Jet Stream The
Friday, July 01, 2016 Vol. 51, No. 26 Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C.
Golf and Oscar Company Graduates See Page 11
“The noise you hear is the sound of freedom.” Descendants honor gravesite of Revolutionary War hero
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CBIRF and FDNY train side-by-side, share search and rescue tactics
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Exercise Koa Moana: First direct training Between U.S. Marines, Papua New Guinea Defence Force
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MCAS Beaufort vital to flight operations
Photo by Cpl. Jonah Lovy
A KC-130J Super Hercules takes off from the flight line aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort June 27. The aircraft is visiting Fightertown to support training operations in conjunction with local squadrons. MCAS Beaufort handles more than 500 arrivals and departures each month and hosts numerous visiting commands to support flight operations across the Marine Corps. The Hercules is with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadroon 252. see
AIRCRAFT, page 8
MCAS Beaufort achieves high level of safety and health management Story by: Staff Sgt. Dengrier M. Baez Public Affairs Chief Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort has been recommended by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for the Voluntary Protection Program Star site status after a command evaluation performed in June. The OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program recognizes private industry and federal agencies who have achieved an elite level of safety and health management while maintaining injury and illness rates below national averages. “I would expect that now that we have been recommended for the VPP Star recognition, next Graphic illustration courtesy of www.osha.gov will be an endorsement by OSHA The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Program recognizes private industry Region 4, in Atlanta, Georgia,” and federal agencies who have achieved an elite level of safety and health management while maintaining injury said Ronald L. Lanoie, the direcand illness rates below national averages. There are only three VPP Star sites in the Marine Corps; Marine Corps tor of safety for MCAS Beaufort. Logistics Base Barstow, MCLB Albany and Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island. Marine Corps Air Station “Once endorsed, it goes up to Beaufort will be the fourth, and first operational command recognized.
the Department of Labor. The head of the Department of Labor will forward a letter to the command saying we have been identified to have achieved VPP Star status.” In VPP, management, labor, unions, contractors, and OSHA work cooperatively and proactively to prevent fatalities, injuries, and illnesses. To achieve Star recognition, a site must exceed OSHA standards, submit a VPP application that generally reflects a 5-7 year effort, and undergo a rigorous onsite evaluation by a team of OSHA professionals. MCAS Beaufort started the VPP process in 2009. “An OSHA inspection team did a thorough assessment of our safety management program,” said Lanoie. “They spent the majority of the time interviewsee
VPP, page 6
VMFAT-501, Royal Air Force depart for U.K. air shows
Photo by Cpl. Jonah Lovy
Photo by Cpl. Jonah Lovy
Marines prepare an F-35B Lightning II to take off from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort June 29. Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 pilots and maintainers are traveling to the United Kingdom to support the Royal International Air Tattoo and the Farnborough International Airshow. Personnel and equipment from both the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.K. Royal Air Force will work together to display the capabilities of the F-35B. Their arrival in the UK will mark the first time the F-35 has been on UK soil. Sqn. Ldr. Hugh Nichols of the RAF will also be the first British pilot to fly the F-35 in the UK. Both mark major milestones in the evolution of the Joint Strike Fighter program. The Marines and the aircraft are with VMFAT-501, Marine Aircraft Group 31. see DEPARTURE, page 8