Joint Base Charleston, S.C.
Vol. 8, No. 14
Patriot Joint Base Charleston: ‘Launch Point For The Nation's Resolve’
July 21, 2017
U.S. Air Force Capt. Charis Vincent, right, 315th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, briefs Col. Heon Jeong, center left, Republic of Korea Air Force Headquarters transportation branch chief, and ROK members of the U.S. Air Transportation Working Group, during a visit here July 13. The engagement was part of an annual meeting in support of the Mutual Airlift Support Agreement. U.S. ROK ATWG members toured a C-17 Globemaster III and observed an aeromedical evacuation demonstration during the event.
INSIDE
MUSICFEST Free concert slated for July 29th See page 3
FOOD DRIVE JB Charleston helps Feds Feed Families See page 7
MARINES
Serving and honoring veterans See page 9
Next Issue of the Patriot: August 4, 2017
Weekend Weather Update for Joint Base Charleston, SC Friday, July 21 Mostly Sunny
(20% precip)
High 92º / Low 75º
Saturday, July 22 Mostly Sunny
(20% precip)
High 94º / Low 77º
Sunday, July 23 Mostly Sunny
(20% precip)
High 92º / Low 77º
Extended Forecast Mon. - July 24 91°/ 76° - Scattered T-storms (50%) Tue. - July 25 90°/ 75° - Scattered T-Storms (60%) Wed. - July 26 88°/ 74° - Scattered T-Storms (60%) Thur. - July 27 91°/ 74° - Scattered T-Storms (60%) Fri. - July 28 90°/ 75° - Partly Cloudy (20%)
Joint Base Charleston meets with ROK partners Story and photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Hubenthal Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs
JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. – Republic of Korea members from the U.S. Air Transportation Working Group visited Joint Base Charleston to observe and learn about air mobility operations July 13. The annual meeting was part of a six-day tour in support of the Mutual Airlift Support Agreement. The MASA is an international agreement between the U.S. and ROK. The agreement allows U.S. Transportation Command to request airlift support through the ROK air force to move people and equipment from the U.S. to the ROK in the event of a contingency on the Korean Peninsula. The agreement also provides the procedures and details on how to use the MASA when requesting airlift support. “Engagements like this help us foster a closer working relationship, build strong alliances, and enable us to understand each other's mission,” said Joe Lepanto, USTRANSOM international agreements manager. “These visits specifically manage the MASA Implementing Arrangement and keep the document current. Members are able to discuss issues and lessons learned.” Eight U.S. - ROK ATWG members attended a joint base mission briefing, toured a C-17 Globemaster III and observed an aeromedical evacuation demonstration during their tour here. The opportunity delivered an informative experience for the ROK members. “Everything we experienced today was great, especially the demo of the aeromedical evacuation system,” said Col. Maengho Woo, ROK Transportation Command transportation division chief. “When we get back to
Korea we might not be able to have the same system, but we’ll try getting a similar system for the ROK military.” Col. Heon Jeong, ROK Air Force Headquarters transportation branch chief, said mutual support between the U.S. and ROK military is important to keep peace on the Korean Peninsula. He added, for everything to work, there has to be a close working relationship during peacetime and visits like this strengthen ties. “The hospitality shown to us was beyond our expectations,” said Jeong. “We really appreciate it and I also hope we can continue to build a strong, solid friendship between our two countries.” The visit also included a conference at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., where both the U.S. and ROK representatives signed the MASA IA. The IA was updated in 2017 to allow aircraft operating under the MASA to be used for air evacuation of injured troops and evacuation of non-combatants as well as updating organizational changes in ROKAF, U.S. Forces Korea and USTRANSCOM. The two parties also discussed the possibility of using Korean Air aircraft under the MASA to move non-combatants out of the peninsula during increased threat. U.S. and ROK representatives felt the visit moved their goals in a positive direction. U.S. Air Force Col. Joseph Meyer, USTRANSCOM liaison officer to USFK, hopes the relationship between the two countries continues to develop. “I have not seen another alliance work so hard to integrate and work in a combined effort,” said Meyer. “This is just one more example of bringing together the ROK, U.S. active duty, U.S. National Guardsmen, U.S. reservists and civilians in such a manner. I hope this isn’t just beneficial right now, but we can continue to move forward with our alliance based on some of the things we’ve seen and shared together.”
U.S. and coalition partners demonstrate global defense capabilities By 1st Lt. Allison Egan Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE BASE RICHMOND, AUSTRALIA – Four U.S. Air Force and one Royal Australian Air Force C-17 Globemaster IIIs loaded with more than 300 American and Canadian paratroopers took off from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, to Shoalwater Bay, Australia, for biennial training exercise, Talisman Saber July 13, 2017. Every two years, U.S. and Australian military forces partner to conduct a month-long exercise to enhance global readiness in a realistic training environment. This year’s exercise involves over 33,000 troops, 21 ships and more than 200 joint aircraft. The exercise prepares the U.S. and its coalition partners for rapid assistance and delivery of personnel and equipment. Both countries’ mobility forces make the training possible. The aerial refueling and transport of Soldiers demonstrates both countries’ abilities to deliver Army paratroopers to any location at any time. “What we’re doing with our C-17s in Talisman Saber is practicing for joint forcible entry operations,” said Air Force Capt. Chris Mahan, lead C17 planner for Talisman Saber 2017, weapons officer and evaluator pilot for the 15th Airlift Squadron. “What makes the C-17 so valuable in a mission like this is the fact it’s diverse. It is air refuelable, airdrop capable and has the ability to fly great distances.”
That distance spanned the length of the planet’s biggest ocean. Each of the Globemasters travelled more than 8,000 miles to reach Australia. “The C-17 is one of the few aircraft that has a perfect balance of strategic and tactical airlift capabilities. It allows our crews to execute a direct delivery from Alaska all the way to Australia and demonstrates the capabilities this aircraft has when we’re enabled by our KC-10 and KC-135s U.S. Air Force photo / Tech. Sgt. Gregory Brook refuelers in order to employ combat power,” U.S. Army Col. Jeffrey Crapo, ground forces commander, 4th Brigade, 25th Infantry division waits to jump from a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III July 12, said Mahan. The aerial refueling 2017 to airdrop in support of Exercise Talisman Saber 2017. The purpose of TS17 process demonstrates is to improve U.S.-Australian combat readiness, increase interoperability, maximize combined training opportunities and conduct maritime prepositioning and the importance and logistics operations in the Pacific. TS17 also demonstrates U.S. commitment to its necessity of partnership key ally and the overarching security framework in the Indo Asian Pacific region. in the realm of global mobility. When conducting a mid-air refueling, refuel twice on during the 17-hour flight to precision and confidence are key to the C-17’s abil- Shoalwater Bay making support from KC-10 Extender and KC-135 Stratotanker air refuelers vital. ity to travel great distances. Flying the length of the largest ocean on Earth The C-17s can’t make the flight without that support. See Global Defense, Page 4 requires a consistent supply of fuel. Each C-17 had to
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