09-09-2011 The Patriot (Joint Base Charleston)

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Joint Base Charleston

Patriot Vol. 2, No. 35

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

Friday, September 9, 2011

15 AS honors WWII Airmen The Joint Base Charleston Honor Guard Posts the Colors before the commemoration ceremonies for the B-17 of the Aiguille des Glaciers in Courmayeur, Italy. Lieutenant Colonel Rebecca Sonkiss, 15th Airlift Squadron commander and 12 Team Charleston Airmen participated in two commemoration ceremonies for the crew of B-17 #43-39338 in Courmayeur, and Bourg Saint Maurice, France, Sept. 3 and 4. The B-17 crew was from the 15th Troop Carrier Squadron which is now the 15 AS. The entire eight man crew was lost after their aircraft went down on Aiguille des Glaciers, one of the rugged peaks in the French Alps, near Mont Blanc, the highest point in Europe and close to the French-Italian border. See the story on Page 11. U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nicole Mickle

INSIDE MILITARY BALL

Make plans now See page 5

KEY SPOUSES support readiness

Air Force leaders issue Sept. 11 message WASHINGTON – Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy issued the following message to the Airmen of the U.S. Air Force: September 11, 2011, marks the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks that claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 innocent people -- at the World Trade Center; at Shanksville, Pa.; and at the Pentagon -and affected the lives of countless others across our great country and beyond. In all, 90 countries lost citizens, and people the world over would condemn these acts of terrorism. This tragic event altered our view of the world and sparked a global effort to combat terrorism and the conditions that give rise to extremism. We are proud of the international efforts that have led to

the capture or killing of many of the terrorist leaders, but our success has not come without significant cost. As we reflect on the horrific day that marked the beginning of our struggle to better secure the world from these threats, we honor the

tremendous selfless service that today still distinguishes American Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen, comprising the most dedicated, professional and powerful military force in the world. We also recognize that the need for sacrifice is not over. We sincerely thank you and your families for what you have done for your country to date, and thank you in advance for bravely facing our future challenges. Please take a moment this day to reflect on the tragic losses of September 11, 2001, as well as the losses and wounds that we have suffered in our campaign to maintain security for our Nation since that fateful day. Today, we also remember the families and friends of the lost and wounded, who bear the heaviest burden, whose loneliness we seek to ease, and whose sacrifice we hold in the highest regard.

See page 6

USNS COMFORT Operation Continuing Promise See page 8

CROSSFIT Making it burn See page 12

Charleston, SC Friday, September 9 Sunny (0% precip)

High 86º Low 67º

Saturday, September 10 Mostly Sunny (0% precip)

High 86º Low 69º

Sunday, September 11 Isolated Thunderstorms (20% precip)

High 87º Low 70º

9/11: A look back By Lt. Col. John Donahue 628th Air Base Wing Plans Ten years ago, I was halfway through my Air Force career, and now, as I approach the end and the anniversary of Sept. 11, the day that would come to dominate the events of most of our lives and my career since, I wanted to share my “there I was story” for that fateful day. On Sept. 10, 2001, my crew and I left McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey on a routine presidential support mission. Although presidential support ranks as one of the Air Force’s highest priority missions, this one was supposed to be pretty cut-and-dry: a quick flight down to Jacksonville, Fla. where President Bush was meeting with educators and school children. Once there, we would pick up a number of Secret Service agents, their gear, and the presidential limousine and return them to Andrews AFB, Md. A minor malfunction of our weather radar system was the only snag and it resulted in our staying overnight in Jacksonville, since the next day’s weather forecast looked promising for flying in clear weather back home. At 9 a.m. on the morning of Sept 11, I called the Tanker/Airlift Control Center in anticipation of our afternoon departure. TACC is the central nervous system that coordinates all United States military airlift and tanker missions worldwide. Before we could leave for Andrews AFB, we had to have clearance from TACC. TACC is always buzzing at a fever pitch, but the background that day sounded so chaotic it was distracting. I asked the staff sergeant controller what was going on. The controller told me a twin-engine plane had hit the World Trade Center in New York City and the news services were just picking it up. I flipped on the television and was bombarded with live coverage of major damage to the first tower. I commented to the controller, “That’s a lot bigger than a little twin engine plane,” referring to the sightseeing planes that typically fly the Hudson River tour. A few minutes later the second plane hit and I had to pull the phone away from my ear as all hell erupted at TACC. The U.S. was under attack! I told the controller that I knew he had other immediate things to do and that we’d call back after TACC had time to sort out priority missions. As I was hanging up, my copilot, 1st Lt. Mike Englehardt, was at my door to see if I had heard the news. The rest of the crew was awake and glued to the TV

U.S. Army photo

The “Tribute in Light” memorial, first held in March 2002, was in remembrance of the events of Sept. 11 in honor of the citizens who lost their lives in the World Trade Center attacks. The two towers of light are composed of two banks of high wattage spotlights that point straight up from a lot next to ground zero. This photo was taken from Liberty State Park, N.J., Sept. 11, 2006, on the five-year anniversary of the attack.

so we convened in my hotel room for a quick briefing to discuss the aircraft, its maintenance problems and what we thought would be our impending launch back to Andrews AFB. I made sure the crew had all contacted their families. Englehardt remembered that his father-in-law was on a business trip to New York City and had mentioned staying an extra day to have breakfast at the Towers’ “Windows on the World” restaurant that morning. After several anxious calls, Englehardt contacted his father-in-law at home. Unable to change his flight reservation, he had headed home a day early. The relief would become even more profound an hour later when the first tower fell. But there was little time for relief. The lead Secret Service special agent was calling and asking how soon we could be airborne. The problem was that neither TACC nor the White House Mobility Office, which coordinates with the Secret Service for airlift, knew where the President was going next. After all, we were still within 30 minutes of the towers being hit and both See 9/11 Remembered, Page 2

ORI Tip

Operational Readiness Inspection Countdown: 11 weeks

When in a chemical threat environment, Airmen have six minutes to assume MOPP 2 from MOPP 0. Airmen have two minutes to assume MOPP 2 to MOPP 4. These timelines do not include putting on battle rattle, which may or may not be used, per the Installation Commander's direction.

For complete Hurricane Information, visit http://www.charleston.af.mil/library/ hurricaneinformation

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