Rotor Review Fall 2017 #138

Fall 2017 NUMBER 138

Also in this Issue: Fleet Fly-In Information Hurricane Response Helo Bubbas’ Intro to GFM

The Amphibious Navy

FOCUS: The Amphibious Navy Blue Green Integration: A VBSS Perspective LT Devin "Po" Dugard, USN.........................................................................42

The Evolution of Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 7 DATF Missions LT John “AHAB” Blackstone and LT Chad “Fever” Westfall........................45 Bonhomme Richard ESG Ships, 31st MEU Begin Amphibious Integration Training Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Elijah G. Leinaar .....................46 The Answer to the Amphibious Prayer: Helicopters, The Marine Corps, and Defense Innovation CDR B.J. Armstrong, USN..............................................................................50 A Better Community LT Ben "Butters" Foster USN.......................................................................55

FEATURES Fall 2017 ISSUE 138 The Amphibious Navy About the cover: An MH-60S assigned to the "Island Knights" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25 delivers supplies to the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) during a replenishment-atsea. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Cosmo Walrath.

Rotor Review (ISSN: 1085-9683) is published quarterly by the Naval Helicopter Association, Inc. (NHA), a California nonprofit corporation. NHA is located in Building 654, Rogers Road, NASNI, San Diego, CA 92135. Vi e w s expressed in Rotor Review are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the policies of NHA or United States Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard. Rotor Review is printed in the USA. Periodical rate postage is paid at San Diego, CA. Subscription to Rotor Review is included in the NHA or corporate membership fee. A current corporation annual report, prepared in accordance with Section 8321 of the California Corporation Code, is available on the NHA website at www.navalhelicopterassn. org. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Naval Helicopter Association, P.O. Box 180578, Coronado, CA 92178-0578.

Hurricane Response - A Photographic Essay Rotor Review Staff ....................................................................................14 One Team, One Life LT Benjamin J. Schmidt, USN, LCDR Keith Johnson, USN, LT Adam Granic, USN, AT1 Krug, USN, AWR2 Giles Alberts, USN....................................... 28 Hawaii’s “Red Dragons” Make History with Pacific Crossing Cpl. Robert Sweet, USMC ............................................................................30 "Dragon Masters" Deactivated Friday after Six Decades of AMCM Excellence Jacqui Barker .................................................................................................31 Guardian Sea 2017 LT Aric McGee and LT Taylor Lang ..............................................................32 A Case for Synthetic Aperture Radar Capability in the MH-60R LCDR Patrick McInerney, USN.....................................................................34 Female Aviators Career and Training Symposium (FACTS) LT Diane Sebastiano, USN............................................................................35 Richard Spencer is Sworn in as the 76th Secretary of the Navy Secretary of Navy, Public Affairs .................................................................36 2017 Fleet Fly-In and NHA Join-Up Rotor Review Staff .......................................................................................37

In Appreciation of this Issue's Advertisers Robertson Fuel Systems...............................................C2 Navy Mutual ..................................................................9 Hover Girl Properties ................................................ 40 Bell Helicopter.............................................................48 Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company....................C4

Rotor Review is intended to support the goals of the association, provide a forum for discussion and exchange of information on topics of interest to the rotary wing community and keeps membership informed of NHA activities. As necessary, the President of NHA will provide guidance to the Rotor Review Editorial Board to ensure the Rotor Review content continues to support this statement of policy as the Naval Helicopter Association adjusts to the expanding and evolving Rotary Wing Community.

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

2

DEPARTMENTS Chairman’s Brief ...................................................................................... 5 In Review .................................................................................................. 6 Letters to the Editors ............................................................................. 7 From the Organization .......................................................................... 8 In the Community .................................................................................10 Industry and Technology

VH-92A Presidential Helicopter Achieves First Flight Lockheed Martin .........................................................................18

Expeditionary Venom Gets Help while Underway 2nd Lt. Samir Glenn-Roundtree, USMC .....................................19

U.S. Marine Corps Awards Contract to Lockheed Martin to Begin CH-53K Helicopter Production Lockheed Martin .........................................................................20

Patuxent River Welcome CH-53K to Flight Line Naval Air Systems Command ......................................................21

Useful Information

Ninth Annual SDMAC Military Economic Impact Study

Ms. Leanne Anderson .................................................................22

Navy Doctrine Library Moves, NWDC Announces Improved

Online Site for Navy Doctrine

Navy Warfare Development Command ....................................24

A Helo Bubba’s Intro to Global Force Management CDR Matt “Wrecking Ball” Wellman, USN ............................... 25

Helo History

Meet the Naval Heritage and History

Command

Rotor Review Staff........................................................................59

Mark Starr Pioneer Award Presentation Joe Skrzypek, LT Taylor Toombs, LT William Fletcher, LT AJ Wich......................................................................................61

Book Review "Forgotten" by Marc Liebman

Review by LCDR Chip Lancaster, USN (Ret.) ............................74 Change of Command................................................................................70 .

Command Updates ..................................................................................72 Pulling Chocks .......................................................................................64 Radio Check .............................................................................................. 65 There I Was

Vampire, Vampire, Vampire!p

LT Carolyn Boothe, USN .............................................................66

A Historic Deployment LTJG Robert Stoll, USN ...............................................................68

Engaging Rotors ........................................................................................84 Signal Charlie ............................................................................................87

Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief LT Caleb Levée, USN caleb.levee@navy.mil Managing Editor Allyson Darroch loged@navalhelicopterassn.org Art Manager George Hopson navalhelicopterassn@gmail.com NHA Photographer Raymond Rivard Copy Editors CDR John Ball, USN (Ret.) helopapa71@gmail.com LT Adam Schmidt, USN adam.c.schmidt@navy.mil CAPT Jill Votaw, USN (Ret.) jvotaw@san.rr.com HSC Editors LT Gene Pontes, USN (HSC West) eugene.pontes@navy.mil LT Kristin Hope, USN (HSC East) kristin.hope@navy.mil LT Greg Westin, USN (HSC East) gregory.westin@navy.mil HSM Editors LT Mallory Decker, USN mallory.decker@navy.mil LT Chris Campbell, USN (HSM West) christopher.m.campbe@navy.mil LT Jess Phenning, USN (HSM East) jessica.l.phenning@navy.mil USMC Editor Capt Jeff Snell, USMC jeffrey.p.snell@usn.mil USCG Editors LT James Cepa, USCG james.e.cepa@uscg.mil LT Doug Eberly, USCG douglas.a.eberly@uscg.mil Aircrew Editor AWS1 Dan Mitchell, USN daniel.l.mitchell@navy.mil Technical Advisor LCDR Chip Lancaster, USN (Ret.) chipplug@hotmail.com Historian CDR Joe Skrzypek, USN (Ret.) 1joeskrzypek1@gmail.com

Editors Emeriti

Wayne Jensen - John Ball - John Driver Sean Laughlin - Andy Quiett - Mike Curtis Susan Fink - Bill Chase - Tracey Keefe Maureen Palmerino - Bryan Buljat - Gabe Soltero Todd Vorenkamp - Steve Bury - Clay Shane Kristin Ohleger - Scott Lippincott - Allison Fletcher Ash Preston - Emily Lapp - Mallory Decker

Historians Emeriti

©2017 Naval Helicopter Association, Inc., all rights reserved

CAPT Vincent Secades,USN (Ret.) CDR Lloyd Parthemer,USN (Ret.)

3

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Naval Helicopter Association, Inc.

Corporate Members Our thanks to our corporate members for their strong support of Rotary Wing Aviation through their membership.

Airbus AECOM Amazon Military Avian, LLC BAE Systems Electronic Bell Helicopter Boeing Breeze Eastern Bristow Group CAE Crew Training Int’l. (CTI) Fatigue Technology FLIR Elbit Systems of America GE Aviation Innova Systems Int’l. LLC L3 Technologies Communications Systems-West L3 Technologies Link Simulation & Training L3 Technologies Vertex Aerospace Leonardo Helicopter Lockheed Martin Kongsberg MD Helicopters Northrop Grumman Raytheon Company Robertson Fuel Systems Rockwell Collins Simulation & Training Solutions Rolls Royce Co. SES Sikorsky a Lockheed Martin Company SkillMil Inc. SkyWest Airlines Trans States Airlines (TSA) Telephonics USAA Vector Aerospace

Correspondence and Membership P.O. Box 180578, Coronado, CA 92178-0578 (619) 435-7139 National Officers President.................................................CDR Brannon Bickel, USN Vice President……………….................CDR Sean Rocheleau, USN Executive Director..........................CAPT Bill Personius, USN (Ret.) Membership/Registration ........................................Mrs. Leia Triplett Marketing & Finance..............................................Mrs. Linda Vydra Rotor Review Art Manager..................................Mr. George Hopson Managing Editor.................................................Ms. Allyson Darroch Retired and Reunion Manager ......CDR Mike Brattland, USN (Ret.) VP Corporate Membership.................................................VACANT VP Awards ................................................CDR David Collins, USN VP Membership .................................................................VACANT VP Symposium 2018.......................................CDR Joe Torian, USN Secretary.............................................................LT Rick Jobski, USN Treasurer ..................................................LT Diane Sebastiano, USN NHA Stuff........................................................LT John Kipper, USN Senior NAC Advisor....................................AWCM Justin Tate, USN Directors at Large Chairman...........................RADM William E. Shannon III, USN (Ret.) CAPT Gene Ager, USN (Ret.) CAPT Chuck Deitchman, USN (Ret.) CAPT Dennis DuBard, USN (Ret.) CAPT Tony Dzielski, USN (Ret.) CAPT Greg Hoffman, USN (Ret.) CAPT Bill Personius, USN (Ret.) CAPT Mario Misfud, USN (Ret.) CDR Derek Fry, USN (Ret.) Regional Officers Region 1 - San Diego Directors...…........................................CAPT Kevin Kennedy, USN CAPT Dave Walt, USN CAPT Mike Mineo, USNR President..…...............................................CDR Nicholas Leclerc, USN

NHA Scholarship Fund

President............................................CDR Derek Fry, USN (Ret.) Executive Vice President............CAPT Kevin “Bud” Couch, USN (Ret.) VP Operations.................................CAPT Paul Stevens, USN (Ret.)VP Fundraising .........................CAPT Marc Liebman, USN (Ret.)VP Scholarships.......................................................Vacant VP CFC Merit Scholarship............................LT Nicholas Engle, USN Treasurer.................................................LCDR Bob Royal, USN (Ret.) Corresponding Secretary..................................LT Kory Perez, USN Finance/Investment.........................CDR Kron Littleton, USN, (Ret.)

Region 2 - Washington D.C. Directors ....……...……........................CAPT Kevin Kropp, USN Col. Paul Croisetiere, USMC (Ret.) Presidents .........................................CDR Wayne Andrews, USN CDR Pat Jeck, USN (Ret.) Region 3 - Jacksonville Director ...................................................CAPT Michael Burd, USN President..................................................CDR Richard Whitfield , USN

NHA Historical Society

President..........................................CAPT Bill Personius, USN (Ret.) Secretary .............................CDR Joe Skrzypek, USN (Ret.) Treasurer.................................................Mr. Joe Peluso San Diego Air & Space Museum............CAPT Jim Gillcrist, USN (Ret.) USS Midway Museum.....................CWO4 Mike Manley, USN (Ret.) Webmaster.......................................CDR Mike McCallum, USN (Ret.) NHAHS Board of Directors..........CAPT Dennis DuBard, USN (Ret.) CAPT Mike Reber, USN (Ret.) CDR John Ball, USN (Ret.)

Region 4 - Norfolk Director .............................................CAPT Mark Leavitt, USN President ................................................CDR Ryan Keys, USN Region 5 - Pensacola Directors...............................................CAPT Mark Murray, USN CAPT Thomas MacDonald, USCG President ...................................................CDR Steve Audelo, USN 2017 Fleet Fly-In...........................................LT Andrew Haas, USN LT Kristina Mullins, USN

Junior Officers Council

Region 1 ...................................................LT Morgan Quarles, USN Region 2 .......................................................LT Ryan Wielgus, USN Region 3 .....................................................LT Michelle Sousa, USN Region 4 ....................................................LT Tony Chitwood, USN Region 5 ..................................................LT Christina Carpio, USN Region 6 ........................................................................... VACANT

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

Region 6 - Far East Director.....................................................CDR Dennis Malzacher, USN President................................................CDR John Bushey USN

4

Chairman’s Brief

G

reetings! Hope everybody had a great summer and your favorite football team is in the middle of a winning season!

Just a quick shout out to the “Tridents" of HSC-9 and the “Spartans” of HSM-70 on their return in August, from a very successful seven month deployment as part of CVW-8 aboard the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). I was down in Mayport to see the GHWB arrive and members of HSM-70 debark. I also had a chance to chat briefly with the HSM-70 Skipper CDR Ed Fossati. I should confess that the main reason I was in Mayport was to welcome my son, LT Tommy Shannon, back from the same deployment. He deployed as a member of the CSG-2 staff. I also had a chance to meet the CSG-2 Commander, RDML Kenny Whitesell. During my discussions with him, I was surprised to learn that CSG-2 set the post-Vietnam record for most ordnance dropped on a deployment.

That’s a very interesting fact considering that, with the exception of the SU-22 shoot-down, they did not get much coverage in the news.

On a final note, just want to put in a plug for one of the features that folks may not know about, on our new and improved NHA website. In the “members only” section there is a forum and within that forum there is an active message board that lists civilian jobs available for those that may be transitioning from the service. I counted 13 jobs listed today on the board.

The website also has a transition section that lists job fairs and other transition resources. We’d love to see every active duty member have a long a successful career but we know there are always members transitioning and a great organization takes care of all its members.

That’s all for now, see you at the Fly-in!

RADM Bill Shannon, USN (Ret.) NHA Chairman

Aviation Warfare Specialist Senior Chief Phillip Freer, assigned to Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HM) 14, guides a forklift loading a pallet of water onto a U.S. Navy MH-53E Sea Dragon for Hurricane Harvey relief support at Katy, Texas, Aug. 31, 2017. Hurricane Harvey formed in the Gulf of Mexico and made landfall in southeastern Texas, bringing record flooding and destruction to the region. U.S. military assets supported FEMA as well as state and local authorities in rescue and relief efforts. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Larry E. Reid Jr..

5

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

In Review Salutations Rotor Review Warriors!

By LT Caleb "Baggins" Levée, USN

T

his issue’s focus is dedicated to the Amphibious Navy – and the integration of the Navy and Marine Corps aviation team. The BlueGreen team continues to push the envelope of innovation and enhanced warfighting capabilities. A pop-up feature touches on the heroic saves and services provided for Hurricane Harvey and Irma Relief efforts. Only midway through a catastrophic and record-breaking hurricane season, the Atlantic shows no sign of letting up. However, even in the worst of circumstances, our global force for good shines as a beacon of hope to those in need – often when there’s no one else to turn to. In this light, the theme of Rotor Review 139 will be Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief (HA/DR).

Radio Check

It’s no secret that the civilian airline industry’s demand for qualified pilots is increasing. Not only are baby boomers retiring, but passenger demands continue to grow. Beyond the airline industry increasing salary and signing bonuses in attempts to hire at an unprecedented rate, other industries are snatching up pilots and maintenance professionals to fill their emergent demand as well.

Every military aviation community is addressing active and potential retention issues. The Air Force and fixed wing communities are being targeted more aggressively, for obvious reasons. But is it happening in helicopter aviation as well?

Or is our community immune because of our love of country and flying?

During the House Armed Services Subcommittee on March 29, 2017, top personnel officials from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force met to address their concerns on the pilot shortage affecting all four branches. Lt. Gen. Gina Grosso, USAF, sited a 2015 exit survey ranking influences to leave active duty, “maintaining work/life balance is the number one reason and that’s 45%. Availability of civilian jobs is 28%.” In this issue’s Radio Check, you’ll find some pretty amazing examples of what work/life balance means and why it’s so important to find what works for you. If you can't love what you do or find time for 'life,' something will inevitably suffer.

As far as availability of civilian jobs, what is military aviation doing to compete with potential salaries and lifestyle of the civilian world (bonuses, promotion, incentives, balance)? Is money the systemic issue or is there an underlying cultural issue that repels our seasoned aviators? In the next issue of Rotor Review, I would like to gauge the pulse of the helicopter community with the Radio Check question, “Do you think there is a retention issue in Naval Helicopter Aviation? If so, why?”

See you at the Fly-In!

-Baggins

Check it out on page 65!

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

6

Letters to the Editors It is always great to hear from the members of NHA to learn the impression Rotor Review is making on readers. The magazine’s staff strives to provide a product that meets demand. We urge you to remember that we maintain many open channels to contact the magazine staff for feedback, suggestions, praise, or publishing corrections. Your anonymity is respected. If you would like to write a letter, please forward any correspondance to caleb.levee@navy.mil or mail to the following address: Letters to the Editor | c/o Naval Helicopter Association, Inc. P.O. Box 180578 | Coronado, CA 92178-0578

A Correction

Page 54 of the Summer edition of Rotor Review states that LCDR Middleton received the Max Beep for HSC-8. It should have been CDR Middleton, Commanding Officer. Rotor Review’s editorial staff regrets the error and we apologize to CDR Middleton for the mistake.

Letter to the Editor Rotor Review Naval Helicopter Association, Inc. P.O. Box 180578 Coronado CA 92178 Editor, Rotor Review, I enjoyed reading the article about the Mark Starr Award on page 56 of your Summer 2017 issue. I was very impressed by the outstanding naval career of the recipient Captain Richard Roberts.

While I was in Helicopter Squadron HS-6 in 1964, Mark Starr was my Commanding Officer. He and his wife Pat became family friends and in later years attended the wedding of Gail and I in 1987.

I recalled that there was a U.S. Navy Photo of Mark and myself taken aboard the USS Kearsarge which appeared in the Coronado Journal in 1964. Amazingly, I was able to locate that article in the archives.

It can be found in the California Digital Newspaper Collection (https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc).

Naval Helicopter Association 2017-2018 Submission Deadlines and Publishing Dates Winter 2017 (Issue 139) ....................November 19 / January 10, 2018 Spring 2018 (Issue 140) ...............................March 19 / April 30, 2018 Summer 2018 (Issue 141)....................August 19 / September 30, 2018 Articles and news items are welcomed from NHA’s general membership and corporate associates. Articles should be of general interest to the readership and geared toward current Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard affairs, technical advances in the helicopter industry or historical anecdotes.

Rotor Review Submission Guidelines 1. Articles: Word documents as attachements are the preferred format. Do not embed your images; send as a separate attachment.

2. Photos and Vector Images: Should be as high a resolution as possible and sent as a separate file from the article. Please include a suggested caption that has the following information: date, names, ranks or titles, location and credit the photographer or source of your image.

3. Videos: Must be in a mp4, mov, or avi format.

• With your submission, please include the title and caption of all media, photographer’s name, command and the length of the video.

• Verify the media does not display any classified information.

• Ensure all maneuvers comply with NATOPS procedures.

• All submissions shall be tasteful and in keeping with good order and discipline.

• All submissions should portray the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard and individual units in a positive light.

All submissions can be forwarded to your community editor via email or by mail to Rotor Review c/o Naval Helicopter Association, Inc. P.O. Box 180578, Coronado, CA 92178-0578

Perhaps the "Old Pro" award was a forerunner of the Mark Starr Award?

Chris Jensen La Jolla, California SH-3A Pilot, HS-6 1962-65

7

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

From the Organization President’s Message

by CDR Brannon “Bick” Bickel, USN

G

reetings NHA team! It’s been an interesting summer here in somewhat sunny San Diego.

The June gloom has turned into August haze and the Santa Ana winds have come a little earlier than expected. Regardless, it’s a great time to be a Rotary Winged Aviator. I would like to applaud the efforts of our regional presidents in scheduling professional development events, golf tournaments, and fundraising events throughout their respective regions. I truly appreciate the efforts of our out-going regional presidents, CAPT Ryan “Meat” Keys, and CDR Roy “RZ” Zaletski. Fellas, thanks for the leadership and best of luck with your next adventure. Welcome to our new regional presidents, CDR Joe “Jobu” Torian, CDR Nick “Creepy” Leclerc, and CDR Joe “Angry” Murphy. Assuming this position from CAPT Chris “Shooter” Herr is quite the endeavor. Shooter thanks for making sure that NHA continues as a healthy professional organization. We are all appreciative of your efforts, and I’m especially thankful for the friendship. Best of luck to you and your family as you sail on to new adventures. We certainly owe a special thanks to our NHA staff of professionals. Without their tremendous efforts, led by our Executive Director, CAPT Bill Personius, USN (Ret.), this organization would not be the premiere professional organization that it is in supporting our Helicopter Communities.

In this edition, I look forward to seeing all the photos from our 2017 Photo Contest. Thanks to those who contributed their time and effort. Congratulations to those who are recognized as our submission winners. Additionally, our annual “Fleet Fly-In” will be in full swing. The festivities and dialogue is sure to be both tremendous fun and highly informative. Thanks to CDR Steve “Pancho” Audelo and team for putting on a tremendous showcasing of vertical lift to our future Rotorheads!

I know that we have a tremendous pool of talented Junior Officers who are leading our communities through their service to our great nation. As always, we’re continually looking for more volunteers and asking members to help us make this organization better. It’s through our contributions and personal investment that NHA remains relevant and poised to address future challenges through collective discussion and engagement.

Enjoy this fantastic edition of Rotor Review, and I look forward to seeing you all in Pensacola!

Keep it on glideslope.

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

8

Executive Director’s Notes

by CAPT Bill Personius, USN (Ret.)

W

ell …it is time for the 2017 Gulf Coast Fleet Fly-In and NHA Join-Up. We have a great line-up planned for all those that are able to attend and we look forward to returning to Pensacola, and Whiting Field Milton, Florida, to help support all the activities in and around this year’s event. This year we will be at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola again and we look forward to having many of our activities at this exciting location as it is an added bonus having some of our events collocated in this wonderful facility chocked full with our Naval Aviation History. We have some of your favorite activities planned again for this year’s Fly-In: Welcome Aboard BBQ, Fleet Welcome Reunion/Social – Bands on the Beach at the Pensacola Casino Beach Bar and Grille, 5K Fun Run, Back Porch Picnic, Senior Officer Panel, Industry Panel, Aircrew Day, Farewell Social, Aircrew Breakfast, Golf Tournament and much more. Don’t forget the reason why this all happens is to support our student naval aviators being able to test-fly fleet aircraft and learn more about what soon will be their aircraft selection. Student flights will be conducted on Tuesday through Thursday along with a Skills Competition and many other professional meetings and briefings. There are several other events planned and still being coordinated as I write this article, so please check the NHA website and our telephone app for up-to-the-minute details and any changes that might occur. We hope that you might consider joining us for this professional and fun event.

As we move into the holiday season, Region events continue and we are busy making plans for the 2018 Symposium in Norfolk, Virginia. This year’s theme is 75 Years of Naval Helicopters and 50 Years of the Naval Aircrewman. We are excited about taking some time in 2018 to review the highlights of some of our history and pay tribute to those heroes that support our flying missions in the back of our aircraft for what has been 50 years. We will be at the Marriott Waterside Hotel in Norfolk in 2018 and look forward to all that a revitalized waterfront district has to offer. As far as business goes at NHA, things are cooking along and we are making progress every day. I would like to welcome Sarina Poisson to the NHA National Office team as a part-time volunteer. Sarina will be helping us with several of our long-term projects as well as assisting with our retired group. Sarina is the spouse of the late CWO Phil Poisson. We have secured another year lease in building #654 at NAS North Island and look forward to some actual building improvements soon to be upgraded before the end of 2017, so we are told. The building will receive a new heating and an air conditioning system. I will believe it when I see it, however, that is all good news for our NHA National Office Staff. Stop on by some time and we’ll show you around. We hope that you have a great couple of months this fall and an enjoyable holiday season. I’ll update you again in the Winter edition of the next Rotor Review Magazine. Keep your turns up.

Regards, Bill Personius

9

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

In the Community Naval Helicopter Association Historical Society

by CAPT Bill Personius, USN (Ret.)

T

here are some new things going on with the NHA Historical Society.

We are busy updating and expanding our NHAHS Website capabilities. Check us out at www.nhahistoricalsociety. org and help us out by pointing out corrections and sending us copies of your navy biography, patches, plaques and award citations. We are anxious to color in the details with the data that we are missing. While there is still a lot of work to do, the project is coming along nicely due in large part to the efforts of our new webmaster CDR Mike Brattland, USN (Ret.). Mike is a HS guy that was in HS-2, 8 and 10 and did a PEP tour with the British. Mike retired in 1993 with 22 years of honorable service.

He is an avid classic car guy and computer guru. Mike is doing a lot of quality work and is in the NHA Office on a daily basis working the NHAHS website and keeping it updated. NHAHS had a good time at the 2017 NHA Symposium this year and recently, several of us planned and made a trip to San Pedro to visit the USS Iowa (BB-61) to attend a reception for donors that helped provide support to refurbish their HUP helicopter. We experienced a nice evening on the Battleship and had a great tour of the museum and ship’s store. We are still working with the city of Imperial Beach to help with a monument to Navy Helicopters however we are waiting on the city to determine the exact location for the construction of the park. That is about it other than the normal admin work that goes on to keep things going. Keep your turns up.

Regards, Bill Personius

Aircrewman’s Corner

by AWCM Justin Tate, USN

Fellow Aircrewmen,

G

ood day to all of you! It is amazing hearing what all of you are accomplishing on a daily basis. Your attention to detail, technical expertise and tactical prowess is proving more vital each day. You are continually being major contributors to the success of the missions we are being tasked with. To meet the mission success, you are putting in the long hours to hone the skills required to do our jobs and do them exceptionally well. This is once again why it is amazing hearing what you are all accomplishing on a daily basis.

So every year in October there is a “Fleet Fly-In and NHA Join-Up” in Pensacola, Fla. This is where the fleet flies some of their helicopters in to Pensacola to let the new pilots and aircrewmen see what they will fly once their training is completed. Oct. 23 to Oct. 27 is when it will be this year. The reason I am mentioning this, is because who better to talk

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

Fleet specifics with these new pilots and aircrewmen than you? If you have the ability to come out, please do. These new pilots and aircrewmen could really learn a thing or two from you. You may even make a lasting impression on them.

How awesome would that be?

We all have to take the time to train the junior personnel, so we have someone to replace us at some point. Why not start that earlier then you normally would. Come on out to Pensacola and make that lasting impression. Your contributions to our country, our Navy and our communities are absolutely nothing short of spectacular. So continue to make a difference. I appreciate what you all do on a daily basis and applaud you for your selfless dedication.

Fly Safe.

10

NHA Scholarship Fund

Congratulations to our Scholarship winners for the 2016/2017 cycle! All had incredible academic and service records. I have reviewed scholarship applicants every year for the past eight years and the records and competition keeps getting stronger and stronger. Special thanks to our corporate and named sponsors, Sikorsky, Kaman Charitable Trust, Northrup Grumman, CAE, FLIR Inc., DPA, Raytheon, Ream, McCarthy, Brady and Morrison families, NHA, NHAHS and our new sponsor, the USS Midway Foundation, for making a difference in the lives of these awardees.

To our Scholarship winners…

Good luck and much success in your academic pursuits and chosen careers.

Hold fast, CAPT Paul Stevens, USN (Ret.) Raytheon Scholarship NHA Active Duty USS Midway Foundation Michael Undersander Scholarship Scholarship Staff Sgt. Edward Hill, USMC Mason Barrow Northrop Grumman Madison Ward Scholarship NHA Active Duty Edith Hoffman Graduate Scholarship NHA Historical Society LT Jeffrey Ouimette, USN CAPT Mark Starr Memorial Don Patterson Associates Scholarship Scholarship NHA Graduate Scholarship Ryan Rio Alexis Ward Abbi Miceli CAE Scholarship Sergei Sikorsky Memorial Jack Brady Curtis Aaron Scholarship Memorial Scholarship Jesse Robinson Christopher Keane CDR Mort McCarthy Memorial Scholarship FLIR Scholarship Robert Morrison Patrick Blaha Robin Bridgers Memorial Scholarship Rachael Hardison Ream Memorial Scholarship Charles Kaman Allie Stamper Memorial Scholarship Jazmin Rio

11

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

A View from the Labs: Supporting the Fleet

by CAPT George Galdorisi, USN (Ret.)

The Amphibious Assault Navy

W

hat a great theme for this issue of Rotor Review, the Amphibious Assault Navy. It’s a subject that I suspect will resonate with all of this magazine’s readers. Why? From a Navy perspective, many of our Navy rotary wing aviators serve on amphibious ships – GATORS – as mid-grade officers, and once a more senior officer has had squadron command, the prospects are good that he or she will wind up as executive officer and/or commanding officer of an amphibious assault ship.

For our Marine Corps rotary wing aviators, now that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are winding down, the Marine Corps – to quote a former Commandant of the Marine Corps – is “returning to its amphibious roots.” Marine Corps pilots will likely have multiple tours serving on amphibious assault ships.

When I first joined the amphibious assault Navy after my first squadron CO tour, one of my mentors told me, “All you need to know about the GATORS is this: It’s ships that sink, and tanks that float.” How could you possibly go wrong with that as words to live by? It turned out however, through three tours in the GATORS, it was a bit more complicated than that.

For those of you just embarking on your career who wonder if you’d enjoy a tour in the GATORS, embrace it! As a guy who was primarily concerned with ASW for the first twenty years I served on active duty, I have to admit that there was something always dissatisfying about exercises where you spent days chasing a simulated enemy submarine, but never knowing if it was really there or not. And you know our submariners, they’re the “silent service,” so if you did find them, would they tell you? Who can ever be sure if you were successful or not?

In the GATORS, you are sure. Loading stick-after-stick of Marines into their craft (then H-46s, now MV-22s), launching them on-time and in-sequence toward an objective area, providing over-the-horizon support to the Marines on the beach or other objective area, and doing it again and again with professionalism and precision represents something you can reach out and touch and know that you’ve done something positive that day.

Years ago, I was asked to write a chapter for the Naval Historical Foundation book, The Navy. My assignment was to talk about the current amphibious assault Navy. I wrote about what I knew; the book was published in 2000. As I read what I wrote I recall thinking, “Whew, this is cutting-edge stuff.” And the pictures in the book were terrific.

Fast-forward to today, and much of what I wrote about the amphibious assault Navy circa 2000 would be unrecognizable to Navy and Marine Corps officers serving in today’s amphibious assault Navy. And if you are staying tuned in to world events, you’ll note that when there’s a crisis – a hostage evacuation, a surgical insertion of SPECOPS to take down a target, or our nation’s response to one of the increasing number of natural disasters worldwide, it’s not carrier strike groups answering the call, its expeditionary strike groups. And these groups are fielding some of the most cutting-edge technology the Navy and Marine Corps fields. It’s an exciting time to be a GATOR. Yep, but it’s still ships that sink, and tanks that float.

USNS Montford Point

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

12

A View from the JO Council

by LT Andrew “Hanks” Hoffman, USN

Junior Officer Takeover of NHA!

A

lright JOPA, we’re not really taking over NHA. Those who currently run NHA do an amazing job and we have other things to focus on like flying, being DIVOs, and planning JOPA walkouts. However, there is absolutely room for us to take more of an active role in the organization and I would like to see us do so.

In order to accomplish this, a Junior Officer Council has been established within NHA. This council consists of a representative from each of the six regions (see below), LT Arlen “JV” Connolly as VP, and myself as President. Along with this comes a seat at the table and vote with the Board of Directors for NHA. I know, I can’t believe they decided it was a good idea to let me in either. Thank you, Admiral Shannon. Sincerely, my hope is that this body will facilitate a better flow of suggestions, feedback, and information from the ENS, LTJG, and LT ranks that will help make NHA better than the outstanding organization it already is. Please, if you have any input on how you think we can make NHA work better for everyone, don’t hesitate to let us know.

That being said, I just saw the draft SOE for the upcoming 2017 Gulf Coast FleetFly-in and NHA Fall Join-Up. It’s going to be another great event down in Pensacola spending time with friends from flight school and giving the current flight school students some valuable insight into the fleet. The reunion social on the beach is always a good time as well. Hope to see you there!

JO Council Roster Region 1: LT Morgan Quarles Region 2: LT Ryan Wielgus Region 3: LT Michelle Sousa Region 4: LT Tony Chitwood Region 5: LT Christina Carpio Region 6: TBD (Please contact me if you would like to volunteer to be the Region 6 rep!)

13

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Harvey and Irma The Naval Helicopter Community Response a Photographic Essay Harvey he U.S. military fielded a massive rescue and relief operation in the wake of Hurricane Harvey along the Texas coast. News media and military sources reported “more than 1,000 active-duty troops” provided rescue and relief operations to the region, with an additional 1,100 prepared to deploy, according to the Department of Defense.

“Approximately 1,600 active-duty military personnel are deployed to the affected area,” according to U.S. Northern Command, who controls active duty U.S. military personnel in North America. As of Aug. 31, there have been a reported 4,700 aerial rescues conducted by military assets in the region.

The U.S. Navy dispatched the vessels USS Oak Hill (LSD 51), a Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship and the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) to the Gulf region in support of humanitarian aid and rescue operations. The U.S. Coast Guard spread 39 helicopters and seven planes between operating bases in Houston and New Orleans.

The gigantic tropical storm, that began on Aug. 17, and continued until Sept. 2, was the first storm of its type to hit the U.S. mainland since 2005 when Hurricane Wilma landed.

T

Air Force Airmen assigned to the 48th Rescue Squadron load gear for a joint search and rescue operation throughout the areas affected by Hurricane Harvey utilizing Air Force small boats and Navy helicopters from HSC-7.

U.S. Army Soldiers and U.S. Navy Sailors load bottled water onto a U.S. Navy MH-60S Sea Hawk assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21.

Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class Jansen Schamp, left, and Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class Rion Johnson of HSC-28, assist with a medical evacuation.

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

Cpl. Keith Reichard, an aerial observer with Detachment A, Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 773, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Forces Reserve, leads a child to a UH-1Y Venom helicopter in Port Arthur, Texas.

14

Coast Guard Air Station Houston, Jayhawk rescue of a wheelchair-bound Houston resident.

Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 1st Class Chris Leebeck of Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HM)14, guides a pallet of MREs into an MH-53E Sea Dragon Helicopter for Hurricane Harvey victims.

Two rescuers from HSC-7 are lowered to a house after Tropical Storm Harvey flooded a neighborhood in Beaumont, Texas.

Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class Jansen Schamp, a native of Denver, Colo. and assigned to the Dragon Whales of HSC-28, crew rescues four dogs and 14 people.

Sailors assigned to HSC-7, investigate a distress call at a home in College Station, Texas, during a Search and Rescue (SAR) mission over the areas affected by Hurricane Harvey.

15

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Irma

U

.S. military preparations for Hurricane Irma included four Navy ships and thousands of troops for potential disaster relief while moving aircraft and U.S. troops in advance of the arrival of the Category 5 storm.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis approved the use of the USS Oak Hill and the USS Kearsarge, amphibious ships now off Florida’s east coast.

The ships were originally deployed with hundreds of Marines and Sailors aboard to respond to Hurricane Harvey in Texas, but could instead be sent to Florida. Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, ADM Phil Davidson, ordered the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), and amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21) to get underway Sept. 8, to be in position to provide humanitarian relief in support of federal, state and local authorities if requested.

The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Farragut (DDG 99) is underway conducting local operations and has been ordered to join the group.

Iwo Jima and New York departed Mayport, Fla., Sept. 5 and conducted an onload in Norfolk, Va., of more than 300 Marines and Sailors with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, and II Marine Expeditionary Force.

The combined aircraft on all four ships are three CH-53E Marine Heavy Lift Helicopters, 10 MH-60S and 14 MH-60R Navy Medium Lift Helicopters.

Senior Chief Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) Xipetotec Thorngate searches Key West during a reconnaissance mission from an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the "Swamp Foxes" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 74.

Sailors attached to the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) load evacuees onto an MH60S Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to HSC-22.

Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 1st Class Oliver Martin and Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class Parker Eastman, assigned to the "Spartans" of HSM72, load boxes of water onto an MH-60R Sea Hawk from the "Swamp Foxes" of HSM-74 on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

16

Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 2nd Classes Logan Parkinson (left) and Brandon Larnard, from Helicopter Sea Combat 22 (HSC-22) assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) help evacuate a patient in support of relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Irma.

Sailors assigned to the Nightdippers of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5, embarked aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), load supplies onto a truck at Naval Air Station Key West.

Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class John Malico and Aircrewman (Rescue Swimmer) 1st Class Erick Sotelo, both assigned to HSC-22, help a mother and child during the U.S. Navy relief efforts in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Sailors inside an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to HSC-22, transport evacuees.

17

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

VH-92A Presidential Helicopter Achieves First Flight

Industry and Technology

Posted on August 3, 2017; Lockheed Martin Press Release

Official VH-92A Rendering

O

The VH-92A aircraft is based on Sikorsky’s successful and FAA-certified S-92A commercial aircraft, which recently surpassed one million flight hours. The S-92A aircraft, assembled in Coatesville, Pa., is being modified to include integration of government-defined missions systems and an executive interior.

“With this successful first flight on the books, we look forward to completion of Sikorsky’s flight test program, operational testing and production of this aircraft to support the Office of the President of the United States,” said U.S. Marine Corps Col. Robert Pridgen, program manager for the Naval Air System Command’s Presidential Helicopter’s Program Office.

The U.S. Navy awarded a $1.24 billion fixed-price incentive Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) contract with production options to Sikorsky on May 7, 2014. The EMD contract will produce a total of six aircraft: two test aircraft and four production aircraft. The production options for the remaining 17 aircraft will be finalized in FY19.

The VH-92A will enter into service in 2020. The VH-92A will transport the president and vice president of the United States and other officials.

n July 28, 2017, Lockheed Martin's VH-92A configured test aircraft completed its first flight in support of the U.S. Marine Corps’ VH-92A Presidential Helicopter Replacement Program. The flight signals the start of the 250 hour flight test program, which will take place at Lockheed Martin facilities in Owego, New York.

The aircraft achieved its first flight, and later that same day completed a second flight at Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, Conn. Total flight time for the two sorties was one hour and included hover control checks, low speed flight, and a pass of the airfield.

“This first flight of the VH-92A configured test aircraft is an important milestone for the program,” said Spencer Elani, director VH-92A program at Sikorsky. “Having independently tested the aircraft’s components and subsystems, we are now moving forward to begin full aircraft system qualification via the flight test program.”

As the flight test program proceeds, this test aircraft (Engineering Development Model 1, or EDM-1) will be joined by an additional test aircraft (EDM-2) over the course of the 12-month flight test program. EDM-2 is on track for its first flight later this year.

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

18

INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY

Expeditionary Venom Gets Help While Underway Article by 2nd Lt. Samir Glenn-Roundtree, USMC

Sailors and Marines aboard USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) test the functionality of an AH-1 Cobra helicopter as it receives fuel during a routine maintenance check aboard the ship. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. Adaecus G. Brooks

T

he 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) aboard USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) recently hosted pilots and engineers from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (HX) 21, at sea, to help improve flying conditions for the UH-1Y Venom.

For pilots who fly the UH-1Y Venom, a helicopter also known as the Super Huey, the HX-21 visit couldn’t come soon enough.

“It’s been a known problem since the Marine Corps accepted the UH-1Y with the LPD class ships that the expanded spots have very small wind envelopes,” said Navy LT Jameson McCort, the air officer aboard USS Mesa Verde.

For the Super Hueys, which were certified by the Marine Corps in Aug. 2008, there had been no previous testing aboard a San Antonio class amphibious transport dock, leaving pilots with only a generic flight envelope in which to operate.

The deployed 24th MEU wasted no time after identifying the issue in requesting immediate support from HX-21 while underway in support of maritime operations in the 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation.

“The Marines and Sailors on this ship took action from the bottom up,” said Maj. Joseph Kennedy, an HX-21 developmental project pilot.

Kennedy also commented that the MEU’s sense of urgency got the attention of his program office.

“Never before, that I’m aware of, have we gone to an oper19

ational unit, integrated with them and conducted a developmental test,” said Kennedy.

Once the Patuxent River, Maryland-based team arrived aboard USS Mesa Verde, they immediately went to work familiarizing themselves with the wind dynamics of the ship and began planning.

“The biggest challenge is that this is a higher-risk test, and that’s due to not knowing what’s out there,” said Kennedy.

“Our job is to push the envelope as far out as we can and still make it safe.”

HX-21’s flight test engineers, including Kristen Finnegan, who received an aeronautical engineering degree from Pennsylvania State University, teamed up with the naval officers and crew of USS Mesa Verde to adjust the severity of conditions experienced over the flight deck.

“We have the true winds and then we work with the bridge and request the ship to sail at different courses and speeds to obtain different relative winds across the deck,” said Finnegan.

“We have the test pilots launch and recover in those winds and rate them as safe or unsafe.”

During their time at sea, their efforts were occasionally thwarted by fair winds and fallow seas.

“Some of the challenges were just based off the winds,” said McCort. “There were days when Mother Nature just did not cooperate and give us the winds we needed to operate in the www.navalhelicopterassn.org

regimes they had to fly, so it took a little more time than expected.”

Adding to the complexity, was the requested configuration of the aircraft. Carrying personnel and equipment increases weight, requiring more torque and lift, which the test squadron needed to simulate.

“We fly with the heaviest weight possible to figure out the maximum torque they would ever need and that it’s within aircraft’s limits to make sure they have a certain margin,” said Finnegan. “We worked with the MEU and their maintenance department and they were kind enough to configure the aircraft so that we were almost at maximum gross weight.”

The aircraft maintainers weren’t the only personnel aboard the ship the test squadron pilots relied on.

“We rely on the ship for their LSEs, deck crew, Marines for METOC, so there’s definitely support for us," said Finnegan.

During their time aboard USS Mesa Verde, HX-21 pilots were able to fly nearly continuously for two weeks, a testament to the hard work and dedication of Marines and Sailors.

“It was an excellent evolution. I thought everyone performed admirably, especially the aviation combat element maintainers, who did an excellent job out there, and the flight deck crew who held in tough,” said McCort. “It was a long couple of weeks but they knocked it out of the park, so I think it was a good job all around.”

The 24th MEU hopes to receive an interim clearance to fly in the expanded wind envelopes once the data has been analyzed.

“The short-term hope is they give us a product we can use for the next few months, but that’s like an icing on the cake,” said McCort. “The big picture is the Marine Corps as a whole is going to get operable wind limits for the UH-1Y on LPD class ships, which as we are starting to see is becoming more and more the norm.”

U.S. Marine Corps Awards Contract to Lockheed Martin to Begin CH-53K Helicopter Production

N

aval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., has awarded Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) a Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Lot 1 contract to build two production CH-53K King Stallion helicopters. This contract follows the April 4, 2017, Milestone C decision by the Defense Acquisition Board (DAB) approving LRIP production.

“Gaining the U.S. Marine Corps approval to enter into production and the award of the first contract are milestones made possible by the tremendous achievements of the joint Sikorsky, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and U.S. Marine Corps team,” said Dr. Mike Torok, vice president, CH-53K programs. “This is what we have been striving for - to deliver this amazing capability to the U.S. Marine Corps.”

Under the $303,974,406 contract, Sikorsky will deliver two production aircraft to the U.S. Marine Corps in 2020 along with spares and logistical support. Aircraft assembly will take place at Sikorsky’s headquarters in Stratford, Conn.

“We have just successfully launched the production of the most powerful helicopter our nation has ever designed. This incredible capability will revolutionize the way our nation conducts business in the battlespace by ensuring a substantial increase in logistical through put into that battlespace. I could not be prouder of our government-contractor team for making this happen,” said Col. Hank Vanderborght, U.S. Marine Corps program manager for the Naval Air Systems Command’s Heavy Lift Helicopters program, PMA-261.

The CH-53K King Stallion provides unmatched capability with three times the lift capability of its predecessor, the CH-53E Super Stallion. The helicopter cabin, a full foot wider, gives increased payload capacity to internally load 463L cargo pallets, High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV) or a European Fenneck armored personnel carrier while still leaving the troop seats installed. The CH-53K’s external hook system provides the capability to lift three independent external loads simultaneously. These true heavy lift internal and external cargo improvements give the Marine Corps tremendous mission flexibility and efficiency in delivering combat power in support of the Marine Air Ground Task Force or in delivering humanitarian assistance or disaster relief to those in need.

The King Stallion also brings enhanced safety features for the warfighter. Full authority fly-by-wire flight controls and mission management reduce pilot workload enabling the crew to focus on mission execution. Features include advanced stability augmentation, flight control modes that include attitude command-velocity hold, automated approach to a stabilized hover, position hold and precision tasks in degraded visual environments, and tactile cueing. These features permit the pilot to focus confidently on the mission at hand while operating in degraded environments.

The CH-53K’s internal health monitoring systems with fault detection/fault isolation, coupled with a digital aviation logistics maintenance system that interfaces with the Fleet Common Operating Environment for fleet management, provides improved combat readiness for the Marine Corps.

The U.S. Department of Defense’s Program of Record remains at 200 CH-53K aircraft. The U.S. Marine Corps intends to stand up eight active duty squadrons, one training squadron, and one reserve squadron to support operational requirements.

For additional information, visit our website: http://lockheedmartin.com/ch53k Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

20

INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY

Patuxent River Welcomes CH-53K to Flight Line Press Release - PEO(A) Public Affairs, Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md.

T

he first CH-53K King Stallion to touch down at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, Md., arrived June 30, 2017.

Relocated from Sikorsky’s Development Flight Center in West Palm Beach, Fla., it is the first of seven aircraft expected to arrive over the next 12 months.

At NAS Patuxent River, the helicopter will undergo various flight quality, ground and avionics test events. This particular CH-53K is an Engineering Development and Manufacturing Model (EDM), specifically designed to demonstrate the capabilities of the platform throughout the testing process. The helicopter will be operated and maintained by a joint team of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (HX) 21, NAVAIR and Sikorsky pilots, aircrew, engineers and maintainers.

“With each flight hour logged on this platform, we are one step closer to bringing our nation’s most powerful helicopter to the Marines,” said U.S. Marine Corps Col. Hank Vanderborght, program manager for the Naval Air Systems Command’s The CH-53K King Stallion lands on Naval Air Station Patuxent River, (NAVAIR) Heavy Lift Helicopters program01PMd., after completing a ferry flight from Sikorsky’s Development Flight MA-261.

Center in West Palm Beach, Fla., June 30, 2017. U.S. Navy photo The successful ferry flight follows the Milestone C decision in March, approving the program to proceed with low-rate initial production. CH-53K production is expected to begin Summer 2017, and initial operational capability and initial operational test and evaluation are on pace for 2019.

“This is an exciting moment for the program; transitioning the aircraft to Pax River is the result of thousands of hours of dedicated service by the government and industry teams,” Vanderborght said.

With more than triple the payload capability and a 12-inch wider internal cabin than its predecessor (CH-53E Super Stallion), the CH-53K’s payload capability can take the form of a variety of relevant payloads ranging from an internally loaded High Mobility, Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle or the European Fennek armored personnel carrier. In addition, it can handle up to three independent external loads at once, which gives mission flexibility and system efficiency.

NAVAIR CH-53K and Sikorsky program representatives at the formal signing to commemorate the SDTA contract award on May 31, 2017, at the H-53 Heavy Lift Helicopters (PMA-261) office at NAS Patuxent River. From left: Col. Robert Pridgen, USMC, PMA-261 program manager; Michael Torok, Ph.D., CH-53K programs vice president, Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation; Mark Boettger, manager, CH-53K contracts, Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation; Jeanette Moronta, H-53 procuring contracting officer; Cynthia Gill, CH-53K contract specialist; William Fleming, CH-53K production team lead; and Michael Wallner, CH-53K co-integrated production team lead. Photo by Sally Wise.

21

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

useful Information

Ninth Annual SDMAC Military Economic Impact Study Available on Oct. 27, 2017 Article by Ms. Leanne Anderson, San Diego Military Advisory Council, Project Manager

T

he San Diego Military Advisory Council (SDMAC) produces a San Diego Military Economic Impact Study (MEIS) annually to document the military’s contribution to the San Diego region’s economy. The report was initiated in 2008 because SDMAC realized there was neither an accurate nor credible documentation of the military’s economic impact on San Diego, which has the highest concentration of military anywhere in the world. SDMAC expressed concern that many decisions made were based on economic contribution and job creation for the region, and the military’s economic contribution was not adequately represented in the decision process.

SDMAC partners with Point Loma Nazarene University’s Fermanian Business and Economic Institute to generate the annual report with Dr. Lynn Reaser. Dr. Reaser’s credentials, experience, and expertise ensure the credibility and accuracy of the MEIS. The study has a wide distribution and is the reference document used by local, state and federal representatives when making decisions that affect the military in the San Diego region.

San Diego houses military infrastructure and training ranges that are critical to the execution of National Security Strategy which is focused on the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. It is a framework that is irreplaceable and cannot be duplicated anywhere else in the country. The report also documents the synergistic benefit between the military and the San Diego region, which is of great mutual benefit and is a model for the rest of the country. View the MEIS 2016 study at http://www.sdmac.org/ ImpactStudy.htm

The SDMAC 2016 MEIS documented the following: • The military is the largest economic cluster in the region by a factor of over two with the next closest being tourism • The military contributed ~$24Billion in direct spending which equates to a Gross Regional Product (GRP) of ~$45Billion.

• The military creates over 301,000 jobs in the region equating to ~22% of the regional GRP and jobs.

The SDMAC 2017 MEIS is scheduled for release on Friday, Oct. 27, 2017. The Press Conference and Luncheon will be held at the Admiral Kidd Catering and Conference Center onboard Naval Base Point Loma for SDMAC members and guests. This year’s study will include the contributions of the Coast Guard for the first time. Register online at www.sdmac. org or call 619.299.3763 for details.

The San Diego Military Advisory Council (SDMAC) supports and advocates the interests of the military in the San Diego area. SDMAC promotes partnerships and communication between the military, elected and appointed officials, and the business community while working to enhance recognition of the military’s many local economic and social contributions.

SDMAC was recently named a sub-recipient of a $1.8 million grant awarded to the City of San Diego from the Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA). The grant initiative, coined Propel San Diego, is designed to provide strategic and sustainable assistance to firms in the San Diego region who sell products and services to the Department of Defense (DoD) while developing a resilient defense supply chain that can stabilize despite changing budget, regional economic, and DoD readiness priorities. Possible programs include marketing, ITAR compliance, export assistance, lean supply chain analysis and programs designed to increase commercial business. If you are a business participating in DoD and work in San Diego County, contact Leanne Anderson, SDMAC Project Manager at leanne@sdmac.org or visit www.sandiego.gov/propel-sd for a list of partners and ways to get involved.

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

22

Useful Information

23

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Navy Doctrine Library Moves, NWDC Announces Improved Online Site for Navy Doctrine From Navy Warfare Development Command Public Affairs

T

he single authoritative repository for all Navy doctrine and tactics related products has moved. The new platform for the Navy Doctrine Library (NDL) delivers better customer ease of access, more dependable functionality and adaptability to changing user requirements.

Navy Warfare Development Command (NWDC) is the executive agent for the Navy Doctrine Library System (NDLS) that is used to distribute doctrine to fleet users and to manage the content of the entire doctrine library. NWDC just completed migration of NDL content to a web-based, collaborative platform to make it more intuitive for users and to provide linkages to other NWDC products.

“Today, the Navy’s doctrine is more up to date Technical Information Specialist Lee Watts, left, and CDR Allen Helton, than it has been in more than 20 years,” explained staff judge advocate at Navy Warfare Development Command, review Robert Wilhelm, NWDC publishing manager. features of the new Navy Doctrine Library website.

“As a feedback mechanism for doctrine users, U.S. Navy photo by Joseph Bara. the previous NDLS website itself contributed to currency. The migration of the Navy Doctrine Library to the collaborative portal will ensure continued doctrine,” Wilhelm said. “Future additions may include smaller improvement.” and more focused documents, multimedia, tablet-friendly docThe new library site builds on the feedback, collaboration uments, quick reference guides, and the like. We will be able and popular features of the original NDLS. to better meet customer needs.”

The site provides feedback to document owners through The Navy Doctrine Library is also automatically pushed to notifications sent when users post comments about publicathe fleet via the Collaboration at Sea site (CAS). tions. Library users can elect notification of changes to the library or specific publications using an alert feature.

“Users can create personalized document lists by tagging and annotating webpages that are accessible via a personal Common Access Card holders can request tag cloud,” said Orlando Irizarry, Navy doctrine information access to the Navy Doctrine Library by manager. “This feature can be accessed easily from each page.” going to the NWDC portal: Irizarry explained that Navy doctrine users have three https://portal.nwdc.navy.mil/ndls. For more routes to find and access doctrine through the site. They can drill down through the library navigation hierarchy, use the about Navy Warfare Development Comlibrary site search engine, or browse mission area bookshelves mand, visit https://www.nwdc.navy.mil. that organize Navy, Joint and Allied publications by subject.

“The NDL integrates with other products managed by NWDC and the warfighting development centers,” Wilhelm said. “For example, the new portal supports the collaborative authoring tool we have been using the last couple of years to increase productivity and save time.”

He said the move also simplifies site maintenance and the portal architecture affords opportunity for long term growth and additional functionality.

“The move supports a more flexible approach for packaging

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

24

Useful Information

A Helo Bubba’s Intro to Global Force Management Article by CDR Matt “Wrecking Ball” Wellman, USN

E

very time you deploy, every time that deployment gets extended, every time you do an accelerated work-up and go, and every time the Wing asks you to answer questions for a pop-up request for forces (RFF), you have unwittingly found yourself participating in Global Force Management (GFM)… often at the very end of the whip.

As important as this process is to determining the when and where our squadrons deploy, it is often unknown or misunderstood. This article will give you a "Cliff Notes" description of the GFM process and hopefully leave you with a better understanding as to why it can cause so much churn at the unit level.

GFM is managed by the Joint Staff Deputy Directorate for Regional Operations and Force Management (J-35). J-35 takes all combatant command (CCMD) requests for sourcing, racks and stacks these demands, and then gives sourcing recommendations. The resultant recommendations are presented to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) who then provides best military advice to the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF). The Secretary ultimately approves every single ship, aircraft, and sailor that deploys to a new Area of Operation (AOR).

The Three “A's” of GFM

Global Force Management starts with an understanding of the three “A's”: Assignment, Allocation, and Apportionment.

Assignment: distributing forces for enduring command plans. Assignment determines what military forces will be permanently assigned to (and often forward deployed to) a CCMD. Navy examples include Forward Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF) such as Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25 - assigned to Pacific Command (PACOM). Additionally, almost all naval forces on the West Coast of the United States are assigned to PACOM while East Coast forces are service retained by Navy.

Apportionment: estimated availability of forces for planning. Apportionment is the Services’ estimate of the number of major forces reasonably expected to be available to respond to a major contingency along a general timeline. If you find yourself on a Plans (J5) staff you will live in this world - but, allocation and assignment are what affect your deployments.

The GFM Process

Global Force Management is the system that the SECDEF uses to make proactive, risk-informed management decisions on the best use of operational forces to meet CCDR requirements. (See diagram). The GFM engine starts with a demand signal issued by a CCMD to support a SECDEF approved operation, operational plan (OPLAN), contingency plan (CONPLAN), or Theater Security Cooperation (TSC).

For pre-existing, known requirements this demand is considered as part of the rotational GFM cycle that establishes baseline force distribution 18-24 months prior to the beginning of the fiscal year. The rotational GFM cycle influences the Master Aviation Plan (MAP), which forecasts Naval Air Forces deployments and detachments.

For unexpected, new requirements the emergent allocation process is triggered via the issuance of a request for forces (RFF). Because all forces that met readiness requirements were already considered during the rotational process, emergent process resourcing usually results in units either deploying earlier than expected, extending their deployment, or being re-allocated from one operation to another.

The rotational and emergent GFM processes are similar and flow through the same wickets; however, for simplicity, this article will focus on the emergent process.

Allocation: distributing forces and resources for specified missions. Allocation is the temporary transfer of control of a force for a specific mission. For example, when a Carrier Strike Group (CSG) deploys from Norfolk to the Arabian Gulf, its control is transferred from Navy to European Command (EUCOM) and then to Central Command (CENTCOM) as it crosses the corresponding AORs. Allocation also covers the scenario when forces assigned to a CCMD are transferred (allocated) to another CCMD. This would cover a West Coast CSG deploying to the Arabian Gulf with associated control transferred Conventional Force Sourcing. Depicts the emergent sourcing process from PACOM to CENTCOM. for conventional forces, starting in the upper left quadrant with a GCC demand signal. (Source: Introduction to Global Force Management brief given by Joint Staff J-35)

25

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

RFF Validation

When an emergent RFF is released via message traffic, it must first be validated by Joint Staff J-35N (North) in the Pentagon. Each new requirement is scrutinized and given a legal review. Within the RFF, the combatant commander should communicate why additional forces are required, what authorities (operation) they will operate under, what specific capabilities are required, and how long they will be needed. If the RFF is determined to be unique and existing allocated and assigned forces cannot perform the mission, it will be validated and further staffed. Otherwise, it is returned to the CCMD.

Resourcing

Following validation, the Joint Staff will seek a sourcing solution that considers the entirety of the Department of Defense (DoD) inventory. Joint Staff J-35S (Norfolk) staffs all conventional requirements, Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) staffs all mobility requirements, and Special Operations Command (SOCOM) staffs all special operations forces (SOF) requirements. This staffing process (especially for conventional forces) is like brokering a deal between a buyer and seller. The buyer (CCMD) wants the most capable platform and wants many of them for as long as possible. The seller (Force Provider/Navy) has a very limited inventory and needs to meet the demands of all other CCMDs while also maintaining force readiness in a fiscally constrained environment. Due to the limited inventory, the broker (Joint Staff J-35S) prioritizes which demand signals are most critical and strives to meet top needs across CCMDs. After all, there are only so many cars on the car lot.

When a CCMD’s ideal solution is not available, J-35S will seek alternate (or in lieu of) sourcing solutions. For example, if a CCMD has a personnel recovery (PR) requirement for a USAF Air Rescue Squadron (ARS), J-35S may recommend sourcing by a Navy Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) capable MH-60S detachment if an ARS is not available for that particular operation.

Risk

Since the DoD does not own nearly enough assets to meet the needs of all the CCMDs, the Joint Staff’s proposed sourcing recommendations to SECDEF must contain thorough risk assessments. This risk assessment balances the consequence of NOT meeting CCMD demand with the consequence of NOT heeding force provider supply levels. When it comes to CCMD demand, different threats will have different consequences (and thereby associated risk) if not countered by resources. Alternatively, different force providers will have different consequences to future readiness if forces are prematurely deployed or extended on deployment. There is also the scenario in which too many of a high demand asset are deployed immediately, not leaving enough for future rotations. The Navy often faces measurable consequences when forced to source unplanned requirements in the form of deferred ship maintenance.

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

Orders

Risk informed sourcing recommendations are packaged and routed by Joint Staff J-35 in the Secretary of Defense Orders Book (SDOB). An updated SDOB is routed bi-monthly, or a Special SDOB can be routed at any time to address an extremely time-sensitive RFF. The SDOB is briefed through the J-3 Chain of Command to the Chairman, and is also briefed to major elements of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) until finally briefed and approved by SECDEF. Ultimately, SECDEF will sign-off on one of four options: 1. The force provider agrees to meet CCMD demand as requested.

2. The force provider offers an acceptable alternative to CCMD demand.

3. The force provider does not agree to meet CCMD demands due to consequences of future readiness; however, SECDEF accepts the readiness risk and orders the Service to source the requirement.

4. SECDEF determines that the requirement, although valid, poses too much risk to future force provider readiness; thus, the requirement shall not be resourced.

Once the Secretary signs the orders in the SDOB, the results are published in the Global Force Management Allocation Plan (GFMAP). The ordered force providers or Service Secretaries then facilitate required readiness milestones and produce deployment orders (or extend existing deployments) for affected units.

What This Means to Helo Bubbas

GFM allocation starts with a demand signal for a particular capability and an understanding of what units possess that capability. When a vertical lift requirement comes from a CCMD, Joint Staff J-35 may explore Navy’s ability to source the RFF resulting in a slew of requests for information (RFIs), sometimes matriculating down to the squadron level.

This staffing churn can create a lot of rumors, excitement, and perhaps angst as deadlines approach for an emergent, short fused RFF. Although naval rotary wing possess many CCMD desired competencies, we are often beholden to maritime core mission sets. However, in this uncertain world, we must continue to hone our skills and sharpen the axe so that we are ready when that unforeseen RFF pops and we are called to execute. I look forward to seeing that exciting naval rotary wing order in a future SDOB!

References:

Guidance for the Employment of Forces Global Force Management Implementation Guide CJCSM 3130.06, GFM Allocation Policies and Procedures.

“Forces For” Unified Command Memorandum.

CDR Matt “Wrecking Ball” Wellman currently serves as HSC11 Executive Officer. His previous tour was at Joint Staff J-35S as Joint Working Group Lead for Aviation, SDOB Orders Writer, Executive Assistant to Vice Deputy Director J35, and FY18 Lead Planner for Sourcing.

26

27

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Features

One Team, One Life Article by LT Benjamin J. Schmidt, USN, HSM-49, Det. 4 “News Team”, Embarked – USS Lake Erie (CG 70). Inputs provided by LCDR Keith Johnson, USN; LT Adam Granic, USN; AT1 Krug, USN; and AWR2 Giles Alberts, USN

O

n the early morning of May 15, 2017, a distress call was received by the USS Lake Erie (CG 70) from CW3 Harold C. Clinger (LSV 2), an army logistics support ship, which was mid-transit westbound across the Pacific towards Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

The call expressed concern about one of the Clinger’s crew members, an Army SGT, whose unknown medical condition was deteriorating rapidly.

Moments after the call, LCDR Keith “K-Fed” Johnson, Officer in Charge For their exceptional professionalism, the three aircrewmen were awarded of Helicopter Maritime the Army Achievement Medal.

Strike Squadron (HSM) 49 Det. 4 embarked helicopter detachment, “News Team”, was awoken and mission. The aircraft required for the mission was still torn called to the Combat Information Center (CIC). apart from calendar inspections. With a small window of time According to LCDR Johnson, “Little was known about to work in, maintainers from both ongoing and off-going shifts the soldier’s condition except that there was a real sense worked diligently to bring the aircraft back to a Full Mission of urgency to get him to a hospital. The LSV had very Capable status. Within a three-hour window maintainers safely limited treatment facilities, and the Army medic made a and efficiently completed the calendar inspections, daily/turndetermination that the patient’s condition was well beyond around inspections, safety checks, and prepared the aircraft for the scope of his training.” the mission. This process would take a normally manned crew The LSV (Logistics Support Vessel) was nearly 225 nau- upwards of six hours. Due to outstanding teamwork, attention tical miles from the USS Lake Erie, which at the time was to detail, and motivation towards mission accomplishment, the the closest vessel ready to assist. With time of the essence, maintainers were able to finish all inspections and fully prepared the decision was made to proceed with a helicopter borne the aircraft in just over two hours. The pilots, aircrewmen, MEDEVAC to the Army LSV, whose slow speed would and maintainers of Det. 4 displayed tremendous pride and have left the ill soldier stranded without essential medical commitment to their duty and proved what a mission ready treatment for much longer than his condition would allow. detachment can accomplish.”

While the ship’s bridge team continued to coordinate with Meanwhile, the flight crew was quickly assembled and briefed the LSV and make best speed to close with the logistics on the developing situation. The Army LSV is a non air-capable vessel, the "News Team’s" Air department worked expedi- ship, which would preclude the MEDEVAC helicopter from tiously to shift their maintenance schedule for the ship’s two landing on the ship to conduct a simple patient pickup. Based embarked MH-60R Seahawk Helicopters. One helicopter on a detailed study of pictures and diagrams of the LSV-class would have to be immediately prepared as a MEDEVAC vessel, the determination was made that the best option to platform for the long flight to come. recover the patient was to hoist him from the cargo deck via The detachment’s Lead Aviation Electronics Technician rescue basket. Clear of any wires and located just beyond a (AT) Petty Officer First Class Jason Krug, describes the stack of cargo containers positioned in front of the vessel’s pilot significant effort it took to ready the aircraft to accomplish house, an open expanse of deck would be the ideal spot. The the MEDEVAC. “The Det. 4 maintenance team took most apparent hazard was the tall navigation pole that extended immediate action when called upon for the MEDEVAC upward from CW3 Harold C. Clinger’s bow to a height just

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

28

FEATURES

Red Stinger 24 coordinated with the LSV bridge team.

below the helicopter’s expected hover altitude and the aft superstructure.

While the flight crew briefed, several other detachment pilots and aircrew pre-flighted Red Stinger 24. The LSV was still a full 200 nautical miles away from the USS Lake Erie, and factoring in that the rate of closure of the two ships was 35 knots, the determination was made to launch at 185 nautical miles to ensure that the helicopter would retain reliable communications range and be in compliance with the squadron’s Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for ship-to-

ship launch and operating ranges.

“Beams open, green deck, lift” – Red Stinger 24 lifted from CG 70’s elevated flight deck and began its long transit across the Pacific in order to affect the over-the-horizon recovery. The MH-60R’s Multi-Mode Radar and Automatic Identification System shipping-traffic tracking systems allowed the flight crew to quickly locate the LSV and establish communications with them via Maritime Bridge-to-Bridge radio. The plan was to execute a port-to-starboard approach across the ship’s bow, which would allow the pilot to maintain visual reference with the ship’s superstructure while the copilot ensured adequate clearance from the potentially hazardous NAV antenna.

With the CW3 Harold C. Clinger in sight and several visual recce passes of the unfamiliar vessel complete, the crew of Red Stinger 24 commenced their approach. LCDR Johnson, the Pilot-in-Command (PIC) maintained a steady manual hover over the deck of the Army vessel, whose shallow draft and slow speed caused it to heave aggressively in the mighty Pacific swells. Ocean water also poured freely over the LSV’s open weather decks, which became significantly slippery due to the lack of “non-skid” surface material.

Once in position, Naval Aircrewman Tactical Helicopter Petty Officer Third Class (AWR3) Austin Aldrich carefully lowered AWR2 Giles Alberts and the rescue basket down to the water-slicked deck in order to rig the patient for recovery.

AWR2 Alberts noted, “As soon as

I was on deck, it became obvious that there were additional hazards. The ship was moving a lot in the high seas, the deck was slippery, and water was everywhere. We knew we had enough fuel to make the trip, but thankfully we also made a conservative estimate as to how long we’d be hovering there. I wanted to get the patient off safely, but right there I knew I’d have to take my time.”

Red Stinger 24 coordinated with the LSV bridge team while simultaneously talking to the aircrewman on deck using a hand-held Combat Survivor/Evader Locator (C-SEL) radio.

Following several cycles of orbiting the ship and hovering, both the patient and AWR2 Alberts were smoothly raised into the cabin. The return leg would be shorter due to the two ships’ continued closure throughout the evolution. Approximately one hour after recovering the patient, Red Stinger 24 recovered on USS Lake Erie and the patient was taken to medical, where he received treatment from the ship’s Independent Duty Corpsmen (IDC). While the patient was stabilized, the determination was made that he needed to be transported to a hospital as soon as possible, the closest being Tripler Army Medical Center (AMC) in Honolulu, Hawaii.

As the ship closed to within 200 miles of Oahu, Det. 4 and the ship’s crew prepared for an early launch to transport the patient and the ship’s IDC, HM2 Eric Hobdy, to Tripler AMC. Coordination between 3rd Fleet and the U.S. Coast Guard resulted in the launch of a USCG C-130, which would provide communications relay between the ship and Red Stinger 24, as they would be flying well beyond line-of-sight with the ship.

A second crew was briefed and prepared for the early flight.

Nearly 24 hours after the SGT was hoisted from the LSV, he was safely transported to Tripler AMC, where he was diagnosed with a severe internal infection and remained in critical care for over a week. Through careful planning, coordination, and an outstanding display of teamwork between the Army, Navy, and Coast Guard, a Soldier’s life was saved.

For their exceptional professionalism, the three aircrewmen were awarded the Army Achievement Medal.

Det. 4 of HSM-49 embarked aboard USS Lake Erie.

29

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Hawaii’s “Red Dragons” Make History with Pacific Crossing Article by Cpl. Robert Sweet, USMC U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific

F

our Hawaii-based Marine Corps Osprey tiltrotor aircraft made history when they landed in Australia, April 28, 2017, after flying there from Oahu, Hawaii. This marks the first time ever the MV-22B Osprey made a transPacific flight.

These four aircraft with Marine Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 268, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, left their base at Marine Corps Base Hawaii on April 19, 2017, and flew approximately 6,000 miles in about 21 hours, making scheduled stops at Wake Island and Guam, according to Maj. Jordan VanMV-22B Image 3: A Marine with Marine Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 268 guides natter, officer in charge of the Aviation an MV-22B Osprey into position after the aircraft landed at Royal Australian Combat Element of Marine Rotational Air Force Base Darwin, Australia. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Damion Hatch Force-Darwin.

Self-deploying, the Ospreys saved the Marine Corps the four to six weeks it would have taken to transport them using contracted shipping. VMM-268 deployed to Australia as part of MRF-D 17.2, an annual six-month rotation which started in 2012 and strengthens the U.S.-Australia alliance.

Unique to the MV-22B Osprey is its ability to take off and land like a helicopter and tilt its 38-foot rotors forward to fly like a traditional airplane – transforming it into a high-speed, turbo-prop aircraft.

The MV-22B Osprey, which has an aircrew of three and can transport 24 combat-loaded Marines, is capable of a “combat radius of 600 air nautical miles (690 miles),” said Maj. Thomas Keech, Operations Officer for VMM-268.

“What the Ospreys bring to MRF-D are speed and range,” said Keech. “It can go quite a bit farther, quite a bit faster and conduct that assault-support mission, do humanitarian service, and brings speed and agility to the Marine Air Ground Task Force.”

Extensive and exhaustive planning and training went into this historic flight to mitigate the risks associated with an aviation effort of this magnitude.

Prior to the trans-Pacific flight, U.S. Marines with Marine Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 152, based out of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, flew out to Hawaii to train and rehearse with VMM-268.

“We first got word of the mission in early fall. So we started detailed planning, and around February or March we flew a crew and myself out to Hawaii to do some rehearsals with the MV-22s,” said Maj. Kevin Herman, operations officer for VMGR-152. “Then about a week before the actual mission, we flew out another KC-130J Super Hercules, and they did about four days of rehearsals, and then we brought the two tankers on that Friday to launch the following Wednesday (from Marine Corps Base Hawaii).”

“So that piece worked out pretty good, but it took a little pre-planning just to think about that part and try to wargame what could go wrong and how are you going to deal with those issues as they happen,” said Keech.

The rehearsals between VMM-268 and VMGR-152 proved effective during aerial refueling operations.

“The Ospreys were very smooth and methodical around the basket [the probe on the tilt rotor aircraft is inserted in the drogue refueling pod] and had no issues getting in first try in the basket, and got their fuel and pressed on to their next AR (aerial refueling) point,” said Herman.

Refueling mid-air also provided an opportunity for the air combat element to exercise the capability to self-deploy over longer distances when necessary.

Despite the success of the aerial refueling operation and the smoothness of the flight, the Marines were unaccustomed to the extended duration flights.

The duration of each leg more than doubled their average mission flight time.

“So the first day was 8.5 hours, and that was the longest day. The second day was about five hours and 15 minutes, then today about seven hours and 15 minutes,” said Keech. “So it’s a long time to sit on an aircraft that you usually fly a three-hour mission in.”

This accomplishment sends a strategic message: "Ospreys can now range across the Pacific," according to Keech.

This flight sets the standard of what can be achieved with the MV-22B Osprey.

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

30

FEATURES

"Dragon Masters" Deactivated Friday After Six Decades of AMCM Excellence Article by Jacqui Barker Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division

The last group of officers and enlisted assigned to the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division Dragon Masters Aviation Unit gather for the last time after the Dragon Masters were deactivated in a ceremony Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. U.S. Navy photo by Eddie Green, NSWC PCD.

A

fter 63 years of flying test and evaluation mission flights, the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) "Dragon Masters" Aviation Unit was deactivated in a ceremony Friday, Sept. 8, 2017.

The aviation unit's mission was to fly test and evaluation missions for the only Navy lab located along the Gulf Coast.

The unit is presently comprised of 28 military, 25 contractors, and two MH-60S aircraft which are flown not only for test and evaluation, but also for Search and Rescue flights. The aircraft will be returned to Fleet use in San Diego, Calif. on Sept. 10, 2017.

“NSWC PCD will continue to support the Navy’s Fleet mine countermeasure missions. Even though we deactivated the Dragon Masters aviation unit and our military family moves on to take on other challenges, Panama City’s work in Airborne MCM will continue,” said NSWC PCD Commanding Officer CAPT Aaron Peters, USN. “We will continue to host the Fleet each year in Panama City and we will continue to respond to the Fleet’s airborne mine countermeasures call for support, we just won’t fly MH-60S helicopters anymore.”

Of the 28 military and 25 contractors assigned to the "Dragon Masters," at least five military billets will be retained as well as at least three contract positions. The military will phase out over a three year period between fiscal year 2018 and 2020. These personnel will be retained to maintain the flight line and keep it open for MH-53E squadrons to train at

the command annually as well as conduct Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) test flights using drones less than 55 lbs. Additionally, a Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) detachment of up to 100 Sailors will use the aviation unit as they train on the next generation of LCACs presently being built at Textron, Inc., in Mobile, Ala. In 1954, NSWC PCD – then called the U.S. Mine Defense Laboratory – became known for conducting the first successful airborne mine countermeasure test flight in the waters of St. Andrew Bay using a sonar tow array called the Shadowgraph.

By 1965, the command was a critical asset to mine countermeasures in Vietnam and later in Korea. Since then, the command has experienced several technical achievements, to include supporting the successful completion of the Airborne Laser Mine Detection System and Airborne Mine Neutralization System through the Department of Defense acquisition milestone known as Initial Operational Test and Evaluation.

In 2013, the "Dragon Masters" made headlines after utilizing their SAR capabilities to rescue a stranded mariner from the Gulf of Mexico, but that is not the first time the unit saved people from the Gulf. In February 2017, the Dragon Masters successfully flew a test flight that allowed aircrew members to insert a MK-18 unmanned underwater vehicle into the water to sweep for mines and be utilized as a mine countermeasure deterrent.

31

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Guardian Sea 2017

Article by LT Aric McGee and LT Taylor Lang, HSM-49

HSM-49 Scorpions

E

xercise Guardian Sea 2017 brought two Navies together with the common goal to build an effective working relationship within the realm of antisubmarine warfare (ASW). Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7 led friendly forces in the hard-fought battle with unparalleled proficiency. The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) supported the joint effort with HTMS Naresuan and HTMS Long Lom. The RTN forces were complemented by U.S. Navy forces of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Sterett (DDG 104). Additionally, the “Triple Deltas” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 49 Det. 3 and the “Waveriders” of Patrol Squadron (VP) 9 demonstrated the highest level of airborne ASW mission effectiveness throughout the exercise. Posturing as the lone simulated threat to the bilateral Surface Action Group (SAG) was the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine, USS Key West (SSN 722). Through careful coordination and meticulous planning efforts, a schedule developed which included ample opportunities for ASW training against an actual submarine. The unit level training accomplishments gained through the bilateral sorties promoted growth and improved communication efficiency between the Navies.

Planning Conference Guardian Sea 2017 consisted of six days of shore-based and at-sea training events designed to address shared maritime security concerns, and enhance interoperability among multi-cultural forces. The exercise took place in the Andaman Sea and multiple locations ashore across Thailand.

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

Staff, senior and junior officer alike, from DESRON 7, Combined Task Force (CTF) 73, HSM-49.3, DDG 104, VP-9, and the RTN gathered for two days aboard a RTN base to conduct the exercise planning. The multi-cultural staff collaborated to finalize the details of the upcoming schedule of events, all with the diligent work of several translators communicating from both sides of the room to ensure all parties were ready to execute in the sea phase.

Following the first day’s planning conference was a small reception at a local Thai restaurant where members of the RTN were very happy to display their culture. This gathering featured a large spread of Thai food and music. Much like the professional partnership developing within the conference hall itself, a seemingly harmonious partnership of raw karaoke skills was showcased with solos and duets from both sides.

After spending some time getting to know one another, many thanks were given.

Building upon camaraderie developed on day one, U.S. and Thai exercise planners continued collaboration by delving deep into each detail of the events for the next phase. Planners identified the increased need for communication and safety above all else with considerations given to each warfare area of undersea, surface, and air assets. Most impressively, the leaders of the two forces witnessed the creative inclusion of naval tactics, techniques, and procedures from both countries into one, very clearly defined plan of execution. The persistent efforts to develop such a well a thought-out plan proved crucial when it came time to execute.

32

FEATURES

Execution As any aviator can attest, from the dawn of our careers we are taught a “crawl, walk, run” mentality as key to the safe and effective execution of any task. This technique was applied as a foundation of Guardian Sea using Operational Risk Management (ORM) as a cornerstone. With ORM concepts in mind, all assets participated in the initial warm-up exercise against an unmanned subsurface contact. The “crawl” phase was as simple as it gets. The “Waveriders” of VP-9 deployed a MK39 Expendable Mobile ASW Training Target (EMATT) at a known location, emitting known frequencies, on a known track.

The EMATT was used to accomplish both unit level training and coordinated training between surface and aviation ASW platforms. With most of the variables of a standard subsurface prosecution given, all units were able to execute the tactical application, utilizing all of their sensors and tactics, techniques, and procedures in a controlled low-risk environment.

The following day started off with an international exercise necessity: a photo opportunity. The surface units were skillfully moved into formation for an inspiring demonstration of ship handling. USS Key West assumed the lead in bringing Guardian Sea to photographic victory. The ships were ordered to a column formation followed by a diamond formation while two helicopters took aerial photos; an MH-60R from the embarked detachment on board USS Sterett, the "Triple Deltas" of HSM-49.3, and a Royal Thai Navy S-76B. Ship formation maneuvers were carried out with flawless coordination between the Thai and American vessels.

After USS Key West departed from the PHOTOEX formation, she reestablished position to the specified “go point” for the TRACKEX. All players advanced to tracking the submarine on a predetermined course and speed. Thus began the “walk” phase. Being able to anticipate the path of the submarine afforded both aircraft and ship crews the opportunity to hone their active and passive tracking skills.

Crews were exposed to the various sailing profiles of a submarine, and got to see first-hand how those profiles manifested themselves in the form of tonal deviances. Speed and depth changes at various points along the track presented an invaluable chance to test tracking tactics that are typically only practiced in the simulator.

At the completion of these specific events, each day the ships and the air-

craft entered a freeplay period as an opportunity to “run” as an operational joint Surface Action Group (SAG). The submarine was confined to the 50-nautical mile box, but kept no specified track, speed, or depth. During these periods the importance of a multi-sensor and multi-platform search was emphasized.

The advanced acoustic processing capabilities of the MH-60R, coupled with the overwhelming number of sonobuoys that can be deployed by the P-3, and the ships ability to tune these buoys vastly increased the probability of success in finding the elusive OPFOR submarine. Effective coordination amongst the varied platforms allowed the SAG to gain contact and test the limits of defined tactics.

Crews from each platform kept logs and files for post-mission analysis. In the coming months, this information will be processed, and the empirical data will ideally lead to improvements in mission systems as well as tactics, techniques, and procedures throughout the fleet.

Guardian Sea 2017 evaluated many collaborative operational and tactical theories. The first being that navies from opposite sides of the world can work together and accomplish any task set before them. The willingness to work together, and just a dash of diplomatic relations, is all that is required. The second is that the U.S. Navy acoustic sensors are effective at giving the operators eyes and ears under the sea, and effective in bringing units together for mission accomplishment. Finally, the tracking of a submarine is a difficult but necessary task, because effective training is what keeps crews ready to execute when the nation calls. Thanks to the opportunity of Guardian Sea, the U.S. Navy and Royal Thai Navy are ready to execute!

Royal Thai Navy ship Phuket crew manning the rails.

33

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

A Case for Synthetic Aperture Radar Capability in the MH-60R Article by LCDR Patrick McInerney, USN

S

ynthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery is used extensively by Carrier Strike Group (CSG) Warfare Commanders tasked with allocating force protection resources, and by aircrews during the mission planning process to aid in localizing anticipated threats.

This valuable intelligence is provided via the Global Information Grid

by Information, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms, including Broad Area Maritime Surveillance aircraft and National Geospatial Intelligence Agency satellites. This imagery is updated periodically for various theater points of interest in accordance with the coverage patterns of the Big Chief 705 Spot 7 departure during Restricted Waters Transit in individual ISR platforms. Although, support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Photo by AW1 Anderson, USN generally, these coverage patterns cannot be readily modified to provide continuous support to local, routine CSG operations. nal pattern of life for shore-based maritime threats and VOIs, Accordingly, coastal imagery made available for mission which could support reduced MH-60R SSC coverage requireplanning is frequently time late or does not include all the ments, preserving airframe longevity. ports and inland waterways from which surface and subsurface ISR threats originate. Furthermore, flight crews embarked on Advancements in Electronic Support Measures Mission geographically disaggregated Combat Elements or those Data Load development and recent operational achievements operating in company with a distributed Surface Action Group have demonstrated the efficacy of the MH-60R as an electron(SAG) do not have immediate access to mission planning ic surveillance platform.

SAR development would offer a visuproducts provided by Carrier Intelligence Center personnel. al complement to present Electronic Warfare capabilities and Therefore, CSG decision makers and helicopter aircrews provide theater decision makers with a valuable, organic CSG participating in Surface Surveillance Coordination (SSC), ISR asset.

In this capacity, MH-60R aircraft could be used to Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO), and Antisubmarine obtain visual and electronic ISR as a precursor operation to reWarfare (ASW) require an organic capability to collect and stricted waters transits, over-the-horizon targeting, or Special disseminate SAR imagery.

Operations Forces (SOF) Support missions. During routine operations, the aircraft could be used to conduct persistent SSC and MIO The AN/APS-153 Multi-mode Radar, installed in the MH- visual and electronic surveillance of the littoral environment 60R, is a sensitive surface search radar that is capable of de- when operating from a modified location. This routine collectecting small radar cross section targets in a dense maritime tion of coastal imagery could be used to inform ASW flight environment. However, for aircrews tasked with the systemat- crews of the presence or absence of subsurface threats when ic coverage of a vital area (VA) that can exceed 1,200 sq. miles, information normally provided by national or theater sensors coastal imagery indicating the presence of contacts of interest and networks is time late, unavailable, or denied.

(COI)/vessels of interest (VOI) is essential to developing an Integrated Warfighting effective VA search plan. Using onboard SAR imagery, MHA SAR-capable MH-60R promotes aggregate lethality, and 60R aircrews engaged in continuous SSC/MIO operations is thus aligned with Naval Aviation Vision 2025. The intecould establish a threat sector with confidence and optimize gration of fixed wing sensor platforms such as the E-2D Adthe MMR mode to locate and track COIs/VOIs known to vanced Hawkeye, F-35 B/C Lightning II, EA-18G Growler, be present. Additionally, the CSG Information Warfare Comand the MQ-4C Triton has demonstrated a greatly expanded mander could use regular coastal imagery to develop a diurRotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

34

FEATURES area of control to fighter aircraft. Similarly, an MH-60R capability for delivering high resolution imagery on demand across tactical data links would enable greater sea control, particularly in regions where national or theater assets have limited access or coverage. Further, this capability would present new kill chain options in both localization and targeting, as suggested in CDR Guy Snodgrass’ Spring 2017 Naval Air Warfare Development Center Journal report, Executing Long Range Maritime Strike in a Contested Environment.

SAR offers new degrees of freedom to existing mission sets, and bolsters sea control in both a CSG and distributed SAG construct. More plainly, a SAR-capable MH-60R would provide CSGs and distributed SAGs a robust ISR platform with teeth. The use case vignettes provide ample justification for developing this new capability. While SAR and other proposed radar upgrades are currently unfunded, the community should consider the advantages.

LCDR McInerney currently serves as Department Head with the Proud Warriors of HSM-72. He is an Experimental Test Pilot and former MH-60 Project Officer. The position expressed above is that of the author and does not necessarily reflect that of the U.S. Navy.

Female Aviators Career and Training Symposium (FACTS) Article by LT Diane Sebastiano, USN

F

our years ago, the Navy’s diversity committee created a forum for female Naval Aviators to network, collaborate and discuss issues still affecting the careers of female aviators.

At first glance, it may seem like there aren’t any issues. We are able to have equal opportunities to go through flight school, achieve qualifications, and teach just like our male counterparts. On the surface level, we are equal. If you are lucky enough to sit in on one of these symposiums you will see that there are many areas to improve to truly be equal.

The career of a Naval Aviator on the “golden path” is an arduous commitment filled with much time away from loved ones to hopefully get to the end goal of becoming Skipper one day. In a traditional nuclear family, the husband was the father and sole provider while the wife was the CDR Katie Ellis speaks with female aviators during the 2017 Female Career Training Symposium. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communihomemaker and child raiser. Today’s families still Aviator cation Specialist 1st Class Omar A. Dominquez have traditional roots but what a “normal” family looks like has shifted far from that. More than ever, there are dual working parents whether it is because of the rising cost of living or simply because women want to work and have their own careers. Women are just as driven to utilize their expertise and establish themselves in the workforce. We can work, want to work, and will put in more time and effort than ever to get there in order to make it work. This generation is one that strives for a work/life balance that allows them to have a more successful career. Companies all over the world are listening and shifting their priorities to be more family-oriented. For example, Patagonia offers on-site child care, and Tower Paddle Boards in San Diego, Calif., has implemented a five-hour workday to give their employees more time for family life.

The already difficult “golden path” combined with limited time allocations to even have a family forces females to have to wade through many tough decisions to maintain balance.

One program many may not be familiar with is Career Intermission Program (CIP). It is often talked about when a woman wishes to expand her family and stay in the military. While the stipulations may not be enticing to some, some women have taken it with reasonable expectations to excel after returning. To be clear, this is not a program only available to women. It is available for a variety of reasons to have a pause in service. At this point, the requirement is a two for one buyback of time, meaning if you take one year off, you owe two more onto your requirement (for a maximum of 3 years). During the symposium, working groups brainstormed on how to improve this program to make it a better system because it has not been well-utilized in its first few years.

During the symposium, there was a flag panel that included Airboss, 3rd Fleet Commander, Deputy of SOCOM, PERS4, and RDML (SEL) Joyner. They each discussed their experiences and gave insights they have gained in over 100 years of combined service. The flag panel also discussed big picture Navy items, leadership opportunities and general advice applicable 35

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

to all leaders. One idea brought up by a former commanding officer (CO) was the 1-1-1 rule. As an officer, you should make it your goal to have at least one conversation with a Sailor, visit one workcenter, and go to one FOD walkdown. The flag panel gave us an opportunity to hear concerns both gender-related as well as community-related pertaining to junior officers across the fleet. The panel also mentioned that they know one of the biggest issues for female aviators is the aircraft relief systems. It is something generally overlooked because it is embarrassing to talk about. If we don’t have options by way of relief systems it impacts the maximum effective length of missions. The inability to think clearly is impacted whether you are dehydrated or have to relieve yourself.

For many attendees, the exciting new addition to this year’s symposium was guest speaker, David F. Breashears. Mr. Breashears is known for his adventure filmmaking, published books and his speaker lectures including leadership, motivation and teamwork. His vivid storytelling of climbing Mt. Everest while motivating an entire team of people to do the same, despite multiple weather, mental and life-threatening circumstances was inspiring. In comparison, inspiring a sailor to successfully run a mile and a half seemed like a piece of sand on the world’s most expansive beach. Mr. Breashears drove home the point that teamwork has no room for selfishness or negativity and absolutely needs the initiative and competence to outshine other qualities.

Another highlight was the CO’s panel, filled with successful women in the military who have all completed an aviation CO tour. They answered many questions including how do you stay motivated, how do you maintain balance, and who were your mentors. Since many of these women are some of the first to complete these goals, it was not surprising to hear they have not had many or any female mentors along the way. Just last

year, the book Athena Rising by W. Brad Johnson & David Smith was mentioned as a good reference for all working with women and how it can benefit all of us. When asked what kept everyone motivated to keep going, some said it was the people they worked for and with, and yet another stated that it was more of a mentality shift in thinking that we “get to” do these things. Whether it is have a family or fly, we get the opportunity to do these things. No one is forcing us.

Updates were also provided from PERS-4 and PERS-43.

The PERS briefs allowed for a unique glimpse into the inner workings of the “beast” that is detailing people. A great deal of time was spent talking about the current situations of manning as well as future projections. Career insight was given as well as a current outline of “the path” to benefit the newer JOs. While there are still multiple issues as far as dual military and colocation go as well as many being unhappy with a particular set of orders, they are dedicated to implementing unique ideas to hopefully smooth out issues in the long run.

The briefs were rounded out with a flight surgeon, an AMSO and a CMC panel. The CMC panel can be especially helpful for young LTJGs just checking into their first fleet squadron.

They discussed working with your chiefs, each of your roles in the squadron, leadership advice as well as unique ways to motivate your Sailors.

The last day of the symposium was spent mostly in working groups. We all set out to work on the biggest head-hurters from relief systems to dual military couples making it work.

Other topics included flexible career paths, shaping CIP, and maternity/family leave. Each group had a myriad of answers which were briefed to attendees and PERS and compiled by the diversity committee. Hopefully, this is just the start of some innovative new opportunities within the Navy.

Richard Spencer is Sworn in as the 76th Secretary of the Navy

R

ichard V. Spencer was sworn in as the 76th Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Aug. 3.

The ceremony was conducted in the Pentagon by William O’Donnell, Department of the Navy administrative assistant.

Spencer, a Connecticut native, graduated from Rollins College in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. Upon Graduation, he joined the United States Marine Corps and served as an H-46 pilot until 1981 before departing active duty to enter the private finance sector.

He has held many positions since he entered the private finance sector to include the president of Crossroads Investment Management LLC, chief financial officer at Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. and the managing director of Fall Creek Management, LLC.

From Secretary of the Navy Public Affairs

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

36

37

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Fly-In information

2017 FLEET FLY-IN & NHA JOIN-UP SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Monday, 23 Oct 1130 - 1600 1130 - 1500 1200 1200 - 1600 1300 - 1800 1630 - 1730

NHA FALL JOIN UP EVENT REGISTRATION WELCOME ABOARD BBQ TH-57 OPERATIONS CEASE AIRCRAFT RECOVERY WINDOW CBQ / RENTAL CAR CHECK-IN WINDOW COURSE RULES BRIEF FOR ALL FLEET AND INDUSTRY CREWS (Rolling PPT Brief )

0800 - 1600 0900 - 0915 0915 - 0945 0945 - 1000 1000 - 1100 1100 - 1400 1200 - 1600 1430 - 1700 1800 - 2200

CIVIL AIRCRAFT FLY WINDOW WELCOME & REMARKS (TRAWING-5) SAFETY CENTER BRIEF TRANSIT TO FLIGHT LINE (KNDZ) HT HELICOPTER SKILLS COMPETITION (KNDZ) BACKPORCH BURGER BURN

FLEET FLY WINDOW INDUSTRY DISPLAY SET UP FLEET WELCOME REUNION SOCIAL

Tuesday, 24 Oct

Wednesday, 25 Oct

BLDG 2977 “BACK PORCH” BLDG 2977 “BACK PORCH” FLIGHT LINE NAS WHITING NAS SOUTH WHITING FIELD (KNDZ) BLDG 2977 “BACK PORCH” STUDENT READY ROOM

BLDG 2977 “BACK PORCH” SIKES HALL SIKES HALL FLIGHT LINE FLIGHT LINE BLDG 2977 “BACK PORCH” BLDG 2977 “BACK PORCH” NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM CASINO BEACH BAR & GRILLE

0730 - 1000 AIRCRAFT STATIC DISPLAYS NAS WHITING FIELD FLIGHT LINE 0800 - 1600 CIVIL AIRCRAFT FLY WINDOW BLDG 2977 “BACK PORCH” 0800 - 0830 FTS OCM BRIEF NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM 0900 - 1700 INDUSTRY DISPLAYS OPEN NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM 0900 - 0945 MORNING COFFEE NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM 0945 - 1000 OPENING CEREMONIES NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM 0945 - 1015 OPENING REMARKS NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM 1015 - 1145 SENIOR OFFICER PANEL/Q&A NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM 1145 - 1300 LUNCHEON BUFFET/COMMUNITY VIDEOS NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM 1300 - 1400 CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY PANEL NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM 1400 - 1415 BREAK NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM 1415 - 1600 COMMUNITY BRIEFS NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM 1830 - 2100 AIRLINE TRANSITION ASSISTANCE DINNER V PAUL'S ITALIAN RISTORANTE

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

38

Fleet Fly-In 2017

2017 FLEET FLY-IN & NHA JOIN-UP SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Thursday, 26 Oct

0800 - 0900 5K FUN RUN BLDG 2977 “BACK PORCH” 0900 - 1600 CIVIL AIRCRAFT FLY WINDOW BLDG 2977 “BACK PORCH” 0930 - 1600 FLEET FLY WINDOW BLDG 2977 “BACK PORCH” 0900 - 1200 INDUSTRY DISPLAYS OPEN NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM 0900- 0915 AIRCREW WELCOME & EVENTS NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM

NHA SENIOR ENLISTED NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM NHA PRESIDENT NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM NHA CHAIRMAN NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM 0915 - 1100 AIRCREW COMMUNITY BRIEFS NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM 1000 - 1100 HSC/HM COMMODORE / FRS / CO BRIEF SIKES HALL NAS WHITING FIELD 1000 - 1100 HSM COMMODORES / FRS /CO BRIEF BASE AUDITORIUM WHITING FIELD 1000 - 1100 USMC BRIEF AIR OPS AUDITORIUM 1000 - 1100 USCG BRIEF HT-8 WARDROOM 1100 - 1145 BURRITOS & BEVERAGES NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM 1100 - 1200 LUNCH ON THE FLIGHTLINE FLIGHT LINE NAS PENSACOLA 1145 - 1200 TRANSIT TO FLIGHT LINE NASP AIR OPS QUARTERDECK 1200 INDUSTRY DISPLAY BREAKDOWN NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM 1200 - 1500 FLEET AIRCRAFT STATIC DISPLAY NASP AIR OPS QUARTERDECK TBD JO RETENTION BRIEF SIKES HALL NAS WHITING FIELD 1330 - 1415 FTS/SEL RES BRIEF SIKES HALL NAS WHITING FIELD 1415 - 1430 BREAK 1430 WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP PANEL BASE CHAPEL NAS WHITING FIELD TBD DINNER ON YOUR OWN 1900 – 2100 FAREWELL SOCIAL FISH HOUSE 2000 SKILLS COMPETITION AWARD PRESENTATION FISH HOUSE 2000 “CHANCE TO WIN” DRAWINGS FISH HOUSE

Friday, 27 Oct

0800 - 0900 FLEET AIRCREW BREAKFAST BLDG 2977 “BACK PORCH” 0900 - 1100 HOTWASH / 2017 EVENT PLANNING HT-8 WARDROOM 0900 - 1200 AIRCRAFT DEPARTURE WINDOW CREWS

COORDINATE RENTAL CAR RETURN W/ RENTAL AGENCY BLDG 2977 “BACK PORCH” 1000 - 1130 GOLF SKILLS CHALLENGE STONEBROOK GOLF COURSE 1100 - 1200 GOLF TOURNAMENT LUNCH STONEBROOK GOLF COURSE 1200 NHA GOLF TOURNAMENT STONEBROOK GOLF COURSE

39

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Thank you to our Sponsors. They make the 2017 Fly-In & Join-Up an event you don't want to miss.

Gulf Coast Fleet Fly-In / NHA Join-Up Telephone App Wednesday's Luncheon Buffet Thursday's Burritos & Beverages

Event Registration Notebook Set, Back Porch Picinc Wednesday Morning Coffee & Coffee Tumbler Sports Bag, Farewell Social

Event Registration All Access Pass Fleet Welcome Social & Reunion

Monday's Welcome Aboard BBQ Wednesday's Flightline Lunch Golf Tournament Prizes

Transition Assistance Dinner Buffet Briefing

5K Fun Run & T-Shirt, Breakfast & Coffee

Welcome Tote L3 Technologies Vertex Aerospace Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

Thursday's Flightline Lunch and neck koozies

Farewell Social Sports BBQ Luncheon and Golf Tournament 40

Fleet Fly-In 2017

41

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Focus: the Amphibious Navy

Blue Green Integration: A VBSS Perspective Article by LT Devin “Po” Dugard, USN

Det. 6 MH-60S and MEU V-22 Osprey during the Amphibious Force 7th (CTF-76) Fleet 17.2 patrol.

H

elicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25 Det. 6 and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Maritime Raid Force (MRF) continue the push toward complete blue-green integration in 7th Fleet. In addition to HSC-25’s work toward articulating Defense of the Amphibious Task Force (DATF) procedures within Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 11 and 31st MEU, interoperability efforts extend into assault support operations, specifically Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS). Though execution of these missions as an integrated fighting force has ultimately been a great success, there have been unique challenges that required significant effort to overcome.

Successful integration begins by forming solid relationships.

This is one place Forward Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF) commands suffer since they lack a structured work-up cycle and have constantly rotating units. With limited time to conduct cooperative training prior to swapping detachments, there is an inherent stutter-step as time is spent rebuilding rapport each time the ARG goes underway and the degree of successful interoperability hinges upon personalities, thorough turnover, and continuity gained from pilots that swap mid-way through the standard deployment. Making the most of available integration opportunities, despite already being deployed, Det. 6 worked alongside the MEU during the Amphibious Force 7th (CTF-76) Fleet 17.2 patrol. CTF-76 units supported exercise Talisman Sabre and executed Amphibious Integration Training (AIT) and Certification Exercise (CERTEX). These events, though short-fused, provided ample opportunity for Det. 6 to Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

solidify bonds with the PHIBRON and MEU. These training opportunities also helped illustrate where HSC fits into the Marine Corps Planning Process (MCPP).

CERTEX evaluates a MEU’s proficiency in all assigned mission sets. Most missions were fragged the day prior to execution, requiring a truncated version of the formal planning process. The Rapid Response Planning Process, affectionately known as “R2P2,” is a condensed version of MCPP used for crisis and contingency response - the cornerstone of MEU mission planning and at the center of CERTEX missions.

The concise, explicit nature of the process quickly defines big picture information (i.e. Commander’s Intent). It provides a structured approach to the early time-critical stages of mission planning, enabling rapid deployment within a tight sequence of briefs, backbriefs, inspections, and rehearsals. By nature, success in this time-compressed environment leans heavily on wide and current understanding and application of mutual SOPs. Once we were brought into CERTEX and began utilizing R2P2, it became clear to the Marines just how valuable HSC could be as an assault support platform with the ability to provide not only insert/extract, but a reliable platform for CASEVAC, sniper overwatch, and fire support.

The Aviation Combat Element (ACE) and HSC-25 provided a robust and varied assortment of assault support aircraft to PHIBRON 11 and 31st MEU. The variety of aircraft provides the mission commander the ability to tailor the helicopter assault force (HAF) to the needs of the mission. In a VBSS mission, the MV-22 and CH-53 are able to carry a large number 42

Focus: The Amphibious Navy of troops and equipment, but they are prohibitive for confined area insertions. The UH-1Y is capable of conducting confined area insertions that larger aircraft cannot, but it is limited by the number of assault force personnel it can transport. The MH-60S provides a unique balance of lift capability and maneuverability, which is why it is the MRF’s preferred VBSS insertion platform. It is also a situational awareness builder, with video downlink, Link-16, and satellite communications.

With concurrent mission planning and a high operational tempo, the MH-60S’s ability to maintain long-range communications with the flagship alleviated the requirement for additional command and control (C2) aircraft, saving those assets for follow on missions.

Another aspect of integration is standardization. Marine Corps publications such as the Assault Support Tactical SOP (ASTACSOP) and T/M/S Tactical Pocket Guide (TPG) are structured like R2P2 - in a concise, explicit, and standardized manner. The ASTACSOP provides a skeleton for assault support mission sets while the TPG provides a quick reference for each T/M/S. These two products are a composite bank of easily referenced material that apply to operational situations for a wide variety of mission environments, streamlining the mission analysis process and freeing up more time for deliberate planning of contingencies and anticipating inherent friction within the mission plan itself. Conducting a tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel (TRAP)? Turn to page 151. Are you wondering what considerations you left out when planning a VBSS mission?

Flip to page 149. It is terminal area-centric, it is unclassified, and all Marine Corps assault support assets use it. When planning VBSS with the Marines, the ASTACSOP and TPGs were invaluable for getting multiple T/M/S on the same page quickly. From there, ACE and squadron specific SOPs were utilized to form a cohesive and effective plan with the air and ground assets available. The use of TPGs was so influential, Det. 6 is drafting its own version of a MH-60S TPG. VBSS planning with the ACE and MRF for CERTEX began at the Crises Action Team (CAT) I briefing. The CAT I brief introduced the mission, by fragmentation order (FRAGO), outlining commander’s intent and overall guidance for execution. Following the CAT I, COAs are typically developed and introduced a few hours later at the CAT II briefing.

COAs are then briefed and a singular COA is decided upon by the Commodore. However, due to our established relationship with the MRF, the CAT II brief was unnecessary as we had already coordinated a COA that would work within the defined mission parameters. This was achieved through white space training including dry runs and HRST OPS in the weeks prior to the mission, allowing synchronization between 43

the helicopter crews and the assault force. From there, mission planning was fleshed out, articulated, and finally presented in the confirmation brief. Once approved by the MEU CO and Commodore, we were able to move into rehearsals and then mission execution.

The rehearsal phase for the Marines is very deliberate and specific. It allows the GFC to ensure each member of the assault knows his or her role. This was executed in two stages by Det. 6. First, the ACE and HSC assets flew the briefed plan to the simulated critical contact of interest (CCOI) to refine sequencing and timing for primary and secondary infil locations. Second, a rehearsal of concept (ROC) was conducted the day of the event with the ship layout marked out in tape on the deck. The mission was rehearsed in its entirety from embarkation of the aircraft, to extraction, to concept of fires, and CASEVAC. The comprehensive review of the mission discussed responsibilities for every member involved (air and ground). This was invaluable as it provided context to ground force movement throughout the mission and increased SA during post-infil ISR. In the end, mission execution was nearly seamless. With a division of four aircraft (three MH-60S and one CH-53E) and nearly 50 members of the MRF, we satisfied all mission objectives on timeline. This speaks largely to the proficiency of

HSC-25 meets the Marines.

the ground forces, but also speaks to the importance of mission planning and rehearsal efforts.

Once complete, we proceeded to debrief. Finding a location to debrief provided our first debrief point: limited spaces for mission planning and briefing/debriefing. Although we used the ACE ready room for mission planning and the HAF brief, it was in high demand during CERTEX and it wasn’t available for the VBSS debrief. Det. 6 has only three spaces aboard the amphibious assault ship (LHD) - maintenance control, a hangar bay work space, and a storage room - none of which are appropriate for a mission debrief. Ultimately, we used a ship training space and made it happen. Takeaways focused on clear communication, sensor tasking, and the importance of our early and consistent integration. www.navalhelicopterassn.org

The only way to ensure the early integration that was so successful in this example is by ensuring HSC is represented in planning from the very beginning, as a viable assault support asset along with the ACE. Currently, HSC is seen as a viable option for assault support, but generally as a backup to ACE platforms after an issue arises. Often times this has resulted in being approached only hours before mission execution.

With only eight pilots supporting the three MH-60S detachment, and a continuous airborne/alert SAR requirement for the ARG, the required turnaround times after such late notification are nearly impossible. Incorporating HSC detachments earlier in planning will reduce the pressure on aircrew and maintenance, allowing us to more easily support additional operational tasking within the ARG/MEU. Marines with Force Reconnaissance Platoon, Maritime Raid Blue-green integration has seen tremendous Force, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit rappel from a Navy MH-60S growth as efforts extend fleet-wide. While this Seahawk helicopter during training aboard the amphibious assault article focuses on HSC-25’s experience with the ship USS Bonhomme Richard. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Stormy Mende.

ARG/MEU, it is a small glimpse at the work that is being done. Just as we at HSC-25 work with the 31st MEU, HSC-26 works alongside the 24th MEU, HSC-23 does the same with the 15th MEU, and HSC-28 with the 26th MEU. Mission products and lessons learned are generated and shared across HSC detachments, allowing for a refinement of procedures and supporting standardization across the fleet, but there is room for increased synchronization and unity of effort. The successes and challenges presented here are our input to an ongoing HSC Community conversation about what we do and how we will continue to raise the bar.

HSC-23 Fly By

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

44

Focus: The AMPHIBIOUS NAVY

The Evolution of Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 7 DATF Missions Article by LT John “AHAB” Blackstone and LT Chad “Fever” Westfall

W

ith the pending embarkation of the Joint Strike Fighter into the Amphibious Navy, Warfare Commanders recognize the strategic importance of the Expeditionary Strike Group in 7th Fleet.

Because of their unique and persistent role in the Amphibious Task Force (ATF), Warfare Commanders have tasked HSC Armed Helicopter Detachments to lead the evolution of Defense of the Amphibious Task Force (DATF) missions. This new look on the Anti-Surface Warfare mission area, leaning on familiar CVN skillsets of Surface Surveillance & Control (SSC) and Strike Coordination and Reconnaissance (SCAR), focuses on the interoperability between crews of the MH60S, UH-1Y, AH-1Z, and AV-8B to defend friendly forces from small boats and low slow Amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) departs flying (LSF) aircraft in open and restricted White Beach, Okinawa after embarking Expeditionary Strike Group water environments.

Recent detachments (ESG) 7. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman William Sykes. evolved the mission from something as simple as SSC into multi-axis coordinated attacks One of the largest hurdles when operating with professionals utilizing ship and aircraft tactical data exchange outside your community is ensuring a thorough understanding networks, efficient target handoff, and rapid action precision of cross community/service/platform TTPs; DATF TTPs have fires from surface and air assets. been no exception. In order to better understand airborne and In late 2014, HSC-25 provided the first three-aircraft Armed surface defense postures and procedures, Expeditionary Strike Helicopter Detachment to the USS Bonhomme Richard Group (ESG) 7 launched multiple DATF full mission profiles (LHD 6), creating the backbone for theater-wide Amphibi(FMPs) during the 17.1 deployment cycle. These FMPs covered ous Defense. Recent upgrades now allow the MH-60S to be Air Interdiction, Low Slow Flyer (LSF) Defense, Open Water equipped with a wide variety of firepower, including AGMCounter-Fast Attack Craft / Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FAC/ 114 HELLFIRE missiles, Advanced Precision Kill Weapon FIAC) Defense focusing on Pre-Planned Responses (PPRs) Systems (APKWS), 2.75” unguided rockets, M-197 20mm and Air-to-Surface fires handoff, and Restricted Waters Transit cannon, GAU-21 .50 cal and M-240D 7.62mm crew served (RWT). weapons. Advanced avionics, including LINK-16 and video To kick-start DATF mission development, ESG-7 moved to downlink (VDL) enable enhanced communication between focus on efficient attack communication between air and surface airborne and surface assets, which both increases operational assets.

Air Interdiction (AI) and LSF Defense would test the commanders’ battlefield situational awareness and reduces time communication capabilities between TACRON, Composite to kill. While the influx of new technology and firepower have Warfare Commanders (CWCs), and the attacking platform made DATF missions more feasible, the innovation from the (MH-60S).

During AI missions SSC reports to TACRON HSC community has brought this mission to the forefront of were relayed up the CWC chain, which authorized tasking and amphibious capability. an eventual strike of the applicable target. Efficient TACRON Prior to the development of DATF Tactics, Techniques, and communication and vectoring displayed in the LSF portion of Procedures (TTPs), much of the MH-60S tactical mission the mission enabled a seamless “re-roll” of SAR assets into a set was devoted to dedicated and alert SSC sorties. While SSC mission, resulting in an intercept and subsequent shoot the crews of the MH-60S perfected this requirement quickly, down of a LSF, simulated by a second MH-60S. refining the proficiency of surface assets with LINK-16 and After demonstrating effective communication up and down TACRON control systems and operators proved a more diffithe ATF kill chain, ESG-7 requested a demonstration of Open cult task. After compiling lessons learned from alert postures, Water Counter-FAC/FIAC Defense. Using a remote controlled manning requirements, and surface system functionality over towed target as an adversary platform simulating a FIAC, HSCseveral short deployment cycles, HSC-25 and ESG-7 were 25 acted as a local striker in defense of the Bonhomme Richard. ready to evolve the fight.

45

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

The FMP was intended to test the smooth execution of PPRs from the air followed by efficient target handoff for live surface fires from LHD 6. Surface and Air mission planners combined resources and TTPs to effectively combat the surface threat, resulting in a flawless display of coordination and the destruction of the remote target.

Enthused by the interoperability of air and surface assets, ESG-7 moved on to demonstrate DATF in a strait transit environment.

This event focused on the MH-60S acting as SCAR, controlling a single SSC platform (MH-60S) and two Marine Armed Reconnaissance (AR) platforms in the form of an AH-1 and UH-1 launched from USS Green Bay (LPD 20). USN and USMC pilots coordinated the event, setting the standard for PPR execution and ensuring a mutual Pilots assigned to HSC-25 conduct training for tactical landings in a understanding of lethality and capability. degraded visual environment at Shoalwater Bay Training Area, Australia.

Sailing through an actual geographic strait U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Sarah Villegas. provided the opportunity to use commercial fishing traffic as unknown contacts, which were populated into Link-16 by LHD 6 along with several artificial tracks representing FIAC threats. TACRON provided PPR tasking to the SCAR on individual contacts, which were then relayed to the ARs for prosecution. The Blue-Green interoperability using joint SCAR doctrine was seamless as the ARs executed all PPRs, sanitizing the surface environment of all simulated hostile threats.

DATF is and must continue to be an inherently blue-green mission - a principle that was demonstrated by ESG-7 and HSC-25 Det. 6 during the 17.1 deployment cycle. The HSC Expeditionary Combat Element is taking the lead for DATF missions, providing continuity and increased combat effectiveness in this tactical environment, enabling interoperability between the LHD and all ESG assets. Additionally, MH-60S weapons flexibility, increased firepower, and advanced avionics offer premier lethality in overwater missions. We are the best at killing anything that floats. With continued evolution, the addition of fleet-wide standardized TTPs, and continued interoperability with our Marine Corps brethren, the ESG will be an even greater force within 7th Fleet and beyond.

Bonhomme Richard ESG Ships, 31st MEU Begin Amphibious Integration Training

Article by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Elijah G. Leinaar Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group Public Affairs aconnaissance raids via small boats and helicopters.

The Bonhomme Richard ESG consists of the flagship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), USS Ashland (LSD 48) and USS Green Bay (LPD 20), which all are now underway after making port visits in Australia. The training evolutions are taking place off the coast of Australia following the ESG’s recent completion of joint training with Australian and New Zealand counterparts during exercise Talisman Saber '17.

“Our Marines and Sailors are taking advantage of the unique opportunity to conduct missions in a training area they are unfamiliar with during this deployment,” said Col. Tye Wallace, commanding officer of the 31st

A Marine assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (31st MEU) repels from an MV-22B Osprey assigned to the "Dragons" of VMM-265 (Reinforced) onto the aircraft elevator of the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6). U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Diana Quinlan.

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

46

Focus: The AMPHIBIOUS NAVY Marine Expeditionary Unit. “Being able to hone our combat skills as an integrated Navy-Marine Corps team is critical.

Amphibious Integration Training allows our team to practice and perfect the wide range of amphibious-operations that we will execute as a crisis response force throughout the region.”

AIT will focus on rapid integration of amphibious ships' and the MEU’s capabilities to respond at a moment’s notice to any type of contingency. Additionally, the training helps to maintain proficiency in the core task of being the combatant commander’s ready force in a crisis.

“This AIT challenges the blue-green team to respond effectively in a variety of real world situations,” said Navy CAPT George Doyon, Commodore, Amphib- An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the “Island Knights” of Helicopter ious Squadron (COMPHIBRON) 11. Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25 lands on the flight deck of the amphibious as“In this theater, we must remain ready sault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6).U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communicawith raid forces, to evacuate personnel tion Specialist Seaman Cosmo Walrath/Released. or a dozen other scenarios. Being ready all the time for typhoons, earthquakes or anything else, keeps our personnel sharp, focused, and mis- assets including subsurface warfare maneuvering, air defense sion ready to respond when called upon.” exercises. The overall concept of the training is to flex BlueAIT training evolutions are specifically designed to increase Green units to operate seamlessly together with precision that proficiency in tactical execution of core amphibious tasks that can be used in real world events. involve launching and recovering fixed and rotary wing air“Amphibious FDNF [Forward Deployed Naval Forces] craft as well as amphibious surface crafts to recover aircraft or ships have a history of being the first on scene for disaster relief personnel, reinforce embassies or other U.S. assets ashore or after typhoons or earthquakes, but we also have the capability secure key logistical nodes to facilitate introduction of joint of bringing the fight to the shores of anyone who threatens and combined military forces. us,” said ENS Dewey Mckoy, officer in charge Naval Beach While Marines conduct missions ashore, Sailors will con- Unit (NBU) 7, embarked with Amphibious Squadron 11 on duct joint shipboard weapon drills in defense of amphibious Bonhomme Richard.

The BHR ESG is on a routine patrol operating in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region to enhance warfighting readiness and posture forward as a ready-response force for any type of contingency.

Tailisman Sabre 2017 Flight Operations aboard Bonhomme Richard Photograph by Timothy Heller and used with permission.

47

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

48

49

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

The Answer to the Amphibious Prayer: Helicopters, The Marine Corps, and Defense Innovation

Article by CDR B.J. Armstrong, USN Orginally published by War on the Rocks (https://warontherocks.com/2014/12/answer-to-amphibious-prayer-helicopters-marine-corps-and-defense-innovation/ and used with permission

CH-53E Super Stallion, attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 365, departs the flight deck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19).

U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Hunter S. Harwell.

History shows us that innovation from within the military, rather than forced on it from the outside, is possible. But it will require a modern day reform movement with the right kind of leadership and the right kind of organizations.

A

small movement is growing across the defense community which realizes that the challenges of the new century are going to require innovative and creative solutions. Parts of this movement, inspired from the junior ranks of our services, look to embrace the ideals of innovation and entrepreneurship from the business world. These dedicated women and men recognize that the budget, manpower, and resource challenges in a post-war drawdown mean that new ways of doing things will be required.

As has been typical throughout American history, they look toward the future and technology to guide their way.

At some innovation events we have heard a mantra that military organizations simply can’t innovate properly.

Examples from Silicon Valley are trotted Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

out and we are shown that the military culture is too stove-piped, too conservative, and too top-down to really innovate.

The bureaucracy is just too much and the military system just can’t do it right.

But that is simply untrue. It’s historical. Examples of military innovation from inside the system, enhanced and encouraged by the bureaucracy rather than restrained by it, do exist from our past. Principles discovered from an examination of our past can have an important impact on our present and a very real chance to improve our future.

The Amphibious Prayer In July 1946, in the aftermath of the victory over the Axis powers, the United States military conducted Operation Crossroads. On a tiny Pacific island, called Bikini Atoll, we began setting off atomic bombs. The purpose of the operation was to test the impact of these new weapons on state of the art military equipment and military ideas. Observing the first tests for the Marine Corps was Lt. Gen. Roy Geiger. Geiger was one of the Marine Corps’ top amphibious warriors. He had marched across the Pacific, leading Marines in operations at Guadal50

canal, Bougainville, and Guam. When it came time for the amphibious assault on Okinawa, he was placed in command of the entire 10th Army.

Geiger watched the mushroom cloud rise over Bikini and saw the damage done to the equipment at anchor in the lagoon. The Navy and the Army Air Force, which would soon become the independent Air Force, observed the tests and became focused on the possibilities of delivering such destructive power and the technological offset it provided. The Army also began to look toward how they could use atomic weapons. Geiger saw something different: a challenge to the very nature of the Marine Corps; a total threat to the amphibious expertise they had spent decades developing. He wrote a letter to the Commandant outlining his observations. In it he said: "…since our probable future enemy will be in possession of this weapon, it is my opinion that a complete review and study of our concept of amphibious operations will have to be made…I can not visualize another landing such as was executed at Normandy of Okinawa."

Marine Corps Commandant Alex-

Focus: The AMPHIBIOUS NAVY ander Vandegrift received the letter at Headquarters Marine Corps and understood the implications. Vandegrift had been awarded both the Navy Cross and Medal of Honor for his leadership at Guadalcanal, and all Geiger needed to do was describe what he saw to convince him that amphibious warfare had suddenly changed. He acted immediately by establishing a special board to study the future of amphibious assault. The board was made up of three Major Generals, headed by Lemuel Shepherd.

Gen. Shepherd brought in three staff officers to make up what he called the “secretariat” of the board: Col. Edward Dyer, Col. Merrill “Bill” Twining, and Lt. Col. Samuel Shaw. These three were tasked with doing the actual work for the board, which they would submit to the Generals for review. It didn’t take them long to identify the potential in a particular piece of technology: the helicopter.

The helicopter was less than a decade old. The aircraft were small, slow, and didn’t have much lift capability. They didn’t really appear to meet any of the requirements. But still, these Marines saw something there. Dyer visited with both Igor Sikorsky, who built and flew the world’s first practical helicopter, and Frank Piasecki who was one of America’s leading helicopter designers. Both men reassured him that with current technology, not future developments, they could build larger aircraft that met Marine Corps requirements. Dyer received demonstrations of current aircraft like the Sikorsky R-4 and discussed the future de-

Sikorsky HO3S lifts a man in Korea circa 1950. National Archive image.

an airborne Landing Ship, Tank (LST), landing in the surf and taxiing right up to the beach.

Then, one afternoon a Marine test pilot from Patuxent River, Md., flew a Sikorsky Hoverfly helicopter up to Quantico, Va.. to visit a friend. Standing at the window to their office Dyer and Twining watched as the bird pulled into a hover. Some crazy Marine came running out underneath the aircraft and was hoisted fifteen feet into the air and into the cabin before it flew off. After watching the crazy display, Dyer turned to Twining and said “let’s do this thing, and quit fooling around.” They sat

“Some crazy Marine came running out underneath the aircraft and was hoisted fifteen feet into the air and into the cabin before it flew off. After watching the crazy display, Dyer turned to Twining and said “let’s do this thing, and quit fooling around.” velopment of the field with engineers and designers at both firms. The three colonels began to believe that the helicopter just might be what they called “the answer to the amphibious prayer.”

But the work of the board languished.

Other suggestions needed study, such as a concept that would see large submarines bring landing forces to the beach unobserved. Another idea was to buy a fleet of massive seaplanes that would serve as

down and wrote a report which told the Commandant that the helicopter was the future of the Marine Corps.

Marching Orders Gen. Shepherd and the members of the board quickly endorsed the report and forwarded it to the Commandant.

On Dec. 19, 1946, just three days after it reached his office, Vandegrift had read the report, endorsed it, and cut orders to 51

begin work. The orders had two parts: first, to develop doctrine for the employment of the helicopter, and second to establish the Marine Corps’ very first helicopter squadron.

Marine Helicopter Squadron One was designated HMX-1 and was placed under the command of Ed Dyer, who went to the Connecticut headquarters of Sikorsky to qualify as a helicopter pilot. But he needed officers and Marines to staff the squadron. NCOs and enlisted Marines would be relatively simple because he could tap into the manpower of existing Marine Corps aviation to get the mechanics and administrative support he needed.

The officers were another story. To ensure that his new squadron and this crazy idea would succeed he needed a particular kind of leader.

In the spring of 1947, Dyer walked into an auditorium at Marine Corps Schools in Quantico, filled with the students enrolled in the junior professional military education course. Dyer launched into a brief on the capabilities of the helicopter. He showed drawings of the aircraft, charts of the performance characteristics, and gave a quick outline of what he thought they could do for the Marine Corps. He offered the 60 junior officers in the room the opportunity to join his new squadron. www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Dyer said to the assembled Captains and 1st Lieutenants, "Now there is a large body of opinion in the Marine Corps that figures that helicopters aren’t going any place. So if you are interested stay here and I’ll get your names. If you are not, don’t waste your time or mine, just shove off right now."

Over 40 of the officers got up, turned their backs on the colonel, and walked out. Of those that remained, a few would wash out over the next year. But the Marines that accepted Dyer’s challenge became the first ready room which would bring the Marine Corps into the

body, made up primarily of Lt. Colonels and Majors, to work on the board. He continued to direct the school’s other students and programs, and also led studies into the technical requirements for helicopters — so the majority of the work in leading the doctrine development project fell to his assistant director: Lt. Col. Victor Krulak.

Known since his Naval Academy days to friend and foe alike as “Brute,” Krulak already had a reputation as an innovator and rebel in the Marine Corps. As a Lieutenant in China in the 1930s, he collected intelligence on Japanese landing craft and

Marine Corps Schools ran at the end of each academic year. Operation Packard II would be the first military exercise that would include helicopters as more than technological toys or rescue vehicles, but instead as an integrated part of the overall plan.

Krulak and the board members had been studying the theory, but the Marines still needed a document that would govern the nuts and bolts of helicopter operations. This was the Marine Corps, a military organization, and Marines needed manuals and formal instructions to get started. As the theory and experiments

In the spring of 1947, Dyer walked into an auditorium at Marine Corps Schools in Quantico, filled with the students enrolled in the junior professional military education course. Dyer launched into a brief on the capabilities of the helicopter. He showed drawings of the aircraft, charts of the performance characteristics, and gave a quick outline of what he thought they could do for the Marine Corps. He offered the 60 junior officers in the room the opportunity to join his new squadron.

Dyer said to the assembled Captains and 1st Lieutenants, "Now there is a large body of opinion in the Marine Corps that figures that helicopters aren’t going any place. So if you are interested stay here and I’ll get your names. If you are not, don’t waste your time or mine, just shove off right now." Over 40 of the officers got up, turned their backs on the colonel, and walked out. helicopter age.

The squadron was formally commissioned in December 1947 with Dyer, six officers, three enlisted Marines, and no aircraft. More of the pilots were on the way, still in flight training. The Commandant kept the pressure on the bureaucracy to deliver the enlisted Marines, and on the Navy which was responsible for buying aircraft. By the end of February 1948, the squadron had five Sikorsky HO3S-1 Dragonflies and Marines were trickling in. They began flying as much as they could and experimented with observation and reconnaissance missions, MEDEVACs, and logistics support.

The other task which Commandant Vandegrift ordered was the development of a doctrine for the employment of the helicopter. This was assigned to Marine Corps Schools, the PME institution in Quantico. At the schoolhouse, just down the road from the hangar for the new squadron, the Helicopter and Seaplane Transport Board was established under the leadership of Col. Robert Hogaboom.

Hogaboom was director of the senior professional military education course at Quantico and turned to his student Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

then advocated for their development in the United States. His work was vital to the development of the Higgins Boat with a bow ramp, a piece of equipment that proved central to American amphibious campaigns throughout World War II. During the war he was awarded a Navy Cross for his leadership of a parachute battalion on raiding operations in the Pacific. "Brute" Krulak also happened to be the crazy Marine who Dyer and Twining had watched being hoisted into the helicopter from their office.

Krulak wrote that “the evolution of a set of principles governing the helicopter employment cannot wait for the perfection of the craft itself, but must run concurrently with that development.” He saw the possibility of this new craft and the changes it could make to modern warfare.

He, and the students he had sprung from classes at the senior course, set to work.

As Dyer and HMX-1 learned how to handle the aircraft and experimented with them, he met with Krulak and the two shared ideas. In the spring of 1948, the squadron was in full swing and Krulak invited Dyer to participate in the upcoming command post exercise that 52

crystallized, Dyer and Krulak worked together as the lead authors of a manual that would be the world’s first textbook on helicopter doctrine. As Krulak later said, “we had so little to go on; no data, just conviction.”

The 52-page doctrine was titled Amphibious Operations – Employment of Helicopters (Tentative). As the 31st manual in the amphibious series it became known in shorthand as PHIB-31.

It introduced the ideas of air assault and vertical envelopment, concepts that changed maneuver and warfare forever.

With their new doctrine in hand, HMX-1 flew out to the USS Palau in Onslow Bay, N.C. Over the course of the daylong exercise they flew 35 missions from ship to shore, completely bypassing the defenses set up on the beach and heading straight inland to their objectives. They conducted the landing of 66 combat loaded Marines to secure their landing zones and then flew logistical missions that brought the regimental command team ashore. They tried to keep expectations low, but even with the limited capability of their little Sikorsky aircraft the exercise was seen as

Focus: The AMPHIBIOUS NAVY

Igor Sikorsky, the father of American helicopters, visits HMX-1 at Marine Corps Air Station Quantico, Va.. In the background is an HO3S-1 helicopter, one of the first two “Whirlybirds” assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps.

a huge success. Adding dispersion, distance, speed, and surprise to amphibious operations, the helicopter proved itself to be the answer to the amphibious prayer.

The events of 1946, ‘47, and ‘48 were just the start. A system had been established, a virtuous cycle, which continued the development of rotary-wing aviation.

Students from Marine Corps Schools were broken off to work advanced projects and expand the theory behind heliborne operations. HMX-1 experimented, flew new designs, and worked with the engineers to develop the aircraft with the size, speed, and lift ability that the Marines needed. And they all worked the exercises where their ideas were tested, sometimes succeeded, sometimes failed, and then sent back for refinement.

World events intervened in the Marine Corps’ helicopter program in June 1950 when North Korea invaded South Korea.

But instead of stopping the experimental programs, the Marine Corps doubled down on their new idea. Combat experience was now added to the mix of doctrine development, experimentation, and exercises. Four of HMX-1’s Sikorsky HO3S-1 helicopters, their pilots, and maintenance crews were immediately transferred to Marine Observation Squadron Six and deployed to Korea.

By August, the aircraft flew into the Pusan perimeter as the ground forces of the Provisional Brigade took up their

defensive positions. Within a week, the helicopters were flying missions during nearly every daylight hour — including reconnaissance, command and control, casualty evacuations, and critical logistics flights. It was only the beginning. Korea became the proving ground for all kinds of rotary-wing operations, not only for the Marine Corps but for all the military services.

Through the rest of the 1950s, the Marine Corps experienced repeated cycles of development, moving through the ideas, to the experiments, to the exercises and combat, and then back to the ideas.

The concepts of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force were developed, designs for amphibious ships with large flight decks were created, and an entirely new vision for amphibious warfare and military maneuver took hold.

Innovation from the Inside If military organizations don’t fit the Silicon Valley mold for innovation, how did the Marine Corps accomplish such a wholesale and revolutionary innovation?

Looking back at the history, it appears that there are two particular lessons we can observe: This kind of innovation requires a particular view of leadership and a distinct kind of organization.

The development of rotary-wing doctrine by the Marine Corps demonstrates that we need much more than the rebel innovator with the good idea. We need 53

senior officers who are quick to recognize a problem and are willing to take action, despite the risks involved. We need senior officers who understand that if you aren’t innovating, you aren’t improving, and if you aren’t improving, you’re falling behind the enemy. Change is good. We need the Vandegrifts and Geigers.

We also need staff officers who can make the bureaucracy work in the service of the innovative idea. Too often the dreaded staff is the place that good ideas go to die. But these experienced leaders know how to work inside the system, and they also know how and when they need to maneuver around the system. We need the Dyers and the Krulaks.

Finally, we need the junior officers who are willing to gamble their careers.

We need smart company grades who are willing to speak up and who accept the risks involved in signing on with that crazy new unit with the crazy new idea.

We need the Capt. Charles Barbers and Lt. Roy Andersons, junior officers among the first HMX-1 pilots to qualify in a helicopter, and the junior officers that stayed behind when Dyer told those who wanted out to “shove off.”

Are we teaching our people to be these kinds of leaders today? Do our personnel policies and promotion systems put the right incentives in place? Do they put the right people in the right jobs?

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

LT Matt Seibert, from Myrtle Beach, S.C., observes a U.S. Army CH-47F Chinook helicopter land on the flight deck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay (LPD 20) during Exercise Cobra Gold 2017. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kaleb R. Staples.

Second is an example of organizational structure. We need organizations and units that are nimble and adaptive.

We need units that have the bandwidth to take on new ideas. Throughout the history of helicopter development in the Marine Corps, it was the flexibility of the commands at Quantico that made things work. The junior and senior courses at Marine Corps Schools were able to break off groups of students to work on the special projects. It didn’t matter that they weren’t able to complete the full curriculum. The organization was flexible enough to make those allowances because they were working for the good of the Corps.

But these also weren’t huge numbers of people: Dyer ended up with about a dozen officers from that first group of 60; the Hogaboom board siphoned off eight members of the senior course.

Statistically, these were small percentages invested in a new idea, but are our military organizations willing to invest even small amounts of time and talent today?

The Marine Corps was also able to conduct exercises that experimented with new ideas. These weren’t pre-deployment workups or certification exercises. These weren’t done to test the units on their ability to run checklists and execute established procedure. These were designed specifically to use new ideas, to try things out, to experiment, and even to fail. The whole purpose was to develop lessons learned and then to send them back Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

ashore to hone the concepts.

What are our exercises focused on today? Do we have the time to think about new things, or try creative ideas?

Or is our bandwidth so narrow that all we can think about is ensuring the readiness pillars are built in the computer matrix and the checklists are run smoothly to get our grades from the evaluators?

This essay does not purport to have all the answers, but these are the questions we have to ask. These two issues — the importance of adaptive leadership and adaptive organizations — aren’t particularly new ideas. These are insights that other students of military history have already tried to teach us, repeatedly. Yet, as movements like the Defense Entrepreneur’s Forum and organizations like the CNO’s Rapid Innovation Cell attempt to re-introduce organizational innovation, obstacles continue to be reinforced and it appears we need to return to these historic lessons.

While we press on into the 21st Century it is time to consider a modern reform movement for our military and defense industry. Senior officers, staff officers, and junior officers who rise to this challenge must be the adaptive leaders who overcome our modern day military conservatism. They must be the ones who reform the organizations and units from the inside to embrace a nimble and flexible ideal. Just being the insurgent innovator with an inventive idea is great,

54

but it doesn’t get us far enough. Not even close. We must look to reform our leadership models and our organizational structures to embrace the future. As Adm. William Sims wrote a century ago: "Our objective must not be ‘safety first’ in the sense of adherence to already tested practices and implements, but safety first in being the first to recognize, the first to experiment with, and the first to adopt improvements of distinct military value."

Challenging the status quo and developing new and better ways of performing our military responsibilities is not insurgency or disruption. Instead it is the mark of true professionalism.

CDR Benjamin "BJ" Armstrong is an Assistant Professor of War Studies and Naval History at the U.S. Naval Academy. He is a former HH-46D pilot and MH-60S Armed Helo Detachment OIC who has also served on the staff of the Secretary of the Navy. He earned his PhD from King's College London, and his books 21st Century Mahan and 21st Century Sims are available from the Naval Institute Press.

This article first appeared in the online national security publication War on the Rocks (www.warontherocks.com).

Focus: The AMPHIBIOUS NAVY

A Better Community

Article by LT Ben “Butters” Foster, USN

W

hen it comes to making the community better the conversation almost always turns to new systems, weapons, or equipment. There’s no question that there is almost limitless room for improvement when it comes to hardware, but we have to turn just as much attention to making ourselves better with what we already have. The first, and most important, rule for doing this is: nothing can be too sacred to be considered for change. We have to consider our structures, our hardware and our people when we look at how we can improve.

ESB makes the ideal command ship for the type of surface action groups (SAG) that I referred to as “Hendrix SAGs” in Proceedings. This would combine the ESB with multiple destroyers, Littoral Combat Ships, and other smaller surface combatants to carry out the full spectrum of Navy operations.

The ESB provides the ideal deployment platform for the MH-60S. It has the space and flexibility to allow division sized operations, which when combined with the MH-60R coming off the supporting destroyers, maximizes our rotary wing capabilities. The ESB already had its flight deck certified for the V-22, as well as all the Marine Corps unmanned aerial vehicles which continues to open up the ship’s employment possibilities.3 The next logical step is to get it certified for the MQ-8B/C and incorporate those with the MH-60S onboard.

We don’t even need to wait for the Hendrix SAG concept to take root in order to implement new ways of maximizing rotary wing capability. Our counterparts in the surface warfare community have already been experimenting with new ways to deploy their ships. These new Pacific Surface Action Groups (PACSAG) have been operating in the Western Pacific under the control of Commander, 3rd Fleet.4 We need to look hard at ways to operate a combined MH-60R and MH-60S footprint on those PACSAGs. While deploying Romeos and Sierras on a single air capable ship has been tried before, the missing ingredient has been full integration.

The HSM and HSC Wings should identify an upcoming PACSAG deployment, and stand up an experimental composite detachment to deploy with those ships. This composite unit should operate as a single entity with an even split of one Romeo and one Sierra on each ship. The key enabling capability will be to cross-train the crews. By training the pilots and Aircrewmen from both platforms to serve in the secondary position (copilot or gunner) in the other type aircraft, we can reduce total personnel required and increase interoperability. This would give the PACSAG the greatest flexibility to employ the strengths of the Romeo, the Sierra, or both, depending on mission requirements. It would also certainly produce lessons learned about mixed aircraft operations that haven’t been possible without that level of integration, and provide valuable lessons that we can use in the development of the Navy’s future vertical lift platforms.

The Structures In looking to do more with what we have, we need to concentrate on our unique strengths as rotary wing aircraft.

Helicopters have the advantage of being able to use many more ships in the inventory than our fixed wing counterparts.

To maximize our abilities we need to reduce the concentration of helicopters on our aircraft carriers and push the Navy to deploy its helicopters in ways that play to their strengths.

We also need to do this in ways that emphasize both the HSM and HSC capabilities. Nobody is advocating that the F/A-18 platforms be able to carry ALQ-99 jammers, or the E/A-18 be equipped with a 20mm gun. They are intended to be complementary platforms, and so are the MH-60R and MH-60S. We need to find ways to complement each other’s strengths.

I discussed using the new Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) ships as an enabling capability in the September issue of Proceedings;1 with four helicopter spots, room for at least six aircraft, hangar space, and full ordnance handling ability, the ships make perfect launch pads for our capabilities.

The Navy has already displayed a willingness to operate the ships as warships, which was signaled in August when they redesignated the USNS Puller as the USS Puller.2 The

The Hardware Just because we can do more with what we have, doesn’t mean that we don’t need the Navy to invest in its rotary wing aircraft. There are some things that the Navy can do in the short term that will have a large impact, and the first is equipping the MH-60S with the External Gun Mount System (EGMS). As I described in Proceedings Today back in May, EGMS will give the Sierra the ability to carry destructive ordnance while executing all of its other mission sets, thereby giving operational commanders maximum

USS Lewis B. Puller on Acceptance Trials.

Photo coutesty General Dynamics NASSCO

55

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar

need for a robust network between both types of helicopters that will allow us to share track, bearing, and coordination information without risking being exploited or denied.

Networks such as the Tactical Targeting Network Technology (TTNT) would work well to provide that connection between the aircraft.

Lastly, we need new weapons that maximize our anti-ship lethality. To do this we need to pursue weapons systems that were actually designed for naval use. The Hellfire missile that has been our standard for decades has more anti-ship capability than most give it credit for, but the time has come for a suite of weapons more purpose built. We can reduce time to the fleet, cost, and risk by taking advantage of the work and research of our allies.

The British and French have collaborated on the Brimstone and Sea Venom projects. The Brimstone is a Hellfire-sized missile which features development specifically aimed at targeting small boat swarms, and Congressman Duncan Hunter of the House Armed Services Committee has asked the Chief of Naval Operations and Secretary of the Navy about using Brimstone as an anti-swarm weapon.7 They are also working on the next generation replacement to the Brimstone currently called the Future Attack Helicopter Weapon.8 The Sea Venom is larger, about twice the size of the Hellfire, and has been developed specifically to serve as a helicopter launched anti-ship missile.9 These two systems would be perfectly complemented by a system such as the Delilah missile from Israel. The Delilah is roughly four times the size of a Hellfire, but comes with over 100 nautical miles of range and a more powerful warhead.

The Delilah is in production for the Israelis, and has already been integrated on H-60 platforms which would significantly reduce our cost and risk.10 By combining three weapons such as these into a capability suite for the aircraft we gain the ability to attack everything from swarms of small boats up through full sized combatants and even land based targets.

Based on size and weight it would be reasonable to expect eight Brimstone, four Sea Venom, or two Delilah to be carried

flexibility.5 In a separate Proceedings Today article in August, I outlined a plan to deliver a system of rapid prototype autonomous logistics aircraft to our fleet.6 This would begin our development of more advanced autonomous logistics systems, but it would also help to create capacity within our MH60S fleet to execute the mission tasking of our operational commanders. To further this capacity creation, we can move Sierras from the aircraft carriers to the ESBs and replace some of those airframes with Romeos by extending the production of Romeos while the line is still running.

We also need to move quickly to update the aging selfdefense systems on both the Romeo and Sierra. As peer level adversaries have advanced their capabilities in the last decade, the Navy has failed to help its helicopter fleet keep pace. If it expects to use those assets in a high level conflict it needs to invest in the hardening of our aircraft against many new types of threats.

Some other advancements may take longer, but should be pursued as rapidly as possible. The first of these is to bring radar to the MH-60S. To do this we should look to our fixed wing counterparts where the E-2 uses its omnidirectional radar to direct F/A-18s which use their forwardlooking systems for target cueing. Giving the MH"Our unique strength is our flexibility. Our aircraft is 60S a single panel, active electronically scanned equally as capable of inserting an assaulter on a hostile array (AESA) radar, mounted on the nose would meet our need, especially when combined with the ship, as it is of sinking that ship. We need weapons that enhance that flexibility, not ones that inhibit it." omnidirectional search radar on the MH-60R. There are several commercially available AESA systems that would meet the size, weight and power requirements for our aircraft. The AESA radar would at once. give the MH-60S the ability to track large numbers of targets Our unique strength is our flexibility. Our aircraft is equally and detect moving targets on the surface and in the air. Both as capable of inserting an assaulter on a hostile ship, as it is aircraft will need the ability, within the common cockpit of sinking that ship. We need weapons that enhance that architecture, to take their respective sensor tracks and hand flexibility, not ones that inhibit it. Our weapons and systems them off to fire-and-forget weapons systems. must allow us, even after we’ve launched on a mission, to The AESA radar on the MH-60S would also be able to remain flexible enough to be re-tasked in flight. function passively to detect adversary jamming sources and Imagine back to the helicopter centric sea control SAGs emitter bearings. To get the most out of this information we that were outlined at the beginning. One of these SAGs sorties need a way to share it between aircraft. There is a significant a division of Sierras and Romeos acting in two mixed sections.

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

56

Focus: The AMPHIBIOUS NAVY Each Sierra has its AESA radar and one is carrying two Delilah missiles, while the other has EGMS and is carrying four Brimstones. One Romeo is carrying four Brimstone missiles on the right pylon and two Sea Venom missiles on the left pylon, while the other carries one Delilah on the left and two Sea Venoms on the right pylon. All the aircraft are linked using TTNT. While conducting a patrol off the coast of an adversary country, the division detects and locates a surfaceto-air missile system that has gone active along the coastline.

The target location is passed over TTNT and one of the Sierras tasks their Delilah missiles to the target.

While this is happening, an enemy surface combatant is detected moving toward their location, so the Sierras verify the target using the synthetic aperture radar capability inherent in their AESA system while the Romeos employ Sea Venom against the ship. This triggers a wave of small guided missile patrol boats to be launched from a local port. The division tracks the group and shares information over TTNT so that they can launch a salvo of Brimstone to simultaneously destroy the entire group. As they return to the SAG, they are directed to the location of a fixed-wing crew downed by the surface-to-air missile system.

While the other aircraft provide cover, the EGMS equipped Sierra moves in to make the pickup since it has clear cabin doors and room in the cabin to handle both survivors. This isn’t science fiction; all these technologies currently exist and can be brought to our aircraft.

more combat capable detachments. The solutions that have been offered include a number with frightening potential to weaken our training syllabus in order to give people equal designations. Instead we should consider something much more interesting. Use Lieutenants as OICs. The Marine Corps and the Army have a long history of placing O-3 grade officers in command of similarly sized units with great success. We should take our best Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) instructors and send them back to our operational squadrons instead of sending them out of the community to disassociated sea tours. This will allow the community to devote its Department Head screened pilots to roles as the OIC of larger or more combat oriented detachments, and keep them competitive for advancement.

We must also take on our training curriculum and training mentality. All of our training syllabi must contribute to our mission effectiveness, so if any part of the fleet or FRS syllabi isn’t maximizing our capability we must be open to changing

The People The U.S. Special Operations Command maintains five An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the “Nightdippers” of Helicopter Sea Com“truths” as part of their core bat Squadron (HSC) 5 and an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the “Swamp guidance. The first of these Foxes” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 74 prepares to take off from the truths is “humans are more flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ryan Carter. important than hardware,”11 and it is just as applicable to us. No effort to improve our structures or our hardware will ever be able to match the difference we them. Nothing can be too sacred to change if the justification can make by investing in our people. First we have to make is there. We must also be willing to use our limited training sure that we don’t let back-end personnel management get in hours to their greatest effect. We need more training hours the way of fleet war-fighting capability. Instead we have to and higher allotments of ammunition for training. We move forward with new, even radical, efforts to get the most need better more representative targets to train with, and out of every member of our community. simulators that more accurately model our targets and threats.

One such possibility is available in the HSC community. All our hardware will mean nothing if we don’t have pilots HSC is still responsible for many detachments that are either and Aircrewmen with the training necessary to make them very small, non-combat oriented, or both. These include effective. supply ships, medical ships, and detachments with only one Getting the most out of ourselves and our training requires manned aircraft. This has generated concerns that our Officers discipline and accountability. For every Department Head in Charge (OIC) who lead those detachments may not be as who tries to get out of taking a required syllabus test we take competitive for advancement as their peers who lead larger or a step back. Every event that gets an “incomplete” when it 57

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Focus: The AMPHIBIOUS NAVY really should have been an “unsat” is another step back. Each time an event gets signed off without actually completing all the items on the grade sheet is another step. Every new Department Head or Prospective Executive Officer who gets a requalification syllabus that is about expediency instead of ability or proficiency we lose another few steps. The investment we make in real training, and not just getting events complete, will be what keeps us alive when it matters most.

We have to change our mentality about failing flight events.

Failing to achieve the standards in the curriculum guide should mean an opportunity to receive more training before continuing on towards qualification. We have to abandon the idea that a failed flight event “didn’t get the X” because this inevitably lowers standards by making instructors afraid to

a load of assaulters to a precision spot during HVBSS, you can fly vertical replenishment; or if you can perform close air support (CAS) and strike coordination and reconnaissance (SCAR), you can conduct basic sea surveillance or maritime reconnaissance. The next thing should be: none of those statements are true in reverse.

I wish nobody the anguish of empty Ready Room chairs or post-deployment fly-offs that are missing aircraft, but with the current state of the world we have to anticipate that more of that may be coming. We owe it to each other to train for the high end fight, to hold ourselves accountable and make hard choices.

We can be better, because we are better.

“We don’t rise to the level of our expectations, we sink to the level of our training.” fail a student. Good pilots can still fail a flight, and a single failure can’t be viewed as a judgement against the character or aptitude of a student. If we aren’t able to accept a personal event failure and move on, or make flight hours available for a re-fly, we aren’t ready to take these skills we are training to and use them in an operational environment.

Our Seahawk Weapons and Tactics Instructors, Department Heads, Executive Officers, and Commanding Officers need to outwork the junior pilots when it comes to studying, mission planning, teaching and flying. The best way to make this happen is by being personally accountable. We must be willing to tell people, “I don’t think I did well enough to get credit for this.”

To be effective we must be realistic about the risks we take in our training. Attempting to eliminate all risk in training will leave us ineffective in combat. Little is said publicly about our management of risks, only about reduction of risks. We are simply told: “Don’t hit things.” We aren’t seeing our crews being recognized for taking “good” risks, or avoiding “bad” risks. Instead we are going through our forms and checklists and being told, “Don’t screw it up, or else.”

“We don’t rise to the level of our expectations, we sink to the level of our training.” While the original source of that quote is widely disputed, it holds poignantly true to our training. We have to be willing to accept certain risks in order to train to the highest end of our capabilities, and we have to train that high if we ever hope to be successful operationally. The notion that we can train to the “light” version here at home, and then just dial it up when we deploy will ultimately lead to mission failure and possibly casualties.

Inevitably every new copilot, at some point, asks why they need to train for personnel recovery, assault support, or weapons employment when the only stories they hear from deployment consist of Plane Guard and logistics. The first thing out of anyone’s mouth should be: if you can execute combat search-and-rescue, you can execute unopposed search-and-rescue; if you can execute assault support, you can make an unopposed passenger movement; if you can deliver Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

(Endnotes) 1 Hendrix citation 2 Eckstein, Megan. “Navy to Commission Middle Eastbased Expeditionary Sea Base Lewis B. Puller as a Warship.”

USNI News. August 16, 2017. Accessed August 22, 2017. https://news.usni.org/2017/08/16/navy-commission-expeditionary-sea-base-lewis-b-puller-uss-warship.

3 Eckstein, Megan. “Expeditionary Sea Base USNS Lewis B. Puller Departs for Maiden Deployment.” USNI News.

July 12, 2017. https://news.usni.org/2017/07/12/expeditionary-sea-base.

4 Johnson, Charles, “PACSAG Integrates, Strengthens Force,” Surface Warfare Magazine, vol. 53 (2016).

5 Foster, Benjamin B. “Plane Guard Helos Can Do More.” Proceedings Today. May 2017. https://www.usni.org/ magazines/proceedings/2017-05/plane-guard-helos-can-domore..

6 K-MAX citation 7 “US Congress’ HASC Discusses the British Brimstone Missile.” YouTube. March 28, 2014. Accessed August 21, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2hj5USIl6M. 8 “BRIMSTONE.” MBDA. Accessed August 21, 2017. http://www.mbda-systems.com/product/brimstone/.

9 “SEA VENOM/ANL.” MBDA. Accessed August 21, 2017. http://www.mbda-systems.com/product/sea-venom-anl/.

10 IMI Systems. Delilah. 2016. Accessed August 21, 2017. http://www.imisystems.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/DELILAH.pdf.

11 “SOF Truths.” USSOCOM. Accessed August 21, 2017. http://www.socom.mil:443/about/sof-truths.

58

Helo History

Meet the Naval History and Heritage Command Thus was born the Navy Department Library, today an integral part of the command and its historical programs.

When the British invaded Washington in 1814, this book collection was rushed to safety outside the Federal City.

Thereafter, the library had many locations, including a specially designed space in the State, War, and Navy Building (now the Executive Office Building), overlooking the White House.

N

eed Historical Research Assistance? Through NHHC, you have access to 182,000 books, 374,000 manuscripts, 27,000 cubic feet of official records and personal papers, 5,000 reels of microfilm, more than a million still photos and negatives, and the Navy Department Library. Not in DC? No worries! Much of this material is available online at history.navy.mil, with more posted every day. For more NHHC support available to the fleet, check out NAVADMIN 10/17.

Who We Are The Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC), headed by the Director of Naval History, is an Echelon II command headquartered on the Washington Navy Yard, D.C. Mission Serve as the Navy’s institutional memory by preserving, acquiring, producing, and disseminating history and heritage products and resources through Navy historical, archival, museum, curatorial, art, and underwater archeological programs.

Vision Enhance the warfighting effectiveness of the U.S. Navy, using the power of History and Heritage to pass on hardwon lessons, foster unit combat cohesion, and garner the continuing support of the American people.

Office of Library and Naval War Records When the library was placed under the Bureau of Navigation in 1882, the director—noted international lawyer and U.S. Naval Academy professor James Russell Soley—gathered the rare books scattered throughout various Navy Department offices, collected naval prints and photographs, and subscribed to professional periodicals. He also began to collect and preserve naval records, particularly those of the Civil War. Congress initially recognized his efforts by authorizing funds for an office staff and combining the library and records sections into the Office of Library and Naval War Records.

Overview Today, the NHHC is the central resource for today’s operational Navy and acts as the services institutional memory.

Headquartered on the historic Washington Navy Yard, D.C., the Command includes nine official Navy museums nationwide as well as a detachment that Office of Naval Records and maintains the Navy’s oldest commisLibrary sioned warship, USS Constitution, in Six years later, Congress appropriatBoston, Mass. ed the funds to print the first volume in a monumental documentary series, Origins of the Naval History and Official Records of the Union and ConHeritage Command federate Navies in the War of the ReThe Naval History and Heritage bellion. The series, completed in 1927 Command (NHHC) traces its lineage with the publication of the General to 1800 when President John Adams Index, marked the beginning of a reinstructed Benjamin Stoddert, the first sponsibility to collect, edit, and publish Secretary of the Navy, to prepare a cat- historical naval documents, a mission alog of professional books for use in the that NHHC continues to carry out in Secretary’s office. its American Revolution and War of 59

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

1812 documentary projects. In 1915 the appropriations for publications, the library, and naval war records were combined and the office received a new title: Office of Naval Records and Library.

Historical Section of the CNO’s Office Once America entered World War I, emphasis shifted to gathering documents on current naval operations.

Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels directed Adm. William S. Sims, Commander U.S. Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to collect war diaries, operational reports, and other historic war materials of naval commands in his London headquarters.

To handle World War I records in Washington, the Historical Section was established in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, separate from the Office of Naval Records and Library and housed in the new Navy Department Building (“Main Navy”) on Constitution Avenue. When the war ended, Adm. Sims’s London collection and photographs and motion pictures from the various Navy bureaus were transferred to the Historical Section. The library, by now with over 50,000 volumes, remained in the State, War, and Navy Building.

Post-World War I Integration In 1921, a former member of Adm. Sims’s wartime staff, CAPT Dudley W. Knox, was named head of the Office of Naval Records and Library and the Historical Section. For the next twenty-five years, he was the driving force behind the Navy’s historical program, earning for the office a national and international reputation in the field of naval archives and history. The Historical Section was absorbed into Naval Records and Library in 1927. Knox’s additional appointment as the Curator for the Navy envisioned a display of our nation’s sea heritage in a naval museum in Washington. Thirty years later, in 1961, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Arleigh Burke established the U.S. Naval Historical Display Center (now the National Museum of the U.S. Navy), which opened in Building 76.

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

World War II Operational Archives/Oral History Program At President Roosevelt’s suggestion Knox began several documentary series.

Seven volumes pertaining to the Quasi War with France and seven volumes relating to the war with the Barbary Powers were ultimately published. World War II halted similar plans for the Revolution, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and World War I. During World War II, Knox turned his attention to collecting documents generated by naval operations in a two-ocean war. Knox immediately began a campaign to gather and arrange operation plans, action reports, and war diaries into a well-controlled archives staffed by professional historians who came on board as naval reservists.

To complement the developing World War II Operational Archives, the Knox group pioneered an oral history program whereby participants in the significant Atlantic and Pacific operations and battles were interviewed as soon as possible. When the Pulitzer Prize-winning history professor from Harvard, Samuel Eliot Morison, was commissioned by President Roosevelt to prepare the 15-volume History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, he relied not only on his own combat experience, but also on those records assembled by Knox’s archivists.

Naval History Division To coordinate the Morison project, an administrative history of the U.S. Navy Department—then under way—and other planned World War II histories, Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal established an Office of Naval History.

Although Knox served as deputy director of naval history under the director, Adm. Edward C. Kalbfus, initially the Office of Naval Records and Library was kept separate from the Office of Naval History. The two finally merged in March 1949, to form the Naval Records and History Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. This organizational designation was simplified in 1952 to the Naval History Divi-

60

sion. The division remained in the Main Navy Building where it had relocated just after the war.

The future home for the Navy’s historians was the Washington Navy Yard in Southeast Washington, which in 1961 was converted from an industrial facility to an administrative center. The first component of the Naval History Division located in the yard was The Navy Museum, which was established in 1961. In 1963 the Operational Archives moved to the navy yard. The other sections of the Naval History Division followed in 1970, occupying several scattered buildings.

Naval Historical Center In a final organizational change of the early 1970s, the Naval Historical Center was established as a field activity under the Chief of Naval Operations, thereby replacing the Naval History Division. Most of the center’s activities were brought together in 1982 when they moved into the historic building complex named to honor Dudley W. Knox, who perhaps did more than any individual to strengthen and reinforce the Navy’s commitment to its historic heritage and traditions.

In 1986, the Navy Art Collection and Gallery and the Naval Aviation History and Publication Division, both already located in the Washington Navy Yard, became part of the Naval Historical Center. In 2008, the center was redesignated as the Naval History and Heritage Command.

HISTORY

CDR Richard Whitfield, HSM-40 Commanding Officer Presents the Mark Starr Pioneer Award to CAPT Richard S. Roberts, USN (Ret.), HU-2 Commanding Officer, (Jan 1953 – Jan 1955) Article by Joe Skrzypek, with input from LT Taylor Toombs, LT William Fletcher, LT AJ Wich.

I

introduced Al to CDR n January Whitfield, command2017, ,the ing officer of HSM-40.

Naval Helicopter Al contacted the NHA Association Historical board and presented an Society (NHAHS) alternative to San Diego, Board of Directors which the board approved met to review Mark and gave their blessings.

Star Pioneer Award CDR Whitfield and Al nominations.

One had lunch and agreed on nominee stood out a fantastic program for as fully deserving the award presentation. as a true Pioneer in A complete copy of the Naval Helicopter program would be sent Aviation. The Board to San Diego for the prewas inspired by the sentation to be shown at Rotor Review #132 the convention. CDR article by CAPT Mike Whitfield assumed the Marriott, USN (Ret.). challenge and proceeded CAPT Roberts was From left to right behind Capt Roberts: CDR Rich Whitfield HSM-40 with a well executed plan. nominated, among CO, USMC Rep, LT Taylor Toombs, LT William Fletcher, LT AJ Wich.

CAPT William Walsh, many others, to CHSMWL, Commoreceive the 2017 Mark dore, CDR Richard W. Whitfield, CO Starr Pioneer Award, and then voted affectionately known as “Robbie” was HSM-40 and CAPT Michael Burd, in favor, as the 2017 recipient of the very uncomfortable with a trip to San prestigious award. The NHAHS board Diego. In April 2017, he turned 103 Deputy Commodore, all enthusiastically agreed to properly host and present commenced planning to execute the years of age. OK, we understand!

CAPT Roberts with the 2017 Mark Starr presentation.

Pioneer Award. They notified Al Zappala PLAN #2 PLAN #1 Next plan was for Al Zappala to ask the and Plan #2 proceeded. Al Zappala A notification letter was drafted by HSM community to make the presenta- would drive to Altamonte Springs and CAPT Personius, President of the Na- tion in Florida squadron hangar. How transport “Robbie” to the squadron for val Helicopter Association Historical was Al going to get back in contact with the presentation. Yea! Another good plan started. No! No, Wait! Robbie hurt Society. In achis back. We have no details but rumor cordance with Famous Quote: has it, a nice nurse at his rest home was CAPT Mike Skipper Whitfield: "Do you have a minute….?" involved. VA Doctors took charge and Marriott’s RoCAPT Roberts: “I have plenty of minutes”. repaired his ailing back. tor Review article we must PLAN #3 go through Al OK. To alleviate any further delay and/ Zappala to get to CAPT Roberts. After HSM-40? Al's contacts - CDR Perralla or emergencies HSM-40 decided to take Mike Marriott provided contact infor- and Reagan had left the Wing and were charge, “if Robbie no come to mountain, mation we pressed forward; called Al assigned to other posts. While speaking mountain come to Robbie” So another Zappala and discussed plans for Al to to a longtime friend, CAPT Shelby plan is in work. accompany CAPT Roberts to San Diego Mounts, USN, Al mentioned his dilemfor the award presentation at the NHA ma. Shelby said that he knew the Wing Here is the story from HSM-40 by Symposium May 16, 2017. Great plan, Commodore, Scott Walsh, and agreed LT Taylor Toombs right? OOPS! after a couple of weeks Al to give Al an introduction. Commodore We first learned of CAPT Roberts from Zappala reported that CAPT Roberts, Walsh was very accommodating and Skipper Whitfield. He told the whole 61

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

it like a change of command.

For the video, Mac and I wanted to get some footage of CAPT Roberts and Al Zappala, in an interview setting.

In April, we had a day set to drive down to Orlando to conduct an interview. Unfortunately, that was the same day that CAPT Rob-

CAPT Roberts and CDR Rich Whitfield examine the NHAHS 2017 “Mark Starr Pioneer Award” trophy.

ready room here at HSM-40 during an all-officer's-meeting that CAPT Roberts was the Mark Starr Award Recipient, told us a little bit about his background, the award, and asked for a few volunteers to help in planning the ceremony. Myself, Mac Fletcher, and A.J. Wich volunteered right away.

We met with Skipper a few days later to discuss the details. We broke the duties up into groups -- A.J. was responsible for planning the ceremony and Mac and I were responsible for producing and editing the video. We already knew that CAPT Roberts wouldn't be able to travel to San Diego, so the idea CAPT Roberts and Al Zappala at the was to create an awards ceremony for him here in Mayport. With some initial guidelines for our plan, we erts needed to go into surgery for his back. Skipper Whitfield called Mac and got to work.

A.J. moved quickly getting the cere- I when were about 30 minutes south of mony in line. We set a day, May 5, and we sent word to all the squadrons up and down the sea wall. We also got in touch with all the squadrons across the river at NAS Jacksonville and the Coast Guard unit here in Mayport. The commanding officers down the hall sent an extremely positive response, and we had some great support from the Wing for the ceremony.

Our initial plan was to have multiple helicopters (tail birds) fly in and park them right behind the stage on display. LT Taylor Toombs, HSM-40 pilot We ordered the Change of Command poses with a display of CAPT Roberts ceremony kit (stage, large American flag, at the NHA Symposium. LT Taylor chairs, etc.) and planned how we were narrated the Award Video at Robbie’s going to stage all the different personnel Altamonte Springs, Fla., rest home. from different squadrons. We planned Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

62

Jacksonville on our way down.

We stopped at a Starbucks off of I-95 to do a bit more work on setting up the video, and that is where we really got a lot of great research done. We were able to find videos and pictures of the same HUP-2 helicopters that CAPT Roberts' squadron flew, and even found more stories from his squadron.

With the health complications, plans changed. The ceremony here at Mayport was called off, and we flexed to bring the ceremony down to him; we were happy to shift our focus to bringing the ceremony down to Altamonte Springs.

We got in touch with the Naval Station Mayport Base PAO, and the folks at the assisted living home were extremely helpful in setting things up.

The award ceremony (version 2) was set for early May, and we decided to fly a helicopter down to complete some training along the way. AJ, Mac, Skipper, and AWR1 Tom Kowsh, and I all flew down to Sanford Orlando International on the morning of the ceremony. After a short drive, we were over at the assisted living home where the ceremony was to rest home. take place.

The ceremony itself was great to be a part of. The Mayor of Altamonte Springs, Orlando Channel 4 News, and the Orlando Sentinel were all in attendance. Meeting CAPT Roberts for the first time and getting to see some the memorabilia from his career was an awesome experience; it provides a little perspective on the sacrifice others have made for our country.

Some of his family were there, and they made some short remarks on his career (including his time in the Intelligence community, which I knew little about).

Skipper Whitfield made his remarks, CAPT Roberts spoke, and we presented the gift from our wardroom (an embroidered flight suit in a shadow box). I think the video covers most of that well.

After the ceremony was where Mac and I did most of our work. We met a couple times over the course of the next few

HISTORY weeks to edit the video and bring it together. We shot some additional footage in the HSM-40 PR shop, and wrote up a short blurb on CAPT Robert's career.

I know the video was for the Pioneer award, but I wanted people to understand a little bit more about the life and career of the man behind it; that's how we came up with the narration. The pictures and video of the first helicopter operations in the U.S. Navy were put in so people would have a little bit of context on the achievements of CAPT Roberts

After the video was completed, the last thing we had to do was make sure it made it out to San Diego. We went out to NHA, and the association showed the video flawlessly. All in all, we've gotten to know some true patriots in Al Zappala and CAPT Roberts. Skipper Whitfield has mentioned that CAPT Roberts still wants to visit Mayport to talk with our ready room, and I know that we'll always have time for somebody like him to come by. I look forward to it!

NHA 2017 Symposium exhibit about CAPT Roberts and his career is on display at the NHA National Office.

CAPT Roberts was thrilled to receive the HSM-40 gifted custom embroidered flight suit. He tried it on and realized they thought he was bigger man. CAPT Roberts made arrangements to immediately have it tailored. He enthusiastically looks forward to a visit to the squadron spaces wearing his new flight suit.

A note about Mr. Zappala: After AD “A” School, Al Zappala was an Aviation Machinist Mate who started his Navy career at NAS Quonset, R.I. as a plane captain/air crew on: F4U, F6F, TBF, SNU, SNB and DC-3. "In 1953 Al left Quonset for USS Kula Gulf (CVE 108), and served for a year on ASW assignments. In 1954, he transferred to HU2 and became a plane captain and air crewman on the HUP. "He deployed on the USS Wisconsin (BB-64), USS Leyte (CVS-2) (twice) and participated in Search and Rescue operations during Hurricane Carol. Sadly, for the Navy, he decided to enter into academics.

Al taught on Long Island, N.Y. where he worked in a district for 32 years. Of his 47 years in education, the last 15 years were spent teaching geography at various colleges in New York State, North Carolina and Florida. He now has volunteered to enlist himself as Robbie’s administrative assistant and loyal friend.

Interested in having a reunion? Already working on a reunion? NHA wants to know and help.

Contact NHA’s Retired and Reunion Manager, CDR Mike Brattland USN (Ret.) (619) 435-7139 or email: retiredreunionmgr@navalhelicopterassn.org 63

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

NAVAL HELICOPTER REUNIONS AND ANNIVERSARIES All known Naval Helicopter Reunions and Anniversaries are listed below. If you have reunion and anniversary information you would like seen listed here and on the NHA web page, contact CDR Mike Brattland, USN (Ret.), Retired and Reunion Manager, Naval Helicopter Association (NHA), Webmaster NHAHS at 619 425-7139 or by email at retiredreunionmgr@navalhelicopterassn.org.

2018 NHA Symposium Squadron Reunions in Norfolk,Va., May 14-18, 2018 HC-6 "Chargers" / HC-8 "Dragon Whales" - In work - POC Jeff Berger jeffluan@rcn.com HM-18 "Norsemen" - In work - POC Walter Steiner steinerswm@gmail.com HS-4 "Black Knights" '88-'91 - POCs Bob Lineberry rg@decision-strategy.com

and Carl Robertson cdrob01@gmail.com HS-11 / HSC-11 "Dragon Slayers" - Under consideration, not yet in work - POC Paul Stevens HS-12 "Wyverns" - In work - POC Hartmann “Hardy” Kircher hkircher@comcast.net 2018 Squadron Reunions HC-7 "Sea Devils" - May 17-19, 2018 in San Antonio, TX - POC- Charlie Akins chasakins@aol.com HAL-3 - August, 2018 in San Diego - POC Gary Ely Treas http://www.seawolf.orgelysoflakeside@cox.net HS-85 - August, 2018 in Alameda, Calif.

H-2 reunion around Nov. 2018 associated with SH-2F being added to the Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola, Fla. - POC Earnie Rogers erogers@liberty.edu Check the NHA website www.navalhelicopterassn.org for the most current information on anniversaries and reunions or contact retiredreunionmgr@navalhelicopterassn.org

NAVAL HELICOPTER ANNIVERSARIES NAS North Island - Nov. 11, 1917 - 100 Years Naval Helicopter Anniversary - Oct. 16, 1943 - 75 Years HU-1/HC-1 - 1948 - 70 Years Navy Aircrewmen - 1968 - 50 Years HM-14 - 1978 - 40 Years HM-16 - 1978 - 40 Years HSL/HSM-41 - 1983 - 35 Years HSL-46 - 1988 - 30 Years COMHSMWINGPAC - 1993 - 25 Years

Pulling Chocks

introducing Rotor Review’s Newest Department: PULLING CHOCKS! NHA wants to hear from you! If you are leaving the Naval Service...

Please send us an email at pullingchocks@navalhelicopterassn.org.

We will publish it in “Pulling Chocks” section of Rotor Review.

Pictures you want to share are welcome and encouraged.

Are you transitioning to civilian life?

Be sure to check out NHA’s Transition Assistance section of the NHA website.

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

64

“As professionals, what does work/life balance mean to you?”

From LT Chris Olander, HSC-2: Determining how much time and energy will need to be put forth into both to best achieve happiness.

From LT Joe Lennon, HSC-2: Completing the mission at work and home.

From Jacob Williams: Knowing what can wait until tomorrow and learning that your well-being and the Navy’s are not mutually exclusive.

From Bruce K Bohnker: Proper work-life balance is when I get eight hours of sleep most nights. I must be working too hard if I can't do that.

From Kevin G. Switick, President/Owner Avian, LLC: As an entrepreneur and owner of 3 businesses, I was fortunate to attend a CEO exclusive conference with the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. The question of work/life balance came up, to which the CEO of AT&T responded, “you can have work/life balance; you just can’t have my job.” The rest of the Fortune 500 CEOs echoed his sentiment, saying that when you reach a certain point in your career, your work becomes your life, so you better start liking what you do. There’s a distinct difference between having a job, and having a career. If you want a decent work/life balance, then go for the job and work 9 to 5. If you want a career, then find something you can be passionate about and stop trying to chase an elusive dream.

From Mike Knudsen: When I was young and the kids were in school, it meant being able to have dinner with the family and attend their after school events. I would work around those events by working nights after dinner by 1) going back to work, 2) working at home, 3) spending some time on the weekend at work. It also meant being able to take at least a two week vacation with the kids during the summer, and time off between Christmas and New Years! At 70, it means taking time off from vacation to find some work to do!

From Thomas Cashman: Work/life balance is the key to a successful and meaningful career and most importantly, a healthy life with strong relationships built over time at work and home. Anytime either work or home life dominate our thoughts, time and relationships, an imbalance occurs and something is going to suffer. In my opinion, realizing that our work title and status does not define who we are, is a step in the right direction. At the end of the day, people will care more about how you treat them than what your title was, how many flight hours you had or what you were responsible for during your military or civilian career.

From Sil Perrella: It means keeping first things first… sometimes that means life, sometimes that means work. Being a professional (Navy Leader – Spouse/parent) in both realms tells you which is the priority and when but it always come to keeping first things first.

From Christopher “Purple” Hayes: Work-life balance is too often an allusion in our business. The competitive nature and optempo drive the scales heavily to WORK-life. Work-ups, dets, and deployments alone take 100% of Sailor's time; no "balance" to be had when one's not able to be with family or take some no-kidding down time. It is important -vitally important- that leaders force themselves to take down time and schedule down time for their teams. It is important for leaders to find and maintain a balance to maintain a healthy life and perspective. It is even more important that leaders set that example for their Sailors so everyone knows it's O.K. to force the scales back to neutral once in a while and equally important that they take the (well earned) time they need to be better prepared, healthier people, ready to row hard when it's called of them.

From Richard Vtipil: My first thoughts from a military perspective is that it means NOT spending lots of nights ashore (especially on shore duty) flying nights instead of being there to tuck my kids into bed. There are requirements that need to be met, but if I'm not home even when I'm home, what the hell is the point?

Next Issue: "Do you think there is a retention issue in Naval Helicopeter Aviation? If so, why?

Submit answers to: caleb.levee@navy.mil or post to NHA’s Facebook page.

65

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Vampire, Vampire, Vampire!

There I Was

Article by LT Carolyn Boothe, USN

S

o, there I was, sitting in the training room of the USS Mason (DDG 87) about to give a mock HAC board to our senior H2P, when I heard over the 1MC, “Mail call, mail call, mail call.” I looked at my watch—2100—and I remembered that we had not had a Replenishment At Sea (RAS) in at least a week, so why were they calling Mail Call? Also, why was Boss running out the door to Combat? Mail Call is a Mess Decks evolution. Then it occurred to me that what I thought was “Mail call” was really “Vampire, vampire, vampire”.

That changed everything.

Now, allow me to set the stage for this little misunderstanding, the moment our already busy deployment became a ground breaking experience not only for us, but also for the Romeo Community and the future of air/surface coordination. Nine days prior, we were off the Horn of Africa transitioning back to our Maritime Interdiction Operation (MIO) mission that had consumed the first three months of deployment. We had a Coast Guard AIT (Advanced Interdiction Team) onboard, and were localizing our contact of interest when the Captain recalled the helo and announced to the crew that as soon as it was on deck we would be steaming for the Bab-al-Mandeb (BAM) in response to the attack on the HSV-2 Swift, a United Arab Emirates operated humanitarian vessel.

When we arrived in the Gulf of Aden, we and our sister Combat Element (CEL-2) onboard the USS Nitze (DDG 94) were USS Mason launches SM2 anti-missile interceptors. Photo tasked with providing airborne coverage from USS San Antonio and defense for our respective ships as they transited the BAM to ensure freedom of navigation. After more than a week of back-to-back BAM transits in which we were using all the systems the Romeo has to offer to aid in the problem, even this was becoming routine. The next day’s schedule constantly changed to reflect updating tasking, but other than the fact that we were executing a lot of hours and loaded out with Hellfires, it was really just business-as-usual. So, despite the fact that we were manning an Alert 60 helo in a part of the world where missiles were actually flying, our mindset that Sunday evening was oriented on training a prospective HAC. It took about ten seconds for our collective mindsets to change. Immediately following the “Vampire” call, the ship launched two Standard Missile-2s (SM-2s) to engage the Coastal Defense Cruise Missiles (CDCMs) fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. Our ship set General Quarters, and our maintainers and aircrew flew into action to get the helo traversed, loaded, checked, and preflighted. The aircrew currently on alert briefed and got themselves ready to launch into a very dynamic situation. By the time our helo was airborne, the Houthis had retired for the night, but that began an around-the-clock rotation of helo coverage between us and CEL-2. Now that the improbable had happened—actual CDCMs launched at a U.S. Navy ship—we found a renewed sense of urgency to work closely with

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

66

There I Was the boat and maximize both our systems in order to defend the ship and the force.

Two days later, after another northbound BAM transit and just when we were starting to think the Houthis had decided to rethink their operations, I was coming back through the hangar to fly my second bag when suddenly the hangar was filled with the whoosh of missiles and a whirl of activity in the midst of the next “Vampire, vampire, vampire” call. I hustled back into my flight gear and out onto the flight deck which was now a cloud of Sulphur and covered in FOD from the SM-2s currently intercepting the inbound missile just aft of the deck on which my aircraft and crew were currently spinning. After hopping into my seat and ensuring my AWR3 made it back in, we expedited the takeoff process, eternally grateful to the bridge team for not yanking the boat around to avoid the next missile. Once airborne, we were happily busy helping USS Mason’s data collection efforts and identifying contacts surrounding the force.

Now that we had dispelled the notion that missile attacks were a purely nocturnal adventure or that the Houthis were not actually serious about their endeavors, every flight was a close coordination between the aircraft and the ship, each discovering all the potential built into that partnership. The constant Romeo coverage we provided along with CEL-2 came with jokes about the evening “Witching Hour” and the expectation of

all onboard that each flight would come back less one or more HELLFIREs, an idea that gained traction because we were flying around with a heightened threat posture that none of us had ever experienced. We maintained that level of engagement while new information about origins and methods of attack continued to pour in with an increasing emphasis on what the MH-60R could bring to the fight. Three nights later, on my first bag of the night which kicked off in the starry expanse that is 1 a.m… in the morning…we were identifying contacts and collecting data when the Anti-Submarine/Anti-Surface Warfare Tactical Air Controller (ASTAC) came over the radio with “Vampire, vampire, vampire” and told us to scram out of the threat axis.

I realized how grateful I was for all the seemingly insignificant tactics I had learned and the constant drumbeat emphasizing that adherence to procedure really does save lives. The procedural excellence and the admirable performance of the crews of the Mason, Nitze, and all of our "Swamp Fox" personnel onboard each ship merited the recognition that accompanies a Combat Action Ribbon, the first of its kind awarded to a surface force since the First Gulf War for coming under enemy fire in international waters. Those, then, were the best of times and the worst of times, and I am eternally grateful to have witnessed the capabilities of the surface Navy, and to have been blessed to be a Romeo pilot.

An MH-60R Seahawk, assigned to the “Swamp Foxes” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 74, patrols the waters during a transit of the Strait of Hormuz. Photo by MC3 J. Alexander Delgado

67

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

A Historic Deployment Article by LTJG Robert A. Stoll, USN

monitoring suite, we had the vital area sanitized within minutes of taking off.

Surface Surveillance and Control (SSC) missions were the norm for most of the deployment and the Romeo is too good at it. We can get a pretty good idea of what all the contacts in an area are based off of their radar, electronic emissions, AIS data, and Inverse Synthetic Aperature Radar (ISAR) image. ISAR lets us determine the class of a ship to confirm AIS, and anything that we couldn’t get identified with those systems we would just mop up with the FLIR. By the end of deployment, you get so used to seeing the patterns in all the sensors that you can identify a suspicious track dozens of miles away in seconds. All of this means that warfare commanders have very high situational awareness on the battle space around the HVU and can make timely decisions about deploying the strike group. In fact, it was rare for there not to be an MH-60R airborne in the strike group because warfare commanders, and indeed the admiral himself, wanted us airborne to continuously provide that high situational awareness.

USS Truxton didn’t stay with the strike group for long.

Shortly after we transited the Strait of Gibraltar, Houthi Rebels attacked a Saudi FFG in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait (BAM) off the coast of Yemen. Our upcoming port visit was cancelled and we were sent down to escort coalition ships through the BAM and conduct security operations in the Red Sea and Gulf of Oman. We flew nearly two dozen BAM transits in all, escorting vessels that were not able to defend themselves through a high density, high threat level environment. The Romeo proved to be the perfect asset over and over again.

The waters in the BAM were usually very choppy and full of whitecaps, making it tough to spot the small, white vessels suspected of being used as spotting boats by Houthi attackers. FLIR helped a bit with this, but having expert sensor operators for crewman was more useful. They were able to manage the radar to pick up the smaller boats between the waves. Sending live FLIR video to the bridge via Hawk Link allowed the Captain of Truxton to make real-time decisions based on the contacts we were investigating, and having a HAC stationed on the bridge in direct communication with the helicopter allowed for rapid Pre-Planned Response (PPR) progression and approval. We also worked with P-3C and MQ-9 UAVs to identify contacts of interest in the straits.

Occasionally, we escorted an Amphibious Ready Group, and in those cases we acted as SCAR for their embarked MH-60S and CH-53 helicopters, employing them as armed reconnaissance in sectors around the HVU. Outside of BAM transits, Det. 3 supported Truxton during

S

ierras, San Diego. That was the mantra of HT’s when I was there. It was what I came into flight school wanting, having done a midshipman cruise in San Diego with HSC-8. In the end though, I ended up in Jacksonville, Fla., at HSM-40, the East Coast Romeo Fleet Replacement Squadron. At first, I wasn’t thrilled about flying the MH60R. The word was that the Romeo was over-weight and under-powered, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) was for nerds, and the NATOPS was too thick. It wasn’t the cool helicopter. Turns out that couldn’t have been farther from the truth.

I checked in to HSM-70 on July 30, 2016, and was assigned to Det. 3 on USS Truxtun (DDG 103). I tried to keep my head down as a lowly Pilot Qualified in Model (PQM) and learn as much as I could during our compressed workup cycle. HSM-70 deployed in January with Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 2, embarked on USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) with detachments on USS Philippine Sea (CG 58), USS Hue City (CG 66), and USS Truxtun. We had completed an entire work up cycle in just over 6 months, with Tailored Ship’s Training Availability (TSTA), Air Wing Fallon, and COMPTUEX taking place between mid-September and Thanksgiving. HSM-70 was also deploying with crews fully qualified to carry both Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) and HELLFIRE, bringing fully armed MH-60Rs to CSG-2 and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 for the first time.

When I finished the FRS, I had learned to operate the sensors that the MH-60R brings to the Carrier Strike Group, but deployment is where I realized the value and capability of those sensors. Between surprisingly capable surface search radar, an IFF monitoring suite, Automatic Identification System (AIS) (basically a transponder for ships) and an EW Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

68

There I Was interdiction operations and conducted passenger transfers to and from Djibouti. We also had two MEDEVACs, one of which was for a Pakistani sailor who was suffering from chest pain. We conducted VERTREP during Replenishment At Sea evolutions too. Truxton played a vital role during Eagle Salute 2017, a multinational exercise in the Red Sea, and Det. 3 took the lead during the Search And Rescue (SAR) exercise and provided SSC support to an Egyptian FFG. On Det. we did a bit of everything, demonstrating the multi-role capabilities of the Romeo and its wide variety of mission sets.

While Det. 3 was doing BAM transits, the CVN element on the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) escorted the rest of the strike group through the Strait of Hormuz (SOH) and into the Persian Gulf to conduct strikes for Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR). While there, MH-60Rs from the Bush and from Det. 1 on USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) performed shows of force on Iranian fast attack craft that encroached on the ships in the strike group. They also intercepted and escorted more than a dozen Iranian UAVs that were approaching the carrier’s airspace, providing real-time video and electronic collection while ensuring the strike group always operated in sanitized air and water space.

They planned and led restricted water transit defenses of GHWB during SOH and BAM transits in the highest threat environment encountered by a U.S. aircraft carrier since World War II. HSM-70 crews controlled five MH-60R and MH-60S aircraft armed with APKWS, HELLFIRE and crew served weapons for the duration of the transits, maintaining continuous coverage of the threat sectors.

In June, I got transferred to the aircraft carrier in a JO swap. I got there just before they went back through the Suez into the Mediterranean and it was a little bit shocking to be

HSM-70 Swinging Loads.

Photo by MC1 Tyrell Morris

Time for a Drink. Photo by LTJG Robert Stoll

back with the rest of the squadron, especially after operating independently for five months. In a surprising turn of events, the “Death Star” ended up being a pretty nice place to be.

The food was better than the DDG, there were gyms (plural, as in more than one), my room was bigger and I felt like I was part of the squadron again. This was despite a spool up over threat submarines operating in the area. The squadron maintained non-stop ASW coverage for over a week, and several crews got time on top of submarines while clearing the water space for the strike group. There was a lot of planning and coordination that went into all of it, but it was pretty awesome to see one of our primary missions play such a big role in the strike group’s over-arching mission. Theater ASW operations were vital to ensuring CVN 77 was in a good position to launch OIR strikes.

The other good thing about moving to the carrier is that I finally began to understand how the strike group operates.

Seeing the way the airplan came together to support OIR strikes was eye opening to the fact that we were only one piece of the puzzle. This deployment is being described as “historic” by Navy leadership, and HSM-70 played an important role in its success. CVW-8 deployed more ordnance than any air wing since Operation Desert Storm and its jets faced heightened tensions in the skies over their targets. Our optempo was incredibly high and all of the sorties on the airplan were executed safely and professionally.

During our 2017 deployment, HSM-70 crews not only performed both of our primary missions of SUW and ASW, but also routinely carried out secondary missions like VERTREP, command and control warfare, and communications relay. We were never wondering what our role was or where we fit in the air wing because we were always doing the missions that we train for. It turns out the Romeo is an incredibly versatile and capable platform that is also fun to fly, and I couldn’t be happier to fly it. ASW is actually pretty fun once you figure it out, too.

69

The NATOPS probably is too thick though. www.navalhelicopterassn.org

COMHSCWINGPAC

trawing 5

Change of Command

Col. David Morris, USMC relieved CAPT Mark Murray, USN September 30, 2017

CAPT Kevin Kennedy, USN relieved CAPT Ben Reynold, USN on August 24, 2017

HSMWINGLANT Weapons School Talons

HT-28 HELLIONS

CDR Andrew Miroff, USN relieved CDR Patrick D. Burrus, USN July 27, 2017

CDR Keith Kulow, USN relieved CDR Steven Minihane, USN July 20, 2017

CDR Robert Dulin, USN relieved Lt. Col. Cory DeKraii, USMC on June 9, 2017

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

HSC-7 DUSTY DOGS

70

Secretary of the Navy

The Hon. Richard V. Spencer relieved The Hon. Sean Stackley August 3, 2017

Expeditionary Strike Group 2

HSM -71 RAPTORS

RDML Jeff Hughes, USN relieved RDML Roy I. Kitchener, USN July 21, 2017

CDR Matthew Kiser, USN relieved CDR Brian Holmes, USN July 6, 2017

HSC-9 Tridents

CDR Ryan P. Dexter, USN will relieve CDR Nicholas V. Mantalvanos, USN October 12, 2017

71

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Our Congratulations to the

USS Midway Foundation Scholarship Mason Barrow and Madison Ward

NHA Active Duty Scholarship Staff Sgt. Edward Hill, USMC

Charles Kaman Memorial Scholarship Jazmin Rio Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

Sergei Sikorsky Memorial Scholarship Jesse Robinson

CDR Mort McCarthy Memorial Scholarship Patrick Blaha 72

NHA Active Duty Graduate Scholarship LT Jeffrey Ouimette, USN

Don Patterson Associates Scholarship Alexis Ward

COMMAND UPDATES

2017 Scholarship Recipients

Raytheon Scholarship Michael Undersander

Northrop Grumman Scholarship Edith Hoffman

NHA Graduate Scholarship Abby Miceli

CAE Scholarship Aaron Curtis

NHA Historical Society CAPT Mark Starr Memorial Scholarship Ryan Rio

Robert Morrison Memorial Scholarship Rachael Hardison 73

FLIR Scholarship Robin Bridgers

Jack Brady Memorial Scholarship Christopher Keane

Ream Memorial Scholarship Allie Stamper

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

"Forgotten" by Marc Liebman Book Review LCDR Chip Lancaster, USN (Ret.)

Around the regions

Book Review

F

or years after the end of the Vietnam War, it was believed that many POWs and MIAs were not repatriated to the United States. They were perhaps left as prisoners in the jungles of Southeast Asia. Marc’s novel delves into this realm, attempting to reason why this may have been the case. In so doing, he pulls no punches from the skies over North Vietnam to dirt camps in Cuba to byways and bedrooms of cities from Chicago to Hong Kong. He wastes no time throwing the reader into the action and keeps it going along several story lines eventually blending into two main themes. The action takes place over a twelve year period with date stamps throughout to keep one centered and aware. He’s done his research from aerial combat to wild gun battles to chopping through green hell triple canopy jungles to highly stimulating sexual proclivities; it’s definitely rated R for mature readership.

The story’s protagonists, Randy and his wife Janet, live through the twelve years down timelines thousands of miles apart with action, secrets and connections cleverly assimilated to keep the reader wondering what’s coming next and who’s going to end up on top or with whom and when, no puns intended. Janet’s life whirls from Navy wife to the world of international intrigue and assassination while Randy has his hands full trying to survive a situation he never imagined was possible. Even when situations apparently resolve, the action continues with no let up, wrapping the reader in a web of international conspiracies.

Marc’s characterization is remarkable from main characters and relations down to the lowest bit-part players, while his descriptive prose envelops one into the action. Forgotten is a great read, highly recommended. It is also accompanied by a nice glossary in the back to familiarize the reader on much of the military and civilian equipment and lingo encountered throughout the book. Google the rest, but check it out, you won’t be disappointed.

NASNI Centennial Celebration

Join us on the NASNI airfield for a truly unique and exciting experience in honor of our 100th Anniversary. To help NASNI celebrate its first 100 years of service, all honorably discharged veterans are invited to attend the NASNI Centennial Celebration on Veteran's Day, 2017.

The event is accessible, free of charge, to anyone with valid access to the base. Veterans without a valid DoD ID card must complete a Base Access Request package via the link on our Base Access Information page and submit it prior to Oct. 15, 2017. Full admission details are available on our Base Access Information page. For information regarding entertainment and amenities, please visit www.nasni100.com Entertainment will include: Musical Acts Kid Zone with bounce houses, games and activities for children of all ages Helicopters and aircraft displayed by Sailors and Marines Vintage aircraft displays Tours of the historical districts on NASNI Beer Garden Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to enjoy the concert.

Please leave all coolers at home.

Please contact our Public Affairs Officer (PAO) at NBCPAO@navy.mil or (619) 545-8136.

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

74

Command Updates

COMMAND UPDATES

Marine Helicopters Soar Farther Than Before with Auxiliary Fuel Tanks

Article by Lance Cpl. Andy Martinez, USMC III Marine Expeditionary Force

C

amp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan – Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 267 used new auxiliary fuel tanks to fly the AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom helicopters farther than ever, during flights based from Okinawa, March 10-14, 2017.

The helicopters demonstrated a 25% range increase, according to Capt. Christopher Millar, a UH1Y Venom pilot with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 267, a squadron deployed to Okinawa from Camp Pendleton, Calif.

“This allows us to support the Marines of III Marine Expeditionary Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom Force (MEF) as we project our power helicopters past Mount Fuji, Shizuoka, Japan, March 12, 2017. The squadron is further and increase our capability currently supporting Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine with the fuel tanks,” said Millar, who Expeditionary Force. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Andy Martinez) is supporting Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III MEF, through the unit deployment program.

Millar flew one of the helicopters that broke the record, logging 314 nautical miles during a flight from Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, to New Tanegashima Airport, Japan, on March 10.

Lt. Col. Jon Livingston, the commanding officer of HMLA-267, confirmed that this was the longest recorded operational Venom flight ever.

During the four-day mission, the squadron also visited Osaka, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, and Camp Fuji, Japan.

“The auxiliary fuel capability gives the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) commander the ability to respond to crises and deploy our forces from the most northern reaches to southern reaches of the area of operations,” said Millar, a native of St. Louis, Mo. Once the H-1 helicopters arrive at their destinations, they can easily drop their fuel tanks and reconfigure for ordnance operations. The fuel tanks, which resemble torpedoes, attach below both sides of the helicopter bays.

“The auxiliary fuel systems provide the MAGTF commander scalable options to be able to move his assets around the area of operations without relying on strategic lift,” said Millar.

The increased range of the H-1 helicopters supports Marine Corps operations in responding to crises, maintaining a deterrent, forward presence, carrying out combat operations, and providing humanitarian assistance “With these auxiliary fuel tanks, I believe it gives H-1’s a greater ability to self-deploy and to help the Marines on the New auxiliary fuel tanks, like the one pictured, help AH-1Z Viper ground,” Millar said. “[The H-1’s] also help III MEF fulfill and UH-1Y Venom helicopters increase their range by more the ‘Fight Tonight’ motto and project our power further than 25%. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Andy Martinez. ashore.”

75

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

Coast Guard Rescues Navy Pilot from Water 20 Nautical Miles Southeast of Key West U.S. Coast Guard 7th District Southeast Public Affairs

T

he Coast Guard rescued a Navy pilot from the water approximately 20 nautical miles southeast of Key West, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017.

Watchstanders with Coast Guard 7th District Command Center were notified at approximately 1:07 p.m. that a Navy F-5N jet pilot was in the water and needed assistance. The watchstanders diverted a Coast Guard Air Station Miami MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew and an HC144 Ocean Sentry airplane crew to conduct a search.

The helicopter crew arrived on scene at 1:15 p.m., observed an emergency smoke signal and located the pilot in the water. The rescue crew hoisted the pilot from the water and brought him back to Lower Keys Medical Center in good condition.

Screen capture from rescue video. Video may be viewed at https://www.dvidshub.net/ unit/USCGD7

Just Another Spartan Week Facebook report from HSM-70

J

uly 17, 2017, was the the beginning of a another great week for the Spartans.

HSM-70 hosted Midshipmen from universities all over the country and demonstrated the vast capabilities of the MH-60R, introducing them to integrated rotary wing aircraft carrier operations. The Midshipmen got flights in our aircraft and got to see what a day in the life of an embarked Romeo pilot was like. They were also introduced to the MH-60R mission systems by our sensor operators who double as search and rescue aircrewmen. In addition to training Midshipmen, the squadron also made two new Aircraft Commanders this week.

BRAVO ZULU to LT Wepplo and LT Ramos!

Of special significance, LT Wepplo’s first HAC flight was also HSM-70’s first all female crew, with LTJG Kiekintveld and AWR3 Jelonnek.

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

LT Wepplo’s first HAC flight was also HSM-70’s first all female crew, with LTJG Kiekintveld and AWR3 Jelonnek.

76

COMMAND UPDATES

Navy Squadrons Rescue 227 on First Day in Houston

Article by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Christopher Lindahl

T

wo Navy helicopter squadron detachments relocated to Easterwood Airport on Aug. 30 after making 227 helicopter rescues while flying from Fort Worth, Texas, on the first day of Hurricane Harvey. CDR Dave Hecht of Naval Air Forces Atlantic stated, "the squadrons rescued 227 people on Monday, and rescued another 58 on Wednesday.

Monday's rescues took place in Houston and Wednesday's rescues happened in Beaumont."

The 112 Sailors from the "Dusty Dogs" and "Ghostriders" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadrons (HSC) 7 and 28 moved their staging site and six MH-60S Knighthawk helicopters in order to be even closer to the disaster zone in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. The new site allowed for a drastically reduced response time.

Regardless of response time though, the large cabin space, infrared capabilities, search and rescue trained crews and robust, dynamic lighting capabilities make the Knighthawk and her crew an ideal choice for the mission.

“We have multiple systems within the helicopter that allow us to fly at night, with the forward looking infrared camera, or FLIR ball, as we call it, up forward that allows us to look around at night.” said helicopter pilot LT Grant Kingsbery, a Uvaldi, Texas, native and Texas A&M graduate. “We have spotlight and floodlight that allows us to look around and everyone in the crew is wearing night-vision goggles to help us see better.”

In addition to the visibility aides, the helicopters are equipped with an onboard rescue hoist, the ability to hover at night and an average of three hours of fuel to aide in the efforts.

In a typical Navy scenario, HSC squadrons serve aboard ships, often hovering over the ocean and serving as plane guards for other aircraft that may launch off ships. The city scape, however, proved to be a drastic change for the crew from their typical flights.

“In the open ocean you don’t have to worry about towers - you’re 70 feet over the water, you don’t have to worry about running in to anything,” Kingsbery said. “Here, especially with the power outage, the street lights are out and most of the towers are unlit now because their battery backup has run out.”

LT Benjamin Bontrager, a pilot from yesterday’s rescue mission and native of Mishawaka, Ind., said, “my goal the entire night was to fly as fast as I can, as safely as I can and as precisely as I can to make sure that those people get out of the terrible situation they were in.”

About the conditions as they compare to typical Navy flights, Bontrager said it’s a much more crew intensive environment.

“It poses a greater safety risk with the towers and other aircraft flying around. We’ve got, you know, 40 aircraft flying around at one time in a small area all trying to do the same thing,” he said. “It’s a very task-saturated environment, and when you add nighttime to it, it’s just that - times ten.”

Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class Danny Harlow, a rescue swimmer who assisted in the rescues yesterday and native of San Diego, Calif., told the story of a memorable rescue.

“We were flying around looking for opportunities and I saw a family waving white towels from their balcony so I immediately called my pilot ‘right’ and we came over the spot,” Harlow said. “There were two kids down there with asthma, their mother, and their uncle - who just underwent a kidney transplant - and luckily I was able to get the opportunity to get in there and get them up into the helicopter and into safety.”

Harlow spoke vividly of the emotions involved.

“We actually had a wide range of emotions, some were extremely grateful, some were terrified, some were crying. Some of the kids were actually having fun because they were in a helicopter,” he said. “So it really was a wide range, but definitely gratifying. Getting them out and having those ‘Thank Yous’ is definitely a gratifying experience.”

Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class Jose Rodriguez, a native of Corpus Christi, Texas, is flying his first rescue mission tonight and is anxious to help his fellow Texans. He spoke to the mission of the aircrew and the training of the rescue swimmers.

“We’ll send the (rescue) swimmer down and he’ll pick up whoever he needs to,” he said. “When we send him down, he tries to calm the person down - whether he’s in the water or on top of a house, wherever he’s at, that’s the first thing he does and then he tells them who he is, how he’s going to help them out, and how we’re going to bring him back in to the aircraft.”

With regards to his own family, Rodriguez assures that they are safe.

“My family ended up staying in Corpus Christi - they live on the outskirts - everything is okay with their home,” he said.

“They ended up losing power but I believe it is back on now.”

HSC-7 has 77 Sailors and four helicopters while HSC-28 has 35 Sailors and two helicopters assigned to the relief efforts.

At the start of the day, they had flown 13 sorties with 37 hours in the air, 227 rescues (21 by hoist), including 11 dogs and one kitten.

77

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

HSC-21 and 23 Return from Houston Rescue Operation

F

our MH-60S helicopters flown by HSC-21 and HSC-23 crews flew into Houston, Texas, to deliver food and water and assist other Navy personnel in rescue missions in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

“It was really rewarding for us to be able to go out there and provide assistance to people that couldn’t have gotten it any other way,” HSC-21 Blackjacks crewmember LTJG Taryn Voller said.

Eighty-nine locally based Navy personnel assisted in Hurricane Harvey relief. The Blackjacks and HSC-23 Wildcards alongside other east and west coast based helicopter squadrons flew for a combined 485.5 hours, rescued 357 people and transported 12,810 pounds of cargo in Houston.

"Blackjacks" and "Wildcards" back in San Diego

HMH-466, CLB-5 Conduct External Lifts Article by Cpl. Harley Robinson, USMC Marine Corps Air Station Miramar / 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

H

elicopter Support Team (HST) Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion (CLB) 5 supported Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 466 during an external lift exercise at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., June 5, 2017.

External lift exercises utilize the Marine Corps’ primary heavy-lift aircraft, the CH-53E Super Stallion, by applying its ability to carry large and heavy loads that are connected to the outside of the aircraft.

“HMH-466 "Wolfpack" conducted heavy-lift external operations utilizing a 20,000 pound training load,” said Sgt. Timothy Spears, crew chief with HMH-466. “This training is to support both squadron and HST proficiency in lift operations.”

During the exercise, the HST prepares the training load as the aircraft hovers above. It’s the HST’s job to secure the load and communicate with the crew aboard the helicopter to properly conduct the lift as swiftly and safely as possible.

“While executing assault support operations, CH-53Es can quickly insert vital equipment into landing zones for the ground combat element,” said Spears.

This training gives HST Marines and helicopter squadrons the training efficiency to conduct heavy lifts with the CH53E in forward deployed environments when tactical gear and supplies - such as Humvees, cargo, meals, and other vital equipment need to be transported.

“HMH-466, along with all HMH squadrons in the fleet, provide the heavy-lift asset for the Marine Corps,” said Spears. “Our mission statement is to support the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) commander and provide assault support transport of heavy equipment, combat troops and supplies, day or night, under all weather conditions during expeditionary, joint or combined operations. These training evolutions are utilized to maintain proficiency and combat readiness.”

Helicopter Support Team (HST) Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion (CLB) 5 prepare to attach a 20,000 pound training load to a CH-53E Super Stallion during external lifts training at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. Photo By Cpl. Harley Robinson, USMC

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

78

COMMAND UPDATES

From the Ground Up: 3rd MAW, 1st MarDiv Conduct Exercise Summer Fury

Article by Sgt. Kimberlyn Adams, USMC Marine Corps Air Station Miramar / 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

M

arines with 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division (MarDiv), conducted exercise Summer Fury 2017 at Naval Air Facility (NAF) El Centro, Calif., Aug. 1 through 7, 2017.

Summer Fury was an opportunity for air and ground units to exercise the skills needed during a combat deployment, test their ability to run a command operations center and provide dedicated air support to a battalion of infantry Marines.

During this exercise, Marines with 3rd MAW and 1st MarDiv practiced integrating as a Marine air-ground task force (MAGTF), which includes a ground combat element (GCE), air combat element (ACE), command element and logistics combat element, to complete a battalion level insert on Aug. 4 and an extract on Aug. 7.

Infantry Marines with 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, “We were tasked with getting a battalion of Maboard a CH-53E with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) rines out to the landing zone in the desert, resupply 466. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Kimberlyn Adams them and then bring them back,” said Capt. Douglas Chavez, flight equipment and ordnance officer in charge and a CH-53E pilot with Marine Heavy Helicopter “Anybody who hasn’t done it gets a good picture as to what Squadron (HMH) 466 and a Big Timber, Mont., native. it looks like to actually work with other units, especially the More than 20 aircraft from 3rd MAW deployed in support [ground combat element.]” of Summer Fury, including CH-53E Super Stallions, MV-22B Ospreys, AH-1W Cobras, UH-1Y Hueys, a KC-130J Hercules and an RQ-21 Blackjack from 3rd MAW deployed to support Summer Fury.

According to Capt. Christopher McCoy, a CH-53 pilot with HMH-466 and a Winter Park, Colo., native, Summer Fury was important because it enabled the 3rd MAW to gain experience in working as part of a MAGTF. “The aviation and ground community got to work together so closely on such a large-scale exercise that provided great training for everyone, making this exercise a big success,” said McCoy. During the exercise, several units from 3rd MAW provided close air support, transported troops and equipment, and extended communication abilities in a desert environment – all of which contribute to the ACE mission.

“The ultimate reason that aviation is here is for the ground guys,” said Chavez. “Us supporting them is what matters.”

A CH-53E Super Stallion with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 466 transporting infantry Marines from This exercise offered a more dynamic experience; usually this 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, prepares to kind of training is conducted in a simulator, added McCoy. take off to conduct a battalion insert during exercise “Even if someone has done it before, it gives the Marines more Summer Fury at Naval Air Facility El Centro, Calif. experience and enhances their capabilities,” explained McCoy. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Kimberlyn Adams

79

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

HSC-7, HSC-28 Transition Support of Hurricane Harvey Relief Efforts Article by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ernest Scott, Navy Public Affairs Support Element East

S

ailors assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 7 and HSC-28 began transitioning support of Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, Sept. 2, 2017, to HSC-21 and HSC-23.

Since arriving in Texas, HSC-7 and HSC-28 flew 49 sorties accumulating 225 flight hours, including 65 hours at night. They combined for 358 rescues while saving 22 dogs, five cats, conducting nine personnel transfers and delivering 1660 lbs. of water and food.

With the demand of search and rescue (SAR) missions decreasing, HSC-21 and HSC-23 are expected to focus largely on logistics support and supply delivery.

"What we are seeing is a shift from SAR, to a relief posture," said LT Steve Niets, a pilot assigned to HSC-28. "Our crews are working together, integrating with each other, and preparing for the swap."

Although the primary mission may be changing, LCDR Spencer Fishman, the officer in charge of HSC-28, said the squadrons are always prepared to carry out rescue operations.

"Our Sailors are highly trained and always ready to conduct search and rescue," said Fishman. "Even when we are delivering supplies, our crew is fully prepared to help those in harms way."

Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Air Force Gen. Lori J. Robinson, commander of U.S. Northern Command, announced during a press conference, Sept. 1, 2017, that while many areas are still hazardous, food and water is being con-

tinuously delivered to seven major distribution locations. Ensuring these centers remain stocked is an all hands effort.

"Something we do very well in our squadrons and as a Navy is work as a team," said Fishman. "We are out there flying, operations is planning, and our maintainers work around the clock to get the job done."

The full transition of support between squadrons will take approximately 24 hours to complete. During this time, HSC7 and HSC-28 will share with their replacements region specific logistics and lessons learned.

"These squadrons understand humanitarian relief and [Defense Support of Civil Authorities], it's something we train for," said Fishman. "The number one thing we pass on is our lessons learned - who's the point of contact for specific situations, what's the battle rhythm you can expect from your team - all the little details that will ensure our turnover is seamless."

For the Sailors departing, their time in Texas has been a truly memorable experience.

"Everything about this has been so humbling," said Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class Amber Ford, assigned to HSC7. "Getting the call at night to leave the next morning was when I realized 'Ok, this needs to be done.' You hear it on the news, but being here you see how important this relief is. That, along with how supportive the entire community has been makes me proud to be here and proud to be in the Navy."

LT Ben Bontrager, a pilot assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 7, returns to College Station, Texas, after conducting search and rescue operations over the areas affected

by Hurricane Harvey.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ernest R. Scott

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

80

COMMAND UPDATES

Pine Forest Elementary School Rescue: 14 People and Four Dogs Article by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Christopher Lindahl

S

ailors from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28 rescued 14 people and four dogs, Aug. 31, 2017, at Pine Forrest Elementary School, in Vidor, Texas, a shelter that required evacuation after flood waters from Hurricane Harvey reached its grounds.

Seven adults, seven children and four dogs were escorted to an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter and flown to safety in nearby Beaumont.

Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class Rion Johnson, a native of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., logged the first rescue of his five-year career.

"You never want anything bad to happen to anyone. But, if something does you want to be the first person to Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class Jansen Schamp, assigned to the get there," Johnson said. "So getting "Dragon Whales" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28, reassures a the call today and seeing the emotions family after a rescue at Pine Forrest Elementary School, a shelter that required coming from the survivors, it was sad - evacuation after flood waters from Hurricane Harvey reached its grounds. U.S. knowing something terrible happened Navy Video by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Christopher Lindahl.

- but it is also great knowing that they're safe now."

"We have weekly pool, medical and knowledge based trainNaval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class Jansen Schamp, ing that keeps us prepared at anytime, anywhere," Johnson a native of Denver, Colo., the helicopter's other crewmember, said. also logged his first rescue of his near six-year career.

"So others may live" is the motto of the aviation rescue "It was a very surreal experience. Landing on the field of an swimmers, and while these two may have achieved that goal elementary school in a relatively tight landing zone, rescuing today, they are quick to point out the unsung heroes in their people of all ages and even animals wasn't necessarily what I squadron. pictured for my first rescue," Schamp said. "It was very hum"There's not enough that can be said about the work of our bling and rewarding in every way. The people we evacuated maintainers that work around the clock to ensure we have airhad lost their homes, they were scared, and they were sad. But craft available to perform these missions," Schamp said. most of all they were so grateful for the help they received.

U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFF) sent personnel and This will forever be one of my most memorable experiences." assets to bolster Northern Command's support of FEMA's Johnson and Schamp are both aviation rescue swimmers assistance to federal, state and local authorities ongoing rewho have trained for years on a variety of scenarios. They lief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Hurricane credit their efficiency to their extensive training.

Harvey formed in the Gulf of Mexico and made landfall in southeastern Texas, bringing record flooding and destruction to the region.

81

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

SPMAGTF-SC Aviation Marines arrive in Guatemala Article by Cpl. Melissa Martens, USMC U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South

U

“We are supporting the LCE in their various engineering and infrastructure improvement projects throughout the country,” said U.S. Marine Cpl. Arkangel R. Segarraorta, aviation mechanic with the ACE, SPMAGTF-SC. “We are prepared to assist them, as well as the GCE, with any heavy lift capabilities, and transport personnel and equipment from point A to point B.” The ACE is also prepared to rapidly respond to a humanitarian emergency, if needed. “Our time in Guatemala is a great way for us to further develop our training,” Segarraorta said. “We are bettering our skills so we are prepared to mobilize in the event of conducting responses to natural disasters in our area of operation.”

The approximately 300 active and reserve Marines and sailors of SPMAGTF-SC are operating primarily in Guatemala, Honduras, Belize and El Salvador, but the task force is also deploying mobile training teams to five other countries in the region to conduct training with host nation forces there. Each location serves as another opportunity for Marines and sailors to build upon security cooperation efforts and strengthen relationships in the region.

“Operating in Guatemala opens up many doors with the host nation,” Carroll said. “It lets us showcase not only our capabilities, but also is a way to show that we are here to help, further develop relationships and continue to enhance our shoulder-to-shoulder training.”

.S. Marines with the Aviation Combat Element (ACE), Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Southern Command (SPMAGTF-SC), kicked off their arrival to Guatemala with a media day at the La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, Guatemala, July 31, 2017.

The Marines welcomed U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala Todd D. Robinson, Guatemalan Air Force Gen. Timo Hernandez Duarte, members of a U.S. Embassy-sponsored educational exchange program, and local media outlets to tour two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters, meet the crews, and field questions with the commander of SPMAGTF-SC about the unit’s operations in the country.

“This is a great opportunity for the Marines to be here and work with our Guatemalan partners,” said U.S. Marine Capt.

Brendan T. Carroll, the operations officer for the ACE, SPMAGTF-SC. “It lets us show off the different capabilities of our equipment, as well as highlights the diversity of the Marine Corps as a whole and what we can accomplish.”

At the invitation of the Guatemalan Government, the ACE will be based in Retalhuleu, Guatemala, for approximately three weeks. This will allow the ACE to support other elements of SPMAGTF-SC, including the Logistics Combat Element (LCE) and the Ground Combat Element (GCE), as they work on engineering projects and conduct training with the Guatemalan Armed Forces.

U.S. Marines with the Aviation Combat Element, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Southern Command, prepare their CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter for takeoff from La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, Guatemala, U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Melissa Martens, USMC

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

82

COMMAND UPDATES

NAS Whidbey Island SAR Conducts Second Rescue off Mt. Stuart Naval Air Station Whidbey Island News Release

T

he day after rescuing an injured 64-year-old hiker off Mount Stuart on Sunday, Aug. 6, 2017, another Search and Rescue (SAR) team from Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island evacuated his 60-year-old climbing partner Monday afternoon.

A helicopter from the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office was unable to reach the man earlier due to environmental factors and aircraft power limitations. Additionally, the sheriff was unable to reach the man or get him to climb to their location due to his inexperience with technical climbing and exhaustion from staying overnight on the mountain.

SAR located the man at an altitude of approximately 8,500 feet.

After adjusting for altitude and winds, the crew was able to lower a crewmember to the scene and extract him. They then flew him to his family at Pangborn.

According to LT Erin Hittle, the SAR mission commander, the mission was challenging due to altitude, low visibility and high temperatures. She praised her crew for their professionalism and the successful outcome, “Everyone did a great job today,” she said, “and we were rewarded by watching this family reunite.”

This was the 29th rescue of 2017 for NAS Whidbey Island SAR, which has also conducted five searches and 14 Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) missions this year, totaling 55 lives delivered to a higher level of care.

The Navy SAR unit operates three MH-60S helicopters from NAS Whidbey Island as search and rescue/medical evacuation (SAR/MEDEVAC) platforms for the EA-18G aircraft as well as other squadrons and personnel assigned to the installation.

Pursuant to the National SAR Plan of the United States, the unit may also be used for civil SAR/MEDEVAC needs to the fullest extent practicable on a non-interference basis with primary military duties according to applicable national directives, plans, guidelines and agreements; specifically, the unit may launch in response to tasking by the AFRCC (based on a Washington State Memorandum of Understanding) for inland missions, and/or tasking by the United States Coast Guard for all other aeronautical and maritime regions, when other assets are unavailable

NAS Whidbey Island SAR Rescues Three in Two Weekend Rescues Naval Air Station Whidbey Island News Release

A

Search and Rescue (SAR) team from Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island conducted two rescues on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017. The first rescue was on Mt. Baker in the Cascades, the second in the Olympic National Forest.

Saturday afternoon, NAS Whidbey Island received a report through the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) of two injured climbers on Mt. Baker. The crew of five departed at approximately 2:20 p.m. and located one of the climbers following a pass of the reported area at an elevation of about 6,000 feet. After hoisting one of the SAR crewmembers to the injured but ambulatory climber’s location, the crew determined that the other climber was stuck in a crevasse approximately 300 yards away. The crew recovered the first climber and then moved into position over the crevasse. Upon reaching the second climber, the crew determined he was deceased. The crew then departed to transfer the survivor to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham.

While they were transferring the survivor, the SAR crew received another request for assistance, this time in the Olympic Mountain Range, approximately eight miles southwest of Elwha. After refueling, the crew transited to the given location where Forest Service Members were assisting two injured, 64-year-old hikers. The setting sun made visibility difficult, but the crew was able to hover in a safe location and rappel two crewmembers 150 feet down. After conducting assessments, the two survivors and two crewmen were hoisted into the helicopter for the transit north. The crew landed at the helipad at Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles at approximately 7 p.m. and transferred the hikers to higher care.

These were the 30th and 31st rescues of 2017 for NAS Whidbey Island SAR, which has also conducted five searches and 14 Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) missions this year, totaling 58 lives delivered to a higher level of care.

83

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

May 24, 2017

Top Row: Lt. Col. Cory DeKraai, USMC, Commanding Officer HT-28; 1st LT Colby Jerden, USMC, HT-28; LTJG Benjamin Quay, USN, HT-28; 1st Lt. Chadrick Whitehouse, USMC, HT-18; ENS Alexander Klein, USN, HT-18; 1st Lt. Dylan Grandon, USMC, HT-28; ENS Edward Reed, USN, HT-18; LTJG Andrew Brumelow, USN, HT-18; RADM Michael S. White, USN, Commander, NETC. Middle Row: CDR Brian Sanderson, USN, Commanding Officer HT-18; ENS Matthew Wehrle, USN, HT-28; ENS Riley Mita, USN, HT-18, 1st Lt. Jesse Dolan, USMC, HT-28; LTJG Gary Brown, USN, HT-18; ENS Tyler Benner, USN, HT-28; 1st Lt. Duncan Rohlfing, USMC, HT-28; ENS Dennis Benson, Jr., USN HT-18; 1st Lt. Steven Piper, USMC, HT-18; CAPT Mark Murray, USN, Commanding Officer TRAWING 5.

Bottom Row: CDR Stephen Audelo, USN, Commanding Officer HT-8; ENS Bailey Bray, USN, HT-18; 1st Lt. Andrew Donohue, USMC, HT-28; LTJG Connor Henkle, USN, HT-8; ENS John Martenstein, USN, HT-18; 1st Lt. Jose Gomez-Villalobos, USMC, HT-28; ENS Britton Haynes, USN, HT-28; 1st LT Whitley Noel, USMC, HT-28; ENS Larajean Lauzen, USN, HT-28.

June 7, 2017 Top Row: Lt. Col. Cory E. DeKraai, USMC, Commanding Officer HT-28; LTJG Simone Godino, IT NAVY, HT-28; LTJG Gianluca Rollo, IT NAVY, HT-28; LTJG Gabrio Grilli, IT NAVY, HT-28; LTJG Saud Alsharif, RSNF, HT-28; LT Bradely Davis, USCG, HT-18; LT Kevin Dwyer, USCG, HT-18; LTJG Zachery Hebda, USN, HT-18; LTJG Thomas Blair, USN, HT-8; Col. Clay A. Stackhouse, USMC (Ret.).

Middle Row: CDR Brian Sanderson, USN, Commanding Officer HT-18; LTJG Michael Cohen, USN, HT-8; LTJG Stuart Shrum, USN, HT-28; LTJG Muhannad Alnasser, RSNF, HT-18; LTJG Kelcey Smith, USCG, HT-18; LTJG Jon Jones, USN, HT-18; LTJG Andrea Varavalli, IT NAVY, HT-18; LT Conor Lee, USCG, HT-28; LTJG Ryan Griffin, USN, HT-18; LTJG Shaman Almelihi, RSNF, HT-18; CAPT Mark Murray, USN, Commodore TRAWING 5.

Bottom Row: CDR Stephen Audelo, USN, Commanding Officer HT-8; LTJG Sara Blake, USN, HT-8; LTJG Diletta Guido, IT NAVY, HT-8; LTJG Sara Nardone, USN HT-8; LTJG Anne Foky, USN, HT-8; LTJG Amanda Graham, USN, HT-18; LTJG Sara Shrum, USN, HT-8; LTJG Abdullah Aldawsari, RSNF, HT-28; LTJG Kashmeir Kirkpatrick, USN, HT-28; LTJG Rosalyn Lopes, USN, HT-28.

84

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

June 21, 2017 Top Row: CDR Robert Dulin, USN, Commanding Officer HT-28; 1st Lt. Darren Strickland, USMC, HT-18; LTJG Matthew Soper, USN, HT-18; 1st Lt. Paul Yates, USMC, HT-8; LTJG Luke Aleksandravicius, USN, HT-8; 1st Lt. Andrew Hunter, USMC, HT-8; LTJG Shea Smith, USCG, HT-8; LTJG Fanek Kulik, USN, HT-28; CDR Stephen Minihane, USN, Commanding Officer HSC-7.

Middle Row: Lt. Col. Aaron Brunk, USMC, Executive Officer HT-18; LTJG Samuel Ector, USN, HT-18; ENS Caleb Bradley, USN, HT-18; LTJG William Campbell, USN, HT-18; LTJG Daniel Gregory, USN, HT-18; LT Ian Erikson, USCG, HT-18; LTJG Yoshiro Grubbs, USN, HT-8; LTJG Benjamin Bradberry, USN, HT-18; CAPT Mark Murray, USN, Commodore TRAWING 5.

Bottom Row: CDR Stephen Audelo, USN, Commanding Officer HT-8; LTJG Sawyer Smith, USN, HT-28; LTJG Antonello Pisu, IT NAVY, HT-8; LTJG Jorge Liberato, USN, HT-18; LTJG Clint Vance, USN, HT-28; LTJG Richard Morales, USN, HT18; LTJG Ryan McGee, USN, HT-18; LTJG Mafleh Alkahtani, RSNF, HT-28; LTJG Justin Chung, USN, HT-18.

July 12, 2017

Top Row: CDR Robert Dulin, USN, HT-28; 1st Lt. Daniel Keech, USMC, HT-18; LTJG Ryan Sandsness, USN, HT-8; 1st Lt. Tyler Frizzell, USMC, HT-18; LTJG James Waters III, USN, HT-28; 1st Lt. Maxwell Villalba, USMC, HT-28; LTJG Zachary Mossman, USN, HT-28; 1st Lt. Evan Peterson, USMC, HT-8; 1st Lt. Joseph Doyle, USMC, HT-28; CAPT David Yoder, USN, Commanding Officer NS Mayport.

Middle Row: CDR Brian Sanderson, USN, Commanding Officer HT-18; LT Patrick Buckley, USCG, HT-28; LTJG Alexandra Rasche, USN, HT-28; LTJG Daniel Mccart, USN, HT-8; Capt. Alexander Wentz, USMC, HT-8; LTJG Muadin Latifi, USN, HT-8; 1st Lt. Rylan Commins, USMC, HT-18; ENS Michael Juola, USN, HT-18; LTJG Nathaniel Cajigas, USCG, HT-8; CAPT Mark Murray, USN, Commodore TRAWING 5.

Bottom Row: CDR Stephen A. Audelo, USN, Commanding Officer HT-18; 1st Lt. Louise Nowak, USMC, HT-28; LTJG Christopher Maligsa, USN, HT-8; 1st Lt. Jason Cotterell, USMC, HT-18; LTJG Timothy Early, USCG, HT-8; LTJG Sultan Al-Khathami, RSNF, HT-28; 1st Lt. Nicholas Stanley, USMC, HT-18; LTJG Christopher Garcia, USN, HT-8; LTJG Erica Hippe, USN, HT-28; 2nd Lt. Terrence O’Connor II, USMC, HT-8.

85

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

July 26, 2017 Top Row: CDR Robert Dulin, USN, HT-28; LTJG Jonathan Huggins, USN, HT-28; 1st Lt. Jake Delahanty, USMC, HT-8; LTJG Lillian Kraemer, USN, HT-28; CAPT Joseph Buzzella, USCG, Sector Commander/Captain of the Port of San Diego, Calif.; Middle Row: Lt. Col. Aaron Brunk, USMC, Commanding Officer HT-18; LTJG. Daniel Young, USN, HT-18; LTJG Raymond Fanara, USN, HT-18; 1st Lt. Mark Hammond, USMC, HT-18; CAPT Mark Murray, USN, Commodore TRAWING 5; Front Row: CDR Jessica Parker, USN, Executive Officer HT-8; 1st Lt. Michael Rosenbaum, USMC, HT-28; 1st Lt. Jose Mendoza-Cellerri, USMC, HT-8; LTJG Christine Wilson, USN, HT-28; 1st Lt. Michael Ayala, USMC, HT-8.

August 10, 2017 Top Row: CDR Robert Dulin, USN, Commanding Officer HT-28; LTJG Christian Amelia, USN, HT-8; 1st Lt. Christian Hoffman, USMC, HT- 18; 1st Lt. David Tonacci, USMC, HT-8; CAPT Mark Murray, USN, Commodore TRAWING 5; Middle Row: Lt. Col. Aaron Brunk, USMC, Commanding Officer HT-18; 1st Lt. Ryan Hanifin, USMC, HT-18; LTJG Matthew Guerin, USN, HT-28; LTJG Lindsey Cockburn, USCG, HT-18; Guest Speaker: CAPT Sterling G. Gilliam, USN (Ret.); Front Row: CDR Stephen Audelo, USN, Commanding Officer HT-8; LTJG Elisha Clark, USN, HT-8; LTJG Victoria Diaz, USCG, HT-8; LTJG Natasha Reyes, USN, HT-28.

86

www.navalhelicopterassn.org

CAPT Dick Catone, USN (Ret.) following a memorial service for a fellow helicopter pilot, is credited with the following statement: “I guess we are all in starboard delta waiting for Signal Charlie.” Starboard Delta is the holding pattern for the airborne Search and Rescue helicopters on the starboard (right) side of the aircraft carrier. They fly at a low altitude so as not to interfere with the fixed-wing aircraft recovery pattern, and only land when the last fixed-wing aircraft is safe on board. When tower calls the helicopter to pass “Charlie” to a landing spot, the crew knows the fixed-wing recovery is complete, all is well, and it is time to come back. Hence, the statement appears appropriate that someday we will receive our own “Signal Charlie” and will be called home for a final landing.

Signal Charlie has been created to inform our membership and honor the passing of fellow unrestricted aviators. It is only as good as the information we receive. If you have an obituary or other information that you would like to provide concerning the passing of a shipmate, co-worker, or friend of the community please contact the NHA national office at signalcharlie@navalhelicopterassn.org and we will get the word out.

T

1st Lt. Benjamin Cross, 26, Cpl. Nathaniel Ordway, 21, and Pfc. Ruben Velasco, 19, died in the Aug. 5, 2017, Osprey crash off

Australia. Photos courtesy VMI, Facebook and gofundme.com.

wo Marine aviators and an infantryman were killed when an MV-22 Osprey went down Aug. 5, 2017, into the waters off the coast of Queensland, Australia, officials announced Monday evening.

As dive teams continue to recover debris from the site of the crash, the service has identified the three Marines lost in the tragedy.

They are 1st Lt. Benjamin Cross, 26, of Oxford, Maine; Cpl. Nathaniel Ordway, 21, of Sedgwick, Kan.; and Pfc. Ruben Velasco, 19, of Los Angeles, Calif. Cross and Ordway were both assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 265 out of Futenma, Japan; Velasco was a member of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, out of Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Both units were assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, which is forward deployed to the Pacific and was near Australia for the multinational training exercise Talisman Saber.

Barbara D’Andrea HSM -40 Access Control Guard

B

arbara D’Andrea passed away on June 30, 2017. “Barb,” as she was known by many, was born in 1949 and grew up in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Barb initially served her country with eight years in the U.S. Air Force as a Medical Service Specialist. She then served an additional 12 years in the U.S. Navy as a Radioman. Barb retired from active duty in 1991 but continued to serve the Navy and Sailors, joining the civilian staff of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 40 as Access Control Guard at the simulator training building.

Many will remember her as the smiling face sitting at the front desk to the sim building, ready to buzz you in with a greeting and a kind word. Barb had a lifelong commitment to serving her country and her fellow man and she acted that out every day as she greeted students, instructors, civilians, and distinguished guests - all with the same great smile and cheerful disposition. Barb had a great sense of humor, enjoyed talking about “the good ol’ days,” and loved to laugh. She also loved her family very much, especially her daughters and her grandchildren. Barb’s inherent kindness and abiding goodness was also evident in the way she would lend her ear to those in need, helping them in any way she could.

During her impressive watch at HSM-40, students became instructors, instructors became commanding officers, commanding officers became commodores – and she brightened the day of all. She treated everyone with such genuine care that her loss has been deeply felt throughout the HSM community. Barb’s presence will truly be missed by all that knew her. She is survived by a sister, two daughters, and two grandchildren. Barbara D’Andrea was laid to rest on July 10, 2017, with military honors at Jacksonville National Cemetery, surrounded by family, friends, and fellow "Airwolves."

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

87

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP 2017

Rotor Review #138 Fall ‘17

88

YO U R M E M B E R S H I P H E L P S

YOUR BUMEMBERSHIP ILD ON HELPS US EXCELLENCE! BUILD ON EXCELLENCE! Join online:

http://www.navalhelicopterassn.org/join

JOIN US

Now is an exciting time to become a NHA Member!

Now is an exciting time to become a NHA Member!

Naval Helicopter Association Naval Helicopter Association P.O BOX 180578 CORONADO, CA 92178-0578 Name ________________________________________ Rank / Grade _____________ Branch of Service:

USN

USMC

Profession: Pilot

Aircrewman

USCG

Maintenance

Active Duty Civilian

Retired Other

Aircraft Flown:___________________________________________________________ Mailing Address: ___________________________________________________________________ City: ________________________________________________ State_____ Zip Code____________ Unit / Squadron ____________________ Current Assignment____________ Ship / Station_________ Warfare Community (i.e. HSC / HSM / HM / VMM / CG) _____________________________________ Primary Phone Number: ______________________________________ Home

Work

Mobile

Secondary Phone Number (optional) : ____________________________Home

Work

Mobile

Email Address:______________________________________________________________________ Level of Membership: 1 year - $40.00

3 years - $110.00

2 year-Nugget (O-1 / O-2 on first tour) - $40.00

5 years - 175.00

2 years (Retired) $65

1 year Enlisted Membership - $15.00