jan Bolger, event coordinator and

VA Seamless Transition manager. “Veterans offer the qualities employers are looking for … a strong work ethic, ability to work as part of a highly motivated team, leadership and technical skills,” added Bolger. To be part of Welcome Home 2013, employers should go to www.charleston. va.gov and click on the Welcome Home 2013 banner to complete their online registration.

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